Q. What is WAVES Home R.O. System ?

Q. How does Reverse Osmosis differ from a Water Filter ?

Q: What is the membrane and how does it work ?

Q: Can you explain Osmosis ?

Q: What is Reverse Osmosis ?

Q: How did Reverse Osmosis get its start ?

Q: Will R.O. remove Sodium from the water ?

Q: Does R.O. remove Bacteria ? Cryptosporidium ?

Q: What does the WAVES series drinking water taste like ?

Q: How will the WAVES series water affect mixed beverages ?

Q: Don't people need minerals removed from the water ?

Q: Where is the WAVES series drinking water system installed ?

Q: How to test your home R/O system---Using water quality tester tools?

Q: Can the WAVES system be connected to an extra faucet ?

Q: What factors affect the quantity and the quality of the water produced ?

Q: How much water does the WAVES system produce ?

Q: Can the amount of water produced be increased ?

Q: What is the guarantee on the WAVES System ?

Q: What is the maintenance schedule for the WAVES System ?

Q: When should the membrane be changed ?

Q: What contaminants does Reverse Osmosis Remove ?

WAVES RO Systems is a Home Drinking Water System that uses the principle of reverse osmosis to remove 95-99% of all the mineral and chemical contaminants from raw tap water. WAVES products gives you the quality of bottled water with the convenience of a faucet mounted on your kitchen sink.

Ordinary water filters use a screen to separate only particles of dirt sediment from water. Reverse osmosis employs a semipermeable membrane that removes not only particles but also an extremely high percentage of dissolved contaminants-molecule by molecule- from raw tap water.

The membrane consists of several thin layers or sheets of film that are bonded together and rolled in a spiral configuration around a plastic tub (This is also known as a thin film composite or TFC membrane.) The material of the membrane is semipermeable : it allows water molecules pass through while acting as a barrier to dissolved solids (i.e.: mineral chemical contaminants). When the feed water stream passes across the surface of the membrane, the WAVES molecules penetrate the membrane surface, working their way around the spiral and collecting in the center tube. The remaining contaminants are concentrated and washed from the surface of the membrane down the drain.

Assume a membrane is semipermeable, allowing water to pass through while being closed to dissolved salts. Place a membrane between two compartments in a container as shown in the figure to the right. Then place a salt solution in one half of the container and pure water in the other half. Now a fundamental scientific principle comes into play. That is, two different concentrations of liquids within the same system will try to reach equilibrium (i.e. the same concentration of contaminants) on both sides of the membrane. Of course the only way for this to happen is for pure water to pass through the membrane to the salt water side in an attempt to reach equilibrium is called OSMOSIS.

Reverse Osmosis is the reversal of the natural flow of osmosis. In a water purification system, the goal is not to dilute the salt solution, but to separate the pure water from the salt and other contaminants. When the natural osmotic flow is reversed, water from the salt solution is forced through the membrane in the opposite direction by application of pressure-thus the term REVERSE OSMOSIS. Through this process, we are able to produce pure water by screening out the salts and other contaminants.

The raw tap water first flows through a 5 micron particle FILTER[1] to remove dirt, rust and other sediment. The water then flows into a carbon briquette cartridge FILTER[2] which takes out 98% of the chlorine and organic chemicals. The next stage of the process is FILTER[3] 1 micron sediment filter or the Block carbon filter to filter multi-chemical compounds and suspension. [4] The reverse osmosis membrane (TFC) which will separate 95-99% of the dissolved contaminants from the water molecules. The contaminants are then washed down the drain. The next stage of the WAVES RO SYSTEMS process is the small CARBON FILTER [5] removes the remaining traces of chemicals, tastes and odors. Typical Flow Chart
The R.O. water is stored in a 3.2 gallons TANK[6]. Inside the tank is a balloon-like rubber diaphragm, pre-charged with 8-10 psi of air. As the tank fills, the air pressure increases and pushes the water out when the faucet is opened. The final element of the WAVES Series system is a POLISHED CHROME FAUCET [7]. It is installed on the kitchen counter or the sink. It is a dual action faucet offering intermittent flow (to fill a glass, hold the handle down) or continuous flow (to fill a coffee pot, lift the handle up).

Although the idea of reversing osmosis has been known for over 10 years, the practical application is a recent development. In 1962 the U.S Government funded the first R.O. plant which processed 1000 gallons clean water per day. Today, there are more than 3000 large R.O. treatment plants, each producing more than a million gallons of drinking water each day. In 1991, the U.S. Army bought 8,000 large membranes to their mobile water purification units for troops in Desert Storm. In 1993, the U.S. Government bought another 6,300 large membranes to purify flood water in the Midwest.

YES! Reverse Osmosis was originally designed to make sea water drinkable for the navy. It is ideal for anyone on a low sodium diet.

YES! An R.O. membrane has a pore size much smaller than bacteria virus, pyrogen or the cryptosporidium parasite. When functioning properly it will remove all microorganisms from tap water and produce sterile water .

The taste of the WAVES water depends on the amount of contaminants in the tap water originally. If 95% of dissolved minerals and chemicals are removed, the R.O. water may taste like distilled water (no minerals), bottled water (low mineral), or natural spring water (moderate mineral content).

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Because reverse osmosis removes invisible contaminants that mask flavor, it allows the natural taste of your beverages to come through. You will be able to use less coffee and still get the full flavor. Concentrated beverages like orange juice will taste tangier. You will probably be drinking a lot more water as well, since many people drink soda, Kool-Aid, concentrated juices, and beer as an alternative to bad-tasting tap water. Also, WAVES eliminates most of the lime build up on drip coffee makers, preventing the need for frequent cleaning. No longer will you find the white scum on the inside of pans after boiling water.

The WAVES System is usually installed underneath the kitchen sink. So installers prefer to locate the equipment in the basement or in a crawl space since the water may stay cooler there, and can be easily run up to the kitchen sink, as well as to a refrigerator & additional faucets in the home.

It only takes a 1/4" tee and tubing to run the water to a refrigerator or a extra faucet. Some families run WAVES system to all of their bathrooms.

There are four major variables to consider:
1. PRESSURE. The greater the water pressure, the better the quantity and quality of the water produced. Water pressure of 60 psi ideal. WAVES include one booster pump can make sure the water pressure.
2.TEMPERATURE. 76*F is the ideal water temperature for R.O. 40*F water will cause the production of R.O. water to fall to half of that at 76*F. The maximum water temperature recommended is 85*F.
3.TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS (TDS). The higher the amount of dissolved contaminants in the water, the lower the quantity of water produced. A high level of TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS can be overcome with additional water pressure.
4. MEMBRANE. Different membranes have different characteristics. Some produce more water than others; some have better contaminant rejection capabilities; some have greater resistance to chemical abrasion for longer life. WAVES system include RE1812-70 The Thin Film Composite(TFC) membranes combine the best of these characteristics and are considered the finest membrane in the world.

Under ideal conditions, the RE1812-70 TFC membrane is rated at 70gallons of production per day (70gpd at 60psi, 95gpd at 100psi). Under the average conditions, the consumer can expect 70-95 gallons of product water per day. But that's still a lot of water for the average household's drinking and cooking requirements.

At night, fill a pitcher with water from the tank. The emptier the tank the faster the water production. By morning the tank will be filled with fresh water.

The WAVES System (excluding filters) is guaranteed for 1 years for material and workmanship. All defective parts will be replaced free within the first year. The membrane has a one year pro-rated guarantee.

The three pre-filter cartridges should be changed every 6 months. The first is a 5 micron sediment cartridge. The second is a Carbon Cartridge. The third is a 1 micron sediment filters. (some system comes with the Extruded carbon filter.) Failure to change the cartridge every 6 months may allow chlorine to destroy the membrane. It is very easy to change the prefilters. Just order the needed filters from us and all system come with the housing wrench to open the filter housings so you can maintain your system yourself and feel confident about your drinking water.

One indication is a gradual reduction in water production caused by a layering of minerals and salts on the membrane surface. Another is a gradual deterioration in the quality of water being produced. You my notice a different taste or more white scum on the inside of a pan of water you are boiling. This might mean the R.O. membrane is disintegrating and requires replacement. (Note: Water Quality Tester TDSX1 help you to know when you should change the R.O. membrane or the best buy unit (RO103TDS).

The WAVES System contains a quality carbon filter which will remove more than 98% of organic chemicals from the water. These include THMs(chloroform), DBCP, lindane, TCEs(trichloroethylene), PCEs(tetrachloroethylene), carbon tetrachloride chlorine, In addition to these organic chemicals, below is a partial list of other contaminants removed by the Re1812-70 TFC membrane. The percentage of removal shown below is a conservative estimate.

TYPICAL THIN FILM COMPOSITE(TFC) MEMBRANE REJECTION RATE*