Possible freezing of membrane

[huxta]

So I had to leave my cabin in a hurry today and forgot my ro membrane. It is stored in a 4" pvc tube. My cabin is unheated and temps will drop below freezing for about 30-36 straight hours this week. Should I make the 6 hour round trip to get it or should it be OK?

[leavralph]

What is the value of the membrane and if ruined what will it do to your season?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

How much below freezing? How warm was the cabin when you left?

[SeanD]

Order a new one right away. If it turns out the old one is ok, you have a spare. You might have to end up doing that anyway.

[maple flats]

I had my heat fail back in 2013 and the temp got down to 28F in my RO room (I have a temperature recording thermometer in the room. I then ordered 2 new membranes just in case. The original's turned out to be OK, so I now have a set of spares. (my RO has 2- 4x40 membranes)
I still suggest you order a spare. Try MES, prices are good.

[madmapler]

I lost my heater in the RO room last season and it froze things up so bad that my filters and feed pump burst. The membranes were frozen solid in ice and they were still good. I think I'd still opt for it not to happen if I had the choice though.

[huxta]

How much below freezing? How warm was the cabin when you left?

Wednesday night has a low of 23, Thursday high of 31 Thursday night low of 27. The cabin will not stay above freezing.

I may just make the trip and pick it up. I hate driving.:cry:

[Russell Lampron]

I just had a new membrane delivered last week. It was on the deck when I got home from work and it was below freezing. I hope that it is okay. Does anyone know if the solution that a new Dow membrane is packed in will freeze?

[maple flats]

Check the tracking to see what time it was actually delivered. That may help. All tracking now shows the exact time it was delivered.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I just had a new membrane delivered last week. It was on the deck when I got home from work and it was below freezing. I hope that it is okay. Does anyone know if the solution that a new Dow membrane is packed in will freeze?

When I first got an RO I was told by the dealer it was dry and I did not have to keep it heated. Got ready to set up the RO in early March and opened the storage canister to find the membrane frozen solidly in. I warmed it up and got membrane out, called LaPierre and was told it was probably okay. I am still using that membrane 9 years later. It had survived temps as low as 30 below. I would suggest you not do this deliberately but a few hours below freezing will probably do no harm.

[sapman]

My xle440 also came with no notification a few years ago, left in garage with no doors. Discovered it a couple days later. Temp had dropped to 6 one night. Worried sick, but it was/is fine.

[adk1]

So why would u be concerned about a dry membrane freezing?

[Russell Lampron]

So why would u be concerned about a dry membrane freezing?

Some membranes like the ones from Dow are packed in liquid to keep them wet. You wouldn't have to worry about one that was packed dry freezing.

[madmapler]

You would think that if freezing was a real concern for Dow that they would have it boldly labeled on the packaging along with a disclaimer. I don't recall seeing that on my new membranes a few years back. Does that kind of thing exist on any other new membrane packaging? This and my own personal experience lead me to suspect that, aside from prolonged negligence, freezing and/or drying out of membranes not may be as devastating as is commonly understood. For the sake of discussion, any reports of it actually happening and what took place?

[BAP]

The one problem you might have if it froze hard is getting it thawed out in time to use it.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I think most come with a perservative on them and they may get slushy but won't hurt them and are vac sealed.

[Maple Ridge Farm]

It's best the membrane doesn't freeze but if it does it must thaw before using again. If fully thawed you shouldn't have an issue it's when frozen and starting the RO when frozen that causes the damage.