ro/di unit upgrade

C

chrisrush

Premium Member
Alright, so right now I have this ro/di unit. I like it and it's time to order some new filters and I wanted to see about if changing out some of the filters would help extend the life of the membrane. The membrane is approximately 2 years old.

The unit has the following filters, 5 micron sediment, 2 GAC blocks, TFC membrane and a re-fillable DI resin (horizontal) bed. Here is a picture of how I have my unit set-up.

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What I was thinking about doing was adding a 1 micron sediment filter after the 5 micron filter instead of the 2 GAC blocks, but then I started to read this FAQ on RO/DI units and it says that TFC membranes might need a 2nd GAC block to remove chlorine since chlorine can destroy the membrane.

Would it be beneficial if I added a 2nd sediment housing with a 1 micron filter to remove any impurities before the GAC block?

Also, anyone have a pressure gauge before/after the unit to watch for the pressure drop across the membranes?

Thanks,
 
Chris, your setup is fine the way it is, other than the smaller proprietary DI filter on top. You definitely want 20" of GAC before the membrane.

If you want, change out the Sediment filter more often as it is the first thing to clog up. I use 5 micron sediment filters in my unit, and they still last 6 months. If you want 1 micron, you may have to change them out every 2 months, but they are really cheap.
 
Thanks Marc. Here's what AZDesertRat on RC said:

Don't but your replacement filters from the same vendor the unit came from. Get a good quality prefilter in either a 10 or 5 micron size. Next use a 5 or 1 micron carbon block followed by a 1 or better yet 0.6 micron carbon block. There is no reason to add another sediment filter unless you were using granular carbon instead of carbon blocks which are much preferred over granular. GAC and carbon blocks are two different animals. Do not use GAC, thats for drinking water taste and odors.
The carbons that come with units like yours do not carry micron ratings and are really poor quality.
Install a pressure gauge after the last carbon block and before the membrane.
While you are at it I would replace the horizontal DI with a true DI filter that holds 24 oz of resin in a refillable cartridge and a standard sized 10" vertical canister.
Good vendors are www.purelyh2o.com , www.airwaterice.com , www.buckeyefieldsupply.com and www.thefilterguys.biz . All have high quality replacement filter kits and add on DI systems for good prices.


I think that I'll pick up the following from buckeye:

New 5 micron prefilter, 1 micron carbon block, .6 micron carbon block, pressure gauge, membrane and then a new 10" vertical DI canister.

What did you mean by "Small proprietary DI filter"
 
I'm referring to the exact same thing that AZDesertRat told you to replace.
 
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