Oh boy, can you understand my new way of talking?

Should read*****

Do any of you have a Reverse Osmosis Water Filter.

Sorry about that.
Carol

Yeap--and I love it! Got it at Lowes' ($150)! Change the filters every 6 months!
Can't remember the brand! I'll find out though! :o)

Whirlpool model TP-12! LOVE IT~~~one of the best things we've purchased in a good while!!!
We've had ours almost a year now and have no complaints about it!

Here it is linked below but the price is about $40 more than we paid! I wonder if it would be
less instore as opposed to being ordered!!! It doesn't show the model number that I see on
ours but it looks just like the system we have!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Whirlpool Reverse Osmosis Filtration system

Looks like the replacement filters (all 3 together) are $31.32 online--maybe less in the stores!

Here is a link that might be useful: Replacement filters on the Whirlpool model referred to!

Thanks Janice,
I will look into this this afternoon.
Off to see the wizard!
Carol

From our FAQ's:

A good rule of thumb is to replace your sediment filter and carbon block after six months. A more precise way to maximize the useable life of these two filters is to use a pressure gauge to identify when pressure reaching the membrane starts to decline. This is your indication one or both of the filters is beginning to clog.

Also be cognizant of the chlorine capacity of the carbon block. A good 0.5 micron carbon block for example will remove 99% of chlorine from 20,000 gallons of tap water presented at 1 gpm. Some original equipment suppliers commonly provide carbon cartridges rated at 2,000 to 6,000 gallons.

Regarding your RO membrane, use your TDS meter to measure, record, and track the TDS (expressed in parts per million) in two places:
1. Tap water
2. After the RO

The TDS in your tap water will likely range from about 50 ppm to upwards of 1000 parts per million (ppm). Common readings are 100 to 400 ppm. So for sake of discussion, let's say your tap water reads 400 ppm. That means that for every million parts of water, you have 400 parts of dissolved solids. How do we go about getting that TDS reading down closer to zero?

If you do some experimenting with your TDS meter, you'll note that your sediment filter and carbon block filter (collectively called "prefilters") do very little to remove dissolved solids. So with your tap water at 400 ppm, you can measure the water at the "in" port on your RO housing and you'll see it is still approximately 400 ppm.

The RO membrane is really the workhorse of the system. It removes most of the TDS, some membranes to a greater extent than others. For instance, 100 gpd Filmtec membranes have a rejection rate of 90% (i.e., they reject 90% of the dissolved solids in feed water). So the purified water coming from your 100 gpd membrane would be about 40 ppm (a 90% reduction). Filmtec 75 gpd (and below) membranes produce less purified water (aka "permeate"), but have a higher rejection rate (96 to 98%). The life span of a RO membrane is dependant upon how much water you run through it, and how dirty the water is. Membranes can function well for a year, two years, or more. To test the membrane, measure the total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water coming in to the membrane, and in the purified water (permeate) produced by the membrane. Compare that to the membraneÂs advertised rejection rate, and to the same reading you recorded when the membrane was new. Membranes also commonly produce less water as their function declines.

How often you replace components of an RO system is dependant on your dirty water and the output of your filter/how much you use.

I have a 4 stage RO that I bought for having a reef aquarium. I also hooked it up to my ice maker. The cheapest place to buy an RO or RO/DI system in any configuration that you want is at Bulk Reef Supply. You can get from 3 to 5 stage filters. The replacement membranes and carbon blocks are also relatively inexpensive as well.

Waste water from an RO unit can be stored and used for filling a washing machine, watering plants and filling fountains.

I had a whirlpool RO unit once. It worked but a regular RO system is less expensive to maintain. You can also buy an inexpensive disolved solids meter to see what the levels are of your tap water going in and clean water coming out are. That is one of the ways you can tell when you need to flush or change membrane, sediment filter and carbon block.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bulk Reef Supply