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RO System

Here you will find our list of the top-rated Reverse osmosis systems [RO system] that we picked for the US & CA markets in 2020.

The Best reverse osmosis system - Our pick

The Best Reverse Osmosis System

We recommend the iSpring RCC7AK 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis System as the best reverse osmosis system based on its performance, its price, and how other customers review it.

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4.6 out of 5 stars
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What Is A Reverse Osmosis System?

What is a Reverse Osmosis System?

Reverse osmosis system is a water purification system that uses filtration cartridges which include pre-filter, thin semi-permeable membrane, post-filter, and other accessories to remove undesirable materials and provide clean water for drinking and other purposes.

The process involves using pressure to force the water molecules to flow through the semipermeable membrane while stopping bigger molecules such as bacteria and other impurities.

The Stages of an RO System

The RO system basically involves 3 main filtration stages, Pre-filter, RO membrane, and a Post-filter stage.

Here is a closer look at what happens in each of these stages.

Pre-Filter(s)

The first stage in the reverse osmosis water filter system is pre-filter and its main purpose is to protect the RO membrane by filtering chlorine and fluoride and removing larger sediment as well as some dissolved solids.

This stage can have several different types of pre-filters ranging from sediment filter, granular activated carbon filter (GAC), and CTO Carbon block filters.

Sediment filters which are often made of Polypropylene are primarily the first line of defense in the RO method. They reduce or completely remove suspended particles such as dirt, rust, organic materials, and sediments from the water down to 5 microns.

The granular activated carbon filter is commonly used to remove natural organic compounds, chemical contaminants, taste, and odor. It also reduces a range of other dissolved contaminants particularly chlorine.  

CTO Carbon block filters on the other hand basically have a filtration capability of about 0.5 to 10 micron which makes them quite helpful for removing chlorine, fluorides, taste, and odor, as well as for particulate filtration and insoluble lead reduction.

These pre-filters are essential because they help conserve the RO membrane which can get damaged due to exposure to too much chlorine and fluoride which are often found in municipal water or get clogged by excess sediment.

RO Membrane

The RO membrane is a Thin-film composite membrane (TFC) which is typically a semi-permeable membrane made of two or more layered materials. It’s considered as a molecular sieve with pores sized from 0.001 to 0.0001 microns.

The RO membrane is essentially the critical point of the RO system as its extremely tiny pores have a high rejection rate of around 95 to 98%.  

It’s very effective and aids in removing microscopic contaminants such as bacteria, and viruses from the water, as well as dissolved solids like sodium and calcium.

Post Filter(s)

Before the water is ready for use, it goes through a final stage which consists of one or more post-filters that help remove any remaining contaminant that may have slip past the membrane.

This stage can consist of several other stages including carbon filter, UV light filtration and PH & Alkaline remineralization, all serving different purposes.

The carbon filter gives the water one last polish by extracting any remaining chlorine, contaminants, odors or taste residues missed by the membrane and the other pre-filters.

Many RO systems incorporate a further stage of filtration that involves an alkaline or PH filter. The purpose of this stage is to add or restore healthy minerals to the water which may have been removed as a result of the RO filtration process. The filters also help raise the PH of the water to more alkaline levels hence reducing the acidity of the water.  

An optional stage in some RO systems is Ultra Violet light filtration which involves the use of UV rays to destroy germs and microbes after the RO stage. This stage helps kill harmful contaminants and bacteria giving you pure and healthy water to drink and use.

Other Basic Components of a RO System

Most RO systems have the same basic components and basically, work the same way. The only difference comes in the quality of the components used and how they look. With that said, the following are the main basic components that make up an RO system and their functions.

Inlet Line and Valve

The inlet line and valve is the first point of the RO process. The inlet line supplies water to the RO system from the main water source or tank.

The inlet, valve, on the other hand, is positioned between the RO system and the main water supply. Its work is to let water into the RO system via the supply lines only when the water moves out of the tank. It’s a simple but crucial component of the system.

The Auto Shut Off Valve (SOV)

To help conserve water, the RO system is equipped with an automatic shut off valve which closes immediately the storage tank is full thereby stopping any more water supply through the membrane.

The valve activates when the pressure in the tank is around 2/3 of the feed pressure which helps prevent an over-spill of the water tank.

Once the water is drawn from the faucet, the tank pressure drops and the valve opens to allow the drinking water to pass through the membrane while diverting the contaminated wastewater down the drain.

Check Valve

Also known as a backflow prevention valve, the check valve is positioned just in the RO membrane outlet end and its work is to solely let water out so as to prevent any backflow of the already treated water from the storage tank.

Due to the pressurized RO system, a backward flow could ultimately rupture the RO membrane. Therefore, the check valve ensures water doesn’t flow backward from the system.

Flow Restrictor

The flow restrictor is often located at the RO drain line just after the membrane. Since the RO process operates at very high pressure, the flow restrictor helps maintain the water flow at the correct level required to ensure the system runs smoothly to deliver the highest quality drinking water.

By regulating the water flow, it also helps with the system efficiency as excess water doesn’t get washed.

Storage Tank

The storage tank holds the purified water once the RO process is complete. There are two bladders inside the tank that keep the water pressurized which enables it to exit when the faucet is opened.

The pressure also enables more water to enter the tank only until it is 2/3 of the water inlet pressure. Most standard RO storage tanks have a capacity of 2-4 gallons although the size can range from 2 to 9 gallons.

RO Faucet: Normal/Air Gap

At the end of the RO system is the RO faucet which is normally installed on the kitchen sink. It’s what you use to dispense the purified water. It can be an air gap faucet or normal faucet, but the most common between the two is the non-air gap models.

Drain Line

The drain line connects the outlet end of the RO membrane housing to a waste pipe and its purpose is to dispose of the wastewater containing all the impurities filtered out by the RO system.

Boost Pump

The RO system is a pressure-driven process and as such its efficiency often relies on the incoming water pressure of the feeding system.

Low inlet pressure will ultimately affect the performance of the system and even compromised the water quality produced if it’s below 45 psi.

A typical RO system operates better at a water pressure of at least 50 psi. Therefore, a boost pump is used to raise the water pressure going into the system when it’s low.

It’s an optional component as the typical city water pressure is usually 60 psi and RO units can run well under this pressure. However, they can are even much better when using the boost pump as it can increase the water pressure to 80 psi or even higher.

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What Is A Reverse Osmosis System?

What is a Reverse Osmosis System?

Reverse osmosis system is a water purification system that uses filtration cartridges which include pre-filter, thin semi-permeable membrane, post-filter, and other accessories to remove undesirable materials and provide clean water for drinking and other purposes.

The process involves using pressure to force the water molecules to flow through the semipermeable membrane while stopping bigger molecules such as bacteria and other impurities.

The Stages of an RO System

The RO system basically involves 3 main filtration stages, Pre-filter, RO membrane, and a Post-filter stage.

Here is a closer look at what happens in each of these stages.

Pre-Filter(s)

The first stage in the reverse osmosis water filter system is pre-filter and its main purpose is to protect the RO membrane by filtering chlorine and fluoride and removing larger sediment as well as some dissolved solids.

This stage can have several different types of pre-filters ranging from sediment filter, granular activated carbon filter (GAC), and CTO Carbon block filters.

Sediment filters which are often made of Polypropylene are primarily the first line of defense in the RO method. They reduce or completely remove suspended particles such as dirt, rust, organic materials, and sediments from the water down to 5 microns.

The granular activated carbon filter is commonly used to remove natural organic compounds, chemical contaminants, taste, and odor. It also reduces a range of other dissolved contaminants particularly chlorine.  

CTO Carbon block filters on the other hand basically have a filtration capability of about 0.5 to 10 micron which makes them quite helpful for removing chlorine, fluorides, taste, and odor, as well as for particulate filtration and insoluble lead reduction.

These pre-filters are essential because they help conserve the RO membrane which can get damaged due to exposure to too much chlorine and fluoride which are often found in municipal water or get clogged by excess sediment.

RO Membrane

The RO membrane is a Thin-film composite membrane (TFC) which is typically a semi-permeable membrane made of two or more layered materials. It’s considered as a molecular sieve with pores sized from 0.001 to 0.0001 microns.

The RO membrane is essentially the critical point of the RO system as its extremely tiny pores have a high rejection rate of around 95 to 98%.  

It’s very effective and aids in removing microscopic contaminants such as bacteria, and viruses from the water, as well as dissolved solids like sodium and calcium.

Post Filter(s)

Before the water is ready for use, it goes through a final stage which consists of one or more post-filters that help remove any remaining contaminant that may have slip past the membrane.

This stage can consist of several other stages including carbon filter, UV light filtration and PH & Alkaline remineralization, all serving different purposes.

The carbon filter gives the water one last polish by extracting any remaining chlorine, contaminants, odors or taste residues missed by the membrane and the other pre-filters.

Many RO systems incorporate a further stage of filtration that involves an alkaline or PH filter. The purpose of this stage is to add or restore healthy minerals to the water which may have been removed as a result of the RO filtration process. The filters also help raise the PH of the water to more alkaline levels hence reducing the acidity of the water.  

An optional stage in some RO systems is Ultra Violet light filtration which involves the use of UV rays to destroy germs and microbes after the RO stage. This stage helps kill harmful contaminants and bacteria giving you pure and healthy water to drink and use.

Other Basic Components of a RO System

Most RO systems have the same basic components and basically, work the same way. The only difference comes in the quality of the components used and how they look. With that said, the following are the main basic components that make up an RO system and their functions.

Inlet Line and Valve

The inlet line and valve is the first point of the RO process. The inlet line supplies water to the RO system from the main water source or tank.

The inlet, valve, on the other hand, is positioned between the RO system and the main water supply. Its work is to let water into the RO system via the supply lines only when the water moves out of the tank. It’s a simple but crucial component of the system.

The Auto Shut Off Valve (SOV)

To help conserve water, the RO system is equipped with an automatic shut off valve which closes immediately the storage tank is full thereby stopping any more water supply through the membrane.

The valve activates when the pressure in the tank is around 2/3 of the feed pressure which helps prevent an over-spill of the water tank.

Once the water is drawn from the faucet, the tank pressure drops and the valve opens to allow the drinking water to pass through the membrane while diverting the contaminated wastewater down the drain.

Check Valve

Also known as a backflow prevention valve, the check valve is positioned just in the RO membrane outlet end and its work is to solely let water out so as to prevent any backflow of the already treated water from the storage tank.

Due to the pressurized RO system, a backward flow could ultimately rupture the RO membrane. Therefore, the check valve ensures water doesn’t flow backward from the system.

Flow Restrictor

The flow restrictor is often located at the RO drain line just after the membrane. Since the RO process operates at very high pressure, the flow restrictor helps maintain the water flow at the correct level required to ensure the system runs smoothly to deliver the highest quality drinking water.

By regulating the water flow, it also helps with the system efficiency as excess water doesn’t get washed.

Storage Tank

The storage tank holds the purified water once the RO process is complete. There are two bladders inside the tank that keep the water pressurized which enables it to exit when the faucet is opened.

The pressure also enables more water to enter the tank only until it is 2/3 of the water inlet pressure. Most standard RO storage tanks have a capacity of 2-4 gallons although the size can range from 2 to 9 gallons.

RO Faucet: Normal/Air Gap

At the end of the RO system is the RO faucet which is normally installed on the kitchen sink. It’s what you use to dispense the purified water. It can be an air gap faucet or normal faucet, but the most common between the two is the non-air gap models.

Drain Line

The drain line connects the outlet end of the RO membrane housing to a waste pipe and its purpose is to dispose of the wastewater containing all the impurities filtered out by the RO system.

Boost Pump

The RO system is a pressure-driven process and as such its efficiency often relies on the incoming water pressure of the feeding system.

Low inlet pressure will ultimately affect the performance of the system and even compromised the water quality produced if it’s below 45 psi.

A typical RO system operates better at a water pressure of at least 50 psi. Therefore, a boost pump is used to raise the water pressure going into the system when it’s low.

It’s an optional component as the typical city water pressure is usually 60 psi and RO units can run well under this pressure. However, they can are even much better when using the boost pump as it can increase the water pressure to 80 psi or even higher.

Read more