DI problems

missourimud

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thank you in advance for any suggestions.
I have the BRS 5 stage 150 gpd “water saver” so 2 ro membrane.
Few weeks back I posted cause my DI resin had changed color indicating exhaustion. I had only run 60-70 gallons through it so it seemed off. It was suggested to contact BRS in my circumstances so I did. Their suggestion was when the RO membranes are new you have to run them NOT into the DI for approx half an hour due to the protective coating on them, I had not done so thus diminishing their life. I chalked it up to a mistake and ordered a new one.

As of today I have ran 15 gallons through the new DI and it’s half color changed. Per a suggestion I divert my first 5 minutes of run time into waste not through DI. After 5 minutes I start it into my DI and make water. Once flow is going into DI my meter says it’s 5-7 tds input and always 0 out of my DI. I always run 5 minutes of “flush” after making water.

for reference my community water report states 330 tds
I run my whole house through a water softener.

looking for suggestions on how to determine the problem.
I have no problem switching to dual resins if the anion or cation could be the problem to determine if it is one or the other causing my issue but was hoping to get someone with more knowledge to help. Just would like a properly operating system, feel like I should get mo life than this?
thanks
-Ben
 

redfishbluefish

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Ben, are you on city water or well water? If well, a common problem is CO2 that will eat through DI in no time at all. Let me tag Russ at @Buckeye Hydro , a great sponsor who is a water purification expert.
 

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Do you have TDS meters on the RODI unit measuring the source water, post RO and post DI TDS readings? If not, do you have a handheld TDS meter to get these readings? Having these numbers will go a long way towards diagnosing your issue.

If your community water report is accurate and you have 330 TDS source water, you are at the upper range of TDS readings where using a double membrane set up is not ideal efficiency wise. In one of BRS’s videos, they do contend that the water saver setup isn’t ideal for over 300 TDS source water. Because of this high TDS, you may be pushing up to 15+ post RO TDS water through your single DI canister. That high post RO TDS in conjunction with TDS creep will deplete DI resin very quickly.

Without an accurate source water, post RO and post DI TDS reading, this is all just speculation.
 
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missourimud

missourimud

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@Water Dog thank you,
yes my BRS setup has tds meter reading post RO and post DI. Initially (before I started diverting startup water) my RO tds would spike to 70+ tds before returning to mid single digits.
Since i put the new DI resin in i hace been diverting flow to counter this so my post RO has been 6-7 tds going into DI and 0 out of DI.

I was not aware of the dual RO having issues with my high tds numbers. I will look for that video today.
 

Water Dog

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When you say diverting startup water, does that mean you are using a DI bypass valve... a 3 way valve between the RO membrane and the DI canister to dump TDS creep water? If so, then that’s excellent, as many confuse a DI bypass valve with the flush valve on the flow restrictor.

If you are getting 6-7 TDS out of your dual RO setup, then that tells me your source water TDS is probably less than 200, so using the dual membrane water saver setup should be fine.
 

Water Dog

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As far as the BRS water saver dual membrane setup not being ideal with higher TDS situations, check out the 4:30 mark in this BRS video...

 
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missourimud

missourimud

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Ok, appreciate the feedback thus far.
Just got the results from my icp analysis and the only thing its showing on my RODI is 22.07 ug/l of silicates.
I dont have any major algae but there is some, my PO4 was slightly high but i have been getting it lower now it looks like my icp confirmed my salifert test that my nitrates have bottomed out.

Any idea where to look for my silicate problem and what i can do about it?
 

Water Dog

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Salifert has a Silica test kit... You can address your silicate issue with the correct DI set up. Currently you have a single DI canister running a mixed bed resin. I would add an additional DI canister and go with Spectrapure replacement DI cartridges. Go with a Spectrapure MaxCap followed by a SilicaBuster cartridge. Mine has been on my system going on over a year and a half now and it still produces 0 TDS water.

Add on DI canister...


MaxCap & SilicaBuster DI cartridges...


My understanding is that the SilicaBuster Cartridge should last about 3 to 4 times longer than the MaxCap. So set up your DI TDS meters, one after the MaxCap DI stage and one after the SilicaBuster DI stage. Once the MaxCap hits detectable TDS, it should get replaced.

You can also replumb your current system to run two carbon blocks before your RO membrane and then just get the full dual canister DI set up with included DI cartridges and TDS meters from Premium Aquatics. This is the setup that I purchased.

 
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missourimud

missourimud

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Good morning, I am not sure 100%. in the water quality report it states TTHM in two places which are byproduct of chloride treatments? Also i am now seeing it the bottom of the report is a TDS of 497!!! i have been trying to find somewhere to send out my own sample but to no avail. Also when I reached out to BRS they just said to store it and let it off gas to relieve co2. At a loss right now I have ran 20 gallons through this DI and its color exhausted but still clean according to TDS meter, thanks in advance for any suggestions
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