Ro water smells like chlorine?

Well I have been having issues with my ro water smelling like chlorine so I went and bought some test strips and it's reading .5 chlorine. I usually change all the filters and membrane out when this happens but it's getting expensive. I have went thru 3 membranes in a year and only prodused a couple thousand gallons. It is a coralife pureflo. Any ideas why this is happening or how it can be fixed?

 

How is your tap water? Do you have a well or city?

 

Same as city. It's treated community water.

 

Its most likely not the membrane, it is the carbon pre filter... How often are you changing those?

Call your water plant and ask them if they use chlorine or chloramines.

 

I change it more often then I should I think. I change it out after about 70-80 gallons of water. I don't know what they use I will get on their website and find out and let you know. What makes the difference between the two?

 

.... a 10" RO membrane should be good for what...1000gal or more?

Carbon should be good for 500-5000 depending on what other prefilters you have....

changing membranes and stuff every 70-80gal is just a huge waste of money...

 

Also, a damaged membrane can allow untreated wate through, but a carbon filter should remove 99% of it.... sounds like somethign it wrong. Are there any leaks that let water bypass the prefilters?

 

They use chlorine. Avg .892 free chlorine. Yeah it says the membrane should be good for 10000 gallons. And the prefilters are sealed pretty tight.