On 18 Oct 2005 16:51:22 -0700, "beaufortnc"
wrote:

We bought a 8gph watermaker in the Spring and got quite a deal,
remanufactured by a highly reputable company.

I'm now close to installing, and in my research, I've read several
places that the pickling process is only good for 3 months or so.

This was never relayed to me, and I'll admit I wasn't experienced
enough to know better.

It's now been about 8 months and the pressure vessel's been in storage
all of that time.

Q: Am I screwed? Is the membrane ruined and if so, why?

If the membrane has remained wet, the membrane may still be
functional. If the membrane has dried, then its functionality will
likely be quite impaired.

According to one manufacturer of the RO membranes, membranes age as
they sit unused. And the warranty is running too. So when I bought my
membranes, that manufacturer offered me the option of having the
shipping of the membranes delayed until after I had finished
installing the rest of the RO system and was ready to quit coastal
waters.

Pickling, adding a food preservative (eg sodium sulfite) to stop
bacterial and fungal growth on the membranes and in the pressure
vessel, is widely regarded as being effective for at least 3 months. I
know of several RO systems, on yachts, that have been pickled for 1
year or more. When left for a long time, the preservative leaves its
mark on hoses (especially PVC ones), bronze fittings, and stainless
steel.

Given the option, I prefer not to pickle my RO membranes and instead
to flush them frequently (the frequency depends on ambient temperature
- in the tropics, I flush every 3rd day), with unchlorinated fresh
water.

Cheers