RODI Not Putting Out 0 TDS

[Schraufabagel]

Additionally. The TDS from the source water is 541 exactly, and the TDS from the output after the pre-filters is 528

 

[Woodyman]

Reseated the membrane and heard the pop when it clicked in. Also checked all o-rings and gaskets to make sure they weren’t damaged. Started it again and still seeing around 30 TDS

Let it run for a good 15+ minutes.

Startup numbers are typically higher in TDS.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Let it run for a good 15+ minutes.

Startup numbers are typically higher in TDS.

Now seeing 26 TDS out of the membrane and 2 TDS out of the DI stage

 

[Woodyman]

Now seeing 26 TDS out of the membrane and 2 TDS out of the DI stage

Better, give it more time to settle in after not being properly seated. What membrane did you buy to replace your original with? (Which brand/model are you using currently?)

 

[T-J]

Now seeing 26 TDS out of the membrane and 2 TDS out of the DI stage

I have the BRS RODI system, prefilter, two carbon blocks, RO membrane and DI resin.
My source water in the winter is around 200ppm, and in the summer it's over 500. By the time my water gets to the DI resin, it's reading under 3ppm, with the DI taking it to 0ppm.
I don't see how your setup is so off.
Any chance you can just run the BRS RODI without the Buddy part? Just see what you get off of the straight RODI system?

 

[Schraufabagel]

Better, give it more time to settle in after not being properly seated. What membrane did you buy to replace your original with? (Which brand/model are you using currently?)

I’m using the Dow FilmTec 100 GPD membrane direct from BRS

 

[Schraufabagel]

Checked again. Still seeing 23 and 2 after about 15 minutes of it running

 

[Gtinnel]

I don't have much to add the hasn't already been mentioned, but is your filter plumbed to a cold water line exclusively? Is there any chance that at some point hot water could have been ran through your membrane?

 

[Schraufabagel]

I don't have much to add the hasn't already been mentioned, but is your filter plumbed to a cold water line exclusively? Is there any chance that at some point hot water could have been ran through your membrane?

It's plumbed from the cold water line

 

[Gtinnel]

It's plumbed from the cold water line

Ok just one thing that I thought of that hasn't been mentioned.

 

[Woodyman]

Checked again. Still seeing 23 and 2 after about 15 minutes of it running

So currently sitting around 95.6% which is low, but not quite horrible.

Depending on the makeup of what that 528 TDS is that may be the best the membrane can produce, somethings filter than other on RO membranes and you may have high levels of harder to filter compound in your water.

Can you increase the pressure of the RO buddy? Taking it up to 90/95 psi should help your membrane filter out more of those compounds.

 

[Schraufabagel]

So currently sitting around 95.6% which is low, but not quite horrible.

Depending on the makeup of what that 528 TDS is that may be the best the membrane can produce, somethings filter than other on RO membranes and you may have high levels of harder to filter compound in your water.

Can you increase the pressure of the RO buddy? Taking it up to 90/95 psi should help your membrane filter out more of those compounds.

According to the pressure gauge the buddy has the system running at 90 psi currently. I’ll use a water test strip on my source water and post the results

 

[Schraufabagel]

So currently sitting around 95.6% which is low, but not quite horrible.

Depending on the makeup of what that 528 TDS is that may be the best the membrane can produce, somethings filter than other on RO membranes and you may have high levels of harder to filter compound in your water.

Can you increase the pressure of the RO buddy? Taking it up to 90/95 psi should help your membrane filter out more of those compounds.

This is the test strip for my source water

 

[Schraufabagel]

Since it appears my source water doesn’t use chlorine at all, would adding a second sediment filter help? I’m assuming that’s where most of the TDS is

 

[Woodyman]

Since it appears my source water doesn’t use chlorine at all, would adding a second sediment filter help? I’m assuming that’s where most of the TDS is

Sediment doesn't normally affect TDS a bunch, but it's also not going to hurt. If you add on an additional sediment I'd go 0.5 or lower micron rating.

 

[Schraufabagel]

Sediment doesn't normally affect TDS a bunch, but it's also not going to hurt. If you add on an additional sediment I'd go 0.5 or lower micron rating.

The one I have is 1 micron. Is that an issue?

 

[Woodyman]

The one I have is 1 micron. Is that an issue?

No I'd leave that as is, but I'd you do add on I'd go with at least a 0.5, but ideally a 0.35 or 0.2 absolute rated instead of nominally rated.

 

[Woodyman]

I'm assuming your DI resin is the color indicating since it's BRS branded?

 

[Schraufabagel]

No I'd leave that as is, but I'd you do add on I'd go with at least a 0.5, but ideally a 0.35 or 0.2 absolute rated instead of nominally rated.

Also, the city I was in early last year has a TDS of around 350. I usually went through a lot less DI Resin than I do at my apartment now

 

[Schraufabagel]

I'm assuming your DI resin is the color indicating since it's BRS branded?

Correct