SpectraPure MaxCap RO/DI

[Johnny Reefer]

SpectraPure MaxCap 180 GPD 5 Stage RO/DI unit.

http://www.spectrapure.com/St_MaxCap-RO-DI.htm (Won't post as link, for some reason).

Overall I am very pleased with this unit.
I did find the manual disorganized and somewhat all over the place and hard to navigate. However, this being my first experience with RO/DI my inexperience likely was a factor in that. I had to re-read certain sections of the manual numerous times. I do still think there is room for improvement with it, though. The manual talks about testing the RO membrane rejection rate, on pg 7, before talking about system set-up (pg 8), testing waste/product ratio (pg 9), yada yada yada. Page 7 could have waited until later. Choosing a mounting location is discussed way back on pg 20. There is more instruction about RO membrane diagnostics on pg 15, but these steps precede what needs to be done on pg 7. Page 7 stuff should be on pg 16. Like I said….disorganized manual that is somewhat all over the place.

I also had trouble with the unit itself upon doing the initial rinse up and testing of the Waste/Product Ratio. I could tell right away that something was wrong because the water was ****ing out of the blue Product line, but was only trickling out of the yellow Waste line. (Should have been the other way around). This was on Saturday. I called the SpectraPure Toll Free number, but was informed this service was not available in my area. So I called their regular number and got a recording saying all lines are busy. I left a detailed message and contact #, but was not expecting a call back anytime soon as it was the weekend and they probably just keep that same recording going 24/7, even when no one is even there. In the meantime I went onto the SpectraPure forum on ReefCentral (they are a sponsor there) and posted my problem in a new thread. First thing Monday morning (which was an American holiday, I might add) I received a response from the SpectraPure rep on ReefCentral. Long story short, in communicating with the rep it was determined that the unit’s Waste line and Product line had been hooked up to the membrane housing backwards at the factory. I indicated that, this being the case, I have run approx 8-9 gallons of waste water through stages 4 and 5 of the unit. (Waste water is supposed to go down the drain after stage 3). The hint here was the DI cartridges, through no fault of my own, had been exposed to waste water, thus reducing their lifespan. In light of this, SpectraPure has offered me a free MaxCap DI cartridge. They also requested that I provide them with the date of manufacture as well as the assembler’s initials and the supervisor’s initials, all indicated on the unit’s build label, for disciplinary action. I give these guys a 9 for customer service. Quick response and diagnosis of the problem; offering me a free DI cartridge; and planning disciplinary (whatever that entails) action against the worker(s) responsible. Kudos. The only thing I’m not impressed with, re: customer service, is the toll free # not being available in my area. Also,...had the membrane housing itself been labeled as to which line goes where, I could likely have figured this out myself. After correcting the problem, I got a Waste/Product Ratio of 4:1. Bang on the money.

I have just finished using the unit for the first time, topping off my FOWLR top off reservoir. It’s a 90g tank of which I calculate the net volume to be 82 gallons, based on inside dimensions. The expected GPD of the RO/DI I calculated to be 93 GPD. (A day being 24 hours). The factory rated 180 GPD is based on a PSI of 60 and water temperature of 77F. I am getting a PSI of 50. PSI correction factor = 50/60 = 0.8333333. I measured the temperature of the water to be 50F. From a table in the manual, the temp correction factor = 0.620.
EGPD = RGPD x PSI CF x TCF.
EGPD = 180 x 0.83333 x 0.620
EGPD = 93.
Based on this, the time to fill the 82 gallons into the reservoir should take 21H 10M. I suspect, however, 1.5 gallons taken up by the FOWLR system to replenish evaporation during the process. So, 83.5 gallons should take 21H 33M.
The actual time to fill was 21H 02M, which calculates to 95+ GPD, @ 50 PSI and 50˚F. I am extremely happy with these results.

If anyone is looking for a good RO/DI system that pumps it out at a good rate, this is it, IMO.

Cheers,