2500 GPD Whole House Reverse Osmosis System

I purchased this 2500 gallons per day (GPD) reverse osmosis (RO) system late (last quarter of) in 2018 but was delayed for about one (1) year before using it. Upon receipt I very generally inspected it and felt that it appeared fairly well built and suitable for my intended operation. I thought it somewhat over priced but wanted the rated capacity for medium capacity potable water development. The intention was to construct a whole house RO system using a ten-thousand (10,000) liter city water filled cistern water source with two (2) one-thousand one-hundred (1100) liter (290.62 gallon) storage tanks and one (1) 1100 liter waste water storage tank. I estimated that, at twenty-five (25%) per cent waste to usable efficiency, I should develop about six-hundred and twenty-five (625) gallons an operating day or over twice (2X) the capacity of the waste water tank. This if the system ran continuously for one (1) day of filling the two (2) potable water storage tanks. Of course this also meant that the operating day would develop nearly twenty (20X) times the capacity of the potable water storage tanks. Under normal home water consumption and normal reasoning that the system would not need to run the entire day since it would fill the potable water storage tanks and stop operating, I felt that the system would operate quite well.The first error in my understanding was that this RO system and, perhaps most RO systems, do not operate at twenty-five (25%) per cent loss rates. It is actually between thirty-five (35%) to forty (40%) with some possibly approaching the fifty (50%) per cent point depending on the quality of the water in terms of waste to potable water development. Since I intended to use the developed waste water to water plants and other non-potable water uses (patio cleaning, car washing, etc., etc.,) I felt that I could still keep pace with the development of waste water. This though the actual efficiency rate caused me now to face up to an eight-hundred and seventy-five (875) to one-thousand (1,000) gallons of waste water development rate or almost twice what I initially expected.In fairness to this manufacturer this is probably about average in efficiency for any RO and that my expectation was much too optimistic.The second error in my understanding was that the manufacturer did a thorough and capable job of specifying parts for, in assembling, and in testing the system. Either that or the one (1) year of sitting around caused the system to develop a number of problems. Upon set-up and start-up the entire system leaked like a sieve. Not mere drips but pressure sprays of water from nearly every plastic connection. There are also a number of normal brass metal connections where possible with adaptors to install the plastic fittings. Within four (4) days of operation one (1) of the one-hundred and fifty (150) psi rated black plastic waste water lines developed a wall pressure bubble which then split longitudinally and erupted in a pressure spray of water. All this in the face of normal house water pressure operation. There was, at no time by me or by the system, any attempt to operate at any fraction of much less at or above the pressure limitations of the lines. Happily for my design I had installed a bypass so that I could cut out the RO system and continue to use filtered house water. This so that my house would not be without water should the RO system require either periodic maintenance and support or if, as this system did, there were problems.The third error in my understanding was that the RO pump would not "run hot". I mean to say that this pump will get quite hot while circulating water through the RO system. So hot that you must ensure not to have any of the plastic lines anywhere near the pump and certainly do not make skin contact with the unit. As such I do not have high hopes for a long operating life for this pump.The fourth (4th) noted error is that the vendor does not use the approved RO tubing colors to indicate the status flow of the water lines. On this device they did not use any red RO tubing at all to show the untreated water input supply lines where installed. They only used blue (the correct color to be used for RO purified water out lines) for all the installed lines except for where they correctly used black for RO output waste water lines. So, at a glance, you cannot easily determine where the water lines are in terms of system operation.Generally, it is felt by some that there is probably no such thing as a "whole house" RO system. I do not agree though proper planning and a thoroughly considered design will be necessary. A reliable and well designed RO system with sufficient capacity can certainly disprove the idea that whole house RO is not possible. I have concerns that this design is reliable enough for this use. As indicated I certainly cannot recommend this system to any general user without an extreme caution for them to have someone around who can assist them to correct all the problems. Preferably someone with experience on RO systems as well as the use of RO quality tubing and connectors. This device could with some major redesign, attention to detail, and a high degree of quality control get up to a three (3) star rating but two (2) stars with a leaning towards one (1) star as the best I can show.

I purchased this system from Crystal Quest, of Georgia one year ago. There are no dealers that handle this product in the Hanover, PA area. My regular plumber did the installation. To make a long story short, I was having problems with the R/O system motor/pump was making unusual noise and tripping the 20A breaker. We initially thought it was the R/O pump making this noise and the company provided a replacement under the warrantee period. When we installed the new pump the motor finally gave out. We had to have it repaired and now works fine. It also suffered a short in the main on/off power switch on the front panel. This system is now performing OK at this time and it is producing the required amount of clear clean water. One thing more is that the pressure pump/motor assembly makes a lot of noise and could have used a quiet motor for this application.I can only give this product the two stars based upon my experience with this product.