New RODI unit with high tds, what gives?

[bobpiker]

Only after 2 weeks with a new BRS 75 gpd unit, I'm getting tds meter readings of over 250 on the outlet side. In fact, the reading is higher after than inlet water with the same tds meter. I didn't pack the resin and simply hooked the unit up out of the box and had two weeks of zero readings before this started.

Any suggestions as to what may be causing this, or does my town water simply need that much resin that quickly?

Bob

[Breadman03]

I don't know if it would happen so fast, but if your water has chloramines, they will destroy your RO membrane. My BRS membrane (now replaced with a Spectrapure 98% rejection membrane) had a rejection ratio of 95%. With an output of 250, it suggests that you either have an input of 5000, your membrane is shot, or something is broken.

[FlyPenFly]

Hmmm did you run hot water or cold?

[bobpiker]

Just cold water from the cold supply line. BRS asked me where I had my tds hooked up. Of course, it's outlet, though, is hooked up to the blue line right after the resin container. Where else would it by, right? I put fresh resin in last night and the number went way down but not to zero. I half suspect that it's because my resin storage container was exposed a little too long to air and may have become "damaged" but the original resin was straight from BRS and already in the unit, so 2 weeks? Chloramines is interesting so I'll have to check into that one.

[azjohnny]

Only after 2 weeks with a new BRS 75 gpd unit, I'm getting tds meter readings of over 250 on the outlet side. In fact, the reading is higher after than inlet water with the same tds meter. I didn't pack the resin and simply hooked the unit up out of the box and had two weeks of zero readings before this started.

Any suggestions as to what may be causing this, or does my town water simply need that much resin that quickly?

Bob

the only way your outlet reading was higher than the feed water is if you have the reject and filtered water lines mixed up

[Timber77]

check to make sure your ro membrane is seated...whats the tds out of your tap?

[bobpiker]

My outlet reading is 78 now with just changed resin...not completely sure it wasn't exposed to air for too long inside of a gallon ziplock, though. I'm sure I have my meter probe in the right location...it's the blue line leaving the top of the resin canister. Again, it started out at zero for nearly two weeks and then went up significantly. But even with fresh resin possibly air-comprised should I be getting 78? The whole RODI unit is not even a month old yet. The inlet water probe shows 253 right now from the tap. For a pretty new unit, my first canister does seem to be a lot "orange-er" already than I would have expected. At this point, I can buy some new resin and pack it in tight but if it continues to show elevated output tds levels what is the most likely cause?

[azjohnny]

My outlet reading is 78 now with just changed resin...not completely sure it wasn't exposed to air for too long inside of a gallon ziplock, though. I'm sure I have my meter probe in the right location...it's the blue line leaving the top of the resin canister. Again, it started out at zero for nearly two weeks and then went up significantly. But even with fresh resin possibly air-comprised should I be getting 78? The whole RODI unit is not even a month old yet. The inlet water probe shows 253 right now from the tap. For a pretty new unit, my first canister does seem to be a lot "orange-er" already than I would have expected. At this point, I can buy some new resin and pack it in tight but if it continues to show elevated output tds levels what is the most likely cause?

If your inlet water TDS reading is 253 the post membrane water level should be no higher than 10 and post DT should be 0.

What is the level of the waste water?

What is your your water pressure?

[bobpiker]

I'm not sure of the exact pressure but all fixtures in my house seem to have plenty of pressure. I'd sure know it if the shower didn't feel right. Speaking of pressure, though, it may be common but I was surprised when I hooked up the BRS unit that the line feeding water to the rodi, as it leaves the tap, is attached with a reducer that takes the tap down to 1/4" before it reaches the rodi. I thought that was unusual because my old Coralife rodi didn't have a reducer, allowing my water right to the rodi. It seems that the reducer before the inlet on the BRS would reduce pressure a lot. Could that be causing my trouble?

I haven't checked the waste water level but could with a handheld tds meter I have. What would that tell me? My inlet reading is mid 250s.