SpectraPure MarinePRO DI System User manual

REV 05-05-2009
Reverse Osmosis Water Purification System
(Single and Dual Membrane Models)
The MarinePRO™ DI System
INSTALLATION AND OPERATING
MANUAL
WARNING
Please read carefully before proceeding with installation. Failure to
follow any attached instructions or operating parameter may lead to
the product’s failure and possible damage to property.

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without the prior written permission of SpectraPure Inc.
Table of Contents.........................................................................................................................2
Systems Information
System Specifications..........................................................................................................3
System Description..............................................................................................................4
Installation
System Initialization............................................................................................................5
Measuring Waste to Product Water Ratio...............................................................6-8
Flow Restrictor Removal, Adjustment and Replacement.................................9-10
Using your Systems Basic Parts
Metering & Diagnostics...................................................................................................11
Filter Diagnostics
Sediment Filter Diagnostic.............................................................................................12
Carbon Filter Diagnostic.................................................................................................13
Deionization Cartridge Diagnostic..............................................................................14
RO Membrane Diagnostic.......................................................................................15-17
Troubleshooting Guide
Troubleshooting Guide............................................................................................18-21
Tips & Storage....................................................................................................................22
Replacement & Optional Parts............................................................................................23
Warranty.......................................................................................................................................24
COPYRIGHT 2002-2009© BY SPECTRAPURE INC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Thank You for your purchase of a SpectraPure® System. With proper
installation and maintenance, this system will provide you with high quality
water for years to come. All SpectraPure® products are rigorously tested
by us for safety and reliability. If you have any questions or concerns, please
contact our customer service department at 1.800.685.2783 or refer to our
online troubleshooting at www.spectrapure.com.

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SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS
Sediment Pre-Filter 1 micron MicroTec™ sediment pre-filter
Carbon Filter 1 micron carbon block pre-filter
RO Membrane Type Thin-Film Composite (TFC)
DI Cartridge Color-Indicating SilicaBuster™ Mixed-Bed
Rejection Rate Greater than 95% average
Input Water Pressure 60 psi (4.15 bar) line pressure*
Input Water Temp 77°F (25°C)
Recovery Rate 20% (i.e. 20% of the water will be collected as pure water)
Nominal Membrane Flow Rates @ 60 psi & 77° F :
GPD (lpd) Product Water Flow Rate Concentrate Flow Rate
100 (340) 235ml/min 940 ml/min
200 (680) 470ml/min 1880 ml/min
Reverse Osmosis Membrane Feed Water Requirements:
For the 1 year SpectraSelect TFC membrane pro-rated warranty to be honored, the
following conditions must be met:
Operating Pressure* 40 – 80 psi (2.75 – 5.5 bar)
pH Range 3 – 11
Maximum Temperature 100° F (38° C)
Maximum Turbidity 1.0 NTU
Maximum Silt Density Index 5.0 (based on 15 min. test time)
Maximum Chlorine less than 0.1 ppm
Maximum TDS 2000 ppm
Maximum Hardness 10 grains (170 ppm as CaCO3)
Maximum Iron less than 0.1 ppm
Maximum Manganese less than 0.1 ppm
Maximum Hydrogen Sulfide 0 ppm
Langlier Saturation Index LSI must be negative
*Operating pressure less than 40 psi will require a booster pump:
less than 49 GPD use BPLF-MO-115(-230),
more than 49 GPD use BPHF-MO-115(-230).
*Operating pressure greater than 80 psi will require a pressure reducing valve.

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1. First, the incoming feed water is passed through a 1 micron Micro-Tec™ sediment
pre-filter. This filter is required to remove excess turbidity (particulate matter) that may
cause the membrane to plug.
2. The second stage of filtration is a1 micron carbon block pre-filter. This filter removes
organics and chlorine from the feed water that can damage the membrane.
(9,000 gal of Chlorine removal)
3. The third filtration stage of the system is a high rejection thin film composite (TFC)
reverse osmosis membrane. It removes over 98% of most inorganic salts, all
micro-organisms and almost all high molecular weight organics in the water.
4. The fourth stage moves water through a Mixed-Bed Multi-Layer They are capable
of producing 18 meg-ohm-cm resistivity water. They are the first DI cartridges
designed to reduce silica, nitrates and phosphate levels in the low ppb range. These
newly formulated cartridges far exceed the performance of previous cartridges,
offering enhanced contaminant removal, longer life and higher purity.
Caution: The deionization cartridge life is greatly reduced when operated on low pH
waters, or water with high CO2 (carbon dioxide) levels. The exact cartridge life will vary
greatly with pH, carbon dioxide levels, and TDS etc. in your RO water or the feed water
supplying the RO system. Aeration or de-gassification of RO product water is recommended
for such waters for removal of carbon dioxide.
The DI Cartridge in this system changes color when exhaustion occurs. When the cartridge
is 70% changed in color, replace.
TFC RO Membrane
(MEM-XXXX)
DI Cartridge
(DI-SB-CI-10)
Sediment Filter
(SF-MT-1-10)
Carbon Block
(CF-1-10)
IN Port
OUT Port
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION:

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SpectraPure®Inc. assumes no responsibility for water damage due to leaks. It is
the user’s responsibility to determine that the system is leak-free.
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION:
If you are setting up your system for the first time or replacing the membrane with
a different size, p
lease follow the “ Measuring the waste to product Water Ratio”
procedure on page 6 after you do system hook-up below.
System Hook-Up
1. Attach the garden hose adapter (connected to the black tubing) to
your cold water source. Never run hot water (greater than 100° F
(38° C)) through the system.
2. Place the yellow concentrate (waste) tubing and the blue purified
(product) water tubing into a drain. Do not restrict flow from these
lines.
3. Open the cold water supply valve. You may use pressure up to 80 psi
(5.5 bar).
Check the system to ensure that all fittings are tight and leak- free
before leaving the system unattended. (If anything is leaking,
contact SpectraPure for assistance.)
Note: It is recommended that at least 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of purified
water be discarded now before collecting purified water for use. If the
unit is not used for several days, run the system for at least 10 minutes
before collecting any water. This will flush out any stale water in the
system.
4. Now follow procedure on page 6-10 to adjust the Flow Restrictor.
5. Finish the installation by connecting the yellow line to a drain. The
blue line can be placed into a Rubber Maid™ trash can or set up to
become automatic using a Liquid Level Controller (LLC-S-115 ),
(LLC-M-115) or the Auto Shut-Off Kit (ASOFK).

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MEASURING WASTE TO PRODUCT WATER RATIO.
This procedure will assure you of maximum life and reliability of your SpectraPure
System.
Failure to perform this procedure can permanently damage the
membrane and will void Warranty.
In order to maximize the life of your SpectraPure RO Membrane, you may need to
adjust the ratio of the concentrate to purified water. If not enough concentrate is
allowed to flow past the membrane during operation, the impurities will
precipitate out on the membrane surface, clogging the RO Membrane. To keep
this from happening, the Concentrate to Purified Water Ratio must be checked
and adjusted in order to compensate for pressure and temperature variations that
exist in all water supplies. The flow rate of the concentrate must be a minimum of
4X the product flow rate. (4X to 6X is an acceptable concentrate flow rate.)
Procedure:
1. Collect product water (blue tubing) into a measuring cup for one minute.
(Measure the collected amount in milli-liters). Do the same with the waste
water (yellow tubing):
WASTE (YELLOW) IN MILLILITERS______________
DIVIDED BY
PRODUCT (BLUE) IN MILLILITERS______________
The resultant is the Concentrate to Product Ratio
(Although not needed in this procedure, the daily product flow rate in Gallons per
Day (GPD) can be calculated to be equal to the product flow rate times 0.38 ).
2. If ratio is less than 4/1:
Disconnect yellow drain line from the membrane housing and remove
flow restrictor. Use the appropriate Waste to Product ratio chart (Fig A)
to determine how long to cut the flow restrictor in order to obtain a 4:1
ratio.
EXAMPLE: If you have a 100 GPD unit (FR-90), and your product flow is
175 ml/.min, than the flow restrictor needs to be cut to a total length
of 6 inches (15.2 cm)
.
3. If ratio is greater than 6:1, flow restrictor requires replacement
(Please contact SpectraPure Inc).
This completes the procedure.

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Fig. A: Flow Restrictor Tables
(For 4:1 Concentrate to Product Ratio)
ml./min. gpd in. cm.
269 102 1 2.5
233 88 2 5.1
213 81 3 7.6
198 75 4 10.2
183 69 5 12.7
175 67 6 15.2
164 62 7 17.8
154 58 8 20.3
148 56 9 22.9
141 54 10 25.4
136 52 11 27.9
133 50 12 30.5
129 49 13 33.0
128 48 14 35.6
124 47 15 38.1
124 47 16 40.6
PRODUCT RATE CUT TO LENGTH
80
ml./min. gpd in. cm.
490 186 1 2.5
460 175 2 5.1
430 163 3 7.6
400 152 4 10.2
379 144 5 12.7
356 135 6 15.2
344 131 7 17.8
326 124 8 20.3
311 118 9 22.9
300 114 10 25.4
289 110 11 27.9
281 107 12 30.5
270 103 13 33.0
263 100 14 35.6
259 98 15 38.1
256 97 16 40.6
PRODUCT RATE CUT TO LENGTH
(GREEN)
(YELLOW)
FR-100
FR-200

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SINGLE MEMBRANE SYSTEM (FIG B)
DUAL MEMBRANE SYSTEM (FIG C)
1/4” BLACK LINE: Tap Water
1/4” BLUE LINE: Product Water
1/4” YELLOW LINE: Waste Water
(Flow Restrictor is inside the
Waste line)

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FLOW RESTRICTOR REMOVAL, ADJUSTMENT & REPLACEMENT
1. Locate the yellow concentrate tubing (Fig. B) (for Dual-Membrane System
Fig. C).Remove the tubing from its push-fitting at the membrane as follows:
a.) Firmly depress and hold the push-fitting collar down with your
thumbnail.
b.) While the push-fitting collar is depressed, pull the tubing straight
out of the push-fitting. Once the tubing is removed, release the
collar.
2. Carefully remove the flow restrictor assembly, now visible as a plastic insert In
the end of the yellow tubing (Fig. D). You may use an object such as a dull
knife to help pry the flow restrictor insert from the end of the tubing. The
entire flow restrictor (consisting of the insert collar and thin capillary tubing)
may then be gently extracted.
Note: Take care not to crush or otherwise damage the delicate capillary tubing.
3. Refer to the Flow Restrictor Tables (Fig. A). Find the table that represents the
Flow Restrictor Assembly for the system that you have. Find the product
flow rate in the left-hand column and the length of the
flow restrictor in the right-hand column.
Example: If your Flow Restrictor Assembly is for a 90 GPD Membrane and
the product flow rate is 170 mL/Min, then the flow restrictor length should
be cut to 6.5 inches (16.5 mm). 170 is about halfway between 164 (7 in.)
and 175 (6 in.).
4. Using a new single-edge razor blade, carefully measure and then cut the
flow restrictor to the total length indicated.
5. Re-insert the flow restrictor assembly into the yellow tubing and firmly
re-seat the insert into the end of the yellow tubing by carefully pressing on
the insert with your thumbnail. Care should be taken not to crush or
otherwise damage the end of the capillary tubing protruding from the end
of the insert.

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6. Re-insert the yellow tubing into its push-fitting in the RO membrane
as follows:
a.) Moisten the O-ring seal inside the concentrate outlet fitting
by dripping a few drops of clean water into the fitting.
b.) Grasp the yellow tubing near the flow restrictor end, and
insert the tubing into the push-fitting. Push the tubing into
the fitting until resistance is felt, approximately 1/2 inch
(12.7 mm). The tubing is now seated on the O-ring seal
inside the fitting.
c.) Firmly push the tubing approximately an additional 1/4 inch
6.35 mm) further into the fitting to completely seat the line
into the fitting and O-ring seal.
7. Turn on the system’s water supply and check for leaks prior to further
use or testing. If a leak is observed, you may not have pushed the
yellow tubing into the push-fitting far enough to seal the tubing
against the O-ring. Turn off the system water supply and re-seat the
tubing as described above.
YELLOW TUBING:
(Disconnected
from membrane
housing’s fitting.
)
CAPILLARY TUBE:
(Specific diameters are
matched for each size
membrane to restrict
the flow of waste
water leaving the RO
membrane’s housing.)
PLASTIC INSERT: (Insert keeps
capillary tube in the yellow line and
prevents it from washing down the
drain. It also forces waste water to
flow through the capillary tubing to
restrict waste water as it leaves the
housing.)
Fig. D: Flow Restrictor Assembly

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Maintenance and trouble-shooting procedures have been made easy
and effective with a built-in pressure gauge. The provided pressure
gauge is used to determine the tap water pressure and to evaluate the
condition of the sediment and carbon pre-filters.
USING THE PRESSURE GAUGE
The pressure gauge is used to monitor the condition of the Sediment and
Carbon Pre-Filters (not the RO Membrane). When the filters are new,
the gauge will indicate the actual available water pressure. As the filters
collect particulates, the pressure will begin to drop. A 15-20% drop in
pressure would indicate that the pre-filters are in need of replacement.
(OPTIONAL) TDS METER FOR MEMBRANE & DI TESTING
You can purchase an optional Dual TDS Meter (MTR-TDS-DL1) to
determine when the Membrane & DI Cartridge needs to be replaced. Or
you can follow 2 simple rules:
-As the hardness of the water builds up on the membrane’s surface,
the production rate will decrease. If you are not producing any
water, the membrane is probably plugged.
- If chlorine gets by an exhausted carbon filter and penetrates your
membrane, you will introduce tap water into your product water.
Test the brine water (yellow line) for chlorine using our chlorine
test kit.
- Change the DI Cartridge when
70% of the cartridge has changed in
color.
METERING AND DIAGNOSTICS:

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A Sediment Filter will usually last approx. 4-6 months, depending on micron
rating and quality of water. (The life span of the filter is determined by the
turbidity, iron content, organics, and total particulate volume in your water
source). The best way to determine when your Sediment Pre-Filter needs
replacement is to use a Pressure Gauge. When you have a drop in pressure
between 15-20% from where your normal house pressure is, replace filter. To
check this, run water through the system without the filter in it’s housing. If the
pressure jumps back to your normal house pressure without the filter, you know
the filter you just took out was plugged up.
**NOTE: A drop in the system’s production is “in most cases” an indication that
the sediment filter has become saturated with contaminants and will need to be
replaced. If you remove the sediment and the pressure does not return to normal,
the carbon filter may be plugged.
Sediment Pre-Filter Replacement
Materials Required: 1 micron MicroTec™ Sediment Filter (SF-MT-1-10),
Filter Wrench
Procedure:
1. Turn off water supply to the system.
2.
Refer to Fig. B (System Diagram). Using the provided filter housing
wrench, remove the first housing on the left. Unscrew it
counterclockwise as viewed from the bottom.
3. Remove the old filter and discard.
4. Thoroughly wash the housing with a mixture of hot soapy water
and a few teaspoons of household bleach. Rinse well with clean
hot water.
5. Install the new pre-filter onto the round port in the head of the
housing, Screw the housing back onto the assembly, and hand
tighten only. NOTE: Do not use filter wrench to tighten housings.
Over-tightening will damage housings and void your warranty.
6. Proceed with carbon block filter replacement, if needed.
** If your water contains a great deal of sediment or chlorine, the pre-filters
may require more frequent changes to maintain adequate production rate and
extended membrane life.
SEDIMENT PRE-FILTER REPLACEMENT:

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A Carbon Filter will usually lasts approx. 4-6 months ,depending on micron
rating for the filters, usage and the quality of your tap water. The best way to
determine when your Carbon Block Pre-Filter needs replacement is to use a
chlorine test kit.
Any chlorine level above 0.1 ppm will cause damage to the membrane and
indicates that the carbon block filter must be changed. To test for chlorine
breakthrough , collect a 10 ml sample of the concentrate from the yellow
tubing and test the chlorine concentration using test kit TK-CL-25. If the
chlorine concentration is above 0.1ppm, replace the carbon pre-filter.
**NOTE: A drop in the system’s production is “in most cases” an indication that
the sediment filter has become saturated with contaminants, but a carbon filter
can also drop production, if its covered with extremely fine sediment. If the
carbon becomes plugged with sediment, it will no longer be able to remove
chlorine.
Carbon Block Filter Replacement
Materials Required: 1 micron Carbon Block Filter (CF-1-10),
Filter Wrench, Chlorine Test Kit (TK-CL-25)
Procedure:
1. Turn off water supply to the system.
2.
Refer to Fig. B (System Diagram). Using the provided filter housing
wrench, remove the second housing from the left.
Unscrew it counterclockwise as viewed from the bottom.
3. Remove the old filter and discard.
4. Thoroughly wash the housing with a mixture of hot
soapy water and a few teaspoons of household bleach.
Rinse well with clean hot water.
5. Install the new carbon block filter, making sure that
the black gaskets on both ends of the filter are firmly
seated in the gasket recesses.
6. Screw the housing back onto the assembly, and hand
tighten only. NOTE: Do not use filter wrench to tighten housings.
Over-tightening will damage housings and void your warranty.
7. Turn on system water supply and check for leaks.
CARBON BLOCK FILTER REPLACEMENT:

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( right-most housing)
The DI stage is the
SilicaBuster™ Mixed-Bed Multi-Layer Deionization
Cartridge, DI-SB-CI-10.
The condition of this cartridge should be judged by
observing a change in color. When 70% of the cartridge has changed in
color, replace cartridge.
It is recommended that you keep a replacement DI cartridge on hand,
ready to install as soon as the cartridge in use is exhausted. An exhausted
DI Cartridge will leach contaminants back into the product water at a
higher % rate that it just removed. Thus ,seeing a larger TDS reading out
of the DI than you would out of the RO membrane.
Materials Needed: One DI-SB-CI-10 Deionization cartridge,
filter wrench.
Procedure:
1. Remove the filter housing from its cap by unscrewing it counter
clockwise as viewed from the bottom.
2. Remove and discard the old cartridge from the housing.
3. Thoroughly wash out the housings with hot soapy water to
which a few teaspoons of household bleach have been added.
Rinse well with clean hot water.
4. Install the new deionization cartridge. Make sure the cartridge is
installed in the correct direction as marked on the filter housing
and that the top seal is securely attached to the top of the
cartridge
5. Re-install the bottom housing onto the cap by rotating it
clockwise and hand tighten only.
DEIONIZATION CARTRIDGE REPLACEMENT:

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In order to accurately determine the condition of the RO Membrane, a
DL1 TDS Meter, which is optional for this unit, is required.
* If you do not have the DL1 meter proceed to page 16*
Before performing the following membrane test with the DL1 Meter, the
DI cartridge(s) must be removed and the empty housing (s) re-installed;
also, the waste to product water ratio must be 4 to 1 or greater (see page
6-7).
Turn the water supply ON and OFF as logically required.
1. Disconnect the BLACK line from the first stage housing (Sediment Filter)
2. Next, you will have to disconnect the “IN” Probe of the DL1 meter and
connect it to the black line. (This step allows you to determine the TDS of
your tap water)
See page 9 for removal of push fittings on tee.
3. Slowly turn the tap water on and direct the stream to a drain. After
you get a good flow coming out of the end of the tee you can test
the water:
- TAP WATER TDS READING:_______________
4. Once you obtain the tap water TDS reading, reconnect the
“IN” Probe back to its original location.
5. Connect the BLACK line back to the first stage housing
(sediment filter) and run water through the system for 15 min.
6. Note, the reading on the meter with the setting still in the
“IN” position. This is the:
- RO WATER TDS READING:_______________
7. Follow the calculation located on pages 19-21
Note: All water sources are different and are subject to changes in conductivity from
season to season which could affect the monitor reading depending on the time of the
year. For this reason we recommend the use of a conductivity tester in order to receive the
most accurate measurement for determining the condition of the RO membrane.
RO MEMBRANE DIAGNOSTIC:

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1. Turn off the water supply to the RO system. Place the system
where the membrane housing is easily accessible.
2. Remove the black tubing from the membrane feed push-fitting
by depressing the collar on the fitting with your thumb and pulling
the tubing from the push-fitting (Page 9-10).
3. Lift the membrane housing from the retention clips.
4. Unscrew the membrane housing lid. This may require two people.
5. Use a pair of pliers to grasp the membrane stem and pull the
membrane from the housing (Fig. F).
6.
Remove the black housing O-ring (Fig. F). Wash the empty housing
with soapy water. Rinse thoroughly with hot, clean water.
7. Insert new membrane into the housing, with the double
O-ring end first (Fig. G). The tube must fit into the recess at the
bottom of the membrane housing. When the membrane is aligned
with the hole, firmly push the membrane into the hole until it
bottoms out.
8. Place the black housing O-ring on the housing rim and carefully
screw the lid back on to the base.
9. Reconnect the black tubing to the membrane feed push-fitting.
Note: If you have a dual-membrane system, perform steps 2 thru 9 on
the second membrane now. ( See page 8, Fig. C for tubing re-
connection)
IF YOU ARE REPLACING YOUR MEMBRANE WITH A DIFFERENT GPD
RATING, YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE YOUR FLOW RESTRICTOR WITH
THE ONE THAT MATCHES YOUR NEW MEMBRANE.
10. Disconnect the yellow concentrate tubing from the membrane
housing and remove the flow restrictor (Fig. D) from the yellow
tubing (Refer to the procedure on page 9-10). Reconnect the tubing
to the membrane housing. Place the flow restrictor in a safe location
where it will not be accidentally crushed or damaged.
11. Put the yellow concentrate tubing and the blue product
water tubing in the drain and turn on the system water supply.
Allow the system to flush for several minutes to remove any loose
particles.
RO MEMBRANE REPLACEMENT:

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12. Turn off the water supply to the system. Remove the yellow
tubing from the membrane housing and replace the flow restrictor
assembly as described on page 9-10.
13. Re-insert the flow restrictor end of the yellow tubing into
its push-fitting at the RO membrane and reconnect the yellow
concentrate tubing to the membrane housing.
14. Turn on the water supply to the system and check for leaks. Check,
and if necessary adjust, the Waste to Product Water Ratio per
the procedures described on page 6-10.
Fig. F: Removing the Membrane Element
Fig. G: Inserting the New Membrane Element
black
membrane
brine seal
black
membrane
housing O-
ring
membrane
product
water tube
double O-
ring end of
membrane
product
water stem
tube

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1. Low production rate:
a. Plugged pre-filters. i. Replace pre-filters.
b. low water temperature. ii.
Heat feed water OR use higher GPD
membrane.
c. low line pressure. iii. Use booster pump OR use higher GPD membrane.
d. high TDS content. iv. Use booster pump OR use higher GPD membrane.
e. fouled membrane. v. Clean or replace membrane to restore flux.
f. plugged flow restrictor. vi. Replace flow restrictor & membrane.
2. Zero production rate:
a. Missing flow restrictor. i. Put flow restrictor in the yellow line.
b. Dried membrane. ii. Try to restore flux using rubbing alcohol OR
replace membrane.
c. Plugged flow restrictor. iii. Replace flow restrictor and clean/replace
membrane.
3. Extremely high production rate:
a. Ruptured membrane. i. Replace it.
b. Very high line pressure (> 90 psi). ii. Use a pressure reducing valve.
4. Red light on purity monitor comes on:
a. Exhausted deionization cartridge. i. Replace cartridge.
b. Bad membrane & exhausted cartridge. ii. Replace membrane & deionization cartridge.
c. Faulty monitor/probe. iii. Replace monitor/probe.
5. Pressure gauge does not register anything:
a. Missing flow restrictor. i. Put flow restrictor in the yellow line.
b. Pressure gauge screwed in too far. ii. Unscrew pressure gauge one turn and retest.
c. Plugged pressure gauge orifice. iii. Clean orifice with a needle.
d. Defective pressure gauge. iv. Replace it.
6. Low deionization cartridge life:
a. Defective membrane. i. Replace it.
b. Low pressure (< 40 psi). ii. Use booster pump.
c. High CO2 levels in water (> 5 ppm). iii. Aerate RO product water or use a straight
anion cartridge ahead of DI cartridge.
d. High TDS in feed water (> 1000 ppm). iv. NO EASY SOLUTION.
e. High levels of silica, nitrates, v. Use straight anion cartridge ahead of mixed
phosphates etc. in tap water. bed cartridge.
f. High pH tap water (> 9.0). vi. Acidify feed water to the RO membrane
to improve its rejection.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE FOR RO/DI SYSTEMS:

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Membrane Output Calculation
Membranes produce the rated gallons per day (GPD) at 60 psi (4.1 bars) operat-
ing pressure, 77°F (25°C) operating temperature and 500 ppm total dissolved
solids.
Membrane output gallons per day (GPD) depends on operating pressure, water
temperature and the ppm TDS in the feed water.
Expected GPD = Rated GPD × PCF × TCF
PCF is the pressure correction factor
TCF is the temperature correction factor
Calculation of Pressure Correction Factor (PCF): The output (GPD) from
the membrane is directly proportional to the applied pressure.
Note: The membrane is rated to produce the rated GPD at 60 psi. For any
pressure other than 60 psi the output GPD is multiplied by the PCF.
PCF = Line Pressure (in psi) ÷ 60
Calculation of Temperature Correction Factor (TCF): The output (GPD)
also decreases with decrease in temperature. This is because water viscosity
increases with decrease in water temperature.
Temperature Correction Factor Table (TCF)
°F /°C TCF °F \°C TCF °F \°C TCF
41.0 /5 0.521 59.0 /15 0.730 77.0 /25 1.000
42.8 /6 0.540 60.8 /16 0.754 78.8 /26 1.031
44.6 /7 0.560 62.6 /17 0.779 80.6 /27 1.063
46.4 /8 0.578 64.4 /18 0.804 82.4 /28 1.094
48.2 /9 0.598 66.2 /19 0.830 84.2 /29 1.127
50.0 /10 0.620 68.0 /20 0.857 86.0 /30 1.161
51.8 /11 0.640 69.8 /21 0.884 87.8 /31 1.196
53.6 /12 0.661 71.6 /22 0.912 89.6 /32 1.232
55.4 /13 0.684 73.4 /23 0.941 91.4 /33 1.267
57.2/14 0.707 75.2 /24 0.970 93.2 /34 1.304
TESTING THE QUALITY OF THE RO MEMBRANE:

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Membrane Output Calculation Example
What is the expected GPD from a 75 GPD System at 40 psi pressure and 60°F
water temperature?
PCF = 40 ÷ 60 = 0.666
TCF = 0.754 (from Table 1)
Expected GPD = 75 × 0.666 × 0.754 = 37.7 GPD ± 15%
37.7 GPD would be the Actual Production Rate
Performance Test
The performance of a RO membrane is measured by its ability to reject salts
(or TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)).
Important: Test the quality of the membrane once every 6 months.
Procedure:
1. Measure tap water TDS. (Call it X)
2. Run the system for 15-20 minutes.
3. Measure RO water’s TDS. (Call it Y).
4. Subtract RO water TDS from tap water TDS. (X - Y)
5. Divide this quantity by tap water TDS. (X - Y) ÷ X
6. Rejection = [(X - Y) ÷ X ] ×100
Rejection of the RO Membrane Calculation Example
1. Tap water TDS = 150 ppm (X)
2. RO water TDS = 7 ppm (Y)
3. X - Y = 143 ppm
4. (X - Y) ÷ X = 143 ÷ 150 = 0.953
5. Rejection = [ ( X - Y) ÷ X ] ×100 = 0.953 ×100 = 95.3
Membrane TDS Rejection = 95.3 % : Rejection rates less than 95% may
indicate that the membrane should be replaced.
* IF YOU NEED HELP WITH THIS PROCEEDURE, PLEASE CONTACT SPECTRAPURE*