Smelly RO/DI water?

[TylerHaworth]

Alright... I just changed out all of the filters in my RO/DI unit... I've ran about 50-60 gallons through it so far...

The new output water stinks... Why? Both of my TDS meters read 0 on the fresh water... and the input water smells like normal tapwater before it goes into the unit... what gives!?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Where are you storing it? If your TDS meter is truly reading 0, there's not much else it could be.. besides maybe the tubing? What does it smell like?

 

[TylerHaworth]

Ive had it pump into several different containers, including clean tupperware containers... it smells like rotten fish... perhaps it could be the tubing... i cant imagine why though...

 

[Seahorse1]

I had the exact same problem a few weeks ago, you can search for the thread "Stinky RO/DI water" post if you like. Our resin apparently was expired and we had to do a few changes in the connection and add more carbon - but that's because our town water is really really bad.

 

[tnwillia]

If all you did was change the filters and everything was OK prior to that, it seems like you got a bad filter.

 

[tektite]

I had that problem recently, it was the DI filter causing it.

 

[TylerHaworth]

Hm... that stinks (literally)... guess I'll order a new batch of Di resin from a different supplier this time... good thing I only got enough for one fill!

 

[BLAKEJOHN]

Usually a bad fishy smell is caused by an expired or expiring carbon filter. Your previous carbon filter may have been way overdue and the ordor impregnated itself into the tubing.

I would change all the tubing from the carbon filter and on. I would also open all the cases and smell them, maybe this could lead you to the source.

 

[TylerHaworth]

Fresh water is now coming out at 25-30ppm, definitely a bad filter...

The smell only came after I changed all of my filters, I highly doubt that it would be a residual effect from odor impregnation. Also, my old filters were brand new when I built my system only seven or eight months ago.

My source water is also fairly decent, only registering 150-170ppm straight from the tap, which also leads me to believe that the old filters were not "way overdue" or potentially not even overdue at all.

I'm guessing since you mention carbon... that the new carbon filter could be bad

 

[tektite]

It would probably be cheaper to replace the carbon filter instead of the DI to see if that's the problem. I do know that for me it was the DI filter causing the fishy smell though.

 

[tnwillia]

Tek... could you tell the bad filter by the smell when you took it out. Isolate bad from good? Getting ready to change mine for the first time.

 

[tektite]

It did smell bad when I took it off, but I'm not sure if the majority of the smell was from the water in the canister or from the DI filter itself.

 

[tnwillia]

OK thanks!