iSpring MRO5004F 3rd-Stage 500 GPD RO Membrane for RO5004F Series Tankless Reverse Osmosis System, Lasts up to 24 Months

I purchased this 5-stage RO system (iSpring Model: RCC7P) to solve the terrible tap water I have.The municipal water in my town is terrible, quite hard at about 17 grains per gallon, with a substantial chlorine/chloramine (smells like a swimming pool) odor coming from the tap.Fantastic full color instructions and all necessary parts/tubing were included, which I followed to the letter. I'm comfortable with home plumbing, so I had no issues with the initial installation. Installation took maybe an hour or two. For those unfamiliar with push-connect fittings, you need to get a relatively straight cut on the tubing or it may not seal. I recommend either a dedicate tubing cutter or a box cutter.The main 4 stages of filtration in this particular model (RCC7P) are fed from the water main cold line, and the output from stage 4 splits to both the final 5th stage filter (final carbon filter for taste), and to an accumulator tank (more on that later). This layout ensures that the water from the tank flows through the final filter, so you don't get tank flavor in your output water. Output of the stage 5 filter goes to the included tap for dispensing. I opted to separately purchase and install an additional Y splitter after the stage 5 filter, so that I could connect my fridge's water line for the ice maker and water dispenser built into the fridge door.After getting the system all hooked up and flushed, I filled a glass to inspect the results. To my surprise, I found small droplets of oil floating on the surface of the water (see picture). After completely filling and emptying the tank several times, the problem seemed to go away. When I filled a new glass the next morning, the oil droplets had returned.I did some troubleshooting and contacted customer support in order to track down the source of the contamination.With the help of Francis over at 123filter.com customer support, we concluded that the source of the contamination was the tank itself. I inquired about getting a replacement tank and stage 5 filter, since the tank (being upstream) appeared to have contaminated the filter. Francis agreed, and had the replacement parts shipped out the same day, free of charge.When I installed the new tank, I opted to connect it directly to my water main instead of through the filter, as I had a suspicion that the new tank might have the same oily substance (possibly leftover from manufacturing). I was correct, and ended up cycling the new tank on it's own, from the water main, full and empty several times until the residue cleared up. When I was satisfied, I reconnected the tank to the rest of the system and flushed once more, this time with RO instead of the water main. With the tank now clean, I installed the replacement stage-5 filter. The now clean and pure water had the hallmark "neutral" flavor that RO water tends to have, and my total dissolved solids (TDS) dropped from 200+ all the way down to 7pmm. Yes, 7 parts per million.The quality of the parts and system, and of course the quality of the water itself, are all top-notch.Also top-notch is support I received, Francis responded promptly, I was never left waiting for answers.The directions have you flush the system a couple of times, I recommend you flush the tank separately, and verify it's clean before connecting to the rest of the system. I suspect this problem is rare, as I had great difficulty finding any reference to this kind of problem with google.======Bottom Line======Reverse osmosis is the ideal way to filter your drinking water. Of the choices available on Amazon at this time (Sept 2020), these guys (iSpring) seem to know how to do it, and how to make happy customers.

Had the unit for about 7 months now, and just completed the first filter change ( 3 of 5 filters ), so I can deliver and informed review by now. I bought the unit for multiple purposes: Drinking water, Aquarium & Plant use, deep cycle battery maintenance, and misc other uses where pure water is beneficial.The water quality in my area is good, but has a high mineral content. My home is a bit older, and the water pressure at the kitchen sink leaves a bit to be desired, so I went with the electric pump assisted unit, I would recommend this unless you have _very_ high water pressure, as it will reduce the amount of waste water and potentially extend the life of the RO membrane.Installation was really pretty simple, and the documentation is clear. Took me a moment to get my head around how the pressurized storage tank works as it has only one line leading into it, which serves as both input and output. The tubing is all color coded and easy to work with; I'm reasonably 'handy', but plumbing is definitely not my forte, but from unboxing until first water was about 2 hours, which included cleaning under the sink and removing an old instant hot water system. ( Which failed to to calcium build up, though if fed from this filter would probably still be working )That did mean that I had a pre-drilled hole in the sink for the faucet, as well as a below sink GFCI outlet. If not, drilling the hole for the faucet could be a bit of a chore, depending on your sink.The unit does require a fair amount of space, so wherever you are installing check the dimensions and be sure you have enough space for the unit and to reach in and work, you'll need access to change the filters periodically as well, which involves using a plastic wrench on the filter holders.I hung it on the side of the cabinet but left lots of play in the hoses so I could lift it off and pull it out into the open to change the filters. I also put a board under the filters to take some strain off the frame.TDS readings with a cheap tester run from 170-200 on my tap water, bounce around from 2-5 after it comes out of this filter, where they were always over 100 out of my refrigerator with its built-in filter.I did connect my refrigerator after the initial install, and you can tell the difference in the water and the ice both.The pump is pretty quiet, the main sound is the waste water in the drain, which is minimal.The filter cans are a standard size and fit, so alternative branded filters can probably be used, but no real reason since the iSpring ones seem to be a good quality at a reasonable price. But if you are worried about iSpring not being around in 5 years and being stuck with an unusual system, don't be, it's all modular and standardized.If I had an negatives, it would be that the frame could use some stiffeners on the corners so it doesn't flex under the weight of the water filled filter canisters. If I have some spare time, I might try to design and print some plastic corner braces for it, but it's not a huge deal. It's also impossible to change the filters w/o water going everywhere. This isn't unique to iSpring or this model, there's just generally no way to drain the water form the filter cans, so some is going to spill out as you detach them. So just fine a pail or tub that can sit under the unit when you change it. Perhaps a drain plug in the bottom of them would let one drain it in a controlled fashion, but that might be overkill!

We've had three RO units thus far - a Kinetico, which was ridiculously overpriced, then the very common Whirlpool WHER25, which is frankly a pretty good value and lasted for years until the spigot broke and we got a bad membrane, which kinda ticked me off. Now finally we're on to this model from iSpring, which is by far the best RO unit we have had yet. It was the easiest to set up, had the best instructions, and best overall workmanship. The chrome spigot is much more attractive than either the Kinetico or Whirlpool, and it does not have the annoying air gap that the Whirlpool used. To clarify - the WHER25 routed the waste water up to the spigot, along a parallel line to the drinking water. There was a small air gap inside the spigot base, and then the waste water continued on to the drain. I guess the point was to prevent water from your sink drain from backing up into the RO unit. Good idea in principle, until the air gap would start gurgling and eventually get plugged and leak water. Anyway, it's water under the bridge, so to speak, because the iSpring has no similar contraption for the waste line. You simply drill a hole in the kitchen drain line and attach the flexible train tubing, using the supplied saddle.I positioned ours in the basement, in an area right under the kitchen sink. I would highly recommend doing this if you can, because it makes the system so much easier to service, and it frees up space under your sink. I also installed a dedicated copper tee, gate valve, and riser for the feed water, rather than using the included adapter. This is not necessary, but it's a bit more elegant, and I can turn off the feed water to the entire system simply by operating the gate valve. If you know how to solder copper pipes, it's well worth doing. I had to buy some extra 1/4 inch tubing at the local Hommedeepot to get everything positioned where I wanted it in the basement, but I love this setup. So much better that cramming everything under the sink. See picture.Anyway, the system works extremely well. Our well water is pretty bad. It goes through several stages of treatment to soften it and remove iron, and it still has very high TDS. It's so bad that I'm embarrassed to say how high. OK fine, you twisted my arm... 1450 ppm! Yep, that's right - our water contains around 1450 ppm of total dissolved solids. So you're probably wondering what is the TDS after going through the iSpring? Drum roll please! .... 42! You read it right folks - the iSpring RO brought our TDS down from 1450 to 42. That's pretty impressive!This model includes an electric pump, which seemed like a good idea because low flow is a common complaint among RO users. The pump does indeed keep the water flowing at a steady rate, but if you're expecting it to come blasting out of the spigot, then you're expecting too much. Really, what the pump seems to do is to keep the flow rate consistent.This kit comes with everything you'd need to install it and then some. Extra fittings and bits and pieces in case you lose something, plus a water detection sensor which I have not hooked up because as you can see, my system basically hangs from the basement ceiling. If you install yours under the sink, then the water detector should alert you if something leaks.Anyway, nicely done, iSpring! Don't change a thing!

We moved in 2020 from a house that had an RO system from another company, and my family really enjoyed the taste of the water. Wishing to continue the RO experience in our new home, we purchased the ISpring RCC7P after much research. The installation process was incredibly easy—the instructions were clear, and everything was color-coded. Unfortunately, I do not have comparative TDS data to share as I did not have a method for testing at install, and still don't after all this time.The system ran smoothly for 4.5 years, but then it started having issues with the pump running continuously. I did some research online and replaced all the filters before reaching out to tech support. To my surprise, I was able to speak with a live person without having to navigate through a menu. The representative (don't recall the name) explained that the issue could either be with the tank not holding pressure or with the ESO (electric shut-off) valve, confirming what I had found in my online search.I replaced both the tank and the ESO valve, but unfortunately the problem persisted. I called tech support again and spoke with Sean. After thoroughly explaining what I had already tried, he offered to send me a new head—essentially the entire system minus the filters and tank—even though the product was out of warranty.After installing the new head, the system works like it did when I first started using the ISpring RO system. Due to the excellent product support, live customer service, easy installation, and the great-tasting water, I highly recommend this product.

The install takes 7 steps and some are quicker than others. I have a small amount of space under the sink, so I had to actually put the tank in the basement and buy tubing. ACE hardware sells a comparable tubing for $0.23c/ft. I recommend buying 50ft extra to keep around the house just in case something happens.I also ended up buying a T-split so I can also feed my freezer. If you do this, make sure to drain the first tank as instructed before installing a t split unless you get a shutoff valve. You don't want your freezer running ice/water for the first tank.After following the instructions including draining the tank, I tested the water with a TDS meter and still had 70 TDS which is actually very high considering the product advertises that it removes over 90%. My tap is at 270-278 normally, so we were at about 70% removed. I called support and Nick stated that it's likely faulty membrane which he sent out a new one with no questions asked. After replacement, I got down to 7 TDS which is perfect. It's not zero, but the water tastes and looks great. My ice is crystal clear and shiny! (if you like those spherical ice cubes, this water makes the best looking ice)Something to consider when shopping around for an RO system is availability of filters and the overall cost to replace. I'm on well water, so I don't have a water bill. Otherwise, the waste ratio would be considered. I've looked at $1200 systems where the membrane lasts 10 years, $700 systems with 1:1 ratio, but difficult to find filters. This RO system is $250-$300, but you'll need to own some specialty tools/bits if you don't have the hole in the sink already there for the faucet. The filters are also affordable. ~$35 for the membrane only needs to be changed every 1-3 years and the other filters can be bought as a package which is still under $100/year. Culligan, or other big name water companies, are going to charge you an average of $23/month to rent a similar system. If you buy their system outright, you may have difficulty finding the filters and they cost $100-$200/year.A family member went with the tankless which he swears by. I'm sure it's also great and was going to be my first choice. If you're worried about the installation being an issue or don't have a basement to put the tank if your cabinet space is limited, I'd also recommend the tankless. You're going to want options for placement if you go with this system. If you're able to adjust your existing plumbing (Be careful not to adjust too much and monitor for water leaks if you do) ,you might be able to get everything under the sink. I used a folded towel to support the bottom side filters. If there's a leak, I'll know and I'm reducing strain on the caps.TL:DRGreat support - All calls are in the US with an English speaking rep. No talking to a computer ever or calls routed outside of the US.Easy to install - but bulky! Make sure to measure twice, cut once. Be open to having your tank elsewhere such as the basement.Works on well water, but my water is softened. The RO system is removing the sodium from the water and anything else my softener isn't catching.Ice looks freaking fantastic. No joke- my neighbors are literally making fun of me about how much I care about my ice. If you love crystal clear ice, you'd understand how great this is. I'm sure other RO systems achieve this, but the iSpring has the highest quality to affordability to customer service ratio bar-none.

Having just installed this unit myself I can offer a few comments on what’s involved.• If you intend to put this under your sink as suggested AND you have an available hole for the faucet, this would indeed be a fairly simple installation. Of course you will give up a considerable amount of undersink storage. The unit itself is 8 inches wide by 14 inches deep (without allowing for any space for tubing connections). The tank is not small either. In my case a standard 36 inch sink base would end up losing about half its usable storage space, not to mention tubing runs become a tangling hazard for a pulldown spray head counterbalance.• If you choose to install in a basement as I did, understand the installers manual suggests not exceeding 15 foot tubing runs to minimize pressure loss. I located mine within what I swear was five feet of the final tap location laterally, but after allowing for elevation change and a bit of tubing snaking wound up using 13 feet of tube for the final connection!• Realize too you also have 3 runs to make (supply, waste, and tap) so buy plenty of tubing. I bought 50 feet of polyethylene from Menards. The first spool I bought from HD seemed less than 1/4 inch OD, so the compression rings were very loose. I was afraid I wouldn’t get a seal with it. ALSO NOTE – don’t mix poly tubing with brass compression rings; they won’t seal properly, so stay with plastic / delrin rings (brass inserts are fine).• You’ll need an electrical outlet wherever you install it. Some will have a dishwasher/disposal outlet box handy – many will not. Plan on some wiring unless you have a ready outlet.• If you decide not to make all your tubing runs back to the sink base, your connections may not be quite so simple. Is there 1 ½ drain line close by for the waste saddle? Do you have a shutoff valve nearby to hook up to? If not plan on doing some plumbing. I’m very pleased I have the shutoff near the unit and not up a floor, but it was not nearly as simple as using the connector provided.• It may be tempting to look at the unit and think, “Hang from upper tray screw holes.” However the installer manual actually calls for support under the pre-filter housings, not to mention the tray is not as rigid as it may appear. Once water filled everything is a bit heavier too; the tank especially probably weighs 25 – 30 pounds filled. I chose a stout shelf, close to the ceiling. I’m still a bit uneasy about how top-heavy the tank seems since the air chamber is on the bottom. I plan to install a wire preventer into the recessed channel around its circumference.• Finally, the manual suggests to have a towel available to catch spills, which is an understatement. I had one prefilter o-ring unseated so ran a fair bit of water out before catching that. Decided to finish pressure testing on the basement floor, which worked fine until I had to disconnect the inlet line and depressured the unit into my boiler room! Really glad I wasn’t in the kitchen at that point. You will likely spill/spray some water, wherever you hook it up, so be prepared.• The instructions seems pretty complete and accurate, if a bit verbose. I do have one nit to pick, as regards the faucet install. I needed to use some plumbers putty under the main cover plate and some clear silicone between the plate and the faucet body to eliminate the tendency for these to rotate during use. No amount of tightening under the counter seemed to be enough. Wouldn’t hurt to mention that hint in the manual.This all being said, I’m very happy with the unit and installation. The pump isn’t exactly silent, making sort of a pulsing sound, so not having it all in my kitchen is nice. The water tastes great, not that my tap water was bad, but it is actually better. I haven’t tested inlet/outlet TDS yet which was the main reason for getting it, but trust at this point that lead and other heavy metals and bad actors are substantially reduced.Update: tap water is coming in at 150 ppm TDS and filtrate is 6ppm.

Received in a very great fashion and well packaged! Was going to have a plumber/handyman come by to install it, but I decided to help by putting this and that together and next thing you know, I had it mounted under the sink with the water on. I'm no plumber and I got it done following their easy directions. Josh contacted me to make sure everything was well, and I mentioned about the sink faucet opening (flowing) in the lever in the side position and off in the upright position, and they sent me a new faucet. Very nice of them. I can't tell you how much we enjoy the water. For cooking, for Soda Stream and for my home Beer brewing. You simply cannot beat R.O. water when it comes to making your own home brew. This brings the TDS down to a very low level and allows you to "season" the water as you wish for the style you are targeting.ADDENDUM:Recently I was having issues with the RO unit running much longer than needed. Contacted Sean at iSpring (123 Filter) and talked of possible issues. We got it resolved!! Their customer support is top notch!! Nothing like clear clean water again! Thanks to Sean in Customer Support, we are up and running again. You CANNOT beat their customer support after the sale!Really, I've made 2 batches of beer from our water that I would NEVER consider for using in beer making due to the high level of sulfur and iron content (SW Michigan) and this makes water taste great again!! It keeps up well with our demands of water. We used the unit with the combined pump as our water pressure on the farm here is pretty low (about 30 psi) and this alleviates the low pressure. You are forcing water though such a tiny membrane that you better have some good pressure. So, if it is low, THIS is the unit for you, all self contained and easy to plug in.Their Tech Support is outstanding. Nick went the extra mile to make me feel like a special customer when I had a question about the changing of the 3 filters. Here is a company you can get in touch with and respond in a very quick fashion. Thanks Nick!!ADDENDUM: Their customer support is top notch! I had an issues recently (not their fault of th filter) as i had not replaced the final stage filter in over 1 1/2 years. Michele was very helpful in helping with the low pressure in the tank (fixed) as well as suggestions to the noise I started hearing when the booster pump would begin. NOTE: the booster pump is so quiet that when it is running you cannot hear it (from under the sink) Only by peeling the tubing and the pulse feeling can you tell that it is running. It was getting some struggle to initially start up (booster) Michele addressed this as well as the reservoir tank pressure - as in when to measure with a tire tester for proper readings. Overall, I would not be without this unit as it makes the water taste as good as the "sand hills" water from back home in Nebraska. Love to make coffee and coook with the RO water. SUPERIOR! Thanks Michele !

I like this product because it does a good job with filtering the water. our well water had a TDS reading of 420. it is now down to a reading of 23. i installed this unit myself and i will share with you some of my troubles.Problems i Had:Upon first inspection i noticed that the carbon filter which attaches above the membrane had a clip that was broken. since i didn't want to send the unit back, i just dealt with it and secured it into place with some tape.Step 1 has you connect the cold water valve. let me tell you, this valve is garbage and did not fit on my cold water line. once i got the proper adapters setup and had the connector installed, it leaked all over the place. i ended up throwing it away and i went to home depot and got a T valve and installed it with that. i just had the rep from home depot help me find parts with the specs i gave him. i also purchased 50FT of polyethene tubing because i wanted to mount the unit in my basement.the tubing i purchased worked great accept for one aspect. it leaked out of the drain saddle. reason was because the provided waste tubing was a little thicker than the standard tubing. i just used an adapter i purchased at home depot to connect the 2 lines and it was fine.the good: water is clean, TDS is low, Tastes great. no problems there.the bad: i think the manufacturer could do a better job of quality control. the cold water adapter was junk and definitely not worth my time as i wasted nearly 2 hours with it. the filters work great but the clip to hold the carbon filter had to be taped into place, this was because it was broken when it arived. not sure who to blame for that.all in all, its a great product that anyone can install if they aren't an idiot. just make sure you turn your water off while you are installing and use common sense.