Booster Pump Loses Pressure

[Adamantium]

Per the title, it seems like my booster pump starts around 70-80PSI, but over the course of the few hours the pump is on, it drops to 60, sometimes less.

Any thoughts? Is this normal?

 

[AlexG]

It might be that the water is going around a seal in the RO membrane chamber causing a pressure drop. How old is your RO membrane? Is the pressure gauge PSI reading coming from the RO/DI unit or a separate pressure gauge? Are you using a bypass valve in conjunction with a flow restrictor to regulate pressure in the RO/DI unit when the pressure pump is on?

 

[Adamantium]

It might be that the water is going around a seal in the RO membrane chamber causing a pressure drop. How old is your RO membrane? Is the pressure gauge PSI reading coming from the RO/DI unit or a separate pressure gauge? Are you using a bypass valve in conjunction with a flow restrictor to regulate pressure in the RO/DI unit when the pressure pump is on?

Thanks for the reply! The RO membrane is only a bit over 6 months old, and the pressure gauge is after the carbon filter. The booster pump goes after a sediment prefilter, but before the sediment, and carbon, filters.

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by your last sentence? I do have a 450 flow restrictor, as well as a flush valve that bypasses it. Do I need a different flow restrictor now that I have a booster pump? It's a 50GPD RODI unit.

 

[SplitBumper-70]

Pull off the front of the pump. Should be heald on with a few screws

 

[Adamantium]

Pull off the front of the pump. Should be heald on with a few screws

Sorry, why would I do this?

 

[AlexG]

Thanks for the reply! The RO membrane is only a bit over 6 months old, and the pressure gauge is after the carbon filter. The booster pump goes after a sediment prefilter, but before the sediment, and carbon, filters.

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by your last sentence? I do have a 450 flow restrictor, as well as a flush valve that bypasses it. Do I need a different flow restrictor now that I have a booster pump? It's a 50GPD RODI unit.

On my RO/DI unit I use the flush valve to regulate the pressure in the RO/DI unit as my booster pump will over pressure the unit is the restrictor valve is not set properly when the unit is turned on. Normally though once its set the pressure stay steady. I keep my booster pump connected to the water supply before it enters the unit. Its possible this is also a booster pump issue.

 

[Adamantium]

On my RO/DI unit I use the flush valve to regulate the pressure in the RO/DI unit as my booster pump will over pressure the unit is the restrictor valve is not set properly when the unit is turned on. Normally though once its set the pressure stay steady. I keep my booster pump connected to the water supply before it enters the unit. Its possible this is also a booster pump issue.

Do you happen to know if the incoming water pressure will impact booster pump performance? That may be the issue, because my incoming water pressure seems to fluctuate quite a bit (NYC apartment on the second floor).

 

[AlexG]

Do you happen to know if the incoming water pressure will impact booster pump performance? That may be the issue, because my incoming water pressure seems to fluctuate quite a bit (NYC apartment on the second floor).

Its possible that can impact the booster pump. I would need to test this to be sure but it makes sense that an overall drop in water pressure could impact the booster pump output water pressure. I will try to remember to test this tonight with my RO unit.

 

[AlexG]

Do you happen to know if the incoming water pressure will impact booster pump performance? That may be the issue, because my incoming water pressure seems to fluctuate quite a bit (NYC apartment on the second floor).

I did test turning the water pressure down on the water supply to the booster pump by partially closing a valve and it did lower the water pressure in the RO unit.

 

[Adamantium]

I did test turning the water pressure down on the water supply to the booster pump by partially closing a valve and it did lower the water pressure in the RO unit.

I appreciate that! Sadly, though, my problem seems to be getting worse. I replaced the sediment filter, and it shot the PSI back up to ~80, but after about 8 hours, it was down to nearly nothing (~5PSI). I'm at a total loss. It seems like I'm tearing through sediment filters. This wasn't the case with my initially low PSI. It was just slow going.

 

[Adamantium]

I did test turning the water pressure down on the water supply to the booster pump by partially closing a valve and it did lower the water pressure in the RO unit.

Actually, now I'm wondering if it might just be a bad booster pump...

Do you know what happens if you turn on your RODI system without turning on the booster pump? Does it have less pressure than if you had no booster pump, somehow? Like, does the booster pump restrict flow? Or, does it allow flow through normally?

 

[AlexG]

Actually, now I'm wondering if it might just be a bad booster pump...

Do you know what happens if you turn on your RODI system without turning on the booster pump? Does it have less pressure than if you had no booster pump, somehow? Like, does the booster pump restrict flow? Or, does it allow flow through normally?

If I turn on the water supply for my RO unit with the booster pump off it will top out around 40PSI and hold that pressure. The booster pump should not interfere with the passage of water through the pump if it is turned off.