REPLACING THE 3RD STAGE REVERSE OSMOSIS
MEMBRANE
About the Reverse Osmosis Membrane
When used under operating conditions specified on page 1 of the
manual, your reverse osmosis membrane should last at least one
year . You should replace the membrane after 18 to 24 months .
Replace it sooner if you notice a return of unpleasant tastes or
odors or a noticeable decline in water production . The precise life
span of your system's membrane will depend on the quality of the
water entering the system and the frequency with which you use it .
Frequent system use prevents the filtered salts and minerals from
building up on the membrane as scale . The more water the system is
required to produce, the longer the membrane will last . You may wish
to find a variety of uses for your system in order to prolong the life of
the membrane .
During extended periods of non-use (such as during a vacation),
remove the membrane from the membrane housing and place it in a
sealed plastic bag . Store membrane in refrigerator for future use . DO
NOT FREEZE .
NOTE: If system stands for more than 2 to 3 days without being used,
the storage tank should be emptied .
Replacing the Membrane and Sanitizing the System and Filters
NOTE: It is recommended that you sanitize the system each time
you change the membrane . It is not necessary to sanitize the system
when changing only the prefilters or postfilter.
NOTE: When installing a new membrane, it is recommended that
you replace the prefilter and postfilter cartridges as well.
Removing the Membrane and Filters
1 . Turn off the cold water supply. Allow five minutes for system to
depressurize . Place a tray under the system to catch any water
that spills during removal of the filter housings.
2 . Open drinking water faucet to drain tank . When tank is drained,
close faucet .
3 . Hold the membrane housing with one hand and remove the cap
with the other hand .
CAUTION:
Do not disconnect tubing from membrane cap .
4 . To remove the RO membrane, grasp membrane tube with pliers
and pull . Discard old membrane . Screw cap back onto membrane
housing . DO NOT install new membrane .
5 . Unscrew filter housings from caps and discard used cartridges.
6 . Remove black rubber O-rings from grooves in housings . Wipe
grooves and O-rings clean; set O-rings aside .
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Sanitizing the System
7 . Rinse out bottom of housings and fill each 1/3 with water. Add 2
tablespoons of household bleach to each housing and scrub cap,
bottom of housings, and membrane housing with non-abrasive
sponge or cloth . Rinse thoroughly .
8 . Lubricate O-rings with a coating of clean silicone grease . With
two fingers, press each O-ring securely into groove below the
threads of the appropriate housing .
CAUTION:
The rubber O-ring provides the water-tight seal between
the cap and the bottom of the housing . It is important that the O-ring
be properly seated in the groove below the threads of the housing or
a water leak could occur .
9 . Screw bottom of housing onto caps WITHOUT inserting prefilters
and hand-tighten . Do not over-tighten .
10 . Open the cold water supply and let the system run for 2 to 3
minutes to carry the bleach solution throughout the system .
11 . Close the cold water supply and turn on the drinking water
faucet . Let the faucet run for about 30 seconds before turning off .
12 . Let the entire system stand for 30 minutes to sanitize .
13 . After 30 minutes, turn on the drinking water faucet to allow the
bleach water to run out (about 3 to 5 minutes) .
14 . Unscrew bottom of housings . Discard bleach water and rinse .
Replacing the Membrane and Filter Cartridges
To replace the filters, see Replacing the Prefilters and Postfilter.
To replace the membrane, see Step 12: Installing the Membrane .
NOTE: After installing new membrane and cartridges, allow system
to run for 3 hours to fill tank. Check for leaks every hour. As pressure
builds in tank, leaks may occur that did not exist directly after
installation .
When the membrane and cartridges have been changed, follow the
system start-up procedure in Step 14: System Start-up .