RO unit reading 0psi with Big Blue Carbon block

drawman · Mar 16, 2019

So this is a weird one for me. About 1-2 years ago I added a Big Blue canister (for a large chloramine carbon block) between my sediment filter and RO membrane. I just changed the carbon block as I realized I was reading O psi before the RO membrane and my production had slowed over the past few months. I never really paid much attention to the pressure when I first installed it but I think I remember it being less (and maybe 0). Now that I have a new sediment filter and carbon block it still reads 0psi.

I'm trying to imagine why it would be reading 0psi. There is obviously pressure coming out of it and it is producing water. Thoughts?

ndrwater · Mar 16, 2019

Possibly a gague failure. Is your water being produced at what would seem to be a "usual" amount?

drawman · Mar 16, 2019

ndrwater said:
Possibly a gague failure. Is your water being produced at what would seem to be a "usual" amount?

I just replaced the carbon block today but it still seems to be slow with production. I guess it's also possible that my apartment building turned down the water pressure some but it's not real noticeable. I was hoping the new carbon block would increase the production.

ndrwater · Mar 16, 2019

Have you changed the sediment filter too? By the time they LOOK dirty, they are usually quite clogged. Cheap insurance to swap it out too.

drawman · Mar 16, 2019

ndrwater said:
Have you changed the sediment filter too? By the time they LOOK dirty, they are usually quite clogged. Cheap insurance to swap it out too.

Yup I changed that out. Honestly with this water source it takes a long time for the sediment filter to show any color so I probably change it more often than I need to.

lapin · Mar 16, 2019

Here are my thoughts.
Water production can be slowed by cold water. Perhaps water is colder thus slower water production.
What micron block is the carbon? They do come in 0.5 micron. Those can clog pretty fast.
Your pressure gauge can be bad.
Your ro filter can be clogged. Do you have a flush valve? How old is the ro filter?

drawman · Mar 17, 2019

lapin said:
Here are my thoughts.
Water production can be slowed by cold water. Perhaps water is colder thus slower water production.
What micron block is the carbon? They do come in 0.5 micron. Those can clog pretty fast.
Your pressure gauge can be bad.
Your ro filter can be clogged. Do you have a flush valve? How old is the ro filter?

Carbon block is 1 micron. I'm wondering if you're right on the RO membrane. I have a flush valve but honestly have not been using it. I'm running the flush valve right now and the water is definitely not fast coming out. Maybe it's time to replace the RO membrane?

Dumb question but would a clogged RO membrane cause a pressure drop since the gauge is reading before the membrane?

lapin · Mar 17, 2019

drawman said:
Carbon block is 1 micron. I'm wondering if you're right on the RO membrane. I have a flush valve but honestly have not been using it. I'm running the flush valve right now and the water is definitely not fast coming out. Maybe it's time to replace the RO membrane?

Dumb question but would a clogged RO membrane cause a pressure drop since the gauge is reading before the membrane?

Would a clogged RO membrane cause a pressure drop since the gauge is reading before the membrane?
Nope
I'm running the flush valve right now and the water is definitely not fast coming out.
You have a clog or no pressure. I would start at where the cold water is taped from. Take off each pipe until you find where the pressure is dropping

drawman · Mar 18, 2019

lapin said:
Would a clogged RO membrane cause a pressure drop since the gauge is reading before the membrane?
Nope
I'm running the flush valve right now and the water is definitely not fast coming out.
You have a clog or no pressure. I would start at where the cold water is taped from. Take off each pipe until you find where the pressure is dropping

Well I can visually tell that water pressure is (at the very least) fair coming out of the carbon block cartridge (right before the RO membrane). This makes me think the installed gauge may have gone bad. RO membrane is a couple of years old so I may swap that out as well.

I made water yesterday and it is producing quicker with the new carbon block. Not sure if it is quite as quick as it used to be so possibly a new RO membrane would help...