[Ian Lancaster]

Hi all.

Got a new 40-40 from RO-man in January.  From the start it's produced water at 000 before DI from about 280 input.

Today shot up to 046.

This evening up to 048.

Anybody know what going wrong?  I've got the big booster pump, so no problem with pressure.

Still getting water at 001, but only because I run it through a big DI cylinder - don't expect the resin will last long!!!

Already e-mailed RO-man but don't expect a response till tomorrow and there's four of us relying on this machine, which is why I bought it!!!

[NWH]

Pre filters.

[Ian Lancaster]

Pre filters.

I wondered if it could be that, but I've only been running it about 4 weeks

[NWH]

Your in a hard water area,flush it as often as you can.

[NWH]

Flush it for half an hour then start making water and see what the reading gets down to.

[AJ]

Can you keep me informed on this one.
I have had two 40 40 membranes off RO man in 5 months.
The first one started off at 006 and went up to 200 in three months.
Martin at RO Man convinced me I had the wrong carbon filter in, so I bought a long life set off him along with another membrane.
I was supposed to change them after 90,000L of product water.
After 20,000L and one month later it was also reading 200ppm.
I have changed pipework dimension to increase flow, increased water ratio, all on his advice. Will not buy another from him.

What membrane was it?  Was it the blue one?

I think we have got to make a right pain of ourselves and try for a refund.
This can't be right.

[russ_clark]

I run one of these 40/40 and got it from RO-Man
Been running it since Sept with no probs.
Think I have same booster as you Ian (the noisy one)
TDS in around 350 TDS out 5
Been like that from day 1
I do flush for 15 mins every time I switch it on.
Ian have you been flushing like this
regards
Russ

[Ian Lancaster]

Can you keep me informed on this one.
I have had two 40 40 membranes off RO man in 5 months.
The first one started off at 006 and went up to 200 in three months.
Martin at RO Man convinced me I had the wrong carbon filter in, so I bought a long life set off him along with another membrane.
I was supposed to change them after 90,000L of product water.
After 20,000L and one month later it was also reading 200ppm.
I have changed pipework dimension to increase flow, increased water ratio, all on his advice. Will not buy another from him.

What membrane was it?  Was it the blue one?

I think we have got to make a right pain of ourselves and try for a refund.
This can't be right.

I don't know what membrane it was, I bought the complete system from RO-man so the membrane housing was already assembled with the membrane inside.

I have to say I've always had excellent service from RO-man, so I don't expect any problems from that quarter.  Just checked the prefilter housings, and it says "replace after 30,000lt of product water".  I guess I could have produced that much, I've got two 1000lt IBC's linked together and I fill them about three times a week, so that's 6,000lt a week, or 30,000lt in 5 weeks.

Didn't realise it was going to be this expensive in prefilters

[brightnclean]

What waste to product ratio are you running this at?

I did my 1st 40 inch membrane in by running it at far too low a waste flow.. ohh and not flushing regularly enough    

[Ian Lancaster]

I run one of these 40/40 and got it from RO-Man
Been running it since Sept with no probs.
Think I have same booster as you Ian (the noisy one)
TDS in around 350 TDS out 5
Been like that from day 1
I do flush for 15 mins every time I switch it on.
Ian have you been flushing like this
regards
Russ

I always flush for at least 15 mins every time I start it up.  Did the same with my 300gpd and it was fine for 2 years.

[russ_clark]

Ian
Can't help you mate
If you are flushing like that then there is a problem somewhere along the line.
The pre-filters should last 3 months no problem at all.
Russ

[AJ]

My previous membrane lasted almost 3yrs with exactly the same set up.
I would like to know of anyone else with the same problem, might help with the refund if I got a bit of backing.

[Ian Lancaster]

Flush it for half an hour then start making water and see what the reading gets down to.

Did just that today.  Started up on flush mode, then washed the van, then filled up, then had a cup of tea, then remembered the system was still on flush, so about 45 minutes in all

[Ian Lancaster]

What waste to product ratio are you running this at?

I did my 1st 40 inch membrane in by running it at far too low a waste flow.. ohh and not flushing regularly enough    

The instructions are pretty clear, guaged it at about 4:1

[Ian Lancaster]

Thanks  for all the help, I guess it's because I'm producing water for four men - this machine is so fast you don't realise how much water passes through it in a couple of hours.

Had a look on RO-man's site - prefilter sets are £46.94 inc VAT plus postage - got to work out how much to charge the lads for RO maintenance :

[Ian Lancaster]

My previous membrane lasted almost 3yrs with exactly the same set up.
I would like to know of anyone else with the same problem, might help with the refund if I got a bit of backing.

AJ:

If it is a membrane problem, I'll be with you all the way.  Going to wait and see what RO-man says.

[brightnclean]

Please let us know the outcome Ian..  I am about to resurrect my old 40 inch system and about to buy a new membrane and prefilters.

[Ian Lancaster]

Just got a reply from RO-man

Hows that for customer service?

They suggested the obvious point that I hadn't thought of: to try with another TDS meter (the 049 reading was the inline meter on the system)

Hand held meter: 007 :

Hopefully the inline one is the one that's wrong.  It's been reading 000 since I got the system, maybe it's just woken up and now it's trying to make up for lost time

I've emailed RO-man back to ask their opinion, I'll let you know what they say.

[brightnclean]

DUH!!!   

Exactly the same happened to me withone of those inline TDS meters. I should have thought of that.  I never use inline ones now. I went through a month a while back getting spots and runs all over the place ..  my water read 4 max with the inline so I was in despair. Andrew over at Purefreedom suggested I try a handheld and... yup.. I was using water at 80+  !!!   Thats how I found out I had ruined my 40 inch membrane. Leson learned.. never bother with an inline TDS again.. sorry Ian sometimes the obvious doesn't jump to mind.

Glad you got it sorted 

[NWH]

Inline TDS meters are as predictable as our weather.