Low pressure to RO system

We had a GE Merlin RO water system installed under our kitchen sink due to high levels of nitrates in our well water. The system is supposed to work under water pressures of 40 to 80 psi during operation. However, our system commonly runs under the minimum 40 psi's (the system is not even guaranteed to work properly under these conditions) and even runs as low as 30 psi's at times. Besides the fear that these low operating pressures may be causing our RO system to not work properly (take the nitrates out of the water), the concentrate water continually runs to the drain after the faucet has been shut off and the noise is driving us nuts!! I've tried replacing the prefilter and postfilter (as recommended in the troubleshooting section of the owner's manual) but that didn't cure the problem. Knowing nothing about my Well-X-Trol WX-202, can I make some adjustment on the tank that would increase the pressure to our RO system? If so, is this what you would recommend and how do I do it? Or, is there maybe a pressure leak somewhere in our RO system, and I just need to call a plumber to help me find it. P.S. - the water pressure in the rest of our house is good.

I don't sell or install RO systems for homes for a number of reasons, but I have never heard of anyone using one for the removal of Nitrates.

Maybe I am missing something, but it doesn't sound like the best solution to me.

Hasn't anyone ever drank form a faucet not in the kitchen?

bob...

Not the tank

I don't know anything about your RO system but to increase the pressure in the house you would need to adjust or replace the cutout switch for the well pump. If your well pump is older, I wouldn't mess with it. Trying to get more pressure out of an old pump might finish it off.

speedbump said:

Hasn't anyone ever drank form a faucet not in the kitchen?

Click to expand...

Not anymore, except for whatever water gets on the toothbrush.

And when you pick up giardia in a remote wilderness area, and you've filtered all your water thru a Katadyn filter, you will realize real quick that you shouldn't have rinsed your toothbrush in the creek.

Rancher

Some RO systems have a water powered booster pump to help efficiency. I believe you can get the pumps as add-ons.

Efficiency of RO goes up with pressure and temperature. Feeding it low pressure, probably cold water, is going in the wrong direction.

If you can get access to the plumbing runs, move the unit somewhere the noise won't bother you. The best way, but not easy after construction, is to run a separate water pipe for RO at the places you drink it.

RO units will remove nitrates and some come equiped with booster pumps to get the proper pressure. I think the only way to get the increased pressure would be to install a bigger well pump. The water should also be pre treated if you have elevated amounts of water hardness,iron,manganese,etc.

sammy

And be careful about chlorine. I keep seeing recommendations (not all here) to disinfect systems including an RO with chlorine. Some can deal with that. Others turn into green sludge (or whatever) if chlorine gets to the membrane.