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50 GPD RO Membrane: What You Need to Know (Best Choice For Your Home Water Filter)
Okay, so, a while back I decided to upgrade my RO system. The old membrane was pretty worn out and wasn’t giving me the output I needed. After looking around, I settled on a 50 GPD RO membrane. I figured it would be a good balance of performance and cost, you know?
First off, I made sure to shut off the water supply to the system. This is super important, don’t want any unexpected showers! Then I disconnected the old membrane housing, which was a bit of a pain because the fittings were pretty tight. I had to use a wrench to get them loose.
With the old membrane out, I took the new 50 GPD membrane and carefully inserted it into the housing. It’s important to make sure it’s seated properly, otherwise, you might not get a good seal. I lubricated the O-rings with some silicone grease to help with this. I double-checked the instructions a few times, just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.
Once the new membrane was in place, I reconnected the housing and tightened all the fittings. Again, had to use the wrench here to make sure everything was snug. After that, I slowly turned the water supply back on and checked for leaks. I let the system run for a few minutes, flushing out any air or debris that might have gotten in during the swap.
- Turn off the water supply.
- Disconnect the old membrane housing.
- Remove the old membrane.
- Insert the new membrane, making sure it is seated properly.
- Reconnect the housing and tighten the fittings.
- Turn the water supply back on and check for leaks.
- Flush the system for a few minutes.
Initially, the flow rate was a bit low, which was expected. But after letting it run for about 24 hours, it started producing water at a pretty decent rate, close to the 50 GPD mark. I tested the water quality too, and it was great—much better than before.
One thing I learned is that feed water pressure really does matter. My pressure is okay, but I can see how it might be an issue for some people. It’s something to keep in mind if you’re thinking about doing this yourself. I heard some folks say that these membranes can last a really long time if you keep up with replacing the prefilters, some guy even said his last one was good for almost 10 years, can you believe that? Anyway, I’m happy with the upgrade. It wasn’t too hard to do, and now I have a steady supply of clean water. Win-win!
My personal experience
I remember once I forgot to change the prefilters on time, and the membrane’s performance dropped significantly. It was a good reminder to stay on top of maintenance. Also, when I first installed the system, I didn’t realize how important it was to flush it properly. The water tasted a bit off until I figured that out. So yeah, following the instructions and doing regular maintenance really makes a difference. You live and learn, right?
