SpectraPure RO/Di cartridge/filter replacements

[Captain Billy]

Anyone who runs anything smaller than a 10 micron on the first stage, post sediment or not, is going to have clogging problems very quickly. Most RO/DI units I maintain run tanks larger than 100 gallons, and power fridges, as well as faucets and direct feeds to float valves on the tanks.

 

50 gpd filmtec membrane are superior in stand alone ability to get water to a much lower TDS that any membrane larger than 50gpd.

 

I know you know everything about this ect, but I work with these machines daily as well, and stricly for aquarium applications.

 

You simply don't need more than a 50gpd unit for aquarium use.

 

In applications where I do need more than 50gpd, I still prefer to use multiple 50gpd membranes versus larger less efficient membranes. It makes the DI last way longer, simple fact.

 

So are you suggesting that a person with a 4 stage system is better off running a sediment, then one carbon block before the membrane? Sorry but I would rather run multiple carbon blocks in a descending order.

 

Last time I checked, when a carbon block gets clogged, it simply prevents any volume of water from getting to the membrane, not exposing it to a influx of chlorine. Change out the carbon blocks as needed and your membrane can last years. My personal membrane is 3 years old. I don't even run carbon blocks on it, I use inline GAC cartidges, three of them. They cost a whopping $5 to replace.

[AZDesertRat]

I can see we are going to have fun here.

 

First off the 50 GPD and 75 GPD Dow Filmtec membranes are identical in all respects except the 75 has mor fabric wound on it, they are both rated at 96-98% rejection at 50 psi and 77 degrees.

Unless you have had the benefit of a testing lab I will beg to differ with you as I have witnessed many bench and real world tests on both over the last 15 years or so. the 75 is a superior membrane off the shelf as it makes the same water, at the same waste ratio but 50% faster.

 

I am not sure where you are located or what filters you have had experience with but again the 1 micron and smaller filters are superior for trapping particulates any day. you may want to read up on a little known or discussed thing called colloidal materials too which the larger micron sizes are horrible at.

 

Carbon can foul and still pass water. Again you must have limited experience with a small sampling of waters and conditions.

 

I have been running a 0.2 micron pleated prefilter and 0.5 micron single carbon block for over 5 years now. They each last over two years before I swap them out and even then the pressure drop is less than 2 psi as evidenced by two pressure gauges, one on each side of the filter array. I also use a low range chlorine test kit and monitor for chlorine break thru.

 

Check out the Spectrapure website, you can't argue with 25 years of research and development in real world conditions. They would not still be around if it didn't work. Even companies like AWI are rethinking their old 10, 5 1 filter arrangements and offering the correct micron ranges as an option. It sounds good since this is how a conventional treatment plant works but membranes are not a conventional plant.

[thewire]

Oh boy..you stir up the rat's nest...The man knows his stuffs.

[Genj]

I like turtles!

[Captain Billy]

I'm located in Florida and our water comes from the florida aquifer.

 

I don't doubt you know your stuff, but in my area this works the best to get 0 tds water long term without any additional cost.

[B.C.]

Thanks for the link Captain Billy, and hook up.

[AZDesertRat]

Most Florida waters while high in TDS are low in suspended solids which is what causes problems with low micron filters. Dissolved solids are taken care of mostly by the membrane with the rest the DI. The better job you do of protecting the membrane, the longer it will last, the better it will function and the longer the Di will last as a result.

Our TDS in Phoenix varies between 500 and 1200+, much like the high salinity waters in coastal areas. I owned a Typhoon III years ago with the 10, 5, 1 micron arrangement and a 75 GPD membrane which I had hand tested at Watts Premier and was doing 97.5% rejection. My DI lasted 150 gallons per 20 oz refill no matter where I bought the packaged resin, I tried AWI, Purely H20, Resin Depot, Buckeye, Bulk Reef and others and it made no difference.

I sold the system and bought a MaxCap. Out of the box the RO membrane tested at 99.23% rejection without doing a thing to it. The 0.5 micron prefilter and carbon block did an excellent job of protecting the membrane and my very first DI cartridge went 830 measured gallons which I tracked in a log book. The next one went over 1000 gallons and its been there ever since.

 

Filters do make a difference and the better job of protecting the membrane, regardless of where you live or what your source is, the longer it will last and better it will perform. If it never reaches the membrane it does not have to be renoved or flushed away making it more efficient. Remove everything you can up front and the total cost of ownership will be much lower, cheap filters are just that andend up costing you in the long run, guaranteed.

[Captain Billy]

Thanks for the link Captain Billy, and hook up.

 

Chip and Katie are good people, I see them almost daily I maintain a lot of RO/DI systems and they treat me good. Its awesome having the RO shop a block away!