Maintenance
I. Sanitation
Due to the ‘open circuit’ nature of the portable systems, it is possible for bacterial contamination to occur
over time. Tubing may need to be sanitised or replaced along with the fittings.
The membrane housing (Which is one of the only parts that doesn’t get replaced) can be cleaned using
warm soapy water and then soaked in HydroSil-PURE with water. Rinse off the excess HydroSil and then
re-connect.
II. Replacement Parts
As mentioned above, tubing and fittings should be periodically replaced to ensure the system remains
clean and functional. There is no set time frame for these items to be replaced, rather you can monitor
them ongoing and if they appear to be at their end of life, change them. As a general guideline, Tubing
(inlet, outlet and drain) should be replaced every 2 years. Fittings should be replaced every 3 years (due to
wear and tear).
III. Replacement Filters
Filters have a varying life time but generally can be replaced with the following principle; Pre filters (Pre-
Membrane) every 6 months. The DI resin will require changing whenever the TDS reading exceeds your
desired level. The membrane itself has a largely varying life time. It may last anywhere between 1 and 4
years depending on usage, water quality and age. This can also be monitored by the TDS monitor.
IV. Testing Filters
Reverse Osmosis membranes have a variance in their filter life and this is affected by several things
including water quality, usage, temperature and filter maintenance. As they are the workhorse of the
system, they are the most important filters to monitor and keep maintained.
To measure the effectiveness of the RO membrane, test a sample of tap water (to get your base reading
TDS), then check the readings on the in & out of the TDS monitor. To calculate the membrane
effectiveness, you will need to subtract the percentage of contaminant reduction from the feed water. E.g.
Feed Water 200mg/L TDS – RO Membrane removes 97% (+/-) Therefore, 200 – 97% = 6mg/L. Factors can
influence the final TDS of the water and it will depend upon what is in the feed water to begin with. A
membrane is deemed to be ‘expired’ if the overall reduction rate is <90% (as a general rule). To apply this
to the above example, 200 – 90% = 20mg/L. So, if your test reading was approaching 20mg/L or higher, it
would be time to change the membrane.
Troubleshooting
Problem
Possible Cause
Solution
