Membrane vertical or horizontal

Just out of interest I wondered whether people have their 4040 membrane mounted horizontal or vertical and if it matters? I've seen it done both ways. 

I've always had mine horizontal but do notice a small mount of air seems to build up inside the housing. If I have the system producing pure and lift up the end where the waste valve is some air comes out with the waste water. I have also noticed at times the tds from the membrane drops after doing this so obviously it's making it work better. 

Obviously if I mounted it vertical with the waste at the top the air would get straight out. Anyone else find this? 

Aqua said:

Just out of interest I wondered whether people have their 4040 membrane mounted horizontal or vertical and if it matters? I've seen it done both ways. 

I've always had mine horizontal but do notice a small mount of air seems to build up inside the housing. If I have the system producing pure and lift up the end where the waste valve is some air comes out with the waste water. I have also noticed at times the tds from the membrane drops after doing this so obviously it's making it work better. 

Obviously if I mounted it vertical with the waste at the top the air would get straight out. Anyone else find this? 

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I've mounted mine vertically with waste and pure at the top for this very reason.?

Thanks spruce I think I will do the same then. 

Aqua said:

Thanks spruce I think I will do the same then. 

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It will be what works for you. Having it horizontally would be fine as long as the waste port is on top of the housing. Air would bleed out that way.  Most fitters wouldn't be bothered about that as it would look better (appearance) with the waste port facing downwards with the hose leaving in the direction of the floor.

A plate to plate heat exchanger mounted on its side will eventually completely fill with water as the water flowing through it will slowly absorb the air in the trapped air pocket over time. I'm guessing the same would happen to the r/o over time.

Its the same with those water hammer arrestor devices that are just an air chamber. They use an airpocket to absorb the water shock but eventually they need to have the water drained out of them so work efficiently again.

Yeah that's true. My waste comes out the end, obviously it's not in the centre of the end cap so I have  spun the housing until its at its highest point. But you still have an area that's above it for air to collect. 

I've just redone all my setup after building a shed to house it all as well, so a bit annoyed I didn't think of this before. 

Thanks again 

Aqua said:

Yeah that's true. My waste comes out the end, obviously it's not in the centre of the end cap so I have  spun the housing until its at its highest point. But you still have an area that's above it for air to collect. 

I've just redone all my setup after building a shed to house it all as well, so a bit annoyed I didn't think of this before. 

Thanks again 

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Of course, I didn't think and just thought of my own which is a Champ housing. It has its waste port on the side. Sorry.

I would just use it on its side if you have mounted it that way and just see how it performs. I honestly don't think there is going to be any difference. If you are concerned then why not just hold the housing vertically to begin with and bleed the air out and then 'permanently' mount it horizontally. Both my hose to waste and my hose to pure run above the r/o so water will never 'drain' out of the housing when the r/o switches off.