Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Problem with installing bypass plug on refrigerator

I have a Kinetico whole house water system. I recently had it serviced and new filters. The serviceman told me I install the bypass valve for the refrigerator to increase the water pressure. After finally figuring out I needed the bypass for the adapter I plugged it and now the sink and refrigerator water is just a little more than a dribble! Did I need to do something before or after adding the bypass plug? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

I'm not getting you? A by-pass valve? This is to water off, or send it to another direction? Did he want hard water, RO water, or treated water going to the fridge? Does the fridge have the filter in it?

Do you have an RO?

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Hi Andy, Sorry for the delayed response. I have a whole house water system (RO) and an additional filter underneath my sink for drinking water and refrigerator water. The technician changed the filters underneath the sink and told me if I wanted better water pressure that I should remove the water filter in the refrigerator and replace it with a bypass plug. I replaced the water filter with the bypass plug and now the water on the dispenser of the refrigerator and the filtered water on the sink are just a dribble. When I first turn it on, the water seems like the water pressure is going to be good and then it immediately becomes a dribble. Was I supposed to turn the water off after replacing the plug? I'm kind of stuck now because I threw the existing water filter in my refrigerator away. Hopefully I have articulated my problem better! Thanks for the help.

Since its not really a softener question......
It should make very little difference if a clean filter or the bypass plug is installed in the reefer. I've run mine both ways and notice almost no difference in the flow. Is it possible the bypass only installs correctly one way, and you have it reversed (180 degrees out)?

I know the filters can be expensive, but a simple check would be to put a filter in.

I think its more likely you have a partial blockage in a solenoid valve, the cutoff valve to the fridge, or before the cutoff. Makes perfect sense, the pressure build through the blockage, then when you activate the water, the pressure releases and you get a dribble after the first spray. Just like a kink in a water hose for the yard.

Possibly something from the filter cart that was replaced by the tech?

Just a question..no water quality pro...if you have a whole house RO, what does the addl filter at the sink do?

Well, the way the tech explained it to me was because our water out here in Nevada is really bad so the extra filter under the sink is like having a third filtration system to remove any chemicals that would alter the taste. I'm not quite sure since the systems were put in by the previous owner. When I called the Kinetico office they told me it may have something to do with the PSI. I know NOTHING about maintaining or working on the system so it's greek to me. I'm not even sure where the reading might be.

I don't think you have a whole house RO. That would not make sense with the given information. You have a softener and an RO under the sink.

Secondly, changing the filter at the fridge should no affect the pressure at the RO faucet at the sink. I suspect a shut off valve was closed and not re-opened. Depending on the RO and fridgr hoook up, there may be as many as four valves to checks: cold water feed, holding tank, lead to fridge and post RO filter, for example.

Did you recently change the filters on the RO? Is your RO tank black or white?

You may be eligible for parts warranty as Kinetico warranties go on to the next owners. You do have Kinetico RO under the sink, right? There have been some issues with tank modulators in some older units.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Oh heck I missed the part about the sink being a dribble as well. Disregard my advice..it has nothing to do with the fridge line.

Hi guys, thanks for the info and suggestions. Andy you might be right about the RO. I had a handyman here working on something else for me and he looked at it and said the valve to the storage cannister was turned off and he turned it back on. He definitely isn't a water filter guy either but he said it might work. I'm gonna wait a couple of hours and try again.