How To Install A Drain Saddle For A Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System (RO)

A drain saddle is used to connect the drain line tube from the reverse osmosis membrane housing to the kitchen sink drain.  The water that goes down the drain from the RO filter is water molecules and pollutants that are too large to be squeezed through the membrane.  There is not much in tap water that is smaller than a pure water molecule, H2O.  Contaminants are either floating amongst the water molecules or they are attached to the water molecules.  The holes in a RO membrane are only big enough to allow an H20 molecule that doesn’t have a contaminant attached to it through to the storage tank.  Only the pure water molecules will fit through the RO membrane.  A RO membrane is more of a separator than a filter.  Another way to visualize a RO membrane is to think of it as a screen or a sieve allowing small pieces through while holding back the larger pieces to be washed down the drain.

     To install a drain saddle:

1. Drill 3/8" hole in the kitchen sink drain line between the sink and the p-trap. Do not mount the RO filter drain saddle after the kitchen sink p-trap.
2. Mount the drain saddle on the kitchen sink drain.
3. Connect the RO membrane drain tube to the drain saddle.

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How To Install A Feed Water Supply Valve To A Reverse Osmosis (RO)

The water used to feed a RO filter system is taken from the cold water line under the kitchen sink.  The cold water pressure should be at least 50psi.  If the water pressure is lower than 50psi then a booster pump will be necessary. 

The reverse osmosis system being installed will have either a CTA RO membrane or a thin film RO membrane.  If a CTA RO membrane is being used then the tap water must be chlorinated.  Some water supplies and especially private water wells may not be chlorinated.  If the water supply is not chlorinated then a reverse osmosis system with a thin film RO membrane must be used.

If the reverse osmosis system is a 3-stage filter then it has a CTA RO membrane.  If the reverse osmosis system is a 4 or 5-stage filter then it has a thin film RO membrane.

     To install a Feed water supply valve:

1. Disconnect the cold water supply flex line from the angle stop under the sink.
2. Screw the feed water supply valve onto the angle stop.
3. Connect the cold water supply flex line to the feed water supply valve.

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How To Replace A Storage Tank For A Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Filtration System

Storage tanks should be replaced when the bladder inside the tank won’t push the water out of the storage tank through the RO faucet any longer.  To find out if the storage tank should be replaced, pick the storage tank up.  If the storage tank feels full then turn on the RO faucet and about 2 gallons of water should come out of the RO faucet in a strong steady stream.  If the storage tank is full and only a small amount of water comes out of the RO faucet then the storage tank should be replaced with a new storage tank or the storage tank should be re-inflated.  (See WaterProBill blog on how to re-inflate a RO storage tank.)  

To replace a RO storage tank:

1. Turn off the feed water supply valve
2. Turn RO faucet on.
3. Disconnect RO storage tank tube from the tee on the inline carbon filter.
4. Turn on the storage tank valve to drain as much water as possible out of the storage tank into the sink.
5. Remove the storage tank ball valve and tube from the old storage tank.
6. Put Teflon tape on the threads of the new storage tank.
7. Put the ball valve and tube on the new storage tank.
8. Reconnect the storage tank tube to the tee.
9. Turn the feed water supply valve on.
10. Check for leaks.
11. Turn off the RO faucet.
12. Allow the storage tank to fill with water. This will take about 2 hours.
13. Turn on the RO faucet to release the trapped air in the system.

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How To Remove A Reverse Osmosis Filtration System (RO) From A Kitchen Sink

After disconnecting a reverse osmosis drinking water system the system is at risk of contamination at every open fitting that a tube has been disconnected from.  These openings allow bacteria to enter the system and thrive in the wet tubes, housings and filters.  If the RO system is not reinstalled within 2 or 3 days it should be sanitized using the complete sanitation routine including changing the filters and RO membrane.    

To disconnect a reverse osmosis drinking water system from under a kitchen sink in four steps:

1. Disconnect the RO membrane housing drain line tube from the drain saddle and use a 1/4" plug inserted through a 1/4" nut to screw on to the drain saddle to cap off the drain hole.
2. Remove the cold water flex line from the RO feed water supple valve. Remove the feed water supply valve from the cold water angle stop. Reconnect the cold water flex line to the cold water angle stop.
3. Disconnect the ice line from the RO faucet tube and leave the disconnected ice line under the sink for possible future use.
4. Remove the RO faucet and cover the remaining hole in the sink with a 2" faucet hole cover sealed with plumbers putty.

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When Should You Change The Filters On A Reverse Osmosis Water System?

There are different answers and opinions about when RO filters and membranes should be changed.  3-stage RO filters use CTA membranes and 4 and 5-stage RO filters use thin film membranes.  Thin film membranes last longer and produce purer water than CTA membranes.

RO filters using CTA membranes should have the filters and membrane changed every year or when the RO filter begins to produce 200ppm water, whichever comes first.  Most often the 3-stage RO filter system will be producing less than 200ppm water in one year.  With new filters and a new membrane a 3-stage RO filter will produce somewhere between 40ppm and 90ppm water depending on how soon after being manufactured the CTA membrane is installed.  As time goes by the ppm count will slowly but steadily increase due to the membrane losing its efficiency.

RO filters using thin film membranes should have the filters and membrane changed every eighteen months or when the RO filter begins to produce 100ppm water, whichever comes first.  Most often the 4 and 5-stage RO filters will be producing less than 100ppm water in eighteen months.  With new filters and a new membrane the 4 and 5-stage RO filters will produce somewhere between 10ppm and 40ppm.  As time goes by the ppm count will slowly but steadily increase due to the membrane losing its efficiency.

To put the ppm numbers in perspective, the most popular bottled water measures between 50ppm and 200ppm.  It is very likely that a 5-stage RO filter will produce water that measures less than 50ppm for the full eighteen months.  In other words, if a 5-stage RO filter is maintained as suggested, it will produce higher quality water for the whole eighteen months than bottled water.

The only readily available water that is more pure than 5-stage RO water is distilled water.  The reason distilled water is not more popular for drinking is that most people prefer the taste of RO water.

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7 of 7 (Watch) Clean A Reverse Osmosis (RO) & Ice Line That Is Connected

This seventh part of the seven part series begins to fill the storage tank with water. It will take about 2 hours for the storage tank to fill. 

Now is the time to very thoroughly check every connection for leaks.  A small leak over a few months can cause thousands of dollars of damage to walls, cabinets and floors.  All connections should be checked a few hours after the initial leak inspection and then checked again the following day.

After the initial leak inspection place RO filter system in the cabinet under the sink.  Insure that no tubes are kinked.

The RO filter system and ice line sanitation routine and RO membrane and filter change is now complete.

     RO filter disinfection instructions:

1. Turn off the RO faucet.
2. Check for leaks.
3. Replace RO filters and storage tank back under the sink.

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6 of 7 (Watch) Clean A Reverse Osmosis (RO) & Ice Line That Is Connected

This sixth part of the seven part series completes the reassembly of the RO filter system.  The RO filter system and ice line has been thoroughly sanitized and the RO membrane and filter have been replaced with new ones.

Water is reintroduced to the RO filter system and air is purged from the filter housings and the tubes.

     RO filter disinfection instructions:

1. Unscrew the sediment and carbon filter housings.
2. Place a new sediment filter and two carbon filters in the filter housing.
3. Turn on the storage tank ball valve.
4. Turn on the feed water supply valve to the RO filter.
5. Turn on the RO faucet and wait a few minutes for water to begin flowing form the RO faucet.

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