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Summer is a period of vacations and a pleasant pastime in the country, in the village or in a country hotel. Someone leaves their apartment for just a week or two, having a well-deserved rest and flying to the sea, but someone spends the whole summer in a country house.

In such a situation, the consumer has a question – what to do with the reverse osmosis system if it has not been used for a week, a month, maybe six months or a year?

In this article, we will figure out how to prepare the reverse osmosis system for a long period of downtime, how to restore it after such a period, is it worth draining the water from the storage tank and rinsing the reverse osmosis system after it has not been used for a long time?

General rules for the use of reverse osmosis systems.

Changing cartridges in prefiltration stages of RO systems.

Firstly, very often there is a question of replacing the cartridges of the preliminary stages of the reverse osmotic system. In addition to the fact that it depends on the degree of contamination of the cartridges, which is easy to check for AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO reverse osmosis systems without unscrewing the filter bodies, due to their absolute transparency, there are also sanitary standards. According to them, it is necessary to change the cartridges of the preliminary stages of reverse osmosis systems at least once every six months – in order to avoid possible reproduction of pathogenic bacteria that have fallen from water pipes. We conclude that if the cartridges of the pre–cleaning stages of the reverse osmosis system have not changed for a long time, after a long vacation they will still have to be updated – so you can throw them out in advance and rinse the flasks.

Safety precautions in the maintenance of reverse osmosis systems.

ТHere I would like to note the most important thing – since we leave the apartment or house for a long time, in order to avoid accidents, it is advisable to disconnect the reverse osmosis system from the water supply source. If you use the AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO reverse osmosis system or similar, it is enough for you to turn off the tap to connect to the water supply.

Connection to the water supply switched off.

It is also not superfluous to completely drain the water from the storage tank and filter flasks. You can empty the transparent bodies of the pre-cleaning stages of the reverse osmotic system carefully into a bucket or into a basin (do not lose the O-rings!). You can completely drain the storage tank of the reverse osmosis system by turning it over and opening the faucet located on top.

What should I do if I haven't used reverse osmosis for a week or two?

If you were absent for a short period of time and did not use the reverse osmosis system for only a week or two, while the water remained in the storage tank, you should not worry about its condition. In reverse osmosis systems AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO, a carbon linear cartridge (postfilter) AQUABRIGHT UGA-LINE is installed after the storage tank, which produces additional sorption purification of water after the storage tank. It is enough to drain a small amount of water (washing for 5-7 minutes is enough) through the tap of the reverse osmosis system, and then drink water from it without any fear. The main thing is that the water does not exude any foreign smell.

If you haven't used the system for about a month, it's betterto drain one or two tanks of water before you start using it. The drain is also carried out directly from the tap of the reverse osmosis system.

What to do if I didn't use (won't use) a reverse osmosis system for a long time? How to prepare a reverse osmosis system for a long period of downtime?

If you have not used the reverse osmosis system for a long period of time (more than three months or even six months), then you need to replace its filter elements, at least three prefiltration steps and make a thorough of the reverse osmosis system (at least 2-3 full storage tank capacities). Be sure to check the reverse osmosis system for possible leaks for some time after assembly!

It would not be bad to treat an empty system (without cartridges) with a mixture of sodium hypochlorite without additional flavors and surfactants before thorough washing. A mixture must be poured into the system, then there must be added soe water and left for several hours. After that, the system must be rinsed especially thoroughly!

If you have planned your long absence in advance, it is necessary to prepare the reverse osmosis system for a long period of downtime – to "preserve" your reverse osmosis system:

• Shut off the water supply (turn off the pressure boosting device from the mains if it is used together with the reverse osmosis system).
• Completely drain the water from the storage tank of the reverse osmosis system.
• Remove the cartridges from the pre-cleaning stages. If they are practically new, we send them in a cellophane bag to the refrigerator, otherwise it is better to dispose of them.
• Linear cartridges (such as the carbon postfilter AQUABRIGHT UGA-LINE and the MINERALIZER AQUABRIGHT MINERAL-LINE) must also be placed in a bag and put in the refrigerator.
• The reverse osmotic membrane must always be in water – it can be placed in the refrigerator directly in the membrane unit (after making sure that there is water in it), or put it in an airtight bag and put it in the refrigerator.

After you assemble your reverse osmosis system back, it needs to be rinsed with 2-3 volumes of a full tank of water. Be sure to check the reverse osmosis system for possible leaks for some time after assembly! 

Down below is a picture of AQUABRIGHT cartridges set for reverse osmosis systmes.

Residents of most developed  modern multi-storey cities are accustomed to the fact that municipal hot and cold water in the kitchen and bathroom of each apartment is avalieble 24 hours a day, except for seasonal preventive periods, and the water is supplied with good pressure. In such conditions, you can dial a bathroom in a couple of minutes, or instantly fill a cooking pot.

However, in village areas or in areas with low buildings, the situation with the level of water pressure in the water supply system is often completely different. This also applies to a number of southern regions of Russia and many foreign countries, especially in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The performance of any reverse osmosis system connected to a low-pressure water main will either be insufficient for comfortable use, or the system will refuse to work at all and you will have to forget about clean drinking water from the tap on the kitchen sink.

WHAT PRESSURE LEVEL IS NECESSARY FOR NORMAL OPERATION OF REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM?

In order for a reverse osmosis system, such as AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-5 or AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-6, to work successfully and show the performance level declared by the manufacturer of the reverse osmosis system (equipped with a VONTRON ULP2012-100 membrane, the AQUABRIGHT reverse osmosis system is able to purify up to 377 liters of water per day), the pressure in the water main must be in the range of three to six bar.

The fact is that the reverse osmosis membrane, which is the main filtering element of any reverse osmosis water purification system, has an extremely dense structure and the water pressure at the outlet of the reverse osmosis membrane will be significantly lower than the initial pressure in the water supply. The pretreatment stages of the reverse osmosis system also affect the pressure, but their effect is not so significant.

HOW DOES THE PRESSURE BUSTING PUMP UPD-OSMO-100 WORK?

The AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 pressure boosting pump for reverse osmosis systems stabilizes water pressure and increases the performance of the reverse osmosis system. For the operation of the AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 boosting pump, a pressure of 0.5 bar is sufficient. AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 has a built-in relay that automatically turns on the pressure boosting device if the pressure at the pump inlet drops below 1.5 bar and turns it off if the pressure in the system reaches 3.5 bar.

The maximum allowable pressure for the correct operation of the PBP-OSMO-100 pump is 8 bar, however, it must be remembered that the installation of a pressure limiter in the water main for 6 bar is mandatory and prescribed in the instructions for AQUABRIGHT ABF–OSMO reverse osmosis systems.

PBP-OSMO-100 connection scheme

The case of AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 pressure boosting pump has three connectors. Yellow is the inlet for tap water, blue is the outlet from which water goes to the inlet of the first pretritment stage of the reverse osmosis system, and yellow is the inlet connection between pressure boosting pumpand the reverse osmosis system's adapter located between the storage tank of the system and the outlet of the membrane block. This allows the sensor not  to track the pressure in the water supply itself, but the actual operating pressure at the outlet of the reverse osmosis system, as a result, the boost pump for the AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 reverse osmosis system works as efficiently as possible and turns on only when there is a real need for it, without wasting electricity.

The AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 pressure boosting device itself consists of a bracket with holes for mounting to the wall, a pump that increases pressure, connections to the water supply and to a 220V power source.

The pressure boosting device PBP-OSMO-100 has a low noise level, low power consumption (40 W), high performance indicators (the average value is 56 liters / hour, which is more than enough for the efficient operation of the reverse osmotic system) and compact dimensions (195x190x120mm).

The full list of technical characteristics of the AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 pressure boosting device is given in the table below.

WHERE TO BUY A PRESSURE BOOSTING PUMP FOR REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS AQUABRIGHT BP-OSMO-100?

The boost pump for reverse osmosis systems AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 is an excellent addition to any household reverse osmosis system. This pressure boosting device is simply necessary if your reverse osmosis system does not work efficiently and the storage tank for clean water is filled too long, or the reverse osmosis system does not work at all due to the fact that the membrane simply does not let water through itself.

Even if you purchased a reverse osmosis system without a pressure boosting device and realized the need for a booster pump after connecting the reverse osmosis system to the water supply, you can purchase the AQUABRIGHT PBP-OSMO-100 pressure boosting device separately and connect it to the water supply and reverse osmosis system yourself.

You can purchase a pressure boosting device for reverse osmosis systems PBP-OSMO-100, as well as the reverse osmotic systems AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-5 and AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-6, reverse osmosis membranes and replaceable elements for reverse osmosis systems from one of the dealers of TERRA WATER GROUP LLC or by familiarizing yourself with information in the "WHERE TO BUY?" section on the official website of the AQUABRIGHT trademark – aquabright.ru or on the website of TERRA WATER GROUP LLC - https://terrawater.ru/.

Surely, everyone who reads this article remembers the simplest experiments with litmus tests in chemistry lessons in high school. Two, at first glance, identical liquids, poured into different glasses, but at the same time equally transparent and having neither smell nor taste, colored those litmus papers in colors opposite to each other by spectrum. The blue-green shade symbolized an alkaline environment, a bright acid-yellow or even orange – acidic.

In this article we will understand: what is the acid-base balance of the liquid (pH), how it affects the human body and, most importantly, we will find out whether water purification by reverse osmosis affects the acidity of water.

What is the acid-base balance of water (pH)?

To be brief – acid-base balance (pH) or acid-base equilibrium is the relative constancy of the ratio of acids and alkalis in a liquid. It is expressed by the molar concentration of ions in solution. This indicator is quite important when analyzing whether the liquid is potentially harmful to a living organism or whether its use will pass without a trace.

The fact is that the acid-base balance (pH) of a living organism is within fairly strict limits - this is the pH level of arterial blood – 7.26 – 7.45. It is generally believed that the closer the pH of the consumed liquid is to the acidic environment (values below 6.0), the greater the harm caused to health by its consumption. Alkaline water (with a pH from 8.0 to 10.0), on the contrary, has a beneficial effect on the human body. The acid-base balance in the region of 7.0 is considered neutral.

In general, doctors and scientists note that the acid-base fluid balance (pH), ranging from 6.0 to 8.0, is relatively neutral and is not a factor that brings any tangible changes to the body's work.

So, in the range of common sience, tap water should have a pH of 7.0, spring water it reaches 8.0, distilled water – 6.0. Cola or other highly carbonated water will have an acidic environment with a pH in the region of 3.0.

How does the reverse osmosis membrane affect the acid-base balance of water (pH)?

There is an opinion among consumers that the reverse osmosis membrane makes water "dead" and greatly reduces the acid-base balance of water (pH). The best way to find out if this is really the case is a visual test of water with a pH meter at the inlet and outlet of the reverse osmosis system.
So we have:

MILWAUKEE PH meter pH 600
AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO 6 reverse osmosis system with mineralizer.
Municipal tap water, the original source is an artesian well.

A device for measuring the acid-base balance of liquids.

The essence of the experiment is as follows – we need to make 3 measurements of the acid-base balance level – tap water, water immediately after the reverse osmosis membrane (before it enters the tank), water after the tank and the AQUABRIGHT UGA-LINE linear postfilter (similar to the result of cleaning with the AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO 5 reverse osmosis system, without a mineralizer) and water that has passed all 6 stages of the reverse osmosis water purification system – AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO 6.

What we have:
The water from the water main has a pH level of 7.1

The water at the outlet of the membrane unit has a pH of 5.9

Water after 5 stages of purification has a pH of 6.7

The water after the mineralizer has a pH of 7.3

In a fact, we see that straight after the reverse osmosis membrane, the water has a more acidic environment, however, at the outlet of the tap of the AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO reverse osmosis system, we have water with a neutral level of acid-base balance (pH).

Why does the acid-base balance (pH) decrease in reverse osmotic water?

here are two main reasons why the water at the outlet of the membrane unit of the reverse osmosis system has an acid-base balance (pH) lower than the source water:
1) Low buffering of the liquid.

2) The difference in the size of the ions [H+] and [OH-]

Buffering of the solution is the ability of the solution to keep the pH unchanged when the concentrations of dissolved substances change or additional components are added to it (solution). In general, the more salts dissolved in water, the higher the buffering of the solution. In the case of reverse osmotic water, we get water with a very low content of solutes and, as a result, with low buffering.

As for the size of the ions – let's remember the formula of water – H2O. The Water molecule can be represented as a compound of the OH- hydroxyl group and the H+ cation. The size of the [H+] ion is smaller than [OH−], which allows it to pass through the membrane and shift the acid-base equilibrium. At the exit from the reverse osmotic membrane, the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water becomes greater, while the pH of the water decreases and the acid-base balance shifts towards the acidic medium.

How to normalize the acid-base balance (pH) of water after reverse osmosis membrane?

Firstly, a linear postfilter will help us to partially normalize the acid-base balance of reverse osmotic water. In the reverse osmosis water purification systems AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-5 and ABF-OSMO-6, linear carbon cartridges with activated coconut carbon AQUABRIGHT UGA-LINE are installed. These cartridges are used to carry out additional sorption purification of water accumulated in a 12-liter tank of the AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO reverse osmosis system. They also help to increase the level of acid-base balance of water, as they contain activated coconut carbom, which adsorbs carbon dioxide particles dissolved in water, and thereby increases the pH level.

The AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-6 reverse osmosis system has a linear cartridge – mineralizer AQUABRIGHT MINERAL-LINE, which saturates the water with useful minerals and, as a result, increases the buffering of the liquid and changes its environment. Calcium carbonate (natural material - calcite) and magnesium contained in most high-quality mineralizers for reverse osmotic systems, such as AQUABRIGHT MINERAL-LINE, normalize the level of acid-base balance by shifting it towards the main medium.

The calcite mineral in its natural form.

To make a summary - the acid-base balance of drinking water (pH) purified by the reverse osmotic system AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-5 or AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-6 will be at a relatively neutral level, however, if you want to drink more "HEALTHY" water, AQUABRIGHT recommends that you purchase a reverse osmotic system with a mineralizer, such as AQUABRIGHT ABF-OSMO-6, or complete your reverse osmosis system with a linear mineralizer AQUABRIGHT MINERAL-LINE!