My watermaker membrane has been fouled with diesel. Is there a way to recover the membrane or am I looking at a very expensive replacement. The membrane is from a Katadyn 80E (dual membranes required) and the cost from the OEM is OMG. Any alternates available in the aftermarket?

I don't have any watermaker let alone that model but the below link could be of interest - would go in and see them in person to ask about your specific fouling am sure they will be more than helpful

www.gageroadsmarine.com.au/membrane-cleaning-guide/

The below link mentions HCTI could have replacements for $US150 each - but that was 2019.

www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f115/power-survivor-80e-alternate-membrane-options-188404-2.html

HCTI is here and could be worth contacting;

www.hcti.com/

Hi r13
I am really impressed about how when someone comes up with a problem or query you go the extra mile to find the most relevant information or solution
Good on ya.

gary

I have a the katadyn 35 which is only one of the 80 membranes. Mine was fouled with what I believed to be an oil so I continued to run it and flush it with an alkaline cleaner. I managed to bring the TDS back to 720,, at that count no amount of running seemed to improve.
Have you tried cleaning with the recommend alkiine salts and have you tested the TDS ?

I use NALCO chemistry with 2 on farm RO systems I look after. The rep I deal with isn't overly knowledgable but their head chemist has brilliant knowledge of most RO membranes available on the market. Could be worth a call to the state office, but you could easily spend the value of replacement membranes on cleaning chem and not succeed. It costs me about $500 to complete a 3 stage process on each of the 16 membrane plants, which we do 3 or 4 times a year, so much easier to justify the outlay for multiple 20l drums of cleaning chem.
If you know the dimensions and specs of your membranes, Alibaba.com or ali express could have suitable membranes. Our 40"by4.5" membranes were only about $400 last time I looked

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garymalmgren said..
Hi r13
I am really impressed about how when someone comes up with a problem or query you go the extra mile to find the most relevant information or solution
Good on ya.

gary

Great thanks Gary - of course you are in the same boat with many of your responses. If something is posted but which is not answered for a while will try and look into it and if find something which could be useful will respond. Don't like seeing posts on here unanswered but am not going to respond back with something un-useful. regards Rob

No expert but as has been mentioned you can spend more money in products trying to clean the membranes and they will never work as well. How old are they? Would they have needed replacing soon?
Find the membrane dimensions. Looks like 1.7"x13". Then search for that. Unfortunately the katadyn ones keep coming up.
Any sort of oil or chlorine will reduce the efficiency of the membranes.