PUR 40E Mounting orientation

[botanybay]

I am remounting an older PUR40E which had not been used for some time (8 years) and when there is no air in the system appears to produce water at the correct rate and has good taste, need to get a TDS to check for the quality.

At any rate, the unit is a bit intermittent, once running correctly it keeps making water, turning it on and off is not a problem.

However, it's ability to clear air out of the system appears to be the issue. I have it mounted with the drive motor pointed up and the membrane horizontal with the motor drive above it.

I suspect that the unit just needs new seals, while it only has about 400 hours on it (have an hour meter on it) they are the original seals from 1997 as is the membrane.

I just wanted to make sure that I have not mounted the unit in a way which makes clearing air out more difficult.

I did notice that when flipping the pressure release valve I get a bit of water from the pin actuated by the valve. I replaced the o-rings for the valve (new design with shoulder) mount to the watermaker (the large oval one and the small one around the pin) with silicone grease and it is much better. No leakage at all when down but an occasional drop when up (bypass).

Otherwise, a 15 year old membrane which had been pickled 8 years ago and set on a cool shelf and then forgotten about.

Oh, I am currently running out of a bucket of salt water right under the watermaker to verify it is working correctly.

Thanks for any thoughts on the mounting and the question of if it is normal for the unit to have a bit of a weap with the bypass valve open (i.e. pressure release).

David

[botanybay]

Well, it appears that if I run the unit with the pressure release off until all of the air is out of the system and then flip the valve to allow pressure the system works reliably. I am assuming that it may be that the o-rings are old in this 1999 vintage unit which has sat since 2002. I think I will rebuild it this weekend.

Interesting to note that I get 1/2 cup in about 1 min 17 seconds = 41 min/gal = 1.46 Gal/hr

Expected is 40 gal/day = 1.67 gal/hr

That makes the unit running at 87.6% of expected value with a rather inaccurate method of measuring the rate.

An interesting question, has anyone put a flow meter on the 40e, it looks like the flow is less than half of the time coming out so the peak may be twice as high. I am looking at the ball type flow meters...

[Dulcesuenos]

Not sure about your question I hope to find out. We just purchased the same unit. Waiting to install. I did call OUR and they said they can replace every oring and seal and pressure valve on the unit for 200. Let me k ow how difficult it is to reseal yourself if you do it.

[botanybay]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

Not sure about your question I hope to find out. We just purchased the same unit. Waiting to install. I did call OUR and they said they can replace every oring and seal and pressure valve on the unit for 200. Let me k ow how difficult it is to reseal yourself if you do it.

Interesting, the rebuild kit costs $169! If that is the case and they will test it for 200 then it is a deal?

I found in the online book "how to survive with a Power Survivor watermaker" that the unit can be mounted motor down. It is the modular units which they are recommending not mounting the motor under the membrane. He specifically notes that motor up is a bad orientation and that motor down works but recommends testing any desired unique configuration prior to drilling mounting holes.

I re-read the installation manual and found that to be the case.

I am actually quite amazed that the unit is working as well as it is with 12 year old seals!

[Dulcesuenos]

Not sure they test it, she just said they replace every seal and oring 175. And the pressure relief valva another 25. Minus shipping im sure. They were really nice on the phone.