APEC ULTRA REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM User manual

ULTRA REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTION
Free Drinking Water .com

Please keep this Owner’s Manual for future reference.
It contains useful information on how to maintain and care for your
APEC Reverse Osmosis water filter system.
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Installation:
Preparation ................................................................... page 1
Filter housings & membrane assembly ............................. page 4
Feed water connection .................................................... page 6
Drain saddle connection ................................................ page 8
Faucet mounting ........................................................... page 9
Connecting the whole system ......................................... page 11

1
Thank you for choosing APEC reverse osmosis sytems.
You now own the finest water filter in America.
Please read and become familiar with instructions and parts needed before proceeding with
the installation.
BEFORE INSTALLATION:
Inspect the system:
Please take the system and all the components out of the box. Inspect the system and all the con-
nection fittings carefully, make sure nothing is damaged during shipping. If any part is cracked or
broken, please do not proceed with the installation and contact APEC or your distributor for an
exchange or diagnosis.
Recommended tools list:
Variable speed drill
Drill bit: ¼” (for the waste line), 1/8” (as pilot, not mandatory), and ½” (for standard
faucet hole, air-gap faucet requires 1&1/4” hole)
5/8”, 9/16” open-end wrench, or adjustable wrench, pliers
Phillips screwdriver
Utility knife, or scissors
Teflon tape
Operating Parameter
Operating pressure: 100psi maximum
Feed water temperature: 40 – 100 degree F (4-37 degree C)
Do not connect this unit to hot water source
Install the RO in a sheltered environment, avoid exposure to hot and cold weather or under
direct sun light.
Copyright:
This manual is copyrighted by APEC Inc. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be reproduced in any form, in
whole or part, without the prior written consent of APEC Inc.

2
1 RO system head 3 Pre-filters in 3 Housings 1 Storage tank 1 RO Membrane
Installation kit includes:
1 Faucet with 1 Feed water adaptor 1/2” 1 Drain saddle for waste water
washers and nuts with needle valve kit
3 Color tubing 1/4” 1 tank’s ball valve 1 Wrench 3 pairs Plastic nuts
for opening housing and inserts
for standard systems
(1 pair for quick-connect models)
Insert
Plastic Nuts
Components included with the RO system:
Make sure you have all these parts before starting installation.

3
Component Itemization:
1) Bracket
2) Membrane and housing (4th-stage filter)
3) In-line carbon filter (5th-stage filter)
4) Sediment pre-filter and housing (1st-stage filter)
5) Carbon block pre-filter and housing ( 2nd-stage filter)
6) Carbon block pre-filter and housing ( 3rd-stage filter)
7) Storage tank
8) Tank ball valve
9) ASO – Automatic Shut Off valve
10) Check valve (Internal check valve encased in plastic fitting)
11) T-fitting
12) Feed water inlet
13) Product (filtered) water outlet

4
THERE ARE THREE PARTS TO INSTALLING THE RO SYSTEM:
Part I. Assemble the filters and housings onto the main system
Part II. Placing the Membrane into the membrane housing
Part III. Installing the system
PART I. ASSEMBLE THE FILTERS AND HOUSINGS ONTO THE MAIN SYSTEM
Remove plastic/paper wrappings on the 3 filters, put them into the 3 housings, and assemble the
housings onto the main system as follow:
Fig. 1 Stand the 3 housings upright. Make sure each housing has a rubber O-ring in its
groove.
Put the “Puretrex 5 micron” sediment filter into the “1st stage” housing on the right.
Put the “Matrikx +CTO” carbon filter into the “2nd stage” housing in the middle.
Put the “Matrikx +CTO” carbon filter into the “3rd stage” housing on the left.
Fig. 2 Starting from the 3rd stage housing on the left, hand twist the housing onto the main
system turning counterclockwise, one by one, for all 3 housings.
Fig. 3 Use the wrench provided to completely tighten the housing starting from 1st-stage.
Repeat this step for the 2nd stage housing in the middle, and for the 3rd stage hous-
ing on right.
Note: For some people it is easier to use the wrench with the system laid down
(face up).
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3
3rd
Stage
2nd
Stage
1st
Stage
Use
Wrench

5
PART II. PLACING THE MEMBRANE INTO THE MEMBRANE HOUSING
This system has been wet tested in the factory, and the RO membrane is sealed to preserve
freshness.
1. Locate the blue membrane and remove it from the plastic bag.
2. Locate the Membrane Housing (labelled “Membrane” ) on the system.
3. Fig. 4A 1. Disconnect the RED tubing from the membrane housing’s cap. Do so by un-
screwing the plastic nut on the fitting.
2. Remove the membrane housing cap (turn counterclockwise).
3. See Fig 4B. Insert membrane all the way into the housing tightly with the correct
side going in first as shown below.
Note: Make sure the membrane is inserted in the correct way as shown in Fig 4B!
Fig. 4A
Fig. 4B
( Follow these same procedures for future membrane changing and maintenance. )
4. Close the cap of the housing and reconnect tubing as before.
1. First unscrew plastic nut
to take tubing out
2. Unscrew membrane housing
cap (counter clockwise)
3. Insert Membrane

6
PART III. INSTALLING THE SYSTEM
Space: Make sure there is sufficient space under the counter for installation (an area of about
12”Lx6”Wx18”H for the system, 11”diam x18”H for tank).
The RO system is best installed under the kitchen sink. But if that is not feasible you can install the
system anywhere where there is a cold water supply with sufficient water pressure for the chosen
RO model, and an outlet to drain off the waste water from the system.
Mounting: No need to mount the RO system on the wall. The RO system can stand in the sink
cabinet without mounting, this makes future filter change easy and convenient. If you prefer to
mount the system to the wall, please make sure it can be taken down easily for filter replacement.
Step 1: Feed Water Connection
See Fig. 5D: The RO system must be connected to the COLD water supply only!
1. Locate the Cold water supply valve under the kitchen sink (the round or oblong handle on the
right side). Turn off the incoming cold water completely by turning the shut off handle clock-
wise.
Note: If the cold water shut off valve can not turn off the water, the main water supply to the
house must be shut off for the installation. Another option is to use a “self piercing
saddle valve” from APEC or from a local hardware store.
2. Feed Water Adaptor (1/2”): See Fig. 5. The Feed Water Adaptor comes with a separate
Needle Valve. The Adaptor goes inline onto your 1/2” cold water pipe. The Needle Valve por-
tion screws onto the Adaptor as shown in Fig. 5.
The “cone-shaped” washer provided is optional. If your pipe already has a built-in cone washer,
then no need to use this one.
3. For Flex Line Riser: See Fig. 5A. Loosen nut and separate cold water riser tube from faucet
shank. Gently bend riser tube so that the Feed Water Adapter (Fig 5) fits onto the faucet shank.
If your riser tube has no built-in washer, then fit the cone-shaped washer provided onto the riser
tube. Connect the riser tube, the feed water adapter, and faucet shank together and tighten.
For Solid Copper Riser: See Fig. 5B. Follow the same procedure as for flex line. If the cop-
per riser cannot bend, then it’s best to replace it with a flex line riser. Then fit the feed water
adaptor the same way as described above.

7
NEEDLE
VALVE
FLAT WASHER
CONE WASHER (optional)
*Wrap Teon Tape!
Riser
Tube
For Flexible Line
Faucet
Shank
Needle
Valve
Main Water
Supply
Shut-off
Valve
Riser
Tube
For Solid Line
Faucet
Shank
Needle
Valve
Main Water
Supply
Shut-off
Valve
Sink Sink
Fig. 5 Fig. 5A Fig. 5B
Fig. 5C Fig. 5D
4. Needle Valve: See Fig. 5C. Screw the Needle Valve onto the Adapter tightly. Apply 3-4
rounds of Teflon tap onto Needle Valve before attaching it to the Adaptor.
To open needle valve: Turn needle handle counter-clockwise.
To close needle valve: Turn needle handle clockwise.

8
Test for leaks at this point: Close the Needle Valve (turn needle handle clockwise all the
way in to close) Turn ON the cold water supply to the sink faucet. If the Needle Valve or the
Adaptor leaks, check the connection and try applying more Teflon tape or tighten the brass
nut some more to stop the leak.
Step 2: Drain Saddle Installation
Note: To avoid annoying drainage noise, mount drain line as low as possible
on the vertical tailpiece, or on horizontal tailpiece.
There is constant water pressure “packed” inside the RO system which blocks the waste water
from backing-up into the system. So the waste water is “forced-drained”, not “gravity-drained”.
1. See Fig. 6. The drain saddle assembly should be installed above the trap and on the vertical
or horizontal tailpiece . To reduce the drainage noise, mount the drain line as low as possible
above the trap, or on the horizontal tailpiece.
Fig. 6
2. See Fig.7. Mark the position of the hole on the drain pipe and drill a 1/4’’ hole through one
side of the drain pipe . There is a piece of self-adhesive sponge provided. Glue this sponge
to the inside of the saddle, this will cushion any gap between the saddle and the pipe. Make
sure the hole on the sponge is thoroughly punched out, and is aligned to the hole on the
saddle.
Fig.7 Fig.8
MOUNT DRAIN
SADDLE AT
EITHER
LOCATION

9
3. See Fig. 8, 8A. Make sure to align the drain saddle hole to the drilled hole perfectly.
Mis-aligning these two holes will block the waste water and cause membrane damage.
Attach the drain saddle to the drain pipe and tighten the two screws evenly.
Fig.8A
Step 3: Drill A Hole For The RO Faucet
Drill 1/2” diameter hole for standard RO faucet. (Air-Gap faucet: drill 1&1/4” hole.)
For best results use a ½” carbide-tipped masonry drill bit.
Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes while drilling the faucet hole.
Note: No need to drill a hole if an existing hole is available:
a) Spare hole: If there is a spare hole in the sink covered by a chrome cover, simply remove the
chrome cover and install the RO faucet there.
b) Spray hose: If the spray hose is not in use, remove the hose, and mount the RO faucet there.
Remember to plug up the outlet under the main faucet. If the spray hose uses a diverter at the base of
the spout, be sure to remove it to avoid trouble later on.
c) Hanging faucet: If drilling a hole is not feasible (i.e. rental home, drill tool not available etc.),
the faucet can just on the cabinet door or wherever that is convenient. Be creative!
When drilling a hole for the RO faucet, choose a location that looks good, works well, and is
most convenient for dispensing pure water. An ample flat area is required for the faucet base so
that the faucet can be drawn down tightly.
1. Faucet location: Make sure the faucet stud will be accessible from below when the hole
is drilled. If space is not available on the upper sink area, the faucet can be located on the
counter top by the edge of the sink. If the counter top is ceramic tile, the method for drilling
the hole will be the same as for porcelain sinks.
2. For Stainless Steel Sink: Before using a 1/2” carbide drill bit, an indent should be made
with a center punch to keep the drill bit from walking. A small pilot hole will also aid the drill
bit.

10
3. For Porcelain Sink: Porcelain enameled sinks can readily be chipped if care is not exercised
when drilling the hole. Before starting the drill motor, apply firm downward pressure on the bit
until a crunching occurs. This will help keep the drill bit from walking when starting the hole.
A small pilot hole will also aid the drill bit.
Note: Immediately after the hole drilling is done, clean up all metal chips, for metal chips
will stain the porcelain!!
Step 4: Mounting The Faucet
1. Mount the faucet as shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 9
2. Connect the Clear line to the faucet.
3. The faucet has two operating positions: Push black lever down to fill a glass of water, or lift
lever up into a locked position to fill a container or to drain the storage tank.
Chrome Washer
Black Rubber Washer
Optional Washer
Black Locating Washer
Lock Washer Lock Nut
Insert Sleeve
Compression Nut
Counter Top
Counter Top
Opening

11
Step 5: Positioning The System
1. Main System: The main system can stand in the sink cabinet. No need to mount the system
to the wall.
2. Tank: The storage tank can also lay on its side if needed. The tank works fine in this posi-
tion. If the tank cannot fit under the kitchen sink, it can be placed elsewhere up to 20 feet
away from the RO system without much pressure loss.
Step 6: Connecting The System
Fitting Types: There are 3 types of fittings provided for connecting the system
1. Metal compression nut fitting (comes with 1 insert, 1 sleeve, 1 nut)
Fig. 10
Important! Use plastic sleeve on the plastic tubing we pro-
vide. Do Not use metal sleeve on plastic tubing or the connec-
tion will leak!
How to connect: - See Fig. 10. Slide the compression nut onto the tubing.
- Slide the plastic sleeve onto the tubing.
- Insert the “insert” into the tubing.
- Insert the tubing into the opening of the fitting.
- Slide the brass nut up, then tighten nut with a wrench. No Teflon tape!
(An extra metal sleeve is provided in case you need to connect your own metal
tubing. Use Teflon tape if connecting metal tubing.)
2. Plastic compression nut fitting with built-in sleeve (comes with 1 insert, 1 nut)
Fig. 10A

12
How to connect: - See Fig. 10A. Slide the compression nut onto the tubing.
- Insert the “insert” into the tubing.
- Insert the tubing into the opening of the fitting.
- Slide the nut up, then tighten nut with a wrench. No Teflon tape!
3. Quick-Connect fitting (no insert, sleeve, or nut)
Fig. 10B Fig. 10C
How to Connect: - See Fig. 10B. Simply push the tubing into the Quick-Connect fitting.
- No inserts, sleeve, or nuts are needed to secure the connection.
- No Teflon tape!
To Disconnect: - See Fig. 10C. Push in and hold down on the collet ring around the
base of the fitting, then pull out tubing.
Summary of Tubing Connections:
There are 4 connectionsions: See Fig 11 and 11A
Point Ato X: Connect RO to COLD water supply — Red tubing.
Point Gto Y: Connect product water from 5th-stage filter to tank — Yellow tubing. This tubing
is a 2-way line, Product water enters and leaves the tank via this line.
Point Hto Z: Connect product water from 5th-stage output to RO faucet — Clear tubing.
Drain line to W: Connect waste water from 4th-stage membrane to drain outlet — Black tubing.

13
Fig. 11
Fig.11A

14
Details on Tubing Connections:
To ensure a smooth and correct installation, please connect the water lines following the se-
quence and order outlined below. Refer to Fig. 11 & 11A for proper point locations.
1. Point Z Faucet connection:
Tubing color: Clear tubing. Connect the CLEAR tubing to the base of the RO faucet.
Fitting type: See Fig. 10. Metal compression nut fitting. Use plastic sleeve.
Add “insert” to tubing. No teflon tape here. Tighten nut with wrench.
(DO NOT use metal sleeve on plastic tubing, will cause leakage! A metal sleeve is
provided for metal tubing usage. Apply teflon if using metal tubing and sleeve.)
2. Point X Feed water connection:
Tubing color: Red tubing. Connect the RED tubing to the Feed Water Needle Valve.
Fitting type: See Fig. 5c. Metal compression nut fitting. Use plastic sleeve.
Add “insert” to tubing. No teflon tape here. Tighten nut with wrench.
Tips! If points Point Z or Point X leaks after you have tightened the brass nut, check to make
sure you did put the plastic “insert” into the tubing. If the insert is already in place, then
try applying Teflon tape from the threaded metal stud all the way to the plastic tubing,
wrap the whole connection with 8-10 rounds of Teflon tape. Smooth out the tape on the
threaded part with your fingers. Tighten brass nut again. This should stop the leak.
If the plastic sleeve is damaged, you can use the metal sleeve, but you need to apply
Teflon tape as described above, this should stop the leak.
3. Point W Waste water connection:
Tubing color: Black tubing. Connect the BLACK tubing from the RO to the Drain Saddle.
Fitting type: Quick-Connect fitting on drain saddle. No teflon tape.
Do Not add ”insert” into Black tubing. Simply push tubing into port.
4. Point A System water inlet (to Stage 1 prefilter) connection:
Tubing color: Red tubing. Connect the RED tubing from the Feed Water Valve to the RO’s stage -1
prefilter.
Fitting type: Plastic compression nut fitting with built-in sleeve . No teflon tape needed here.
(Note: If stage-1 filter on your system is a UV light, then connect the Red tubing to the
UV light inlet)
5. Point H Stage-5 filtered water to faucet connection:

15
Tubing color: Clear tubing. Connect the CLEAR tubing from the faucet base stud to the Stage-5 filter’s
outflow end at point H. (See “Flow -->” arrow on the filter for flow direction.)
Fitting type: Plastic compression nut fitting with built-in sleeve. No teflon tape needed here.
6. Point G Stage-5 filter’s T-fitting connection:
Tubing color: Yellow tubing. Connect the YELLOW tubing to Stage-5 filter’s T-fitting.
Fitting type: Plastic compression nut fitting with built-in sleeve. No teflon tape needed here.
7. Point Y Tank’s input & output connection:
Prepare tank: See Fig. 12. Apply Teflon tape to tank’s threaded Output stem on top of tank (remove
rubber cap if there is one).
Screw tank Valve onto Output stem.
Tubing color: Yellow tubing. Connect the YELLOW tubing from Stage-5 T-fitting to the tank’s valve.
Fitting type: Quick-Connect fitting on ball valve. Simply push Yellow tubing into valve port.
Standard 4-gallon Tank Diagram:
Tank Ball Valve
Fig. 12
OFF Position ON Position
Option: Ice-maker Connection
If you want to connect product water from the RO to your ice-maker, you will need:
One T-fitting, preferably the quick-connect type fitting
Extra ¼ “ tubing long enough to go from the RO system to your ice-maker
Optional: One shut-off valve, preferably the quick-connect type.
See Fig.11. Before connecting the product water line from Point Z to H, add a T-fitting near
point H to divert product water to both the ice-maker and the faucet.

16
Using RO for Ice-maker only:
If you want the RO to feed your ice-maker (fridge) only, you should still connect the RO faucet
as a 2nd outlet. This allows you to drain the tank, flush new filters through the faucet rather than
through your icemaker line. You can hang the faucet by the system and not mount it.
Option: Multiple Outputs - Add Shut Off Valve:
If your RO is feeding several output points (icemaker, fridge, bathroom), you should add a Shut-
Off valve to each output line (except the RO spigot line). This way, if you ever need to diagnose
a problem in the system, you can easily shut off these lines to isolate the water flow for accurate
troubleshooting.
Step 7: System Start-Up
1. Turn on feed water: Slowly, turn on your Cold water supply. Open the Needle Valve (turn
counter-clockwise) to allow the raw water to enter the system. Check for leaks!
2. Open tank valve: Open the tank’s ball valve to allow water to enter the tank. The tank’s
valve is “On” when the valve handle is parallel (in the same direction) with the valve’s outlet
(see Fig. 12). Check for leaks!
3. Wait for tank to fill: Before usage, allow the tank to fill. Tank normally takes 2-3 hours to
fill. When the tank is filled, the RO will shut off automatically.
4. Drain Tank: Do not use the first tank of water! Drain it out to flush the system
and new filters. Lift the faucet lever up into a locked position to drain
tank. Let the tank refill again and the pure water is ready for use.
5. Clean up area: Allow the system to run while cleaning up tools and work area.
6. Check for leaks! Make sure no leaking at joints, fittings, valves, and tubing connections.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed the Reverse Osmosis System!
Note: If your RO makes an annoying noise. See Troubleshoot Guide section for explanation and
instructions on page 27.
* * * End Installation Section * * *