water system service

[washnut]

After years of paying for poor repairs to so called Techs that simply change parts until i run out of money ,I have decided i would like to know all i need to know to be able to service my water systems from the city delivery through my softener and my RO units to the customer. What and when should i test? with what kit? And so on.
I know about changing RO filters adding salt and such but i would like to know how it works and how to confirm it is doing what it is supposed to do?

Point me the right direction, ill do the rest.

thanks ahead for all the great info

 

[bigleo48]

Washnut,

That should be a default mindset for just about everything at the wash. However you should know enough when you're in over your head and need a pro. But when you have a pro visit, stick with him, ask questions and learn. Won't take too long to discover who's a defective technician.

I would start with the owners manuals, look at youtube and the web for additional info.

Both the softners and RO systems are fairly simple systems. Softners use beads (media) to collect calcium and magnisium (sticks to the media) and so remove it from the water. Once the media is saturated, it will recycle with salt water (brine) to clean the media. So water enters softner tanks and exits without hardness. On a set program, the media is cleaned.

The RO machines makes demineralized water. Both mine use a carbon filter (removes chlorine that can damage membranes), then a sediment filter (usually 5 microns) to ensure no carbon plugs the membrane, then through the membranes to remove minerals. A pump is required to push the water through the membranes. The demineralized water is then either fed to a holding tank ro directly to the wash process via a delivery system (pump). Keep in mind that demineralized water will try and draw minerals from what it comes in contact with, so typically its plastic and stainless...brass and other alloys will disintegrate over a short period of time.

 

[MEP001]

As far as testing: you can't really test it often enough to ensure everything is working properly. Keep one of these for the softener:

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2725-kit-for-water-hardness.aspx

Test it no less than once a week. Every day would be ideal. For RO testing, you need these:

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2723-pocket-pal-tds-tester.aspx

http://www.thetoolworkshop.com/jedpooltoolspoolspatestkit00-481.aspx

I pull a sample of RO water right off the product line and another from a bay. They should be about the same, and below 30 to work. Testing in the bay lets you know if there's a problem in the delivery system like a failed check valve in a bay. If there's chlorine getting to the membrane, it will ruin it (unless you specifically have chlorine-resistant membranes). If you test the RO reject for chlorine, it will be concentrated from the RO process and easier to spot early.

 

[bigleo48]

I use this for the Softner http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2721-hach-hardness-measurement-paper-strips-0-425-ppm.aspx

I also have one of these for the RO http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2723-pocket-pal-tds-tester.aspx