ro/di questions-help please

[rknapp]

I'd appreciate any help I can get on an ro/di unit. I have well water and I see 3, 4,5 & 6 stage units. I'd like to spend only what I have to but don't know what to get. I have a 5 micron whole house filter on my water now and see that most come with a 5 micro in the 1st stage. Does that mean I can eliminate the 1st stage?How much do I really have to spend? Do I need a pressure gauge to tell me when to change the filters and do I need a TDS meter to tell me when to change the ro filter? Do I need an auto shut off? Thanks for your input based on your experiences.

 

[mr. limpid]

I also have a well I use the corallife brand 3 stage with DI. My TDS is 0. I change the 2 prefilters and DI every 6 months, membrane when my readings fall below 0. I test my water every 6 months at LFS. i use to change membrane every year but when money got tight started test water at LFS and found membrane was still good, its now going on 2 years. As for auto shut off, its depends on how you are using it, if you need one.

 

[rknapp]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to need about 6 gallons a week or so. If I just let the unit run for 5 or 6 hours into a tub with a cover I suppose I wouldn't need an auto shut off. Is that how you do it and do you use a pressure meter and a hand held tds meter?

 

[btldreef]

If you don't need a substantial amount of water, you don't need the automatic shut off, most of them break anyways. I definitely recommend a TDS meter though, otherwise you're just guessing as to what your readings are and when the filters need to be replaced.

 

[mr. limpid]

If you only need 6 gals a week, I would clean and rinse very well 1 gal milk jugs (this what I use) just make sure you watch them I have over filled them numerous times, just last night. I filled a 1 gal jug for 8 hours, what a waste of RO. Luckily I have a floor drain next to jug. I let the local fish shop test my water with there hand held meter. Maby I'll ask Santa to bring me a TDS meter.

 

[rknapp]

Thank you. You've been very helpful.

 

[acrylic51]

I'd opt for something bigger than a milk jug......Accidents do and will happen trust me......I would invest in a good RO/DI unit, and it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.....I wouldn't though however skip the initial 5 micron sediment filter.....Since you already have a 5 micron whole house filter you could drop to a 1 micron in your first stage. Issue is you have to be diligent in keeping up with the whole house filter; being the 1 micron will filter a lot finer particulates in the water....... With that being said another issue you will want to look at is your membrane choice....You stated your on well water and there is a difference in membranes for chlorinated and non chlorinated water.....
Best advice I can give without going into a lot of digging would be to shoot ************** an email about their RO/DI units and ask the specific question on the precise membrane you'd need for well water......BRS and a couple others can custom tailor an RO/DI to your specific needs. As mentioned a TDS meter is a good investment....I personally like the dual TDS meters over the handheld......The dual TDS meters measure water quality coming into the unit and the good product water as well......A pressure gauge is another feature option I would add on......You use this to monitor pressure drop allowing you to monitor the operating condition of the unit......As far as the ASOV....auto shut off.....Again personal opinion, but wouldn't run a unit without 1. I've been running the same ASOV for the past 12 years without any issues.....I don't however like those hang on jobies you see out there.....I actually built my own unit, so I picked my components and my ASOV is actually built into the pressure vessel which houses the membrane. I have had no issue whatsoever with it.....I can't speak highly of the little white ones that get plumbed in.....IMHO junk......