Hi All,
My Merlin has slowed water production right down over the last week or so...
I obviously need to change filters - Do you think just changing the two pre-filters will do the trick or do you think I need to replace the membrane as well? I haven't changed anything on it within the last 12 - 18 months...
Thanks,
Andy
Andy, the merln has one pre flter and two membranes, when I had one and the pre filter needed changing I decided to remove the pre filter from the housing (first one) and leave it empty.
I then bought two 10" housings and sediment and carbon block filters that I ran inline before the ro. Standard 10" pre filters are cheaper than merln ones and readily available from all suppliers. hence why I did it.
Gardiners now sell a 3 in 1 pre filter thats fits a standard 10" housing and so does away with the need for 2 or 3 stages and you need only 1 housing, apparantly this lasts 3 times longer before the need to change it and will improve the pressure to the ro.
Ofcourse your membranes could already be shot but the advice to take them out and wash them off and check for blocked channels wll cost you nothing, 2 new membranes would be a lot more expensive to replace though than a new pre filter whether it be a merlin one or 10" but you won't know that until you eliminate the pre filter as the fault anyhow.
Just my opinion, and you may be very happy with a merlin and it suits your circumstances, but I never liked mine, found it very wasteful on water and quite inconsistent with regards to output and high tds.
When my membranes had finally died I made the decision to ditch it in favour of a 4040 rather than shell out on new memranes. It cost me more to set up but it was the right decision

Hope my advice is of help
Good luck
Simon