20 Most Recent Culligan Under Sink Water Filter - Page 5 Questions & Answers

Here is a link to the Culligan website for the AC 30 owners manual. It has a breakdown view of the RO.
http://www.eculligan.com/support/ac30_owners_guide.PDF
This is about as close as you will get to a water diagram for the RO. The only place to find a flow diagram is in a service manual and those are well protected by Culligan.
RJ

Odor from the water softening system can be attributed to several causes.
The best way to see if it is coming from the softener is to by-pass the softener and run the COLD water only for several minutes and see if the smell continues. Now run the HOT water and see if smell is coming from the water heater.
Some causes may be:
1. Hydrogen sulfide in the water supply (the water chemistry can change)
2. Sulfate reducing bacteria. Almost all water supplies have sulfates and if bacteria gets introduced into the plumbing system it acts with the sulfates to create sulfate reducing bacteria. Which creates a rotten egg smell in the water.
3. Salt additives can have many different affects on water chemistry and organics in the water causing musty, fishy, swampy type smells.
4. If you have a system for Tannins using salts with additives will always cause foul smells as it harms the Tannin media.
5. The ANODE rod in the water heater degrades and gives off a sulfur type, rotten egg smell.
RJ

Too much pressure in holding tank will not cause leaks in the RO unit. All too much pressure in tank will do is cause low or no product water in RO tank. Older Culligan RO systems (H8, H83, H5) had fittings that used metal locking washers and these can cut the RO line after the RO has been moved around while changing filters. Newer styles (AC30, Water Tower) use quick connect fittings and the RO line may work loose after filter changes and system being moved around under sink.
Turn the incoming water off to RO, turn the water off on RO tank, open the RO faucet to relieve pressure and pull the line off feeding the RO tank, inspect (you may want to cut off a small portion of the line at the filter) check the o-ring and re-install.
RJ

The quick connect fittings need to be fully seated or when pressure is applied they will leak. If the feed is pressure is high to the RO I have seen this occur also. JG John Guest makes a small locking clip that goes on these fittings to hold them tight. Here is a link to JG which shows this application.
http://www.johnguest.com/Home/applications/beverages-and-drinks-dispense/Inch-Size-Accessories/LOCKING-CLIP.aspx
RJ

There are several things to look for here.
1. Turn the feed valve off. Take the product line off the RO tank (shut the tank valve off first), turn
the feed valve back on and see if water is coming out the product line to RO tank
2. Make sure the feed valve is supplying water. If it's a piercing valve they can get plugged with debris.
3. Make sure there is water going to the drain
4. If the filters were just replaced, remove them, inspect them thoroughly and re-install
5. In an empty 3 gallon RO tank there should be 7 psi pressure. If there is too much pressure it will
prevent the tank from filling up.
6. Make sure there are no kinks in any of the RO lines.
RJ

This happens when the cold water is run. As cold water is drawn water is being pulled from the inlet of the RO system. This will cause a whine or squeal from the RO. Install an in-line check valve on the feed line to the RO system. This should alleviate the problem.
RJ

The Sediment filter goes in LEFT cartridge
The Block Carbon filter goes in the RIGHT cartridge
The Membrane goes in the CENTER cartridge
RJ

I would not suggest having another company replace the filters. Here is a supplier that has Culligan filters I have used. http://www.uswatersystems.com
The pre and post filters should be replaced every 6 months and the membrane needs to be replaced when the product water drops to 80% TDS reduction (3-7 years). A sediment, carbon block and post carbon will typically be about $40-$50 for all three. A membrane will be $50-$100. I know Culligan is expensive but if you can not do this yourself it is best left to the company that knows the equipment.
RJ

If they are quick connect fittings make sure all the water pressure is off the lines. Turn off the RO tank and valve feeding system, open the faucet and try taking lines off again. If no luck, mark the lines with masking tape and cut them a couple inches below faucet to remove.
RJ

Make sure all the lines are hooked up correctly. It is going to take 3-8 hours to fill a 3 gallon RO storage tank. It depends on the capacity of the membrane (IE: 14, 20, 30, 50 or 75 gpd). It also depends on the TDS of the water. Water that has high TDS 500+ppm will take longer to produce product water than TDS of 100ppm. Check the pressure in the RO tank. When empty (In a 3 gallon tank) there should be 7psi pressure. A ten gallon tank takes 10psi. If it needs air you can use a bicycle pump to add appropriate air. Make sure the tank valve is turned off when adding air.
Do not use the RO faucet for several hours to allow tank to fill up. Also you should dump the first couple tanks of RO water to make sure any carbon fines are rinsed out.
RJ

Here are the steps to remove your RO system. Put a pan and a couple rags under sink to catch any water that might spill.
1. Label all the lines from RO (with masking tape) to remember where they go.
2. Turn the water off to RO system
3. Run all the water from the RO tank
4. Turn the valve off on RO tank.
5. Remove the line to the RO tank and pull tank out.
6. Remove the line to the RO drain.
a. If there is an AIR GAP faucet this line may go there first
b. plug the whole for RO drain or replace the standpipe
7. Remove the product line from RO faucet
8. Remove the water line feeding the RO system.
9. Make sure the valve feeding RO is shut off completely
a. If this valve is a piercing valve you may want to consider replacing the section of copper
plumbing because it will eventually leak if left unused.
10. When re-installing the RO remove old filters, sanitize system and replace with new filters.
RJ

You are getting water feeding back to the kitchen faucet from the filter system. A check valve needs to be installed on the line feeding the drinking water system to prevent this. Excess pressure may also be causing these problems. An in-line flow restrictor may alleviate the dripping.
RJ

This is a very common problem. There are many reasons for this.

1. The canister was tightened with a wrench when re-installling. NEVER tighten a filter housing with a wrench after replacing the filter! Only by HAND! This is the main reason they are so hard to remove.
2. Filters swell in the housing.
3. The housing itself can swell.
4. The pressure relief button does not work properly.
5. Sediment buildup causes back pressure.
6. Sediment gets trapped on the threads from previous filter changes.
7. Off brand filters, especially those made overseas, frequently are not sized according to specs and can cause these problems. It is best to stay with a brand you know and has worked previously.
8. A bad o-ring will cause people to over tighten the canister because of leaks. Inspect and lubricate the o-ring (every filter change) and replace it yearly.

The best way to remove a stubborn filter canister is to shut off the incoming water, bypass the water softener, go to the nearest cold water faucet and let it run until the pressure dies off. Turn off the outlet on filter, hold the pressure relief button down on the housing (to relieve any more pressure) and remove the housing with the "appropriate" filter housing wrench. If it is still hard to remove repeat the process. After removing the canister, clean the head and canister threads with a clean cloth, lubricate them with silicone lube or plumbers water supply lubricant. It also helps to clean the inside of the housing with a 1/2 tsp of bleach, rinse and wipe it out thoroughly. This prevents any introduction of bacteria into the water system, which is also a very common problem and where "smells" can derive from.

RJ

There probably is low pressure in the RO tank. Take it off, Add some air until all the water comes out. Then set tank pressure to 7psi for a 3 gallon tank. If this is not the case then inspect the water valve feeding the RO system.
RJ

Make sure the water valve feeding the system is open all the way. Carbon fines can plug up the head of the RO also. Take it apart again an inspect all filters. If tank is empty a 3 gallon should have 7psi pressure.
RJ

Take the filter back out and inspect. If you have GATE valves one of them may have come unscrewed and is not opening. Try it without the filter in it. Install new filter.
RJ

Is it all hooked up? The water may not be turned on to the system or they may have hooked up the lines wrong.
RJ

The feed water goes in the bottom and the product water comes out the top to faucet.
Here is a link to Culligan for the owners manual
http://www.culligan.com/en/service-and-maintenance/customer-support/owners-guide/obsolete-manuals/
RJ

If you have not changed the other filters then they need to be changed also. The system should be sanitized before you re-install the filters. The Membrane goes in with the large rubber seal at top of filter housing. Place inside the head of module until it seats and reinstall housing over it.
1. Drain the tank completely
2. Take all the filters out
3. Add 1/4 tsp household bleach to each housing, turn water back on to fill housings, let it sit for 15 minutes.
4. Flush the bleach out completely.
5. Re-install filters
6. Flush/empty the storage tank 2 x before using water.
RJ

This diagram may help you. Water connections inlet, top of prefilter to bottom of precarbon, top of precarbon to bottom of membran, top of membrane (connection in front, automatic shutoff) to bottom of post-carbon (bullet filter), bullet filter to faucet. Connection on (concentrate flow control) goes to the drain. Here is the link for the picture of the H83, this is called an H30 but it's the same thing.
http://www.freshwatersystems.com/specifications/H83-H-53%20Manual.pdf
Culligan is always changing the names of every system.
RJ