i'm hoping my TDS meter is broken

[jandree22]

It's bizzarre, my TDS meter has been saying my pure RO/DI water has 45-50 PPM in it.... then I put it in my saltwater and it only reads like 75! Then I put it back in the RO/DI water and sometimes it shoots off the charts... like 300 somethin!

Is there any known cause that a TDS meter might act like this? I sure hope to hell that my RO/DI isn't putting out 40/50ppm water!

 

[Anonymous]

When was the last time you changed your filters? and how old is your membrane?

I just checked a fresh bucket of saltwater and it hits 875 on my tds.

So I'm guessing it's your meter.

Have you cleaned the contacts with rubbing alcohol (remember to rinse afterwards!)

When's the last time you changed the batteries?

B

 

[jandree22]

Membrane is no more than 1.5 years old, i just cleaned the contacts, and the batteries are same as the membrane.. about 18mo.

 

[Anonymous]

When is the last time you replaced anything on your RO/DI machine?

 

[Anonymous]

If your saltwater is reading 75 then you need a new probe.

 

[Anonymous]

or you are not using nearly enough salt

 

[Anonymous]

Use a calibration fluid to test your TDS tester. Those that hobbyist commonly used are prone to erratic reading, particuarly if you don't clean the probe between test samples.

 

[Anonymous]

change the battery/s

 

[coralfarmin]

I abandoned my ro/di and tds meter :wink:

since a tds meter only gives you a idea of the level of dissolved solids, and not what those solids are, ie Ca, Mg etc etc, I had the NC state lab do a organic chemical analysis of my well water, to my suprise, it actualy was beneficial to my system, imo, to use the well water without a ro/di filter,etc

What heavy metals were present, I feel, I can comfortably say i mean, theorize, are bound by sand sediments or removed by skimming etc etc,ie can't dissolve or dont have time to,........

I'd suggest that anyone interested, in makeup water quality, have a lab do a certified analysis, about $40, before they invest alot more, in water softeners, ro/di, tds meters, etc

a refractometer is better than a tds meter,imo,if you just want to keep tabs on salt levels

just imo