We all, at some point, have used reverse osmosis filters. We generally drink bottled or packaged water which is RO water itself. Now it’s become a trend to have a RO filter installed at your households or premises.
Today, any form of water is not as pure and safe as it should be, and a filter is needed anyhow. The most common and widely used filter is a RO Filter System.
RO water has saved many lives by purifying and cleaning the water. Reverse Osmosis is a proven technology that is being used for a long time now. In the USA, it is widely used by households, businesses and industries.
Since most of us use the RO filter, we will discuss RO filter water problems and troubleshooting in this article. We will try to make it easy to understand RO parts and their troubleshooting. So let us get into the topic and understand better.
Table of Contents
Components found in an RO filter
- Membrane shell– RO membrane, the main water filter component, operates on pressure
- Filters– Like carbon, sediment filters, etc. help to clean water from other harmful substances
- Checking valve– Helps membrane to maintain pressure for better water cleaning
- Automatic shut off button– Auto shuts water flow when tanks reach the high water level
- Flow restrictor– Helps create standard pressure to RO membrane; this stops membrane from destroying
- Storage tank– Where filtered water is stored
- Drain saddle– RO drains out dirty water to filter clean water, a separate drain out pipe is given
- Feed pressure– Helps maintain pressure for TDS and RO to function as expected
- Air gap– Cross-connection to prevent backflow of water
Reverse Osmosis Filter Troubleshooting
| PROBLEM | POSSIBLE CAUSE | POSSIBLE SOLUTION |
|---|---|---|
| Slow Water Flow | Pre-filter may be clogged | Replace the pre-filter |
| Post filter may be clogged | Replace the post filter | |
| Air pressure to RO tank could be very low | Maintain air pressure to 5-7 psi | |
| RO membrane is dead | Get a new RO membrane | |
| The low water pressure coming to the filter | Replace membrane filter | |
| No Water Delivery | Over pressurised tank | Maintains optimum pressure min. 5-7 psi |
| The water supply could be turned off | The pump may be needed, call for professional help | |
| Low water pressure | Turn on the water supply | |
| Pre-filter could be clogged | Replace the filter | |
| RO membrane clogged or may be damaged | Replace membrane | |
| Post filter clogged | Replace post filter | |
| Ball valve closed | Open ball valve | |
| The checks valve is clogged or damaged | Replace the check valve | |
| Leaking Pre/Post filter housing | Housing damaged | Replace housing lid |
| O-ring not seated properly | If o-ring damaged, replace it | |
| Leaking membrane housing | The end cap may be leaking (threadlike) | Seal the leakage point or change o-ring |
| Cap or body leaks | Same as above | |
| Bad taste or Odour and Smell | Bad membrane | Get a new membrane |
| Warmed out filter | Replace filter | |
| Defective unit | Replace or get the unit serviced | |
| Degraded system | Upgrade and service the system | |
| Noisy drain or faucet | Drain tube | Free flow is needed, bends, loops can cause the noise |
| Air gap faucet | Standard noise is normal but if the noise is high, check if an air gap is installed in the right place | |
| Fitting leakage | Cracked or damaged fitting | Replace fittings |
Note: Troubleshooting of RO filter system given is based on the standard operating procedure (SOP). In some cases, the problems, cause, and solution may differ due to different filter systems, designs, and filter brands. If any solution doesn’t fit, we recommend you get professional help and service to rectify your filter system.
Most common problems found in an RO at a glance (SIMPLE CHECKLIST)
- When water is delivered is slow
- Continuously draining or continuously shutting off
- The filter is not dispensing water at all
- The taste of water delivered is odor and smelly, color is also dull and pale
- There is a leak from the air gap faucet
- Leakage from filter housing or connection pipes
- Faulty filter or membrane
- Faulty filter parts like instance Carbon and a sediment filter.
Conclusion
We know sometimes it gets very difficult to find out the exact problem when the problem in the RO filter was very common and easy to rectify. This is why we have given comprehensive details on troubleshooting an RO filter.
Furthermore, we have included the parts that are there in the RO filter so that possible problems can be identified and solved.
However, we recommend that rather than doing a do-it-yourself (DIY) troubleshooting, in most cases, professional help is more useful and fruitful. The problems and solutions given for the RO filter are standard-based and can vary from Different filter to filter.
We hope this article was informative and helpful to our readers and viewers.
