Harrumph!!!!!

[LizStreithorst]

My RO unit has sprung a dang leak.  It's where you screw the parts of the membrane housing together.  The 0 rings look fine.  The connection is tight.  This housing is second in my 2 membrane unit.   I think I need to call that nice man at Wateranywere and ask his advice.

[Mugwump]

Almost sounds like back pressure from the membrane, or one of the filter cartridges??

[LizStreithorst]

The output wasn't what it should have been. I was concerned so it changed the filters last Saturday.   It was cold weather so I blamed it on that and hooked up my booster pump.  It helped but didn't make it right.  This is a 200 gallon per day unit and I was only was getting 60 gallons.  A few days after I hooked up the booster pump I got the huge leak.

I sure hope I get that nice guy on the phone when I call Wateranywhere.  I got the feeling that he was the boss.  I was all set to invest in a new RO unit, but rather than take advantage of me he sold me parts to fix what I have.  I have a great respect  for people who don't take advantage if the ignorant.

[LizStreithorst]

I sent an email to Wateranywhere pleading for help.  Here's a pic.  You can see where the water's pouring out of the second membrane's housing.  Do any of y'all have a clue as what's going on with this? 

[BillT]

If the plastic isn't cracked, then my guess is that there is an O-0ring inside the cap which may have gotten pinched or folded or damaged in some other way.
This is not an uncommon thing to occur with O-rings and could have happened when you replaced the membrane. Have you opened it up and looked at it?

If you find a folded or pinched O-ring, you might be able to reseat it properly and get it to stop leaking or you might have to replace it. Avoid using n-buna (a kind of rubber) O-rings if you do replace it. They tend to be not fish friendly.

In a pinch, an alternative to an O-ring would be to use some silicon aquarium sealer. Gloop it in, reassemble the housing and let it sit not under pressure for a while before you apply pressure so the silicon cam set-up to some extent. Some water not under pressure might help it set up faster since the acetic acid (vinegar) solvent for the silicon will be absorbed more rapidly into the water than the air. Wash out or check your first water out of the machine when you first start it up. It may be acidic due too the acetic acid from the silicon until that is washed out.

[LizStreithorst]

There was a small drip before this disaster struck.  It was dripping before I changed the membrane.  That's why the unit is in the sink.  I've examined the housing and can see no cracks.  I've examined the 0 ring.  It is undamaged and it is seated perfectly.  I disconnected that membrane and tried using the first membrane only.  I must have done it incorrectly.  I always thought that plumbing was a very straight forward thing.  This shouldn't be over my head, but it is. 

[LizStreithorst]

Harrumph, harrumph, harrumph, harrumph!  I have followed all the advice I've been given and I have more places leaking now than I had before.  I even PM'd Frank the plumber over at TAF.  It appears that Wateranywhere considers President's day to be a holiday

All the Angel pairs are back in the community tank.  I'm saving the out-put water from my dehumidifier to use on the Discus with the 6 wigglers they refuse to give up on   They say there's a chance of rain tonight.  I have water collection containers in place.  We had a gully washer of a rain a week or so ago.  The roof should be clean enough to collect water from.

I know Mug...This too shall pass.....

[Frank The Plumber]

On your RO membrane are there washers on each side of it? Were there washers on each side of it? I know on a lot of units they have those black washers on each side of the cartridge. Without them there may be issues. If the unit is leaking at the thread side from where to O ring is try taking some Teflon pipe tape and going with the thread ( so the thread grooving will not just kick the tape out but rather include it into the threading) wrap the threads with a wrap or two or three of Teflon tape. Make it very flat and include the o ring into the wrapping Don't go crazy tight with it, we are only looking to buy a bit of time while you get the part ordered. If it drips a lot give it another 1/8 turn and keep going until it just fails or runs out of thread. If it runs out or fails try again. Don't look for perfection, just look for a that'll do til parts arrive fix.

[LizStreithorst]

No washers.  I'll give the tape a try.

[LizStreithorst]

No cigar, Frank.  It's leaking now not only from where I screw the housing together but also from the reject connection.

Please y'all, give me your opinion of this unit.  It sure is cheap, which concerns me.  It is put together very cleanly.  I don't need a DI filter or the water polisher but I can ignore the water polisher and replace the DI filter with a second carbon block.  I've wanted two carbon filters in line for a while now.  My non working unit only has a a particle filter and one carbon filter. 

When I hear from Wateranywhere I'll ask them how much for the a frame that holds 3 filters, one filter holding canister (I only have two) and a single membrane housing.  The membrane housings I have now have connections to hook them together.

I got enough water from my dehumidifer to give the Discus pair a good WC.  People on Simply say it's dangerous to use water from the dehumidifier but I checked the TDS of that water back when this junk TDS meter I bought cheap worked correctly and it was the same as rain water.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-GPD-Drinking-RO-Reverse-Osmosis-System-ROH-5-100-/110660796545?pt=Small_Kitchen_Appliances_US&hash=item19c3e5c081

[LizStreithorst]

Hey guys. guess what?  Brenda at Wateranywhere just emailed me

[Mugwump]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....

[LizStreithorst]

I gave her the link to this thread but she couldn't see the pics   She needs the pics and more information.  Emailing her now.

[Frank The Plumber]

It would be dangerous if the coils are copper and they tend to be bacteria farms on the dehumidifier water deal.

[LizStreithorst]

Thank you Frank.  You just told me what I did not want to hear.  Are the coils ever anything but copper?  Not likeley since copper sweats to well...I bought the unit a year ago.  It's a Soleus.