Couple of Culligan repair/maintenance questions
First thing is that I was told by culligan that I need to replace my filters on my under sink drinking water system. Culligan charges about $170 to have that done, which supposedly includes a check up of my system, is this worth the money? I read the manual on do the replacement myself and it sounds a little tricky, if anyone could give me any pointers on whether it's something that a newbie should try to do I would appreciate it. Second thing is my drinking water tap is dripping. I had it replaced once under warranty (for free) about a year ago. Culligan was nice enough to give me another a new tap for free but I will have to install it myself this time. The one they gave me is quite different than the one I have on their now. I felt under the sink but I can't figure out how the old one comes off. I looked in my culligans drinking water system manual and it didn't explain how it attaches at the sink. What I was thinking of doing was to pay the $170 and try to get them to also replace my faucet in the process of my filters. What do you think is that worth the money? Thanks for any help! I'm not familiar with the Culligan filter sytems but in general filter changes for under-sink systems aren't too hard to do. If all you have is an under-sink filter replacing the filter catridges is not so hard BUT if you have an RO unit then replacing the cartridges and membrane are more work and more complicated. Like many things in life, all you need is the knowledge and the tools. Either way you lack the knowledge to check the system. You post tells me that you are willing to pay a fair price for labor to get the filters replaced (including the new filters), get the system checked (so you know it is working properly), and get your spare filtered water faucet installed. I would bug Culligan about the leaking faucets. Since it's been replaced under warranty there is apparently a defect that has not been fixed. You paid their price now make them cure the disease instead of treating the symptom. If you can get Culligan to do the service and supply the filters and install your spare faucet for $170 you seem to think it is a reasonable price ... as long as Culligan does something about the leaking faucets. I don't think it's a reasonable price I think they hang their customers over a barrel. On their commercials they try and sell it like they are really great about servicing their product and everything is wonderful blah blah. As soon as you need something fixed they really stick it to you. I paid an extremeley high price for their water treatment and then they think they can keep nickle and diming me. I believe the system I have is an RO system. Also when I had my faucet replaced last summer they replaced mine with a different color than what I had originally. When mine started leaking I called and told them that I was supposed to have mine changed when the right color came in stock. They told me that they couldn't get the color in. When I went to pick up my new faucet it was the color that I needed to match my sinc! ******* cheap ********! OK, if not Culligan then an independent water treatment pro or you. If you can identifiy your filter/RO here is the page with the culligan owner's guides Culligan Owner's Guides Which one is yours? Maybe we can help. Mine has the tower so I'm assuming it's this one: Culligan Water Tower Drinking Water System (Rev A) 01882203 http://www.culligan.com/download.cfm...M0MDE3M0IwMw== I was actually able to get Culligan to come out and replace my faucet yesterday for free. I told them that my neigbor just had theirs replaced to a different a color and so they came out and replaced it. So now the only thing I need to do is replace my water filters. Originally Posted by koolzero I read the manual on do the replacement myself and it sounds a little tricky, if anyone could give me any pointers on whether it's something that a newbie should try to do I would appreciate it. In the link you provided the instructions are straightforward and not more complicated then changing filters in a common RO. If you break something I'm sure you won't like the cost of the parts to fix it. The filter housings will be very hard to turn loose and a filter wrench may be required. You'll only hand tighten the filter housings when reassembling so next time it may be a little easier. You'll need a little food grade silicone grease for lubing the O-rings when you put it back together. Pay carefull attention to the sanitizing procedure ... it is important. Originally Posted by koolzero As soon as you need something fixed they really stick it to you. I paid an extremeley high price for their water treatment and then they think they can keep nickle and diming me. I guess that Culligan coming out and installing your free faucet at no charge is really sticking it to you Originally Posted by justalurker In the link you provided the instructions are straightforward and not more complicated then changing filters in a common RO. If you break something I'm sure you won't like the cost of the parts to fix it. The filter housings will be very hard to turn loose and a filter wrench may be required. You'll only hand tighten the filter housings when reassembling so next time it may be a little easier. You'll need a little food grade silicone grease for lubing the O-rings when you put it back together. Pay carefull attention to the sanitizing procedure ... it is important. I guess that Culligan coming out and installing your free faucet at no charge is really sticking it to you Culligan are fortunate to have a long track record in water treatment behind them at over 63 years and the largest firm operating in over 160 countries world wide. I have installed Culligan products extensively over the last few years but I am not a tied agent and I am not afraid to list their shortcomings. Culligan tend to buy up other established companies and sell a wide range of products whilst aiming to offer a dedicated back up service programme, but not in all countries. Products such as Culligan water softeners, I have installed, have had many reliability problems recently especially small volumetric minicab softeners, so I have not got a great impression from the product end of their business and I think they certainly need the service support to back these products up. As for RO filters, servicing should be approached by a qualified technician or someone competent in water treatment not just a reguar plumber. Get a 2 dollar plastic RO spanner, and you are part of the way there to basic servicing. Turn off the water feed valve that feeds water directly to the RO and then turn off the pressure vessel valve and turn on the faucet at the sink to drain off any residual pressure. If the RO is fitted with a booster pump, then it is worthwhile switching off the pump before you start the job. Using the spanner, turning clockwise whilst looking down on the unit, open the first vertical pre-filter and with a shallow bowl placed underneath the filter body, collect any drips as you unwind the filter housing body from the neck of the housing. Keeping the loose filter body and cartridge vertical, carefully raise this up to the sink and pour out any water left in the filter body and remove the old cartridge. A 5 micron polyspun filter cartride should cost anywhere from 5 to 10 dollars and can be placed back into the first pre-filter stage after you have rinsed it out. Re-tighten the 5 micron pre-filter housing back into the RO. Repeat the steps for the 2nd or 3rd carbon pre-filter stage but when taking out the old cartridges, do not replace the new cartridges just yet. At this point, dose a small amount of Milton fluid about an egg cup into a pint of water, mix, and then pour half a pint back into the 2nd filter body and the remainder into the third stage if there is one on the model you have. The replacement of the membrane is the tricky part. For 30 to 50 dollars you should be able to get a good quality 50 gallon per day membrane, possibly Dow Filmtec or Osmonics, there are many others on the market of varying quality. To undo the main plastic end cap on the horizontal membrane housing you first need to undo the single pipe connection at the end of the cap so that it will turn. It may be a Jaco compression nut or a push fit. If it is a push fit press back on the collar of the fitting and the tube should pull loose. Then unscrew the cap anticlockwise looking from the end of the cap, but be prepared for it to be pretty tight! Getting out the membrane is ust as tricky and you will probably need to hook the end of a bent wire coat hanger via the small holes at the end of the membrane spigot, and draw out the membrane. Replace the new membrane noting the different ends of the membrane with the two small o'rings going in first and the big black lip seal end last. Re-seal cap and re-connect tube. Putting the carbon block / GAC filters to one side for the time being, open up the valves to the RO and pressure vessel and let the unit run for a few hours after the booster is turned back on if you have a booster pump! When re-fitting the new carbon filters, note the same types that are being removed and replace them like for like. Carbon filters should be around 10 to 20 dollars each. The key to timely servicing of particular filters is noting when the are actually depleted and due for a change. This is where a service rep is kitted out. He/she will have a TDS meter to check for membrane efficiency which should be around a figure of 10 to 30 TDS. If over 40, the membrane is due for a change. If the RO is working on soft water the membrane should last up to 4 years. Yes, 4 years. The prefilters should have a service life of around 2 years and can be tested with Palintest DPD chlorine tablets to see if they are still effective. Of course filter life is determined on both source water quality and water usage. RO units should normally be placed on water sources with less than 171 TDS but can operate less effectiveley on higher TDS values, but filters may only have half the expected life span and the overall unit may not have the longevity on hard water as it does on soft water. There are plenty more tips but that should keep you going for the time being. Regards OO7 Faucets. The usual plastic black lever faucets are cheap and nasty, and end up leaking and breaking. Get a good quality Touchflo C7E, which is expensive - around 50 dollars compared to the 5 dollar faucets you may have been given with the RO, but the C7E is a lifetime warranty, lead free, ceramic disc, quality heavy weight contender. I fit these on hundreds of RO units I supply and install, I would not compromise with a cheap faucet, it is just not worth a call back. If a customer was to call me back in 5 years time, I would always feel obligated to replace any faucet that I have fitted that has not lasted the distance, so it is worth just fitting the best. If you get a good quality faucet, make sure it is one with a tube attached. It will make the job of fitting it a whole lot easier.
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