RODI booster pump bad? pressures low

[Pedal Dangit]

I have had used this setup for the last 8 years. My pressures at the gauge when new were around 30/70 (pump off/on) over time I have noticed a drop in pressure, but recently it has gone very low. I now get 0/20 psi off/on. I checked the supply line and the pre-filters are relatively new. I'm guessing that I need a new pump? The RO filter still kinda works but not very well. Im getting 25-30 TDS when I used to get 5-10. I pulled the line where it goes into the pump and I have good flow (no pressure gauge to test) but I would guess supply is 20-30 psi

So do I have a bad pump? maybe? is there a specific replacement pump or are they all the same? thanks in advance

 

[cdemoss01]

#HardwareGurus

If anyone can help here. BUMP

 

[jonelder68]

Only way to confirm booster pump operation to eliminate it being faulty would be add supply line/water supply direct to it and then on the out/feed install a pressure gauge.

Process of elimination is the way through troubleshooting….

 

[Tangdora]

May actually be you you flush valve on the water water side going bad if your unit has one. If so To test that just put and actual on off after the flush valve. Then pressurize the line and close the on/off. Note the pressure and then turn on your booster pump to see if it rises. If so your booster is still good. Just be sure to exceed the max psi rating of your unit.

 

[UncommonSense]

I mean, I had an Aquatec 8800 booster pump go out on me after ~8 years, and many tens of thousands of gallons… (June 2015 date of production on the pump IIRC)

Granted, it was run dry on multiple occasions when water pressure was cut without unplugging it… but, these things do wear out, eventually!

— I will also note that I discovered my pressure gauge needed replacing, I may have been able to clean it up, but it wasn’t reading accurately after I replaced the pump (pressure reading way too low), and I was already doing a major refresh…

That’s not to say you shouldn’t troubleshoot first, though… perhaps start by bypassing your booster pump completely to see if product water flow increases?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Isn't there a very tiny screw-slot on that pump for an adjustment to the operating pressure? (Just going by my memory here.) Might that help increase effectiveness?

 

[UncommonSense]

Isn't there a very tiny screw-slot on that pump for an adjustment to the operating pressure? (Just going by my memory here.) Might that help increase effectiveness?

That worked on my old Aquatec 8800 for a bit… I got pressure from 70-ish back up to 85-ish by maxing out the pressure adjustment screw…

but, it had been periodically spitting black chunks (around 1-1.5mm diameter on average) out into my sediment filter (plumbed pre-RO with an additional pre-filter before it at the time), and that only became more frequent as the pressure crept back down, and the pump slowly chewed itself to bits…

(Come to think of it, that is definitely a downside to having a booster pump post-sediment/carbon filters… any mechanical failure resulting in debris from the booster pump head could clog up the RO membrane(s), waste line flow restrictor, or check valve… huh… maybe I’ll stick a little inline strainer after my new booster pump, which is now plumbed this way…)

 

[Seregus]

To determine fault you need to localise it. To do so you need to find a pressure gauge or plumb your feed line directly into current one and check pressure. After if its still 30 psi (pipe not kinked/calcified) you go and check pump, just disconnect everything and connect feed line directly into pump and check if pressure after pump is 70… if both of those works and pressure is good, well you already excluded the most difficult parts… after you add one part of the system back inline and watch water pressure. It could be one of the canisters, could be pipe, could be pressure valve … after you found ONE or MORE (yes could be a few parts problem and this is the most difficult to locate situation) you replace broken part and enjoy RO water.

If you are getting 5-10 tds I assume you do not use DI resin? Also uou measure not right after system turned on? Because first minute tds after membrane is higher then usual. I have same and after a minute it gets to zero or maximum one. This is why I installed two DI cartriddges and measure TDS after first one as well, so the moment it goes above zero, I know my water is still zero, because second DI cartridge still working, but I can replace first one (I usually put second one as first and add new one after)…

Hope it helps.