Problem With JCC Super Saver R.O. System Sta-rite pump

[thequickwash]

The Sta-Rite pump Model: HPS10E3-01 on the JCC R.O. system has dropped pressure to 60psi. Normally it was above 120psi.

Is the pump the problem or is it something else?
Has anyone replace or repaired the pump?
Is there a rebuild kit for it?

 

[Greg Pack]

I am assuming this is on the production side and not the distribution side of the RO system.

Unfortunately it's hard to know the exact problem without some basic diagnosis. My first question would be: Has anyone been monkeying with the regulator adjustment?

Low pressure in an RO system can be caused by a bad or mis-adjusted pressure regulator, a flush valve stuck open or some other problem that allows more water to escape the system than the pump is rated to pump at rated pressure. This could be indicated by looking at the flow meters. Decreased pressure can also be caused from chlorine contaminating the membrane.

Multi stage booster pumps can be rebuilt. However, I have never rebuilt one. The rebuild kits are not cheap enough to entice me to do it. I just usually purchase a new one. You can replace with another brand with same specs.

 

[Greg Pack]

BTW, since these types of pumps are generic to the industry you may get more responses if you post this in another area such as general or self serve.

 

[thequickwash]

cfcw thanks for your reply

Yes production side of the RO system

The pump is nearly five years old. No one has played around with the regulator

I replaced the membranes around a year ago and the regulator with a stainless needle valve. After that the system work fine above 120psi and slowly has decreased to 60psi

checked chlorine zero in system

Flow meters
Product water is at 2.1
Reject water is at 4

flush solenoid valve do you know when it turns on?

 

[Greg Pack]

cfcw thanks for your reply

Yes production side of the RO system

The pump is nearly five years old. No one has played around with the regulator

I replaced the membranes around a year ago and the regulator with a stainless needle valve. After that the system work fine above 120psi and slowly has decreased to 60psi

checked chlorine zero in system

Flow meters
Product water is at 2.1
Reject water is at 4

flush solenoid valve do you know when it turns on?

You can see the flush solenoid mounted on the RO unit panel. It is a GC solenoid. IIRC the system turns on and runs for about 15 minutes every few hours with the flush valve open. You will notice a low pressure an very high reject when this happens. Someone here is probably more familiar with it than I. You might could just check the hose coming off the downstream side of the solenoid to see if is stuck open.

I'm guessing your TDS is OK? With the slow decrease in PSI, absence of chlorine in the system, and assuming TDS within normal limits it sounds like the pump components might be worn out. But from the beginning your system pressure is lower than the older systems I have seen. The last new RO system I got from them had an operating pressure of about 175 psi. There are new XLE membranes that I use that operate well at lower pressures, but the last I saw Coleman was still using Dow filmtec membranes that were rated for the higher pressures.

Think of it in the simplest terms. That pump is rated to pump at a certain pressure and a certain volume of water. If water can exit the system faster than the pump can replenish it, the pump will not get up to it's rated pressure.
However, if I understand you correctly your gauges are indicating a total output of make plus reject of about 6.1 gpm, so IMO it's most likely the pump. It is much less likely but still possible that the replacement regulator has gone bad prematurely.

 

[MEP001]

checked chlorine zero in system

Chlorine will ruin the membranes but won't necessarily cause a change in flows or pressures. It will just cause high TDS readings as the membranes fail. The best place to check for chlorine is in the reject water from the system because it's concentrated by the RO system and easier to read.

 

[trentu]

I replaced one of those pumps from Grainger and have been running it 4 years no problems yet. Make sure you get the stainless steel version, more expensive but you will want it for RO water.