An RO membrane fed at low pressure is slow and wasteful. Fill times stretch out, the waste ratio gets worse, and on a hilltop property or an old service line a crew can spend half the morning waiting on water. This 12V booster pump sits inline ahead of the membrane and raises inlet pressure into the range the membrane was designed for. It is original equipment on Tucker Fill n Go tank systems and Tucker 12V booster pump systems, and it works as a general-purpose 12V booster on other RO and RO/DI carts.
Built for
- OEM replacement. A dead or weak boost pump on a Tucker Fill n Go or Tucker 12V booster system.
- Low-pressure retrofits. Any 12V RO or RO/DI rig where spigot pressure around 50 PSI or below is throttling pure water output.
- Mobile rigs with no shore power. Truck and trailer setups running off a deep-cycle marine battery.
- Long production days where a booster pump has to keep working after two hours of continuous run.
What it changes
Two things improve at once. The membrane produces faster, and it wastes less water doing it, because a membrane run below its design pressure gives up both throughput and recovery ratio. That also protects the membrane itself. Cleaners who chronically starve a membrane are the ones replacing it early.
The mounting detail that trips people up is placement. Working cleaners and suppliers give conflicting advice, but the reasoning that holds up is to install the pump after the prefilters and before the RO, so it boosts into the membrane. Keep an eye on prefilter condition, because loaded prefilters will starve the pump from the inlet side.
One warning worth repeating: do not close the waste valve to chase a higher pressure reading. Keep the waste line flowing. Choking it is the fastest way to wreck a membrane.
Specifications
- Voltage: 12V DC
- Flow: 5.3 GPM
- Bypass: 90 PSI
- Current: 25 amps at 90 PSI
- Included fittings: 1/2 inch John Guest push-to-fit elbows
- Includes a removable heat sink
- Power source: deep-cycle marine battery recommended, Group 24 minimum 500 cranking amps, with a 2 amp marine trickle charger
- Original equipment on Tucker Fill n Go tank systems and Tucker 12V booster pump systems
Frequently asked questions
Where does the booster pump go in my system?
Between the prefilters and the RO membrane. You are boosting pressure into the membrane. Mounting it ahead of the prefilters risks starving the pump as those filters load up with sediment.
What battery does it need?
A deep-cycle marine battery. Tucker recommends a Group 24 with a minimum of 500 cranking amps plus a 2 amp marine-grade trickle charger. The pump draws 25 amps at 90 PSI, so a starting battery will not hold up.
What fittings are included?
It ships with 1/2 inch John Guest push-to-fit elbows, so it goes inline with standard 1/2 inch push-to-fit tubing without adapters or thread tape.
Does more pressure always make more pure water?
Only up to a point. Most RO membranes work best around 75 to 100 PSI and do not like sustained pressure above 100 PSI. Never choke the waste valve to force pressure up, because starving the waste line is how membranes get ruined.
Will it work on a system other than a Tucker?
It is original equipment on Tucker Fill n Go tank systems and Tucker 12V booster pump systems, and it is a general-purpose 12V inline booster for RO carts and tank rigs.
Discount Cleaning Products is an authorized Tucker dealer. We stock the water-fed pole systems, pumps and service parts professional window cleaning and solar crews actually run, and our US-based team can help you confirm the right part before you order.
