R/O drains constantly


  #1  
Old 10-02-07, 01:33 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
R/O drains constantly

I have a GE Smartwater R/O unit. It is draining all the time, I have to shut of the water to the unit in order to stop it. It's about 15 months old... any ideas what could be the problem?
 
  #2  
Old 10-02-07, 03:14 PM
J
New Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 652
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Check the auto shut-off valve and the make sure the flow restricter is not plugged shut.

Have you called GE?
 
  #3  
Old 10-02-07, 05:57 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
R/O Draining

ASO is definitely the prime suspect here.

The ASO actgs on the pressure differential between untreated water and purified water. Once the pressure on the purified side meets or exceeds the influent, the ASO will close, preventing inflow of raw water.

Depending on where your ASO is located, it might be as simple as changing your prefilter. - Have you ever changed your filters ?

A clogged drain restrictor will not cause continuous flow to drain, but can cause the membrane to foul and rupture/tear.
 
  #4  
Old 10-02-07, 08:38 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
embarrased to say have never changed the filters.... what does the ASO stand for? thanks for the reply!
 
  #5  
Old 10-02-07, 09:06 PM
J
New Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 652
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by palfer
embarrased to say have never changed the filters....
How long has this RO been in service without a filter change? If it has been a long time then a filter and membrane change are probably needed and you'll want to sanitize the RO.

Originally Posted by palfer
what does the ASO stand for?
Automatic Shut Off
 
  #6  
Old 10-05-07, 07:15 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Update--I sanitized the R/O system according to the owners manual. Changed both filters and the membrane...she still keeps draining. If I turn the valve off then back on it won't spontaneously drain, but as soon as a run some water from the R/O faucet the draining begins again.

Not sure where to go from here... there doesn't seem to be anything else down there that I can see could be causing this.. Any ideas gang??

thanks
 
  #7  
Old 10-05-07, 03:41 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Draining RO

This is sounding more & more like the ASO.

Is yours the GXR or PNRV series ?
 
  #8  
Old 10-06-07, 10:24 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
It's the PNRV... Think it makes sense to buy that part and give it a whirl??
 
  #9  
Old 10-06-07, 06:14 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Aso

Yes, since you've already invested in new filters.
The new ASO shouldn't be too expensive.
 
  #10  
Old 10-16-07, 07:58 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Greg and Gang,

Ordered and installed the ASO--Still the same. She keeps draining as soon as I turn of the supply valve. Not sure where to go from here, other than to the supermarket for some spring water. Any ideas??
 
  #11  
Old 10-16-07, 12:39 PM
J
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 192
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
check your TDS.....your membrain may be fowled to the point that no pressure is building up.....thus your ASO wont work
 
  #12  
Old 10-16-07, 01:28 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Already changed the both filters and membrane thinking that could be the problem...then moved onto the ASO.. now???
 
  #13  
Old 10-16-07, 02:43 PM
J
New Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 652
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by palfer
Already changed the both filters and membrane thinking that could be the problem...then moved onto the ASO.. now???
If the membrane isn't fully seated in the housing water will continue to run to drain.
 
  #14  
Old 10-16-07, 02:58 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
R/O Draining

Have you confirmed that your piping connections are correct (IN/OUT/DRAIN) ?

Have you tried running it with the storage tank turned off ?

What is your inlet pressure ?
 
  #15  
Old 10-16-07, 03:12 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
In/Out/Drain is correct... I did not touch any of that plumbing. How do I run with the tank "off"? While playing with the system I removed the tube that runs to the tank and can confirm there is PLENTY of pressure running to the tank. Funny thing is the tank doesn't fill??? Maybe that is what is wrong...maybe not
 
  #16  
Old 10-16-07, 09:15 PM
J
Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 192
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
If the tank is not filling then it has too much air in it.....the R/O may continue to run because it's not building any backpressure from the tank being filled......did you replace ANY of the tubing?
 
  #17  
Old 10-17-07, 07:43 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Didn't change any tubing but removed the tube to the tank for a few seconds and took a nice bath because of it. I let the system run for about a 1/2 hour and she steadily sent water to the drain however the tank filled a bit, enough so I can get water from the faucet, but the draining never ceases..
 
  #18  
Old 10-17-07, 12:11 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 47
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
You didn't let it run long enough for the tank to fill. The system will send water to BOTH the drain, and the tank while it is making filtered water. This is NORMAL. Try letting it run for 3 to 4 hours, and perhaps the tank will fill, the ASO will kick in, and the flow of water will stop. And yes, if you turn on the filtered-water faucet, draining will begin again, while the unit fills the tank, again. All sounds quite normal to me. While you're at it, check the pressure on your tank with a standard tire pressure gauge. I think it's supposed to be around 5 - 7 psi. This provides enough force to cause the water to flow out the faucet. If it's too high, the tank won't completely fill.
 
  #19  
Old 10-25-07, 12:38 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I did what you suggested. I let her run, she drains and drains... Every once in a while it will shut off, then as soon as you use some of the water from the system it's start the continuous drain once again.
 
  #20  
Old 10-25-07, 12:42 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Have you tried running it with the storage tank turned off ?

See how long it takes for the ASO to shut the flow down.
I would expect no more than 15 seconds for that system.

What is your inlet water pressure ?
 
  #21  
Old 10-25-07, 01:57 PM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
How do I turn the tank off or test pressure?
 
  #22  
Old 10-25-07, 04:04 PM
J
New Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 652
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by palfer
How do I turn the tank off or test pressure?
You should have checked the tank pressure early in your troubleshooting...

Use a low pressure air gauge on the valve on the tank to check the pressure. It's low volume so you can lose the air quickly. If you get ANY water out of the air valve you have a ruptured tank bladder.

Shut off the water supply to the RO and open the RO faucet to empty the tank. Remove the tank and hold it over the sink to make sure it is empty.

With the tank empty there should be between 4-7 lbs pressure. Adjust the pressure as necessary using a bicycle pump. Be very carefull if you try to use a compressor... small volume and easy to pop a membrane. Replace the tank and hook it back up. Turn on the water supply to the RO and it will begin filling the tank and running the waste water to drain. When the tank is full the RO should shut off.

If that doesn't resolve the problem then go back to square one and triple check everything you did.

Check all the connections and make sure the membrane is fully seated in it's housing.
 
  #23  
Old 10-25-07, 07:53 PM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Utah
Posts: 234
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
http://products.geappliances.com/Pro...emid=003675345

Page 7 shows the tank shutoff valve operation.


==



Inlet pressure is your house water pressure. Use a pressure gauge and connect it to a hose bib or at your laundry box.

I like RO's to run at around 75psi, since that provides performance as close as possible to test spec.
The lower the inlet pressure, the slower it will produce water.
If the inlet pressure drops below 40psi, some RO's will fail to even produce product water at all.
 
  #24  
Old 10-29-07, 09:22 AM
P
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Hi Guys--As suggested I let her run.. eventually she did shut down. When I use the system it starts draining again but only for about a 1/2 minute. Guess I just needed to be more patient... Sorry to waste everyone's time.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: