RO Drinking Water Filter

Oldest daughter donated a kidney to her sister's fianc last week. He's coming home today with a long list of restrictions, including unfiltered tap water. The #
of multiple filter RO systems is confusing. They're on Des Moines city water, layout supports the system hanging on the wall in the basement directly below the
kitchen sink where a tap would be installed so it doesn't have to be an undercabinet install. Potentially running a tube to the 2nd floor bathroom. A particulate
filter ahead of the RO filter makes some sense, keeps bigger junk out of the RO. I don't understand having two different carbon filters. Is it the same carbon in
each? Coconut filter? Mineral filter that adds minerals back in? Does it make the water taste any different/better? It's a small house with just the 2 of them,
would 50 gallons per day be enough? Some of them look to have proprietary filters that are more expensive to replace. I don't mind if it's adding a value, but I
don't see what that would be. Anyone have a brand they're happy with. Experience with Apec, which seems to dominate Amazon?
 
We have two RO systems. At our house in Michigan, we have a Microline system that works reasonably well. Since it's downstream of our water softener, the cartridges last a long time. Microline filters are readily available online at reasonable prices.

Our RO system in Florida is an AO Smith system we bought at Lowe's. Because it's getting raw city water, the first stage filter quickly clogs up with rust. Replacement cartridges are expensive.
 

50 gallons per day

that sounds like a LOT of drinking water.

I have a RO setup under my kitchen sink. The tank is maybe 2gal or so. Has 3x filter cartridges. A Watts system from Menards. The first stage carbon one is the one that clogs up every few months and then the system does not process any water. There is no way anyone gets 50 gal/day out of it. Fine for drinking water and cooking use though.

I have a house level filter off the incoming water main in the cellar to get the larger chunks and that needs replacement maybe 2x per year or so. Its been more frequent for that and 1st stage filter on the RO unit the past 6-7 months after the town replaced all the water mains (massive street project). Hoping things settle out (literally)...[/code]
 
What is an RO unit?

Never mind guys, a simple search got me the answer.

This post was edited by Caryc on 03/20/2023 at 03:30 pm.
 
You may want to connect the RO to your refrigerator so that the ice and if available in door water is RO. Another thing is RO water tastes weird if you don't add minerals back to the water.
 
The ones I have seen are very low capacity, only supplied a separate faucet on the kitchen sink and the ice maker/water dispenser on the refrigerator.

It worked well, got rid of the rust and rotten egg smell from the well water.

I don't think it will get out dissolved solids, like salts and calcium. You might need a softner ahead of it for best results.
 
(quoted from post at 20:10:45 03/20/23) The ones I have seen are very low capacity, only supplied a separate faucet on the kitchen sink and the ice maker/water dispenser on the refrigerator.

It worked well, got rid of the rust and rotten egg smell from the well water.

I don't think it will get out dissolved solids, like salts and calcium. You might need a softner ahead of it for best results.

Absolutely an RO filter will remove disolved solids, however the more it has to remove the shorter the filter service life will be. RO filters do not wear out or have to be replaced after x days or gallons, they simply slowly clog and filtered water production tapers off. Replave when you find it's not keeping up with your usage. We get 2-3 years out of a filter set since we feed it with well water that is filtered to 1um first and softened so the RO doesn't have as much to remove. Well is hard 1200ppm, softener gets it to 400ppm or so, RO to 20ppm or so. Basic GE under counter unit fedding sink tap and fridge, used for all cooking and drinking for fam of 4.
 
Think of a reverse osmosis filter as a screen. The holes are slightly bigger than a water molecule, so only water and smaller molecules can get through. There is extra water flowing over the screen (membrane) to wash away the larger particles and keep it from plugging.

I have had an RO system for many years. If a little water spillage in the basement is not a problem, I would recommend a unit that uses standard 10 inch filter cartridges. For price and availability. My system has 3 filters before the membrane. A 10 micron and 5 micron spun poly, and a carbon block. There is also a small final filter after the membrane. I get about 6 months on my particulate filters and usually a couple years out of a membrane.

I use a 20 gpd membrane, the practical production is half of that. It produces plenty of water for a family of 4. We do run short when doing things like processing garden vegetables. To help, a couple years ago I added a 20 gallon pressure tank for more storage. My setup is like you describe, wall mounted in the basement. A large part of one basement wall is water treatment plant. I have RO water running to the kitchen sink, the full bath, and to a hose bib outside. No ice maker to worry about here.

The mineral filter would be used after the membrane to add back in some of the normal minerals for taste and to prevent the water from leaching ions from anything it comes into contact with. I do not use one, the water tastes fine to me. It has no taste at all.

Keep in mind that anything the RO water comes into contact with needs to be plastic or good quality stainless.

Also, install shut off valves before and after the RO filter system to be able to isolate it for servicing. I have had a membrane pop from back pressure on it.
 
The carbon filters before a Reverse Osmosis system are for removing chlorine from the city water supply, as chlorine is the biggest enemy of the RO membranes.

Commercial systems, like the one I am currently operating (800gpm), typically have particulate filtration, then the RO system before the resin-bed demineralizers, (water softeners).

My design of a system for your family would be one or two particulate filters, followed by two carbon filters, the RO system and then a softener, with a final filter at the end. Assuming no budgetary constraints, of course.

As you suggested, picking a filter with standard replacement cartridges is important, using the carbon filters recommended by the RO manufacturer, then whatever order you can fit in in.
 
We are pleased with our Apec system. As some have said, output is limited, but we get enough for use in the kitchen.

Butch
 
I just got a new filter for mine today. Dang filter with shipping was $75.00. I couldn't find 1 any cheaper. I couldn't began to type in all the contaminates it removes from the water. Good luck with your system. We've had this system for 14 years. I have to use it because cancer attacked my left kidney and they removed it.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top