RO/DI Unit Losing Pressure

[reynaldoramon]

I was thinking either faulty restrictor/flush valve, or faulty auto-shutoff valve, or both. I've checked all lines. Could a bad ro membrane cause this? It's not old. Replaced last spring.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

sounds like the flush valve is bad to me - its not fully opening. Does not sound like a bad membrane or bad asov.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Ok. Thank you for your insight.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Can you confirm to me that I have mu gauge in the right place? I mean it shouldn't matter because the pressures are definitely opposite of what they used to be. It is just before the ro housing...the in line into the ro house.

I went out and got a needle valve and am trying it in place of the flow restrictor. I'm noticing the same thing. Wide open and pressure is up. Close the valve and the pressure drops. Put the gauge where it was at a 4:1 and pressure were like at 20 or 25. I'm using same water source and no noticable pressure loss. I'm confused.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Yes - if you have only one pressure gauge on the system, it should be installed such that it reads the same pressure the RO membrane gets.
Just FYI - if you have two gauges, you'd put one before the prefilters - when the difference in pressure on the two gauges becomes great enough, that tells you one or more of your prefilters is clogged.

Please give us a call when you are in front of your system. Maybe you have some plumbing on your system that isn't right. If we do this together it will take just a couple of minutes and we can put this mystery to bed.
Russ
513-312-2343

 

[reynaldoramon]

I know my set up is right. Been running it about 3 years and havent changed my tube configuration. I replaced the ro membrane last spring. My di resin depleted last week. I noticed the pressure changes when I replenished it this week. I changed out my filter and carbon blocks just to be safe as well. Last night changed tried out the needle valve to if it was a bad flow restrictor. No changes. I just removed the asov to see if it was that. No change in pressures. The only thing I havent changed/check is the ro membrane.

 

[reynaldoramon]

Ugh.....I'm the stupidest of the stupidest. After that last message...the one where I said I hadnt changed my tubing. Well after I sent it was just laying here thinking...what's changed?

The only tubing I changed was when I disconnected it from water source and waste line when I was changing filter and carbon block.

Yup...I reconnected them reverse. Was running water in it backwards.

I'm ready for my idiot hat now.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Oh my! Well, I can tell you that you are not the first! Far from it. Chances are your membrane is kaput.... but your tds meter will be the judge of that.

 

[nd6irish4]

Soooo....as much as I HATE to admit this, yes...my dumb butt got them mixed up. I don't have any idea how that happened and I feel like a total n00b. :oops:

My guess is somewhere between changing the filters out and the rehanging the unit, I physically turned the tubing from the gauge/bypass around 180 degrees and confused myself. Yes, I also realize now there is a giant arrow and a label stating "Flow" right by the valve.

I'm gonna go drink a bottle of wine and pretend this never happened. :D

Thank you all for helping correct a silly mistake!!

The same thing happened to me as I set mine up tonight. As much as I watched the videos and saw the FAQ’s, I could’ve sworn I had everything set up correct. Was so thrown off by the pressures being backwards that I researched and came across this post. Flipped my valve and voila, nominal pressure and full production. .

8 years later, I’m toasting to you!