Did I just blow my RO/DI membrane?

[Putawaywet]

Greetings everyone,

I've been using a Kent Maxima Hi-S with an add-on 4th stage DI for many years now. Membrane is maybe 18 months old.

Everything was working fine until tonight when I swapped out my color changing resin and inadvertently put the resin cartridge back in upside down. Realized my mistake about an hour later when I came back in and saw the back pressure was causing water to leak out from the tops of all the cartridges.

I corrected my mistake and put everything back together, but when I opened up the water valve instead of a fast drip into my holding tank I've got a water jet pouring in. Also, when I open my back-flush valve, not only does my output water continue to flow like a mini fire hose, but I'm also not hearing any water flowing out of my wastewater hose.

Obviously, there is a big problem here, but I can't think of what else it might be as the only thing I messed with was the resin cartridge.

Many thanks in advance

Brett

[luther1200]

I think maybe you just unseated it. Try opening the membrane housing and pushing it in. I suspect the back pressure just unseated it. Well hopefully.

[Putawaywet]

That looks like that was the exact problem. Thanks. I took the membrane out to inspect the o-rings and when I re-installed it I appear to be back in the water making business again.

Guess it pays to take things apart once in a while. Seems I found two different flow restrictors installed. One on the drain line and one just before the membrane flush valve. So I guess that explains the lack of water flow thru the flush valve.

Can anyone confirm that the green flow restrictor pictured here is the 60gpd model?

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=RO1213&child=RO1213&utm_source=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_content=RO1213

They don't appear to be marked and all the vendors I've searched are using this same picture regardless of the size of the restrictor.

[luther1200]

I have a 65 gpd RO/DI but I am not sure of the color of the restrictor. There should definitely only be 1. I will go see what color it is, but I can't guarantee it is the same color.

[luther1200]

I just looked and it is green.

[Putawaywet]

Ok, green is what I wanted to hear. Mucho gras. The other restrictor is white and a bigger diameter. Think that one is left over from my 75 gpd membrane that this one replaced.

And there probably would have been only one restrictor if not for the fact I have a penchant for doing home projects at 3am.

Appreciate the help

[luther1200]

No problem.

[arredondojason]

isnt 18 months kind of old for your membrane you may want to look into that.

[Putawaywet]

Providing you don't abuse them their life-span is usually a couple years easy. I've had some go considerably longer. As long as your TDS is still reading at or near zero, and you're not burning thru DI resin every other week your membrane should still be good to go.