RO DI Issues -_-'

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
As is my luck, I got a $250 4 stage 50 gph RO DI unit. There is an issue. Okay, several.

Issue 1: NO RO DI! - The thing produced about 5 gallons of wastewater in about 5 hours, but not a drop of actual pure RO DI water... I'm pretty sure I hooked it all up right, I followed the directions to the letter... this issue is with the horizontal top canister piece thingy, which can be seen in the link to the product I got.

Issue 2: WTF, It leaks? - Yep, the 4th stage, which needed assembly to attach it to the actual unit, leaks. It has a large screw-on part, and I can't get it any tighter screwed on then it is, not without a body builder to try it out... but it still leaks. When I had too much water being forced into the RO DI unit, it sprayed water all up the wall, and even when turned all the way down it had a steady drip of water coming out of the seam where the cap and the rest of the container for the 4th stage meet.

Unit is a Corallife 4 Stage 50gph unit. Found here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+12093&pcatid=12093

So, anyone here know what I did wrong?
 

Cheech

Global Moderator
Jan 13, 2000
3,452
1
38
45
Montreal, Canada
I would call the company and ask them for advice. But in the meantime, for the leak, you should use Teflon tape. It'll help seal the threads when screwing the piece together.

When your water is open, is the pressure very low? You need enough water pressure to go through the RODI unit. Worse case, they sell booster pumps to increase the pressure going into your unit.

before purchasing anything though, I would call to make sure you installed the unit correctly.

*Edit: The water that splurts out, is that where the city water (from the sink) connects to the RODI unit? If so, make sure you have a gasket between the water supply and connector:



Mine sometimes falls out when I unscrew it and I get the same leaks as you mentioned.
 

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
I would call the company and ask them for advice. But in the meantime, for the leak, you should use Teflon tape. It'll help seal the threads when screwing the piece together.

When your water is open, is the pressure very low? You need enough water pressure to go through the RODI unit. Worse case, they sell booster pumps to increase the pressure going into your unit.

before purchasing anything though, I would call to make sure you installed the unit correctly.

*Edit: The water that splurts out, is that where the city water (from the sink) connects to the RODI unit? If so, make sure you have a gasket between the water supply and connector:



Mine sometimes falls out when I unscrew it and I get the same leaks as you mentioned.
The pressure is way high... if it didn't leak I'd think that I'd have jets of water coming out of the tubes, TBH. I was actually more worried about too much pressure then not enough. I'll see if I can contact the manufacturer, and if I can get some teflon tape for it too.

The leak isn't in the part where it attaches to the sink, it's in the main body of the RO DI. There are 3 vertical canisters, those all seem to work fine. It's the horizontal one that has the leak, in order to install the 4th filter I needed to remove a cap piece, and then I put it back on (as per instructions), but it's been leaking at the seam where the cap attaches to the main part of the canister...
 

Jody

AC Members
Jul 28, 2010
541
0
0
Newfoundland, Canada
There should be a rubber O Ring on each canister , you dont need to use the wrench for tightening the canisters if its working right its more for unscrewing and also puting tape on the threads is not fixing the problem as the threads are not the seal the O-Ring is. also if your unit came with a back flush kit , is it open you well get waste water but no RO water and it would be kinda high pressure from the waste side , On top of the unit there should be a small plastic valve if the handle is inline with the valve body its open. it need to be closed for normal operation

Just to make sure your link shows the 100 GPH with pump is that your or is it the Pure-Flo II - 50 gallon-per-day system ?

I'm trying to remember that setup but i do think the O Rings are in a grove on the canister housing make sure its not damaged as check the canister base inside where the O Ring would seal see if there so inpefections in the sealing surface or maybe dirt in there. Could as be a under size O ring look at the canister and see if the O Ring is above the surface of the grove it might not be making contact when you screw it in. Also check that the height of the leaking canister is screwed in the same depth as the two canisters that don't leak you may have thread damge if its not making the same depth as the others

Hope this helps and let us know if you have success
 
Last edited:

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
It's the 50gph 4 stage. The leaking canister is horizontally placed on top of the device.

==== <---- issue canister
[][][] <---- working canisters

________________ Leak Here
------------------ -------- --- \/
|=================||==|
|----------4th Filter-----------|Cap}
|=================||==|

The above is the actual 4th canister that has the issue, the others are fine.
 

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
Well, it still leaks, but it's more of a non-issue now. By using an ingenious and complex set up consisting of 3 unused filter covers, a flower pot water catcher, and an old yogurt container, I have managed to get the spray of water to be caught and then funneled down into the utility sink, which is where I've relocated the entire unit (hanging on the inside of it by a few large hooks). All the leaking water goes down the drain, it's a temporary fix so that I can get my RO DI right now for when I set up my 40b Salty Tank. I'm still on the lookout for advice on how to stop the leak itself.
 

Jody

AC Members
Jul 28, 2010
541
0
0
Newfoundland, Canada
Ok

So that's your membrane that's leaking, is it on the fitting where you push the hose in , i guess they are push on fittings ? If so you can remove the hose from the fitting and check out the end see if any damage something like out of round or burrs, best thing to do is cut back around 1 inch with a utility knife sharper the better make sure it is cut even and not out of round then push it into the fitting and don't force it

A pic of the leaking part would go a long way

Did you get the unit to produce RODI water yet ?
 

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
The leak isn't on the hose part, it's where the cap piece and the main container for the membrane meet. The seal there isn't holding back water. AFAIK, all the hoses aren't leaking. They are... screw ons? They have a sort of little cap that screws into place and holds the hose in place. I'll get a pic of the leaking piece tonight, when I can start working on it again.

As for RODI water, yes, about 5 gallons, 2 or so of which leaked onto the floor cause I used the wrong tote to hold the water :/ I'll be using a 30tall tonight for the RODI, while I work on getting my good tote empty of books and full of water :)

A random-ish question: is RODI still chlorinated?
 

the wizard

Is it really Niko's fault?
Jan 28, 2010
717
0
16
Real Name
David
If you over tightened the membrane to the cap, you probably damaged the O ring (seal). Did you disassemble it and check the seal as was suggested?
 

Fishfriend1

Fishlover Extraordinaire
Dec 11, 2009
3,958
3
38
Southeastern PA
Real Name
Mr. Palmer
The instructions told me to just slide the membrane into the container for it and then re-screw the cap... so I'm not entirely sure where the membrane attaches to the cap. However, I did disassemble the problem piece and re-assemble it, I couldn't find anything wrong (like torn threading or missing parts) but I'm not exactly and expert. I can take a pic of the assembly tonight when I get home, to help figure out the issue, both the outside, when running, and the inside of it...
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store