RODI buddie help.

[Sebsauce]

Hello everyone!
I am pretty frustrated right now with the RODI system as I am not sure I am using it very efficiently or correctly. I have the Aquaticlife RODI buddie 50 and using the HM TDS EZ meter. My tap water is around 160 ish. I am currently using about 5 gallons per week max and have had it for less than 2 months. I just did a test of the filtered water and got a very strange number of like 300+ tds, but then I tried again, and it went back down to like 5 ish. I am glad it went down but it should still be at zero right. I run it on cold tap water also but do not know the pressure of it

I was reading that it is important to "flush" the membranes but I am not sure what the really means. I feel like I do not know how to properly do maintenance on this. system. If anyone can give me any tips or suggests that would be great.

 

[DJF]

The rodi buddy flushes the membranes when it is turned on and also when it has run x amount of hrs. Flushing is diverting the water from the membranes that would normally be collected to the waste line. The idea is that it gets rid of high tds water that is in the membrane when you start to make water. Are your filters new?

 

[DJF]

duplicate post

 

[Jonify]

Well you want your TDS at 0, but you probably already know that If your water utility treats your water with chloramines, you'll need a 4-stage filter, not a 3-stage. You can check that by pulling the latest annual water report from your water utility's website.

 

[Sebsauce]

The rodi buddy flushes the membranes when it is turned on and also when it has run x amount of hrs. Flushing is diverting the water from the membranes that would normally be collected to the waste line. The idea is that it gets rid of high tds water that is in the membrane when you start to make water. Are your filters new?

Does it do it on its own ?? yea everything is brand new

 

[DJF]

Does it do it on its own ?? yea everything is brand new

That’s my understanding. (Confirmed here) https://aquaticlife.com/products/smart-buddie-booster-pump

 

[Sebsauce]

Well you want your TDS at 0, but you probably already know that If your water utility treats your water with chloramines, you'll need a 4-stage filter, not a 3-stage. You can check that by pulling the latest annual water report from your water utility's website.

I do not see any Chloramines in the reports

 

[Jonify]

I do not see any Chloramines in the reports

If they're using it, it should be listed, but since about 30% of the U.S.'s water supply treats water with chloramines, they may not always list it. Check out this post from BRS:

"Does your municipal water supply use chloramines? Chloramines are being used in more and more water supplies every day. It's currently estimated that 25-30% of the United States use chloramines. There are 3 common ways to determine if your cities water contains chlorine or chloramines. 1. Call your city water supply and ask. You can usually find the number on your water bill or call your city hall. 2. Test for free chlorine and total chlorine using a simple test kit, test strips, or a digital meter. A. Follow the instructions on your meter or strips to get the values for free and total chlorine. B. If the amount off free and total chlorine is the same, it means that your water supply uses chlorine for disinfection. C. If the amount of free chlorine is less than the amount of total chlorine it indicates that the chlorine in the water is bound to something. This would mean your water uses chloramines. 3. Test your carbon blocks for total chlorine as they get exhausted. Most carbon blocks do a poor job removing chloramines and will show an increase in total chlorine after only a few water changes. If your water contains chloramines you should consider purchasing a carbon block specifically designed for removing chloramines. They may cost more than a typical carbon block but will treat chloramines for 4-6 times longer, which makes them a better value."

 

[excell007]

That’s my understanding. (Confirmed here) https://aquaticlife.com/products/smart-buddie-booster-pump

you're talking about the smart buddie, OP is talking about the RO buddie.

 

[DJF]

you're talking about the smart buddie, OP is talking about the RO buddie.

Good catch @OP my bad- different buddy there should be a flush valve on the system that you’ll need to manually toggle (same idea just not automatic)

 

[excell007]

Hello everyone!
I am pretty frustrated right now with the RODI system as I am not sure I am using it very efficiently or correctly. I have the Aquaticlife RODI buddie 50 and using the HM TDS EZ meter. My tap water is around 160 ish. I am currently using about 5 gallons per week max and have had it for less than 2 months. I just did a test of the filtered water and got a very strange number of like 300+ tds, but then I tried again, and it went back down to like 5 ish. I am glad it went down but it should still be at zero right. I run it on cold tap water also but do not know the pressure of it

I was reading that it is important to "flush" the membranes but I am not sure what the really means. I feel like I do not know how to properly do maintenance on this. system. If anyone can give me any tips or suggests that would be great.

5 TDS is still acceptable for the membrane, the DI cartridge should pull it down to 0. When you flush the embrane did you disconnect the DI cartride? if not it will exhaust the DI cartride fast. RO buddie have a small DI cartride but if your membrane output is 5 TDS it will take about 400 gallons before it gets exhausted. But if you did not disconnect it during flushing, and and your output TDS is 100 (just an example), it will take only 21 gallons to exhaust the DI resin.

 

[Sebsauce]

5 TDS is still acceptable for the membrane, the DI cartridge should pull it down to 0. When you flush the embrane did you disconnect the DI cartride? if not it will exhaust the DI cartride fast. RO buddie have a small DI cartride but if your membrane output is 5 TDS it will take about 400 gallons before it gets exhausted. But if you did not disconnect it during flushing, and and your output TDS is 100 (just an example), it will take only 21 gallons to exhaust the DI resin.

Like when I installed it I did like a 30 min flush with no DI cartridge if that is what you mean.
Do i need to do another flush

 

[Sebsauce]

If they're using it, it should be listed, but since about 30% of the U.S.'s water supply treats water with chloramines, they may not always list it. Check out this post from BRS:

"Does your municipal water supply use chloramines? Chloramines are being used in more and more water supplies every day. It's currently estimated that 25-30% of the United States use chloramines. There are 3 common ways to determine if your cities water contains chlorine or chloramines. 1. Call your city water supply and ask. You can usually find the number on your water bill or call your city hall. 2. Test for free chlorine and total chlorine using a simple test kit, test strips, or a digital meter. A. Follow the instructions on your meter or strips to get the values for free and total chlorine. B. If the amount off free and total chlorine is the same, it means that your water supply uses chlorine for disinfection. C. If the amount of free chlorine is less than the amount of total chlorine it indicates that the chlorine in the water is bound to something. This would mean your water uses chloramines. 3. Test your carbon blocks for total chlorine as they get exhausted. Most carbon blocks do a poor job removing chloramines and will show an increase in total chlorine after only a few water changes. If your water contains chloramines you should consider purchasing a carbon block specifically designed for removing chloramines. They may cost more than a typical carbon block but will treat chloramines for 4-6 times longer, which makes them a better value."

I live in canada but I could ask local hobbiest here

 

[Jonify]

I live in canada but I could ask local hobbiest here

Doh! Leave it to us Americans to assume we're talking to other Americans Sorry about that!

 

[excell007]

Like when I installed it I did like a 30 min flush with no DI cartridge if that is what you mean.
Do i need to do another flush

You only need to do the 30 minute flush once, but you can flush it for a few seconds everytime you use it. The smartbuddie that DJF mentioned will flush for 18 seconds every 24 hours or everytime it's plugged in. The DI resin should bring down the TDS to 0, unless it's already exhausted.

 

[Sebsauce]

You only need to do the 30 minute flush once, but you can flush it for a few seconds everytime you use it. The smartbuddie that DJF mentioned will flush for 18 seconds every 24 hours or everytime it's plugged in. The DI resin should bring down the TDS to 0, unless it's already exhausted.

 

[Sebsauce]

you can see it kind of turning a bit at the bottom but ya I'm not sure

 

[Sebsauce]

I just tested the water after the RO and it was at 4 tds and tested after DI and it was at zero soo i guess it is fine?? I am confused why it was reading such a high tsd before

 

[excell007]

I just tested the water after the RO and it was at 4 tds and tested after DI and it was at zero soo i guess it is fine?? I am confused why it was reading such a high tsd before

Yup, doesn't look like it's exhausted. Sometimes the TDS is from the container, that's why in-line meters are better because you eliminate the container.

 

[Sebsauce]

Yup, doesn't look like it's exhausted. Sometimes the TDS is from the container, that's why in-line meters are better because you eliminate the container.

I took a sample too so yea im not sure tbh but ill keep testing it to see ! thanks everyone for the responses