New homemade RO-Housing end cap blew off

[Clinkis]

Finally got my RO built and running this evening. It's a single XLE 4040 with a 190 gph procon pump. Got it all plumbed in and fired it up. Ran about 200 gallons of water through it worked great. Then ran about 100 gallons of sap through it and it still worked great. Then I started to flush it with permeate and the end cap blew off membrane housing!:o sounded like a gun going off. The end cap also broke. I have the clamp on style SS housing. Anybody ever had this happen? Was running between 250-300psi. Also, anybody know where I can find an end cap or housing in Ontario? Any help would be appreciated!

[mellondome]

Why are you running that much pressure while flushing with permeate? To flush you want as little pressure as possible and as much flow as possible ( just dont exceed 14gpm on the 4x40).

[Clinkis]

I Had just finished running sap and had just switched tanks to permeate and hadn't throttle back pressure yet. Had turned off pump and when I switched it back on it blew. Been running it around 300psi for over an hour so not sure if pressure spiked for a bit. After checking specs for my housing I see it is only rated for 250psi so I'm pretty sure that is a big part of the problem. Not sure if this is a common occurrence. Definitely a learning experience going from a 100 gallon per day RO to 125 gallon per hour RO. What kind of pressure can the XLE safely handle.

[markct]

Sounds like you found your answer but the pressure should be backed off before shutdown anyhow

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

tighten those clamps down all the way until you cant turn the nuts any more. That happened to me a couple years ago. run 250 psi those vessels good for around 300 but they tell you 250 for their reasons.
xle more than you can put to it

[Clinkis]

Thanks guys. Too bad a homemade RO's don't come with operating instructions. Local lappierre dealer going to loan me a housing til I get a replacement end cap. Unfortunately it's alot more difficult to get stuff up here in a timely manner.