RO membrane and hard water.

[Mark Novack]

My local experts tell me absolutely run my RO unit off of my regular water tap so I installed a faucet before the water softener bypass. I use Vertex 100gpd unit. A membrane lasts about 250 gallons. It's not only expensive, it's inconvenient and wasteful. Are my local experts correct or do they like my visits? I'd really like to get the year or two per membrane. I get two weeks.

Our unsoftened water is above the hardness test kit scale ending at 40. The soft is at 2.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[Brad Miller]

Rodi should always be fed with softened water when available

 

[Mark Novack]

Rodi should always be fed with softened water when available

I have moved my source faucet to the soft water side, purchased the new Aquamedic platinum line RODI machine and its giving between 380 to 400 liters per 24 hours. It's like the Vertex but 40% less expensive. I'll update this when production diminishes. From the hard water side I only got a few hundred gallons per membrane. I'd like to see a few thousand.

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

With 2 gpg hardness, and a reasonable concentrate to permeate ratio, you should get years from your membrane. At 40+ gpg, as you saw, you can expect a very very short life span on the membrane, as well as other plumbing fixtures in your house - especially those that make or use hot water (e.g., water heater, dishwasher, shower heads).

Russ