Filters DIrect? Anyone using these units?

[Phixion]

Don't try using personal experience to justify your use of that inferior product.

 

Yeah seriously, I mean it's so inferior it works JUST AS WELL!

[The Propagator]

I have been using a water general filtration system since they 1st started selling them on EBay for my wifes tank. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with them per say.

All you need to do is buy better DI resin, stand them vertically instead of horizantaly and MAYBE a better ro membrane when the time comes. That came directly from RUSS at Buckeye field supply to boy's. He is local to me and I talk to Russ ALL the time. Hell he lives about 20 minutes form me and his shop is 6.5 miles away.

He has never once said a truly bad thing about any other ro system on the market other then change the resin, and consider upgrading the membrane. They are pretty much ALL standardized now so its basically a one size fits all deal for same GPHR systems.

 

What dingle berry up there is more then likely comparing them to are INDUSTRIAL units that are capable of producing 500 or more gallons per day or even per hour....of TRUE zero tds product for medical grade products, or chemical plants. Of course you cant compare home units to those man. Just like you cant compare ANY unit mentioned in your cover story to them. They have freaking 3-4 BIG AZZ membranes before 2-3 GALLONS of DI resin chambers. If not then he is SURELY only comparing them to NEW units with a few hundred gallons ran through them. Then they all turn from zero TDS to 5 -10 TDS makers. And there is nothing you can do about it.

 

I hate it when people start dissing less expensive product because they are so proud of the more expensive units they purchased. Good for you. I am glad you have confidence in the product you over paid for. If you didn't then you would be an idiot for keeping it an. But don't come back on here and treat us all like we are bumbling idiots because we use less expensive systems.

In todays economy people have to buy what will let them skimp by period and they dont need some uppity azz snob telling them how inferior the RO/DI system is they just shelled out over $100 for plus shipping. That may seem cheap to you bubba but wait until your little nest egg that's keeping you nice and secure feeling this week bursts here in a few more months then come tell us how the more expensive brands are better because they cost more.

 

" Hmmm.. this black coffee taste excellent from Dunkin donuts for $1.25 per 20 oz cup ! But I think I will buy the same coffee @ the same size for $7.95 a cup at Starbucks so I can be in the in crowd and pretend to have mad cheddar."

 

The douchebaggery is cranking them out big time lately ain't it !

Take that bull smit back to RC where you have been posting all this time since 9/02 instead of here will ya.

[AZDesertRat]

Some day you guys will get it but I'm not going to waste my time here. The IS a difference and it is well documented. I deal with Russ a lot too and he will tel you there is no comparison between their carbons and his Chlorine Guzzlers, he will also tell you the quality of the prefilters is vastly different, just ask him. Ask him where he gets his housings and where they get theirs and if they are ANSI/NSF rated. The ask him if he can sell you one of his systems for $89 or whatever they give theirs away for. You cannot get quality for that price.

Guys I work with RO and water treatment in general every day, I know the difference but if you can't see it then I will let you go on believing in the tooth fairy.

[BKtomodachi]

Some day you guys will get it but I'm not going to waste my time here. The IS a difference and it is well documented. I deal with Russ a lot too and he will tel you there is no comparison between their carbons and his Chlorine Guzzlers, he will also tell you the quality of the prefilters is vastly different, just ask him. Ask him where he gets his housings and where they get theirs and if they are ANSI/NSF rated. The ask him if he can sell you one of his systems for $89 or whatever they give theirs away for. You cannot get quality for that price.

Guys I work with RO and water treatment in general every day, I know the difference but if you can't see it then I will let you go on believing in the tooth fairy.

I lol'd

[cczarnik]

Well I've got a FD unit, bigger tank than a nano, run a few thousand gallons through it. The fittings were crappy when I got it (leaks everywhere), several trips to HD to get decent fittings and I was all set- and was on the "0 tds is 0 tds" bandwagon in a thread or 2 that AZ has been in over on RC. Wouldn't ever, ever trust it under the sink (it is in the garage), but it has worked..

 

But now it's producing 20G/day, no telling what I'm blowing in waste and getting ready to replace all of the filters. The cool thing is that the buckeye parts are less $$ than FD, AFAIK they are interchangeable, so I think it can be upgraded pretty cheap. Maybe I got my money's worth, maybe it was a turd. I don't have a frame of reference. But filters are normal maint items, and if Buckeye is cheaper, sounds like you can take AZs advice and go topshelf without being an RODI snob. (I haven't been on NR in a long long time, found this thread when I was googling dow vs ge membranes). Chuck

[The Propagator]

Dude, I was saying you can up grade the filters. He said top shelf from end to end from the start.

 

AZDesertRat,

Russ will not tell you they are crap. That's not the kind of guy Russ is in the 1st place. Not to mention I would never try to shaft some one selling a better "made" ( not nesc. performing ) product by asking them to degrade their profit for me.

And what did I just say before your last reply ? I believe it was about replacing the membranes, and filters. Even if you do that you're still WAY under budget compared to the top $$ brands with the same results. Housings ? Plastic is plastic buddy. Its hard to screw it up. LOL !

Teflon tape works wonders.

[AZDesertRat]

You are missing the point, plastic is not plastic. go back to my earlier posts, cheap knock off housings cannot take the pressures and fluctuations, this is why reputable vendors use approved housings that have been through rirorous testing to receive the certifications. Again I work with housings every day and have piles as proof.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

The only good ANSI/NSF or UPC approved of the FD units is the GE membrane, thats it. And those have not always been GE either.

[cczarnik]

Propagator, If you can share a technique with teflon tape that will fix a leaky compression fitting, or the O-ring seal on a DI can, please share. My FD DI can has leaked from day 1, the only way to keep it dry is to put a valve upstream and keep the pressure off of the can. I'm not a chemist, so I cannot comment on the plastics. But I can balance a checkbook, and can tell you that the $25 at HD that I had to spend on replacement fittings, and the $30 that I'll have to spend to get a DI can that doesn't leak brings the cost of a FD unit very near the $$ of the other brands. Sure it has worked but there is some time value to all the fiddling as well.

 

By the way, the screw-type compression fittings used by FD booger the tubing, if you're disassembling / reassembling, have some fresh tubing around. The quick connects that use an o-ring don't have this problem. The OP asked for feedback, lots of folks have had success, as have I.. I have gotten 0 TDS from mine consistently, but I reiterate- it stays in the garage where a big puddle is not a problem.

[Phixion]

The Toothfairy ain't real, TDS readings are. My meter won't lie and tell me 0 just to make me feel better for having a WaterGeneral RO/DI system. Are you seriously THAT delusional, AZrat? Zero is ZERO, there is absolutely no arguement you can have about that.

 

If my unit was not up to par on grade quality, then it would have burst it's seals and leaked at the fittings our housings long long ago. It hasn't and it won't, period! You are refering to industrial standard quality, something that a home unit DOES NOT need to possess. Buckeye might use industrial grade standards but that is NOT the norm in the industry. You can't compare apples to oranges here and that's exactly what you're doing. It's like comparing a car to an SUV in off-road ability. You just can't compare them.

[The Propagator]

cczarnik, Hey man I am not knocking you for sharing your opinion and experience using the system at all. Some do leak no matter what you do and you have to send them back. ( which is what you should have done honestly. They would have taken it back) Just like the top brands though. Some leak from factory flaws. Its the nature of the game in mass production, especially in plastics mass production.

 

AZDesertRat,

I'm not missing any thing dude. That's a bull smit statement any way you want to look at it.

Exactly how much pressure do you think is being exerted in these things ? 500 PSI ? LOL !

Average PSI is 50 PSI - 70 PSI ( on the high side broseph ) from the feed lines in your home. I would say at the highest 75-80 honestly. Now how the hell does that suddenly and magically change through out the system with the same feed pressure ? PSI comes from the feed line. You can put over 100 psi in a thin azz 2 liter plastic bottle before it distorts and splits open. I have never seen an RO, DI, or other media cartridge made by any one of them thinner then a soda bottle. The average thickness of a screw in type media canister ( IE carbon filter etc etc.. ) is at least 1/8" thick or greater on all of them save for the RO/DI canisters. But even they wont burst or crack under house pressure.

Russ will tell you the canisters they use and what he uses are identical. You know why ? because they get them from the same place ! What separates Russ's from the others is the carbon, DI resin, and Membrane. Maybe a better auto shut off valve. I am not sure on that though as they all look identical. and they all use teflon tape on the threaded fittings. If your getting leaks out the wazoo then you simply not doing it correctly. Ask for help or have your dad put some strength into it for ya . ( )

 

Love to see your proof btw...

[AZDesertRat]

Have you guys ever heard of water hammer? Look it up. Working pressure is one thing but the advantage to ANSI/NSF drinking water approved housings and fittings is they are tested at much more than working pressure. I AM NOT talking about industrial units. take a look at any of the major householed RO or RO/DI units, they carry NSF ratings on the idividual pieces and some like Watts Premier and others get the unit assembly certified. I guess you need to study a bit more. No BS, no false statements just truth. You probably defend you the Yugo you drive too???

[Phixion]

Yugos are CRAP, even n00bs know that!

 

Anyways, certifying parts does not mean they are better, but it DOES mean they will be more expensive because that testing and certifying ain't cheap! That's why imported cars such as the McLaren F1 were so damn expensive, because to get them in legally, they had to be federalized and crash tested to be allowed registration with the DOT, it's pretty much certifying them for use, same principal. That fine cost of certifying is passed on directly to the consumers, thus the higher price. Doesn't mean it's better though, just that it's been tested. You make it sound like if it's not certified then it's automaticall crap. That's something that someone in your professsion should NOT have an attitude like. I wouldn't want you overseeing my local water supply, that's for damn sure!

 

YOU are missing the point that testing at much higher than working pressure is not necessary as it's not a plausable scenerio in a home unit. You'd never see over say 120 PSI from a residential water line.

[AZDesertRat]

Absolutely I see high pressures every day, pressure zones are not perfect, neither are pressure reducing valves which is why testing and certification are vitally important. Pressure spikes happen every time your lawn sprinkler system starts and stops. toilet float stops etc. Are you really that narrow minded? Would you really buy a home if the plumbing did not meet uniform plumbing code or electrical did not meet current uniform electrical codes? If so you really need to be better informed.

[midna]

I like mine

[The Propagator]

blah blah blah blah blah.....

*grabbing straws*

[Phixion]

Absolutely I see high pressures every day, pressure zones are not perfect, neither are pressure reducing valves which is why testing and certification are vitally important. Pressure spikes happen every time your lawn sprinkler system starts and stops. toilet float stops etc. Are you really that narrow minded? Would you really buy a home if the plumbing did not meet uniform plumbing code or electrical did not meet current uniform electrical codes? If so you really need to be better informed.

 

Of course spikes happen. Water lines are not much different than electrical lines in that sense. Show me a case where a spike or residential water pressure caused a Water General unit to fail and burst. I haven't read any cases of such and I'd be willing to bet you couldn't dig any up either.

[proraptor2]

Look at my member number and join date. I frequent this site often but don't always butt in unless its something worth talking about. Water treatment is what I do for a living, normally much larger systems but the principle is the same.

There are numerous fly by night vendors selling RO and RO/DI systems. Notice how the one you are defending doesn't even list an address or location? That should be a red flag to me. Tells me they operate out of a storage unit somewhere and can be gone tomorrow. If you research that vendor you wil find over the years they have had several different names but you can always spot them by their auctions, the language and claims are always the same. They buy these things by the boat load, all completely assembled in China and shipped over here.

 

Whats funny is Ive had my filters direct unit over 3 years and bought it in person at their wharehouse in santa ana....They actually buy all the components and build the units there.....Ive seen them do it

[proraptor2]

They will also build custom units from what I remember...

 

We are just going to have to agree to disagree....

[Phixion]

It's just funny what people ASSume when they know NOTHING about a company! They definitely are NOT assembled in China.

[Scott Riemer]

[sarcasm]Guys, stop the presses, I got a reading of 1 TDS last night after close to 2 years. He's right, FD units DO suck.[/sarcasm]

[Phixion]

[sarcasm]Guys, stop the presses, I got a reading of 1 TDS last night after close to 2 years. He's right, FD units DO suck.[/sarcasm]

 

Damn you Scott!

 

That reminds me to test out the tap at my new house where I'll be mounting my RO/DI in the garage.

[jerome736]

I lol'ed about a product named "Chlorine Guzzler".

[babyjess210]

It's just funny what people ASSume when they know NOTHING about a company! They definitely are NOT assembled in China.

 

Sunpod are made in china and are very good lighting.

[Phixion]

Sunpod are made in china and are very good lighting.

 

It's not the assembly that we have to worry about anyways, it's if the actual components are from and made in China that's the issue.

[babyjess210]

It's not the assembly that we have to worry about anyways, it's if the actual components are from and made in China that's the issue.

 

I hear ya bro.

 

I was just so amaze when i went there 2 years ago and you can basically buy anything you want...patent or no patent. But it will be hard to move 250-300 sunpods.

 

Ok back to the fighting about RO units!!!!

 

BTW I have a system from thefilterguys and love it. paid a pretty penny but really like the service he provide. but it's my choice.