All About Filmtec RO Membrane: Your Questions Answered!

Today, I’m going to talk about something that’s been a real game-changer for me: the Filmtec RO membrane. I’ve been messing around with water purification stuff for a while now, and I finally decided to give this membrane a try. Let me tell you, it’s been quite an experience!

So, I started by doing some digging around, I wanted to know what I was getting myself into. I read that these Filmtec membranes are supposed to be pretty good at taking out all the gunk from water, and they last a decent amount of time. Like, more than 3 years, which is sweet. It’s a thin-film composite, which means it’s got layers: a polyester support web, a microporous polysulfone interlayer, and I guess something else on top that actually filters.

First, I got my hands on the membrane. The box arrived, and I eagerly opened it. Inside, there was this tightly rolled-up thing. It felt kind of delicate, but sturdy at the same time. I also learned that the brine seal is important, and it’s directional with a higher lip. I guess it’s important how you install it. But I didn’t have to do that yet.

Then I started to set up my system. I’ve got this whole reverse osmosis setup at home – don’t ask why, I just like tinkering with things. Anyway, I took apart the old housing, carefully removed the old membrane, and got ready to put the new Filmtec one in. The instructions said something about how to put it in, so it faces the right way or something, higher lip towards product tube, but honestly, I just kind of eyeballed it and hoped for the best. It’s important that you don’t expose it to chlorine, or it’ll probably break.

Putting it in the housing was a bit of a pain, I won’t lie. It’s a tight fit, and you gotta make sure it’s all lined up just right. But after some wiggling and pushing, I managed to get it in there. I connected all the tubes and pipes back up, turned on the water, and held my breath.

At first, nothing much happened. But then, I saw the water start to trickle out, and I knew it was working! I let it run for a while, just to flush out anything that might have been in there. I’ve heard that microorganisms can get in and grow, so you have to flush it good.

The Results

• Water Quality: I tested the water before and after, and wow, what a difference! It’s like night and day. The Filmtec membrane really does a great job of removing all the impurities. My water tastes so much better now. It says it has a 99.7% salt rejection rate, but I don’t know how to test that. It just tastes good.
• Flow Rate: It’s not the fastest thing in the world, but it’s definitely an improvement over my old membrane. I’m getting a steady stream of clean water, and that’s what matters.
• Longevity: It’s still early days, but I’m hopeful that this membrane will last me a good long while. I’ve heard they can go for over 3 years, so fingers crossed!

All in all, I’m pretty stoked about this Filmtec RO membrane. It’s definitely made a big difference in my water quality, and I’m excited to see how it holds up over time. If you’re thinking about upgrading your RO system, I’d say give it a shot. You might be surprised at how much of a difference it makes!