Aquatec AQUATEC-ERP-1000 Permeate Pump

So far so good. Just installed and it’s working like it should. Overall pressure went up at my dispenser spout and should be enough for the fridge ice maker. There is that audible clicking sound when RO system is filling the tank, but it’s not loud. Some of the other reviews have over exaggerated how loud it is. Sounds like a ticking clock. I’m including a video and the video makes it sound louder than what it is. And don’t mind my hoses, I was testing and will clean up the hoses later. I have 80 psi going into the RO system, but can’t verify the pressure after the RO system to the water faucet, but it’s strong.

I added a line to my ice maker from my APEC 50gpd RO filter but it wasn't filling the tray fully like straight from tap. Adding this pump and removing the ASO significantly increased pressure and fixed the ice issues. A wonderful side effect is my RO faucet now fills water bottles and other containers 2x faster. I can't speak to reduced waste water but I can believe it, the RO now takes only maybe 30 minutes to regenerate when I draw a lot of water from it. Connection to my RO system was pretty easy, just check out a YouTube video or follow the included instructions. I didn't test for TDS before I added the pump but I do think the levels went up slightly after adding the pump, but that is probably because I disabled the auto shutoff. Still 30ppm from RO vs 400ppm TDS from tap makes a huge difference. I refused to drink our water or ice before I put this in. I did not know there was a quieter version of this pump that worked with 50gpd systems when I ordered, or I would have gotten that. I have sound proofed my cabinet as much as possible but it's still pretty noticeable clicking on and off after you draw water. We only really notice it though when the house is quiet. If TV is on its not a big deal. All in all this is a very worthwhile upgrade to any RO system, especially if you have attached an icemaker.

These pumps do exactly what is needed. IMO they are the best device for augmenting RO pressure. They last year's. Having installed more than 7 of these and having had zero failures to date on operating years of approx 21 total, I expect they will typically outlast the membrane life of the small under-the-counter RO systems they service. Although there is moderate clicking noise, it is not significant given the normal installation locations. These are far less noisy than the electric counterpart. The pump can be installed per their instructions to replace the normal pressure controlled shut off valve and in this method, significantly increases pressure/flow at the faucet. It does this while significantly reducing water wasted in RO production and in many cases this means you may be able to run an old membrane another year or two longer beyond when it would otherwise be of insufficient capacity to continue to meet the production needs.

Works well for three months now.

I installed this about a week after I installed my water purification system under my kitchen sink. You can hear it clicking as it works but it only does it as it is filling the reservoir, not the whole time it is there, (like a clock). I like the idea that it will make my RO filter last longer, there is less waste water (brine) per gallon of purified water made and I do get better pressure out of the faucet. My TDS level raised up a bit (from about 20 to 50 ppm). Not sure if it will stay at that level or not. Time will tell.

This item comes with a single sheet of clearly written connection instructions on one page and a set of well thought out diagrams on the other side. I have used an older version of this pump (ERP1000-JG-S - Aquatec Permeate Pump 10-100 GPD) from October 2012 for more than 10 years with no issues. It was advertised in 2012 with a 'Made in Germany' logo in the picture though what I received was a Californian product, similar to this version. This one is pumping up my RO tank to ~60 PSI with a city water supply at ~68 PSI. Impressive when you compare it to a pressure of just about 20 PSI without this pump, using a standard cheap automatic shut off valve that dies every 6 months or sooner. It seems Aquatec also offers a low noise version if the intermittent, mechanical clicking noise this one makes bothers you (maybe because your set up is not in the basement).

This is what my system was missing. All reverse osmosis systems should come with a permeate pump. This raised my output pressure by +15psi and I can already notice the lesser wastewater. The clicking is not so bad. It is actually a sign that it is working. I built a custom system from a variety of parts. I have two tanks in tandem and everything is wall mounted behind the main refrigerator. My system feeds two refrigerators (ice makers and water dispensers). My brine line runs through a wall on the right and drains into the restroom's toilet resevoir. Instead of a smooth, slow flow of brine water - you will see small bursts of water with each of the pump's cycles. These bursts will physically move your brine line, so you need to secure it in place. The clicking is not constant, of course. It only happens when the pressure tanks are refilling. One thing I did notice is that it did not immediately initiate pumping after install. It took a few hours of my family depleting the pressure tanks with regular use. This eventual pressure difference kicked the automatic shutoff switch into operation, which triggered the permeate pump.

First purchase item came with only three plug tubes installed instead of four. Site of the missing tube would not seal when the permeate pump was installed. Pump was returned without hassle. A replacement pump has been received but not yet installed. An ERP 500 had been installed in the interim and is performing flawlessly.