RO system stopped making water

[Rick M]

I have a 2-1/2 year old 75 GPD 5 stage Air Water Ice system that has performed great up until now. I have replaced the cartridges a couple of times, most recently about 3 months ago. The last couple of months, the output has dropped to almost nothing. (think drip.................drip...................drip...............)
Due to the age I went ahead and replaced the RO membrane. (From A.W.I.)

But still the output is nearly nothing. The reject water flows about the same as it always has.

Any clues or hints ?

Thanks, Rick

 

[delta]

how is it hitched up saddle valve? if so try closing it and reopening it a few times. Since it is only a small opening it can clog easily.

 

[Rick M]

Yes it is a saddle valve, and I had the same thought, so I tried that. I can hear the water rush through when I first opened it.

 

[delta]

What happens if you bypass the DI cartridge?

 

[JayM]

^ What he said. bypass one chamber at a time until you see where the restriction is.

are you getting good output from the waste line?

 

[MikeG]

When was the last time you replaced the sediment and carbon filters? If those get clogged, the output will drop drastically to almost nothing.

 

[Rick M]

The output before the DI cartridge is very slow as well.
I removed the first (fiber) cartridge, no change. When I took out the first carbon cartridge and put the empty canister back on water gushed through, like it never had before (too fast).
???

 

[Rick M]

The three (one sediment & two carbon) were changed recently. The flow from the reject line is good.
The instructions with the unit said when you first start with a new RO membrane it can take 2 - 6 hours to fill ?? It has run at least 8 - 10 hours so far, still just a trickle...

 

[willray]

When I took out the first carbon cartridge and put the empty canister back on water gushed through, like it never had before (too fast). ???

That's the one IMO,replace it and you be good once again.You said it was changed but is possible its clogged (Example: flushing town water lines,well water...) can clog a filter fast especially being the first filter. oh! Could also be a smaller micron rating???....which will clog it up even quicker.

 

[Rick M]

Thanks Wllray, I'll try that tonight when I home from work.....

 

[delta]

On the AWI setups it should be 10-5-1 microns. The first canister shouldn't be a carbon block, it should be a 10 micron sediment filter. also it is very easy to reverse the carbon blocks if you have two and put the 1 micron in place of the 5 micron it will cause it to clog faster.