DI Resin Wears Out Too Fast

[Adriifu]

Hello! I’ve had this RODI system for over a year now, I believe. I replaced the membrane about five or six months ago after it wore off, and I bought a flush valve kit to make it last longer. Recently, the DI resin has been turning completely orange within three to four hours, which has caused me to start purchasing new bags every few weeks. I use about a ten to fifteen gallons of water per week, which takes around an hour and a half to make. TDS starts off at around 180 PPM, goes down to 14 PPM without DI resin, and then to 0 PPM with. Is this normal? It seems to turn orange quicker with every new refill. I use BRS’s color-changing resin.

 

[Geebs19]

That is not normal, 3-4 hours, how many gallons is that producing? What is your pressure?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Was the membrane put in correctly? Yes, something is way wrong.

 

[Adriifu]

That is not normal, 3-4 hours, how many gallons is that producing? What is your pressure?

The system produces 100 GPD, and I usually use 10-15 gals per week, which takes around an hour and a half to make. I refilled the resin last week and it’s already near the top. I don’t have a pressure gauge on it.

Was the membrane put in correctly? Yes, something is way wrong.

I made sure to push it all the way into the casing.

 

[Thor2j]

Your ro rejection should be around 98%. That means at 180 you should be outputting around 4 tds. If you are getting 14 something is way wrong with your membrane.

What water psi are you at??

At 14 tds you will eat through some di resin

On top of all this it doesnt look like you flush kit is installed correctly. Wheres your flow restrictor??
Bypass is doing nothing unless I cant see something in the picture. Is it internal on the other blue line opposite the flush valve??

 

[Adriifu]

Your ro rejection should be around 98%. That means at 180 you should be outputting around 4 tds. If you are getting 14 something is way wrong with your membrane.

What water psi are you at??

At 14 tds you will eat through some di resin

I don’t have a gauge to measure the PSI. Should I get one?

Uh, big mistake. I hadn’t checked the output in a while, so it’s not fourteen anymore. It’s really bad.. 136 ppm.

I flush it for 30 seconds after each use.

I followed the directions on a Marine Depot video on how to install the flush valve. Not sure what the flow restrictor is. I’m sorry I’m not great with these things. I could definitely use a lot of help. What do you mean by that last question about the blue line?

 

[Thor2j]

I don’t have a gauge to measure the PSI. Should I get one?

Uh, big mistake. I hadn’t checked the output in a while, so it’s not fourteen anymore. It’s really bad.. 136 ppm.

I flush it for 30 seconds after each use.

I followed the directions on a Marine Depot video on how to install the flush valve. Not sure what the flow restrictor is. I’m sorry I’m not great with these things. I could definitely use a lot of help. What do you mean by that last question about the blue line?

Your ro membrane is shot. That's why its eating resin so fast.

Your system cant just dump water out the waste has to be restricted to create pressure. They either come with a restrictor that the waste plugs into or they have an internal orifice to restrict flow. The flush valve allows you to bypass restrictor to flush out membrane. If there isnt a restrictor in the other blue hose beam flush valve it wont do anything.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Your ro membrane is shot. That's why its eating resin so fast.

Your system cant just dump water out the waste has to be restricted to create pressure. They either come with a restrictor that the waste plugs into or they have an internal orifice to restrict flow. The flush valve allows you to bypass restrictor to flush out membrane. If there isnt a restrictor in the other blue hose beam flush valve it wont do anything.

I'm not sure, but can you insert a membrane in backwards?, I think you can.

 

[Adriifu]

Your ro membrane is shot. That's why its eating resin so fast.

Your system cant just dump water out the waste has to be restricted to create pressure. They either come with a restrictor that the waste plugs into or they have an internal orifice to restrict flow. The flush valve allows you to bypass restrictor to flush out membrane. If there isnt a restrictor in the other blue hose beam flush valve it wont do anything.

Is there a reason my membrane didn’t last long? I purchased a new one a few hours ago online because I figured that was the problem when I tested the output. It’s only been six months since I replaced it. I thought they lasted years. I believe the company was Geekpure.

What is the flow restrictor supposed to look like? I purchased the Marine Depot KleanWater 4-Stage Economy RO/DI System.

EDIT: I’m quite positive I placed it in correctly.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Is there a reason my membrane didn’t last long? I purchased a new one a few hours ago online because I figured that was the problem when I tested the output. It’s only been six months since I replaced it. I thought they lasted years. I believe the company was Geekpure.

What is the flow restrictor supposed to look like? I purchased the Marine Depot KleanWater 4-Stage Economy RO/DI System.

EDIT: I’m quite positive I placed it in correctly.

Membrane should last 3-4 years easily.

 

[Adriifu]

Membrane should last 3-4 years easily.

Perhaps the company is bad? It’s Geekpure 100 GPD

 

[Flippers4pups]

Perhaps the company is bad? It’s Geekpure 100 GPD

Never heard of that brand. Dow makes some of the best.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I believe the resin should be packed TIGHT into the container. IF you are on a well that could be another reason for the quick use because of CO2 in the water.
For filters I would use 1 of these suppliers-- Spectrapure, Buckeye Hydro or BRS.

 

[JoshH]

Is there a reason my membrane didn’t last long? I purchased a new one a few hours ago online because I figured that was the problem when I tested the output. It’s only been six months since I replaced it. I thought they lasted years. I believe the company was Geekpure.

What is the flow restrictor supposed to look like? I purchased the Marine Depot KleanWater 4-Stage Economy RO/DI System.

EDIT: I’m quite positive I placed it in correctly.

So can you pull your membrane out slightly and take a picture of how it's installed? For your knowledge this is what your flow restrictor SHOULD look like, it might not be exactly the same but it will be VERY similar...

It should be inserted with the plastic tip on the end of the Blue RODI tube next to your flush valve highlighted in red...

I feel that this issue, given the high TDS is an improperly seated membrane, it does take some excessive force to insert one. I don't see your membrane going SO bad that it's putting out 134 TDS, that's WAY beyond shot which is leading me to think it's something else.... but we won't rule that out JUST yet. I'll ask for a little more information first.

On that note, how often do you change your carbon and sediment filters? Also where is your water source, well or city water?

Oh and I see that you're using a hand held TDS meter, are you putting the RODI water into a small cup then measuring? The second pure RODI water makes contact with another surface it will draw in any impurities from that surface/container and even the air as well. This can drastically alter your measurements, I don't think to the point of reading 134 but it certainly wouldn't help...

 

[Adriifu]

So do I need to purchase a flow restrictor and pressure gauge?

One more thing: I'm so sorry, I completely forgot this. There was one day where the cap to the casing of my membrane just cracked and the water wouldn't stop leaking. I went to my LFS to see if they had a new cap, but they just ended up giving me a new casing. I thought they had just removed the membrane I had and put it inside the new casing, but maybe they gave me one of their membranes that they had been using for a while. Now that I think about it, these problems started around the time they gave me that membrane. That's most likely the problem, right? I have no idea how old the membrane they gave me was. I can't believe I forgot about this. I was just trying to open the membrane up to get a picture of it for you guys and then it hit me. Oh, and I'm currently trying to get it open still. It's closed very tightly.

I changed the carbon and sediment filters last week because I was worried they were the problem. I usually change them whenever the sediment filter turns slightly orange in color. I use my city water.

 

[eggplantparrot]

umm, you need a flow restrictor rated the same as your membrane, doesnt look like there is one in your picture of the flush valve.

 

[JoshH]

umm, you need a flow restrictor rated the same as your membrane, doesnt look like there is one in your picture of the flush valve.

If there is a capillary flow restrictor installed you won't see it in that picture as they are inside the RO line

 

[eggplantparrot]

If there is a capillary flow restrictor installed you won't see it in that picture as they are inside the RO line

learn somethin new everyday

 

[Flippers4pups]

If the membrane was dry and old, then yes it's shot. Membranes once used need to stay wet. Drying out does them in.

 

[Adriifu]

If there is a capillary flow restrictor installed you won't see it in that picture as they are inside the RO line

Do you think there's one installed? It's a Marine Depot flush valve. Oh, and I can't seem to get the dang thing open. I tried running it under hot water. Still won't budge.