New RO Membranes

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Hi All,
I am upgrading my single post RO to a double post and just purchased a new SS housing for the 2nd and 2 new membranes, Dow XLE 4040. My question is, do I need to clean these out before my 1st use? should I get some Distilled water and run it through them for a while to flush out any of the manufacturer coatings or chemicals in them etc....

Thanks in advance!
-Scott

[3% Solution]

Well first off … "THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE"

I would definitely wash and rinse the membranes before using …. if nothing more for piece of mind …

Dave

[n8hutch]

I think that I ran about 100 gallons of sap through mine when they were new, sent it all to the drain, and then I started saving the sap/concentrate after that. You want to soak the membranes for 24hrs before using them. A bucket of water that isn't heavy on minerals is ideal.

[JoeJ]

Your idea to use distilled water is correct. Or soft water that has very little iron and manganese in it will work(and no chlorine). An expert on membranes told me several years ago not to use sap to rinse a new membranes or to rinse storage solutions from a membrane. The stuff is sap will just start to plug the membrane before you even use it.

Joe

[Russell Lampron]

I flush them with about 100 gallons of well water. City water has chlorine in it so don't use that! Last year I made 200 gallons of permeate out of well water with my old membrane and then flushed my new ones with that. I use MES membranes now and like them better than any of the Dow membranes that I've used in the past.

[Bucket Head]

Russ,

What DOW membranes did you have and what MES ones are you using now? Does your machine have two 4 x40's?
I am looking at replacing mine and need to figure out where to go for them.

Thanks.

Steve

[Russell Lampron]

I've used Dow NF90, NF270 and XLE 4040 membranes. The NF90 and XLE 4040 were too slow and the NF270 passed sugar. MES only has one membrane model and I don't know the number. The MES membranes flow fast, almost as fast as the NF270 but don't pass sugar. They clean up nice too.

My machine has two 4x40's now but I only had one until last year. The people at MES are nice to deal with and the prices are good. In fact I just got a Christmas card from them. I paid less for two MES membranes than what Lapierre wanted for one NF90 membrane.

[maple flats]

Russ, great information. When and if I need new membranes I will check out MES.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks everyone!

Russ, I already purchased the membranes. With my small amount of production (I made a little over 60 gallons last season) I needed to be budget conscious. I was able to find 2 XLE 4040s online for less than the MES Membranes. I certainly would of preferred using MES as they are a local company and not a giant chemical firm like DOW. I just went with what I could get the best price on.

My next task is to convert my single post to a double post in series. I'm hoping this will save me time as I had in the past always ran my sap through the RO twice to bring up my concentrate. Now hoping to get those higher concentration rates with only 1 pass. Will start that project in the next few weeks.

-Scott

I've used Dow NF90, NF270 and XLE 4040 membranes. The NF90 and XLE 4040 were too slow and the NF270 passed sugar. MES only has one membrane model and I don't know the number. The MES membranes flow fast, almost as fast as the NF270 but don't pass sugar. They clean up nice too.

My machine has two 4x40's now but I only had one until last year. The people at MES are nice to deal with and the prices are good. In fact I just got a Christmas card from them. I paid less for two MES membranes than what Lapierre wanted for one NF90 membrane.

[Russell Lampron]

Thanks everyone!

Russ, I already purchased the membranes. With my small amount of production (I made a little over 60 gallons last season) I needed to be budget conscious. I was able to find 2 XLE 4040s online for less than the MES Membranes. I certainly would of preferred using MES as they are a local company and not a giant chemical firm like DOW. I just went with what I could get the best price on.

My next task is to convert my single post to a double post in series. I'm hoping this will save me time as I had in the past always ran my sap through the RO twice to bring up my concentrate. Now hoping to get those higher concentration rates with only 1 pass. Will start that project in the next few weeks.

-Scott

If I remember right the MES membranes were about $220 each and the XLE was about the same. The NF membranes were $317 at Atlantic RO and about $450 each at Lapierre. I know that I saved $500 buying my membranes from MES. MES also has good prices on pre filters. I got them there for less than I could on Amazon.

My membranes are connected in series. I'll have to get the actual number when I start ROing again but I think I was getting 12% on the first pass. I know that I was getting 20% on the second pass.