MT3® Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Limited Factory
Transcription
MT3® Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Limited Factory
Installation and Service Manual Three Stage Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Appliance with Automatic Shut-Off Feature M3S-03 Printed in U.S.A. MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System INDEX Preface ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 SOME SUGGESTED USES OF RO WATER ................................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION TO REVERSE OSMOSIS How Reverse Osmosis Works ......................................................................................................................... 4 FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE LIFETIME & PERFORMANCE OF THE MT3 RO MEMBRANE 1. Type of membrane....................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Square feet of membrane ............................................................................................................................ 5 3. Water pressure ............................................................................................................................................ 5 4. Total Dissolved Solids ................................................................................................................................. 5 5. Water temperature....................................................................................................................................... 5 6. Surface coating or fouling ............................................................................................................................ 5 Pretreatment for pH ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Nominal Rejection Characteristics of R. O. Membranes ................................................................................ 6 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ....................................................................................................................... 7 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ................................................................................................................ 12 Use of the Tubing Connectors Used on this System ..................................................................................... 12 1. Prepare area for installation....................................................................................................................... 13 2. Determine desired location for components .............................................................................................. 13 3. Install the supply saddle valve ................................................................................................................... 13 4. Install the drain saddle ............................................................................................................................... 13 5. Install the faucet......................................................................................................................................... 13 6. Mount purification unit................................................................................................................................ 14 7. Connect components................................................................................................................................. 15 8. Start-up procedure..................................................................................................................................... 15 PERIODIC MAINTENANCE.......................................................................................................................... 17 CHANGING THE PRE- AND POST-FILTER CARTRIDGES ....................................................................... 17 CHANGING THE RO MEMBRANE .............................................................................................................. 18 TROUBLE-SHOOTING ................................................................................................................................. 21 1. Insufficient or no product water.................................................................................................................. 21 2. Bad tasting or low quality water ................................................................................................................. 21 3. Sound of water running.............................................................................................................................. 21 MT3 EXPLODED VIEW & PARTS LIST....................................................................................................... 22 WARRANTY INFORMATION ....................................................................................................................... 23 Please Record YOUR Product Information Below: Model #: ______________________________ Serial #: ______________________________ Beginning TDS: ________________________ 2 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System MT3® Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Limited Factory Warranty WHAT THE WARRANTY COVERS AND LENGTH OF WARRANTY The manufacturer warrants the MT3 Reverse Osmosis System to the original retail purchaser at the original place of installation against defects in material and workmanship from the date of installation as follows: FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR: the Reverse Osmosis membrane and housing; filter housings; shutdown valve; faucet; and storage tank. FOR THIS WARRANTY TO BE VALID THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MUST BE MET OR THIS WARRANTY IS VOID: General warranty conditions: (1) the unit must be installed on a potable water supply and (2) the water pressure must be between 30 and 100 psi. Specific warranty conditions for models with Cellulose Tri-Acetate (CTA) membrane: (1) The unit must be installed on a chlorinated water supply, (2) the pH cannot be lower than 4 or higher than 8, (3) the water temperature must be between 45°F and 85°F (cold water only) and (4) the total dissolved solids (TDS) cannot exceed stated limits. (See page 5 of this manual) Specific warranty conditions for models with Thin-Film Composite (TFC) membrane: (1) the unit must not be subjected to chlorinated water, unless it includes a GAC pre-filter, which is replaced annually, (2) the pH cannot be lower than 2 or higher than 11, (3) the water temperature must be between 40°F and 100°F (cold water lines only) and (5) the total dissolved solids cannot exceed stated limits. (See page 5 of this manual) In order to take advantage of this warranty, you must complete and return to your dealer the enclosed owner’s registration card within 30 days from date of purchase. WHAT WE WILL DO TO CORRECT PROBLEMS Your Dealer serves as the primary agent to honor this warranty. If your reverse osmosis unit fails within the periods set forth above and if your dealer is unable to fulfill his obligation, the factory will repair the part or, at our option, provide you with a new or reconditioned part; however, you must pay the labor charges for removing the defective part, labor charges for installing the new or reconditioned part and shipping charges. If we elect to replace a discontinued unit or component, we may provide you with another similar unit or component. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY This warranty requires that the unit be installed and operated in accordance with the manufacturer’s printed instructions; otherwise, this warranty shall be void. Naturally it doesn’t cover fouling of any part of the system by foreign material such as sediment, iron, bacterial iron, water hardness, etc.; or, damage by accident, misuse, misapplication, neglect, fire, freezing, flood or Acts of God. This warranty is given expressly and in lieu of all other expressed or implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose and constitutes the only warranty made by the manufacturer. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion or limitation of incidental and consequential damages, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you. HOW TO OBTAIN SERVICE Contact your Dealer whose name, address and telephone number are listed below. If you deliver or ship (if shipped, you must pay shipping charges both ways) your RO unit to your Dealer or the factory, please include your name, address and telephone number; the model and serial number of the unit; a description of the problem(s); and proof and date of purchase. Please pack your MT3 RO unit properly to avoid damage in transit. Date of delivery or installation:_____/_____/_____ Model No.:__________________ Serial No.:__________________ Name of Dealer: ___________________________________________ Dealer Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Dealer Phone Number: ( ) _______- __________ 23 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System MT3 Exploded View & Parts List 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 4838-10 4838-18 4838-25 4838-35 4838-50 4838-75 9804-0 4862 4816-4 4816-8 4817-6 4817-8 4817-10 4817-14 4817-18 1046 4866 4610 4610-1 4610-2 4610-3 4610-4 4610-5 4928 4860 4860-2 4950-2 4966-1 4966-2 5164 5164K2 4966-1 4988 4984 4835-4 4835-1 4871-14 4876LR 4843 9779 4987 4590 4490 4492 4493-1 4493-2 Flow Controller, MT3-102 Flow Controller, MT3-113 Flow Controller, MT3-123 Flow Controller, MT3-133 Flow Controller, MT3-143 Flow Controller, MT3-153 1/8" MPT x 1/4" Polytube Elbow Membrane Housing and Cap CTA Membrane—10 GPD CTA Membrane—18 GPD TFC Membrane—18 GPD TFC Membrane—24 GPD TFC Membrane—36 GPD TFC Membrane—50 GPD TFC Membrane—75 GPD Self Tapping Screw 2 1/2" Membrane Clip Shutdown Cap Shutdown Cap O-ring Shutdown Cap Large Diaphragm Shutdown Cap Piston Shutdown Cap Piston O-Ring Shutdown Cap Diaphragm Small Clack RO Manifold-TS3T Check Valve Duckbill Retainer 5 Micron Poly Pro Pre-filter—All Well Units 5,000 Gal. Carbon Block Pre-filter—MT3-113 20,000 Gal. Carbon Block Pre-filter—MT3-123 1#KDF/GAC Pre-filter—MT3-113, 143 2#KDF/GAC Pre-filter—MT3-153 Carbon Block Post-filter—All Units Housing O-ring Slimline Housing * Amtrol RO-3 Bladder Air Cell Tank * Holding Tank Shut-off Valve * Drain Saddle Fitting—1/4" * 3/8" Long Reach Faucet * Inlet Saddle Shut-off Valve *3/8" Tee - Quick Connect (optional) *Filter Spanner Wrench (optional) * 1/4" OD Black Poly Tubing * 1/4" OD Yellow Poly Tubing * 1/4" OD Red Poly Tubing * 3/8" OD Yellow Poly Tubing * 3/8" OD Blue Poly Tubing Congratulations on your investment in superior quality drinking water for your family. In choosing the MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System, you have selected a most sophisticated home water purification system. To achieve maximum benefit from this unit, we urge you to familiarize yourself with this new state-of-the-art. We hope you will find this manual both interesting and informative. PREFACE The purpose of this booklet is to provide some basic information about Reverse Osmosis (RO) and its potential benefits to homeowners, institutions, small businesses, industry and even municipal water suppliers. It seeks to answer some of the most common questions and is not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject. It is also an installation and service manual. The question of quality drinking water is becoming increasingly important to all of us today. Every day we learn of more sources of water pollution and their potential impact on our health and standard of living. Just because water appears to be clear to the naked eye does not necessarily mean that it is free of contamination. Pure water is tasteless, odorless and colorless, but some of the invisible contaminants are harmful in measurements as small as parts per million and some even in parts per billion. That may seem to be an insignificant amount of material, but in the environment of our body cells, it can be an overwhelming amount. Although, a good reverse osmosis system can be depended on to reduce or remove most waterborne contaminants with certain limitations, the most important reason people obtain these units is to have better tasting water. The MT3 RO will enable you to serve glasses of crystal clear, delicious drinking water, better tasting coffee, tea, iced tea, juices, soups, clear and harder ice cubes, etc. Have you ever wondered why a cola purchased from some national restaurant chains is consistently good, no matter where you buy it? The answer is in the pure water they add to the concentrated syrup. You too can have good, high quality water in your home at the turn of the tap. Some Suggested Uses of RO Water • • All drinking water All water for cooking • Making juice drinks from concentrates Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate Ice cube supply water Watering house plants Steam irons • • • • Add to frozen foods as required Use with pasta Cooking vegetables, fruits • • • • • • • • • • Aquariums and fish hatcheries Drinking water for pets Battery water Humidification Final rinse waters Dialysis Photography Animal feed Greenhouses Cleaning contact lenses * = Not Shown 22 3 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System INTRODUCTION TO REVERSE OSMOSIS How Reverse Osmosis Works The process known as osmosis occurs in Nature when solutions with two different concentrations are separated by a semi-permeable membrane. Osmotic pressure drives water with lower dissolved solids through the membrane to dilute the more concentrated solution. PRESSURE SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE while the dissolved solids including salts and sugars are left behind to be flushed to the drain. Different feedwater may require different types of RO membranes. Materials of construction include cellulose tri-acetate (CTA) and thinfilm composite (TFC). A properly designed RO system is probably the most economical and efficient method available for the purification of tap water. The Superior Design of the MT3 RO WATER FLOW MORE CONCENTRATED SOLUTION LESS CONCENTRATED SOLUTION Figure 1 - Reverse Osmosis If instead enough hydraulic pressure is applied to the concentrated solution to counteract the osmotic pressure, we accomplish what is known as Reverse Osmosis. This process forces water molecules through the membrane Complete Membrane Chevron Pressure Seal The MT3 Reverse Osmosis drinking water system produces a high quality water by the removal of as much as 95% or more of the dissolved solids and virtually all of the chlorine, tastes, odors and organics found in the water supply. The MT3 offers a number of features and benefits that make it an exceptional product: The standard unit includes a 2.1-gallon storage tank. An optional larger tank is available. The system drain shuts down when the storage tank is about 2/3 full of RO water. Besides saving water, the pre-filter is not required to trap sediment from excess waste water thereby prolonging its life. Outer Cover Membrane partly unrolled showing different layers Mesh Spacer Concentrate Flow Permeate Carrier Membrane Membrane Backing (adhesive bond around edge shown in gray) Feed Water Flow Permeate Flow TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEM SOLUTION 1. Insufficient or NO product water A. Feed water shut off A. Open feed water valve B. Low water pressure B. Feed pressure must be at least 30 psi (a booster pump is available through your MT3 dealer or if possible increase the system pressure. C. Prefilter clogged C. Replace prefilter D. Membrane fouled D. Determined and correct cause. Replace membrane. E. Overuse E. Consider investing in a larger unit or storage tank.. F. Postfilter clogged F. Replace postfilter. G. Crimped tubing G. Remove and straighten or replace tubing H. Insufficient feed water volume H. Shut feed water isolation valve to sink (SEE Fig. 6), remove supply saddle valve and check supply hole under saddle is at least 1/8" and free of burrs or debris, replace saddle valve and open feed water isolation valve. I. Storage tank is waterlogged I.Air bladder intake must have air pressure of 8 psi when completely empty of water. Add air pressure with a hand pump. 2. Bad tasting or low quality water A. Membrane foul, hydrolyzed, ruptured or attacked by by A. Determined and correct cause, replace membrane bacteria B. Membrane expended B. Replace membrane C. Post filter exhausted C. Replace post filter D. Restriction in waste flow must be at least 100 ml/min- D. Make certain Drain Clamp opening is lined up with ute (1 cup in 2 1/4 minutes) depending on model number’s hole in pipe. Waste Flow Control may be plugged, Replace it. capacity rating E. Membrane not seated F. Make certain membrane tube is pushed fully into the recess at the left end of the membrane housing. 3. Sound of reject water running in the sink drain Hole into the sink drain should be at least 1/4" diameter. Cutaway of Membrane showing layers Figure 2 - Membrane Module 4 21 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Step 2: Remove old membrane from the housing. Depending on the membrane installed in your system, you will see either a short pipe protruding from the end of the membrane (see Fig. 2) or you may see only a threaded hole in the center. Also, note how far in the membrane actually is for reference when inserting the new one. If you see a short pipe, grab onto it with a pair of pliers and pull the membrane out of the housing. If you see threads, get a standard “ carriage bolt (of sufficient length to hold onto) and screw it into the membrane far enough to get a solid hold. Pull the membrane out. You may feel some resistance as the membrane comes unseated from the housing. Throw out the old membrane. brane in until it seats in the membrane housing securely. Gently rock the membrane back and forth while pushing if necessary to seat the membrane properly. NOTE: It is of utmost importance the membrane seats securely, otherwise the sealed space between reject water and product water is seriously compromised, resulting in little difference in TDS count between raw water and water coming from the faucet. Step 6: Screw the membrane housing cap back into place and tighten securely. Step 7: Re-insert red tubing into the elbow fitting on the Membrane Housing cap. Step 3: Wash your hands & the surfaces of the tools used to extract the old membrane before going onto Step 4. If you are performing a cartridge filterchange along with your membrane change you should complete the filter change before turning the water back on. Anything you can do to minimize bacterial contamination of the system will help maintain trouble-free performance. If you are not doing a filter change or have completed it, you can now turn the water back on. Step 4: Wash and sterilize the membrane housing. Empty any water left in the housing and wash it. Then sterilize it by filling the housing with water to which a capful of hydrogen peroxide has been added. Wait ten minutes then empty. Do not rinse the membrane housing. Step 5: Insert the new membrane into the housing. Open the sealed bag the RO membrane comes in with the side to be inserted up. Grasp the membrane by the bag surrounding it and hold it up to the mouth of the membrane housing. Slide the membrane out of the bag and into the housing. Using the pliers or the “ bolt used to extract the old membrane, push the mem- 20 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE LIFETIME AND PERFORMANCE OF THE MT3 RO MEMBRANE 1. Type of membrane: Cellulose tri-acetate or thin-film composite. Cellulose Tri-Acetate(CTA) • Up to 1,000 ppm TDS with net water pressure of 50 psi • Chlorine tolerant • Some bacteria resistance • 4.0 to 8.0 pH • Pressure Range of 30 to 100 psi • Water Temperature of 40° to 85°F.(4-29°C) • Hardness less than 10gpg. • A chlorinated supply will increase membrane life Thin-Film Composite (TFC) • Up to 2,000 ppm TDS with net water pressure of 50 psi • Not chlorine tolerant • Bacteria resistant • 2.0 to 11.0 pH • Pressure Range of 30 to 100 psi • Water Temperature of 40° to 100°F.(4-38°C) • Chemically stable • Hardness less than 10gpg. 2. Square feet of membrane: The square feet of membrane and the production of RO water are in direct proportion. See Step 1, on page 18. Open both the Supply Saddle Valve and the Storage Tank Ball Valve. Check for leaks around the membrane housing cap and the elbow, then you are ready to flush the whole system. Step 8: Discard the water already in the Storage Tank, by opening the RO faucet and letting it run until the water slows to a trickle. Then shutoff the faucet, wait 2 hours and repeat Step 8 again. This repeated step flushes all remnants of the disenfectant, used to clean the membrane housing, from the storage tank and the system. 3. Water Pressure: The higher the net pressure across the membrane, the greater the quantity and higher the quality of RO water. 4. Total Dissolved Solids: The higher the TDS, the lower the production. Each 100 ppm above 500 represents about one pound reduced pressure on the membrane. Thus 1500 ppm reduces the effective pressure by 10 pounds. 5. Water Temperature: Colder water results in lower production. Temperatures above manufacturer’s specifications are to be avoided because of problems with the membrane support structures and accelerated compaction rates. Connect to cold water supply only! (See Fig. 3) 6. Surface Coating or Fouling: A neglected pre-filter can allow sediment to accumulate on the cartridge surface and impair the necessary flow of water through the filter, thus reducing membrane life. Also, salts can precipitate on the membrane, plugging the pores and channels. A water softener or other types of pre-treatment installed before the RO System significantly reduces this load and extends membrane life. (See Fig. 6) WARNING: Install only on a potable water supply. Figure 3 - Effect of Feedwater Temperature on Product Water Quantity (77°F (25°C) rating divided by correction factor equals expected capacity) Feed Water Temperature °F °C 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 1.7 2.2 2.8 3.3 3.9 4.4 5.0 5.5 6.1 6.6 7.2 7.7 8.3 8.8 9.4 Correction Factor 2.13 2.11 2.08 2.05 2.03 2.00 1.96 1.92 1.87 1.83 1.79 1.75 1.71 1.67 1.64 Feed Water Temperature °F °C 50 51 52 53 54 55 57 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 10.0 10.6 11.1 11.7 12.2 12.8 13.3 13.9 14.4 15.0 15.5 16.1 16.7 17.2 17.8 Correction Factor 1.59 1.56 1.53 1.50 1.47 1.44 1.41 1.38 1.36 1.34 1.31 1.29 1.27 1.25 1.23 Feed Water Temperature °F °C 65 66 67 68 69 70 72 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 18.3 18.9 19.4 20.0 20.5 21.1 21.7 22.2 22.8 23.3 23.9 24.4 25.0 25.5 26.1 26.6 Correction Factor 1.21 1.19 1.17 1.15 1.13 1.11 1.09 1.07 1.06 1.04 1.03 1.01 1.00 .98 .97 .95 5 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System 8.0 If the graph indicates a potential for scaling, softening the water is the simplest pre-treatment. It is also possible to lower the pH to avoid scaling, using either acid-feed or weak-acid resin treatment. Another pre-treatment method makes use of a polyphosphate feeder. If the iron exceeds 0.1 ppm or manganese exceeds 0.05 ppm, pre-treatment for these materials will also be required. For low levels (up to 5 ppm), either softening or polyphosphate feeding may be used. Higher levels may require more specialized treatment. 7.5 SCALING ZONE PRE-TREATMENT REQUIRED 7.0 pH 6.5 SAFE ZONE NO PRE-TREATMENT NECESSARY 6.0 5.5 0 0 1 0 2 CALCIUM 0 3 0 4 HARDNESS AS 0 5 0 6 GRAINS PER GALLON Figure 4 - Pre-treatment Graph Nominal Rejection Characteristics of R. O. Membranes Material Aluminum Ammonium Arsenic Barium Bicarbonate Borate Bromide Cadmium Calcium Chloride Chromium Chromate Copper Cyanide Ferrocyanide Fluoride Iron Lead Magnesium Manganese Mercury Nickel Nitrate Phosphate Potassium Selenium Silicate Silver Sodium Strontium Sulphite Sulphate Thiosulfate Zinc 6 Symbol +3 Al NH4+ AS Ba+2 HCO3B4O2-2 BR+ Cd+2 Ca+2 Cl-1 Cr+3 CrO4-2 Cu+2 CN Fe(CN)6-3 F Fe+2 Pb+2 Mg+2 Mn+2 Hg+2 Ni+2 NO3PO4-3 K+ SE-2 SiO2-2 Ag+ Na+ Sr+ SO3-2 SO4-2 S2O3-2 Zn+2 % Rejection 98-99 86-92 94-96 96-98 90-95 30-50 87-93 96-98 94-97 87-93 96-98 86-92 98-99 87-93 95-96 96-98 96-98 95-98 96-98 98-99 60-75 98-99 87-94 94-96 87-94 94-96 85-90 93-96 87-93 96-98 96-98 98-99 98-99 98-99 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System designed to remove chlorine. A TFC membrane will not tolerate chlorine (see page 4) and will fail without a carbon pre-filter to protect it. Step 5: Wash & sterilize filter sumps. Dump out any water in the sumps and wash them with soap and water. NOTE: Do not use petroleum jelly since this will dry out the O-rings and make them brittle. Step 9: Reassemble filter housing. Note which sump contains the carbon postfilter and install it on the lefthand filter (facing unit). Re-install the other sump on the righthand filter. Tighten sumps snugly onto caps. Place a capful of hydrogen peroxide into each empty sump and then fill them with water. Set them aside for at least ten minutes to give Step 10: Open valve on supply line and check them time to be sterilized. for leaks. Step 6: Wash your hands thoroughly before proceding to step 7. If there are no leaks, set RO unit back into its originally installed position. Step 7: Empty water from filter sumps and Step 11: Flush RO system.Turn on the RO install new filters. faucet and run water until storage Do not rinse the filter sumps. Remove plastic tank is empty. protective wrapping from the new filters and This flushing is necessary to remove carbon place each filter into its respective housing. fines from the carbon post-filter that are may The carbon filter will fit in only one way. be present due to the manufacturing process. Step 8: Note the condition of O-rings and lubricate. Remove the “O” rings from the filter sumps. Wipe them clean and apply silicone grease. The water may look somewhat dark - perhaps even black. Do not be alarmed. Continue flushing until tank is empty. Allow several hours for the storage tank to re-fill. Your RO system is now back in service. CHANGING THE RO MEMBRANE There are a number of factors that affect the life expectancy of an RO membrane. See page 5 for more information. It is a good idea to have your RO water tested at installation time so you know what a good TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) count should be. If you start noticing a difference in the taste of your RO water, it may mean that only your filter cartridges need to be replaced. However, if your ice cubes are noticeably more cloudy or if you have your water tested and the TDS is significantly higher than it was or begins to rise noticeably over a short period of time, the membrane probably needs to be replaced. You’ll need to have both a raw water sample and a product water sample for this test, since this is the only way to determine what is a significant increase. Changing the membrane is not particularly difficult and should be done at the same time you change your cartridge filters. The following steps assume this to be the case and that steps 1, 2a & 2b on page 18 have been completed. (CAUTION: Failure to perform these STEPS prior to proceeding will result in spraying water on youself and your work area.) Remember, old cartridge filters will only shorten the life expectancy of your new RO membrane. Step 1: Unscrew the RO membrane housing cap. Disconnect the red line from the elbow on the cap of the RO Membrane Housing (SEE Figure 6 for location). Using a large wrench, a pair of channel locks, or some other similar tool, unscrew the cap from the membrane housing. 19 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System PERIODIC MAINTENANCE • If the use of RO water is minimal, it is recommended that the storage tank be exhausted periodically.This is necessary to assure continued high quality water! • The pre-filter should be changed at least once a year or when it becomes very dirty or a restriction of flow is traced to it. • The post-filter should be changed if there is taste or odor to the product water, but at least every twelve (12) months. • The time period between RO Membrane replacements will depend on the quality of the supply water being treated and the type of membrane in the system. This period should be between one and five years and will be accompanied by a decrease in water quality. • The water quality (Total Dissolved Solids TDS) should be checked frequently and also when the taste of the water or clarity of the ice cubes changes. You can either take a sample of water to your MT3 RO dealer or he can provide you with a sample bottle and mailing tube. You can purchase a TDS monitor from your MT3 RO Dealer. These monitors are available either as handheld models or built into the RO faucet featuring indicator lights. If the model number of your MT3 unit ends with the letter “C” (for example, “MT3113C”) and the unit is installed on a chlorinated water supply, it is important to keep the following in mind: Depending on your RO water usage as well as the amount of chlorine residual and organics in the supply water, the Carbon pre-filter will need to be replaced on a regular basis (usually once a year) to protect the membrane from pre-maturely deteriorating due to chlorine exposure. The Carbon pre-filter is sized to the system. SEE Parts List. CHANGING THE PRE- AND POST-FILTER CARTRIDGES Step 1: Turn off the water going into the MT3 Step 2b:If you are also replacing the RO RO unit. membrane, see CHANGING THE RO MEMBRANE on page 17. Locate the supply saddle valve where the RO supply tubing (Red) is connected into the sinks cold water pipe. Close the valve. Next, close the ball valve at the Top of the MT3 Storage Tank. Relieve the pressure in the unit by opening the RO faucet. (See Fig. 6) NOTE: The water stored in the storage tank is under constant pressure. The ball valve must be turned off. Otherwise you will exhaust all RO water from the tank when you open the faucet before internal pressure is relieved. You need this water for Step 11 at the end of this procedure or Step 8 at the end of the Membrane Change Procedure. Step 2a: Move the main unit out from under sink for better accessibility. There will be water in the filter housings, so be sure to place a shallow pan under the unit before loosening either filter housing to catch any water which may spill. 18 Step 3: Remove filter sumps.Unscrew each filter housing sump by turning clockwise looking down at the unit. Use a filter spanner wrench (part #4987), an oil filter wrench, a large pair of channel locks or your own hands. Remember, the housings are screwed on tightly so they wont leak therefore, some force may be needed to loosen them. Step 4: Remove old filter cartridges and throw them away. Take a minute to visually inspect your prefilter cartridge (right hand sump). Ordinarily, it will be of the paper variety since its job is simply to filter particles from the water before it reaches the RO membrane. If however you have a special unit that uses a TFC (Thin-Film Composite) membrane and your water supply Questions and Answers Question: If the water leaving the municipal water treatment plant is of good quality, can I be sure of getting a good glass of water in my home? Answer: Not necessarily, the water can pick up various contaminants on its way to your faucet. Believe it or not, some cities like New York still have some old, wooden water mains. These and other leaking water mains can pick up unwanted substances such as bacteria, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Water supply authorities are aware there are thousands of submerged connections and cross-connections between our water and sources of contamination occurring nationally, on a daily basis. Plumbing items installed in violation of building code by inexperienced or short-cut-minded people cause many of these problems. This is a frequent source of bacteria and other pollutants in municipal water systems. Clay-asbestos water mains can deteriorate, giving up asbestos to the water. Service entrance pipes leading into many older homes are often made of lead. Additionally, lead can be leached out of the 50/50 lead solder used to connect the copper pipes in homes built before the law changed a few years ago. Lead can also be found in brass plumbing fixtures. Point-of-use (at the tap) reverse osmosis is the most effective method of achieving good, safe drinking water. Question: What is Reverse Osmosis? Answer: I can best answer this question by first explaining briefly what natural “Osmosis” is. This is nature’s process by which moisture and nutrients are taken up through the root systems of plant life to its outermost leaves. Moisture drawn from the soil passes through cell walls cell by cell in this process. It is scientifically described as the passing of a less dense fluid until there is an equal density of fluid on either side of the membrane, i.e., (the cell walls). The process is repeated cell-by-cell as life-nourishing fluid reaches the very tops of the twigs and leaves of a plant. This same process takes place in our own bodies and the bodies of other animal life. Reverse Osmosis is so named because man has, through technology, reversed nature’s process. We force raw tap water, which is the denser liquid, against a semi-permeable membrane by utilizing the domestic water supply pressure or a pump. When forced against the one surface of the membrane the water molecules diffuse through it molecule by molecule forming pure water on the other side of the membrane, leaving behind up to 98% of the dissolved solids and other impurities in the process. Question: What happens to the impurities that were in the water? Answer: They are washed down the drain. You see, unlike filters, the Reverse Osmosis membrane is self-cleaning. The source water, as it flows through the membrane module, is divided into two streams. One stream is forced through the membrane by diffusion because of the water pressure. The second stream serves as a “rinse down” and carries away the rejected salts, particulate matter and other impurities to the drain. This ensures there is no accumulation of debris on the pressure side of the membrane, as a function of time. Sediment or carbon filters, on the other hand, lose capacity with each glass of water drawn. Besides losing capacity with each glass of water drawn through them, filters only remove particulate matter and perhaps some tastes and odors from the water. Question: Who invented or developed Reverse Osmosis? 7 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Answer: The spiral-wound Reverse Osmosis membrane, which is the heart of the MT3 RO system, was developed over many years of research by scientists subsidized by the Office of Saline Water*, a branch of the United States Department of the Interior. The Office of Saline Water expended many millions of dollars in the development of Reverse Osmosis. Today Reverse Osmosis. is regarded as the most effective and efficient water cleaning method. (*Now called the Department of Water Research & Technology) Question: I understand that Reverse Osmosis removes at least 95 percent of the impurities. Does this mean that it takes out the minerals? Answer: Yes, it removes or reduces the excess minerals along with many other impurities that may be present in tap water. Question: Well, I have always had the impression that water should contain minerals; that they are essential to one’s health. Answer: If that were true, the population in parts of the country served by water containing little Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) would be at risk. Also, modern research by biochemists, nutritionists and medical doctors clearly indicates that we get enough natural minerals from our food to satisfy our body’s needs. We don’t need the excessive inorganic minerals that are found in tap water. Question: Does MT3 RO water taste flat? Answer: No, most people believe that it is the mineral content of water that makes it taste good. However, it is the oxygen content of water that gives it good taste. This is why spring water bubbling to the surface tastes so good. Oxygen permeates the MT3 membrane even faster than water. This is why MT3 water is highly oxygenated and has that delicious “mountain spring” taste. After drinking MT3 water for only a few days, one would find it very difficult to go back to drinking tap water. The taste buds become more acutely aware of the bad taste of chlorine and other impurities in tap water. 8 Question: Do you use any charcoal in your MT3 RO? MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Fig.6a - (Optional) MT3 Under Sink Installation with Air Gap Faucet Answer: Yes, we use an activated carbon filter of high capacity on the product water side of the Membrane, in other words, our carbon filter only deals with water that has already passed through the RO membrane and been purified. The activated carbon removes any vestige of taste and odor as well as any remaining organics that might possibly remain in the water and gives a “high polish”, which is the reason it has such a “crystal clear” appearance. Question: How would I know that my MT3 RO is removing the dissolved solids from the tap water? Answer: You will be able to tell by taste and by the clarity of the water. For example, ice cubes made with RO water are harder and clearer and last much longer. If you will take two clean glasses of the same size and put ice cubes from MT3 water in one and the same number of ice cubes made from tap water in the other, you will notice that it takes longer for ice cubes made from Reverse Osmosis to melt. They not only taste better, but they make all beverages, particularly juices and mixed drinks, taste better. The melted tap water will likely have unsightly matter settled on the bottom of the glass; not so with MT3 water. Another way of determining the amount of dissolved solids removed from tap water, (which are but one type of contaminant), is by the use of a conductivity meter. This meter measures the conductivity in parts per million of TDS. Specially equipped RO faucets, which monitor the water quality, are available. Question: I noticed that the scale on the meter you use covers a wide range. What do these numbers mean? Answer: A number of the contaminants that could be dissolved in our drinking water have health consequences. One thing is certain, however, the lower the number on the scale, the better tasting will be the water compared with water containing more dissolved solids. Water containing more than 500 ppm of dissolved solids is not considered to be the best for human consumption. The U.S. Public Health Service 17 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Fig.6 - Typical MT3 Under Sink Installation with Standard Faucet MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System has stipulated that water for drinking and cooking should not exceed 500 parts per million and this limitation has been endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the Secondary Standards of the Drinking Water Act. Unfortunately, there are vast areas of the United States where the water exceeds the U.S. Public Health Service limitations by a considerable amount. Question: Does the conductivity meter measure everything that is in the source water? Answer: No, there are certain elements that may be present in water that are non-ionic, in other words, they do not conduct electricity. These do not show up on a conductivity meter. These elements fall into several groups, but fortunately all are effectively reduced or removed by the Reverse Osmosis membrane. Even a properly maintained unit that shows a declining rate of TDS rejection after a couple of years of use will still be an effective barrier to these substances. Question: What specifically are these non-ionic substances? Answer: They include: chlorine, radioactive materials, bacteria, virus, Giardia, Chrystosporidium, pesticides, fertilizer, herbicides, organic materials (industrial waste) and particulate matter (dirt, asbestos fibers, etc.). Question: What can be done to improve drinking water sources so that they will conform to U.S. Public Health Service stipulations? Answer: We are, unfortunately, confronted with a serious challenge in trying to raise municipal water standards. To upgrade all the water used in the United States to safe drinking standards would cost billions of dollars. Back in the early 1900’s as the U.S. grew very rapidly, there was one epidemic after another of typhoid fever, cholera and other diseases communicated through municipal water systems. To combat these epidemics we started introducing chlorine into our water systems in approximately 1908. In the decade following and increasingly in the early 1920’s the addition of chlorine became standard treatment in most every municipal water system. It did kill the 16 bacteria and typhoid fever was almost completely eliminated. However, modern research now indicates that chlorine is an insidious killer and many learned doctors and medical researchers consider it as the chemical responsible for the increase of cardio-vascular diseases. The latest research conducted by the National Academy of Sciences for the EPA indicates that when chlorine combines with organic compounds in water, it produces chloroform type compounds and trihalomethanes. These particular compounds are believed to be carcinogens. It seems what once was a blessing, ridding us of typhoid fever and other epidemic diseases, may now be causing the deaths of many Americans every year. Question: What percentage of the water supplied by a municipal water treatment plant is actually consumed by the people? Answer: That is an important question. The fact is that we consume only about 1/2 of 1% of the total water supply. The rest is used in bathing, flushing toilets, fighting fires, cleaning streets, watering lawns, industrial use, etc. It doesn’t make a great deal of sense to treat all of the municipal supply to optimum drinking water quality for such a small percentage of use. Point-of-use water treatment is the most practical method of ensuring that your family has the purest, good tasting water. Question: How much pure water will the MT3 RO produce? Answer: Various models of the MT3 System are available producing between 10 and nearly 100 gallons per day, depending on the perfomance factors listed on page 5. Question: What may limit the application of an MT3 RO system? Answer: The unit must be installed on a potable supply (no bacteria). Even though the membrane will normally reject bacteria and virus, any imperfection in the membrane or its age could pose a problem. Water containing very high TDS may require a commercial type RO system including a pump, which produces 9 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System higher pressure than is available in a domestic supply. Question: Are there any norms or standards that have been established for evaluating the performance of a Reverse Osmosis membrane? Answer: Yes, the norm on which the performance of a home type Reverse Osmosis Appliance is predicated is 50 lbs. water pressure, 500 TDS, and a 77° temperature. When the incoming water temperature is cold, almost down to freezing for example, the production rate of a module drops considerably, but the TDS rejection rate rises slightly. The same thing applies to abnormally low water pressure except that both output and purity drop. This is why certain conditions of use have been set forth in the MT3 RO Guarantee. In general, the three factors that influence the performance of an RO membrane are temperature, water pressure and the TDS of the source water. For example, every temperature degree below 77° is the same as approximately a 2% drop in net pressure. For every 100 parts per million of TDS there is a loss equal to about one pound per square inch of pressure. This is all quite technical, however, and usually of interest only to those involved in the precise evaluation of membrane performance. Question: What is the ratio of wastewater to the pure water produced by an MT3 RO? Answer: The proper ratio to insure long membrane life is about 4 to 1. MT3 RO units are pre-set to this ratio at the factory. Therefore, for every gallon of pure water produced, approximately 4 gallons of wastewater go down the drain. Question: Isn’t that a lot of water that is wasted down the drain? Answer: Are you concerned about the cost or are you concerned from an ecological standpoint? If you are concerned about cost, it’s a small matter. Using an average of a gallon per day of RO water will add less than 50 cents to your monthly water bill, depending on local water and sewer rates. That’s not much to pay for pure water for drinking and cooking. Inci10 dentally, did you know that some bottled water is made by reverse osmosis? It may be labeled “Spring Water”, but, in many instances, a large industrial reverse osmosis unit makes it. The MT3 RO is simply a smaller reverse osmosis system producing pure water in your home for a few cents per gallon. Bottled water bought in stores can be rather expensive. Bottled water delivered to your home is considerably more expensive. In addition, you have to wrestle with the heavy bottles. If you are bothered about the wastewater from an ecological standpoint, we are not talking about a lot of water. Also, keep in mind that one has to pay a price for pure water just as one pays for everything else. However, there are many ways that ecologicalminded people can save important quantities of water. MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System Fig. 5a (Optional) Air Gap Faucet 8. Start-up Procedure A. Open the Supply Saddle Valve and immediately check for any leaks. Correct any evident problems. B. Disconnect the tube at the Drain Saddle fitting and verify the flow of reject water. C. The Storage Tank may be partially filled with water prior to start-up with the use of a 1/4" x 3/8" adapter connected to the supply line, this will provide flow from the Faucet soon after installation. Otherwise, water will not flow from the Faucet for approximately 30 minutes. D. At this time open the Faucet for about 1 minute. Check for leaks above and below faucet. E. Close the Faucet and re-inspect the entire system for leaks. F. As late in the day as possible, e.g., just before retiring, open the faucet and drain the storage tank completely until faucet just drips. Close faucet. G. If an icemaker has been connected to the MT3, leave its lever or switch in the “off” position and turn it on the following morning when the tank will be full. Question: Can this water be saved and used? Answer: Yes, by simple plumbing, this water could be diverted to storage containers or some form of catch basin. It really is just plain wastewater and could be used to wash the family car, although it might precipitate water rings and spots. Question: What are some of the ways that water can be conserved around the home? Answer: Here are a few examples: 1) 70% of the water inside the average home is used in the bathroom, where one of history’s biggest water wasters in perched-the toilet. Although only twoand-a-half gallons are actually needed, the typical American toilet uses anywhere from three to six gallons per flush-and we flush as though it were the only way to discard things. Throw in a facial tissue, flush the toilet; throw in a cigarette butt, flush the toilet. Each day, we flush away 29 gallons of water per person-more than five times the amount a person living in a poor country uses for all purposes in a whole week. 2) Don’t leave water running while brushing your teeth. Several gallons of water can be lost down the drain in a hurry. saddle fitting. The flow control end attaches to the Membrane Housing. The reject line should be connected to the drain pipe above the trap. D. Connect 3/8" OD Yellow line from the “Tank connection” on the Manifold to the ball valve on the Storage tank. time. (SEE Parts List) Or, if more convenient, the appropriate tee can be added in the line at another point. See Fig. 5 to complete steps A thru D below: A. Connect 3/8" Blue line from the Faucet to the Manifold “Faucet outlet” B. Connect the 1/4" Red feed line from the Supply Saddle Valve to Manifold “IN”. C. Connect 1/4" OD Black Drain Line from Membrane Housing elbow to the drain 15 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System is securely fastened in place, being careful not to overtighten. D. Connect faucet to the product water supply 1.Place 3/8" Adapter Seal in the mount tube end of the 3/8" brass Adapter, then screw the Adapter onto the end of the threaded mount tube 2.Slide the 3/8" Ferrel and brass Compression Nut (provided with faucet) onto 3/8" OD product water supply tubing (Blue). 3.Insert the plastic Tube Insert into the end of the product water supply tubing. 4.Insert the suppy tube into the Adapter, then slide the Ferrel and Compression Nut up to the Adapter until the Ferrel is no longer visible, now tighten the compression nut onto the Adapter until snug. 6. Mount the Purification Unit It may be advantageous to connect some or all of the tubing to the unit before mounting. If so, see “Connect the Components” in section 7 at the bottom of this page. Your MT3 RO is designed to be hung on two screws in the cabinet sidewall so the Preand Post-filters are off the cabinet floor enough to facilitate the changing of the filter cartridges. (A minimum of 4" is recommended, SEE Fig. 6). The Purification Unit can also be set on the cabinet floor and secured to the sidewall using the mounting bracket. Occasionally, the arrangement under the sink does not permit the installation of the purification assembly either on or against the sidewall. The unit is designed to be free standing, if necessary, and may be placed virtually anywhere under the sink or in the basement. A. Marking screw placement Using the manifold/mount bracket as a template, mark the screw slot centers on the side at the desired location. Make sure the bracket is level when marking the holes. B. Drill or make mount/pilot holes Drill pilot holes at the center marks or use a hammer and awl to make pilot holes. 14 Fig. 5 Standard Faucet Installation MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System 3) It is estimated that the average shower takes 20 to 30 gallons. Those who luxuriate in a hot shower or a cold one on a hot summer day will let as much as 40 to 50 gallons of water go down the drain. You could install a flow control in the showerhead to save water. 4) When cleaning vegetables, most people will let the cold water run at a fast rate. This can waste many gallons of water. 5) Buy a pistol grip valve nozzle for the hose. This permits the instant turning on and off of water while washing the family car. Letting the hose run as most people do while they are sudsing the car can waste many gallons of water. A 3/4" hose pours out approximately 180 gallons per hour. 6) After a heavy rain, don’t permit the automatic timer to turn on the sprinklers and don’t let the sprinkler system run excessively. In some neighborhoods at lawn watering time the street curbs become veritable rivers of wasted water. One way to preserve the important ground water would be to prohibit the construction of new golf courses. Golf courses are beautiful and benefit only a few hundred people. However, the irrigation water used daily would support a fairly large community. With ground water levels in many areas lowering every year, ecologists should give this a lot of thought. Question: Does the water pressure have a great deal to do with the module’s TDS rejection rate? C. Mounting the Purifcation unit Screw 2 mounting screws into the pilot holes, leaving just enough protruding to allow the manifold/bracket mounting slots to slide over them. 7. Connect the Components (SEE Fig. 6) NOTE: If an icemaker or remote faucet is to be connected to the RO, install a 3/8" Quick Connect at the Faucet outlet of the manifold at this Answer: Yes. The greater the water pressure the greater the rejection rate of TDS and more product water is produced. In large commercial systems, for example, normal city water pressure is stepped up as much as several hundred percent by high-pressure pumps. When the water pressure reaches high levels the TDS rejection rate rises as high as 99% and the volume of product water produced rises dramatically. Answer: This is, of course, related to the quality of your tap water. However, in general, an RO membrane will last from two to four years or more when processing average municipal water. There are certain conditions of use as specifically set forth in our guarantee, which must be met. However, these conditions fall well within the parameters of most city water systems. Question: How often does the activated carbon filter have to be changed? Answer: The activated carbon filter or filters usually do not have to be changed but once a year. It is customary to replace the pre-filter and carbon filter at the same time. Question: Why can’t giant reverse osmosis systems be used in municipal water plants? Answer: Indeed, some municipalities in Florida have source water loaded with dissolved solids. They provide a blend of RO and filtered ground water to their customers. Question: What with the limitation or outright banning of certain substances by our government, it seems that almost everything one eats and drinks today may be harmful. Answer: It is a deep concern. The National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization estimate that up to 90% of all cancer is caused by contaminants in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. However, we can do various things to safeguard our health. We can drink good water and we can eat good food. It’s difficult to control the air we breathe, but even that can be improved. Question: How often does the Reverse Osmosis membrane have to be changed? 11 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Assembly and Use of the Tubing Connectors Used on this Drinking Water System Assembly Instructions: 1. Carefully trim tubing to length, be sure (see diagrams). The fitting will grab the tubing is free of debris, nicks or tubing and hold and seal it in place. scratches which may cause the fittings to leak past the O-ring seal. 3. To remove the tubing, push the collet around the tubing in and, at the same 2. Firmly insert the tubing into the fitting, be time, pull out the tubing. certain tubing goes past the O-ring seal and properly bottoms in the fitting 12 MT3 Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Note: Install only on a potable water supply. supply saddle valve is designed to fit onto 1/4" through 1/2" copper pipe. Position supply sad1. Prepare the area for installation. dle valve on pipe and tighten clamp screws. Check for existing or potential leaks and corTurn Yellow Knob clockwise to pierce pipe. rect. Provide adequate working light. Back out the Yellow Knob all the way for 2. Determine the desired location for the maximum flow. If flow is restricted, it may be components. necessary to drill out hole in pipe using a 1/8" A. Faucet (See “Install the Faucet”, step drill bit. #5) Convenience should be the first considera- 4. Install the Drain Saddle The Drain Saddle (SEE Fig. 6) should be tion followed by a neat, no mess waterfall installed above the drain trap and can be pattern into the sink. Try to avoid installing installed in a horizontal or vertical drain line. the faucet where it will be difficult to gain The hole into the drain should be 1/4" diameaccess from under the counter.The faucet ter. If installed on a horizontal drain line, be can be installed in the existing spray hose sure to drill hole on the upper side of the drain or other opening if this is convenient. If no pipe. Local codes may require a non-saddle existing holes can be used, it will be necesconnection to drain. sary to drill a hole at the desired location. 5. Install the Faucet. Porcelain and ceramic sinks should be A. Prepare the mounting hole. drilled with extreme care. A carbide ma1.Select a mounting location that provides sonry drill is recommended through the sufficient surface area to accommodate surface covering and a high speed drill the faucet base on top of the mounting through the metal. It is helpful to use tape surface (approximately 2" diameter) and over the complete drilling area. the Black Locating Washer below the B. Storage Tank mounting surface. Locate for easy access, but an out of the 2.Drill or cut a mounting hole in the desired way place is acceptable. It is not recomlocation in accordance with faucet manumended to dismantle any plumbing or facturers instructions. Remove all burrs drains to locate the tank. Remember that and sharp edges. Note: Thickness of with 1 gal. the tank will weigh up to 14 lbs. mounting surface should not exceed 1". when full, so, place it on a secure foundaIf thickness is greater, an extension pipe tion. The tank can be laid on its side. and connecting adapter must be used. C. Purification Unit C. Install faucet on sink. A good location is on an accessible side or 1.Making sure Escutcheon Plate and Black rear wall of the cabinet. Place where you Rubber Washer are assembled on the can get at it for easy, trouble-free service, threaded mount tube as shown in Figure especially to replace the pre-filter and post5, insert faucet assembly through hole in filter.The system can be installed in the sink. Orient the Black Locating Washer basement according to Figure 5 and slide it onto the NOTE: Due to the compactness and conthreaded mount tube along with Lock figuration of the RO Unit, it can be easily Washer, then screw on the Lock Nut. Do disconnected and removed for service not tighten at this time. when there is no choice but to put it in tight 2.Position Faucet on top of sink and orient quarters. faucet according to homeowner prefer3. Install the supply saddle valve ence. The Supply Saddle Valve (SEE Fig. 6) must 3.Hold Faucet in place and reach under be installed on a cold water line. Be sure water sink to tighten Lock Nut. Be sure faucet has been turned off to the line where the supply saddle valve is to be installed. The 13