WCW for RO Filters?

[doug atkinson]

if your water has constant Chlorine, sometimes it will not have Chlorine and other days it will. 

Is there a study you have found to collaborate this @doug atkinson?

Our water supplier will say that our drinking water is safe to drink as it is treated with chlorine and that chlorine will always be present in the water we drink for it to be safe. In other words, they have a 'politically correct script' that they read from that may or may not reflect the actual situation.

Scottish water often use Cholramine instead of Chlorine and our water cannot find a trace of Chlorine.

If you purchase some Cholrine test strips from an Aquatic shop you can test your water.

I always recommend to customers to use these to test their waste water after the membrane to see if their filters are working.

 

[doug atkinson]

5 mircron Sediment prior to Fibredyne is what I recommend. As a safety precaution you could add another sediment after as I have seen on one occasion the filter crack in freezing temperatures.

Fine Carbon dust will cause a tear in the membrane sheet so this is a good precaution.

Not allowed to advertise but we do offer a good deal if MB 115 is purchased. Press continue and brings you to a secret page of products that can only be bought when MB 115 is purchased.?

 

[P4dstar]

So, From what I can gather, fibredyne are the best filters and replace the 3 filter system ( which I've always used) but some of you recommend a sediment filter before the fybredyne depending on water quality.

I understand that.

But considering how many " experts" there are on this forum (and I mean that, I've had so much great advice from you.)

Can't we agree which fibredyne and which sediment filter are the best and where to get them from. It would be nice to buy from one site and potentially save on postage.

I appreciate doug and alex have their own businesses but it would make it easier for half wits like me!!!!

I have no idea what the 3 filter system is. I've heard it mentioned previously but all the major suppliers of RO units seem to sell the 2 filter system (Sediment and Carbon)

I can tell you this... The cheap sediment filters WCW sent me instead of the Spectrum ones I ordered are cr4p. They are an absolute nightmare to fit, they don't want to stand up straight like the Spectrum ones do. My water has consistently been around 275 for a few weeks now. With the Spectrum filter I was getting an output TDS of 16-18 which is just under the recommended 95% minimum. I've always accepted slightly lower results as I only get 38PSI once I set it to about 55/45. Installed the cheap ones they sent me and I can't get below 23. I gave it a good flush too but still can't improve on that. I'll be returning them and getting them from a reputable supplier.

With regards to the CFB ones from Grippa, I haven't had the need to change them yet but they seem the same as I've always ordered from Gardiners. 

 

[spruce]

Scottish water often use Cholramine instead of Chlorine and our water cannot find a trace of Chlorine.

If you purchase some Cholrine test strips from an Aquatic shop you can test your water.

I always recommend to customers to use these to test their waste water after the membrane to see if their filters are working.

I had thought of this but didn't think that there was enough chlorine in our water to show up on their rather basic test strips. TBH our water at one time smelt of chlorine when we first opened the tap in the morning, but I haven't noticed that for a few years now.

We never seemed to have enough chlorine in our swimming pool water overseas according to the test kit we used even when our eyes were burning in the pool.

Chloramine also has traces of chlorine as well as ammonia. Surely Chloramine will also destroy membranes. So even if the council doesn't use chlorine the substitute must just be as bad for r/o membranes.

 

[Iron Giant]

So, From what I can gather, fibredyne are the best filters and replace the 3 filter system ( which I've always used) but some of you recommend a sediment filter before the fybredyne depending on water quality.

I understand that.

But considering how many " experts" there are on this forum (and I mean that, I've had so much great advice from you.)

Can't we agree which fibredyne and which sediment filter are the best and where to get them from. It would be nice to buy from one site and potentially save on postage.

I appreciate doug and alex have their own businesses but it would make it easier for half wits like me!!!!

I think the answers have already been given it seems Grippa is the best option for delivery, but as for the Carbon filter it all depends how much you want to spend and how often the ones that Gardiners used to sell are only good for 37,000 litres were as these ones also sold by Grippa  http://www.gapswater.co.uk/acatalog/Pentair--pentek--CFBC-Chlorine-and-Cyst-Reduction-Filter--0.5-Micron-CFBC.html#SID=550   are good for over 75,000 litres as for buying sediment filters no doubt they can be bought of Ebay for cheap enough Sediment filter with free delivery

 

[steve garwood]

I think the answers have already been given it seems Grippa is the best option for delivery, but as for the Carbon filter it all depends how much you want to spend and how often the ones that Gardiners used to sell are only good for 37,000 litres were as these ones also sold by Grippa  http://www.gapswater.co.uk/acatalog/Pentair--pentek--CFBC-Chlorine-and-Cyst-Reduction-Filter--0.5-Micron-CFBC.html#SID=550   are good for over 75,000 litres as for buying sediment filters no doubt they can be bought of Ebay for cheap enough Sediment filter with free delivery

The 75,000L pre filters have a micron of only 0.5. 

I phoned Pentair yesterday and was informed they block up much easier, even with a sediment filter ?

If you buy a box of 12 10” filters (37,500L) they do them for £187.50 inc vat & delivery 

 

[Iron Giant]

The 75,000L pre filters have a micron of only 0.5. 

I phoned Pentair yesterday and was informed they block up much easier, even with a sediment filter ?

If you buy a box of 12 10” filters (37,500L) they do them for £187.50 inc vat & delivery 

Oh well I've got 2 so will see how things go I check my sediment filter on a weekly basis and as mentioned previously I have no issues with sediment , If I could use the 20" blue ones previously sold by Gardiners I would but can only accommodate 10" pre-filters in my shed, ultimately it depends on your water quality my tap tds is a max of around 78ppm at its worst were as I am guessing your tds is 200+  

 

[steve garwood]

Oh well I've got 2 so will see how things go I check my sediment filter on a weekly basis and as mentioned previously I have no issues with sediment , If I could use the 20" blue ones previously sold by Gardiners I would but can only accommodate 10" pre-filters in my shed, ultimately it depends on your water quality my tap tds is a max of around 78ppm at its worst were as I am guessing your tds is 200+  

Yes mate, I’m Thames water, it’s equivalent to using water straight out of a swimming pool ??

 

[doug atkinson]

The 75,000L pre filters have a micron of only 0.5. 

I phoned Pentair yesterday and was informed they block up much easier, even with a sediment filter ?

If you buy a box of 12 10” filters (37,500L) they do them for £187.50 inc vat & delivery 

"I phoned Pentair yesterday and was informed they block up much easier, even with a sediment filter"

I've been SHOUTING this point ?

With very hard water molecules are larger and also expand in the cold. Those higher spec filters tend to be sold with steam filters where the molecule is smaller as the water has been heated up

Pentair do not sell direct to the public and everything goes through their distributor.

 

[P4dstar]

You lot have frazzled my little brain here, I really thought I was getting this RO stuff.

 

[Iron Giant]

You lot have frazzled my little brain here, I really thought I was getting this RO stuff.

After almost 11 years I am still learning, but this post has answered a lot of questions and made a lot of things clearer, I have also learned for the first time to check pre-filter specs rather than just buying whatever and changing them whenever. 

 

[Jango]

Mine too @P4dstar.

So I have just got my resin from Doug and a Fibredyne carbon filter( it’s blue) and a spectrum sediment filter. Had a chat with him yesterday nice chap, very helpful.

so all is well. On with the learning. 

 

[trevor peacock]

my sediment filters never seem to change colour, the one at the moment has done 12,000 litres and is still white, how do you know when they need changing?

 

[Iron Giant]

my sediment filters never seem to change colour, the one at the moment has done 12,000 litres and is still white, how do you know when they need changing?

If they are still white and don't feel gritty to the touch then they will fine to continue using for the foreseeable future just keep an eye on them  

 

[P4dstar]

After almost 11 years I am still learning, but this post has answered a lot of questions and made a lot of things clearer, I have also learned for the first time to check pre-filter specs rather than just buying whatever and changing them whenever. 

I know what you mean mate. I think the problem with these systems is they're so complex and there is so little information out there. I remember when I was looking to get an RO and watching videos on YouTube. Oddly enough the best, most informative video I found was by Doug. This was long before anyone on here recommended Daqua. The issue is these videos are absolute gobbledygook to someone who doesn't have the slightest knowledge of RO systems.

I always try and answer RO questions and remember how I felt about them. I make my answers as simple as possible remembering how I felt. If it wasn't for Tuffers kindly running me through his RO unit I don't think I would have made head nor tail of it.

I understand what people are on about and I understood everything above but it genuinely did hurt my head haha. It is always good to learn. Same as yourself I had never noticed the different pre filter specs, just the brand names. I assumed that all good carbon filters were good for 75k litres for example. This means that when I first got my RO and flushed it for 4 hours I used just under half of the life of the carbon filter as it was only valid for 12000 litres and my tap gives 20-23 litres per minute.

Mine too @P4dstar.

So I have just got my resin from Doug and a Fibredyne carbon filter( it’s blue) and a spectrum sediment filter. Had a chat with him yesterday nice chap, very helpful.

so all is well. On with the learning. 

I had to call Doug a couple of times. Top bloke, really helpful. I always order my resin from Daqua or Gardiner's. So many suppliers out there have a bad rep when it comes to actually supplying the correct resin. Pure Freedom once sent me resin that seemed really wet compared to usual (Same brand) It didn't last as long as the it had previously. People reported they were once sending a completely different product and claiming it was the same spec. I tried Unger resin once, it was good but didn't quite last as long as Tulsion stuff does.

 

[doug atkinson]

Mine too @P4dstar.

So I have just got my resin from Doug and a Fibredyne carbon filter( it’s blue) and a spectrum sediment filter. Had a chat with him yesterday nice chap, very helpful.

so all is well. On with the learning. 

Having what you have gone through and you're still window cleaning have to say well done and keep it up.

 

[Jango]

Having what you have gone through and you're still window cleaning have to say well done and keep it up.

Thank you Doug. It's been tough but I'm still going.  

 

[Rickadoo]

The meter I bought had 1/2'' BSP so I added the 1/2'' BSP to 1/2'' push fit adapters you can see in the pic. Gardiners have since stopped selling these. They recommended I buy the 3/8'' BSP ones and a reducer. All of these thread sizes, metric & imperial etc confuse the hell out of me and i've never managed to find the same sort of thing elsewhere but I won't need any until I add a second pump to the van.

I have a Hozelock size connection with a 1/2'' push fit on the other side, goes into the shut off valve first, then the flow meter then a singular TDS meter so I can see the tap TDS and finally into the pre-filters and RO.

Coming out the RO I have the usual waste pipe, just some cheap hose. For the pure I have gone with John guest again, and installed a splitter so I can dump the first bit of water that comes out and beat the TDS creep.Got a dual TDS Meter too so I can measure in and out of the DI. 

View attachment 15441

Oh yeah and since that pic i've gone double DI.... Maximum savings and all that.

Hi mate. Do you know what size tube you have going to your DI. I’m asking as I’m planning to get a inline TDS meter and they all seem to have 1/4 inch JG fittings as standard.

 

[P4dstar]

Hi mate. Do you know what size tube you have going to your DI. I’m asking as I’m planning to get a inline TDS meter and they all seem to have 1/4 inch JG fittings as standard.

So sorry mate, I must not have spotted this at the time. It is 1/2 inch JG tubing. Daqua sell the Murlock connections for the in line system. Would be worth giving Doug a call to check these are correct but they look like the right ones.

https://www.daqua.co.uk/johnguest.htm

 

[Rickadoo]

So sorry mate, I must not have spotted this at the time. It is 1/2 inch JG tubing. Daqua sell the Murlock connections for the in line system. Would be worth giving Doug a call to check these are correct but they look like the right ones.

https://www.daqua.co.uk/johnguest.htm

Cheers man. No worries. 

 

[Iron Giant]

The 10" CFBC high-performance carbon filters I bought from Grippa have gone up £3.00 in price from £21.00 plus vat to £24.17  but their service life is 75,000 litres which I calculated will last me 19 weeks but what I can't work out is the published data on their site still not sure if its a carbon and sediment filter or why they recommend a 10 micron sediment filter https://www.grippatank.co.uk/fibredyne-cfbc-sediment-carbon-pre-filter-10 I emailed them and why they recommend 10 micron sediment filters when I had always bought 5 microns from Gardiners previously they said Gardiners had never sold 5" sediment filters I emailed again and got no response their customer service ain't great on the whole. 

Just to update on my purchase these don't last for 75,000 litres as stated the carbon filter should have seen me through for till May 23rd and have only lasted 9-10 weeks and processed approximately 37,000 litres of combined waste and pure, my production had been slowing down a bit I thought and after 8 hours my R/O hadn't even produced 200ltrs when I got back home last night so I checked the carbon filter and it was knackered, I have had to put another one in which is the same again.