xbymcHello everyone, yesterday we talked about refurbished Dow reverse osmosis membranes. Today we’ll pick up where we left off and dive into high-copy fake Dow membranes.
Simply put, high-copy fake Dow membranes are not authentic Dow products. Counterfeiters source generic membrane elements from other manufacturers, attach self-adhesive stickers printed with Dow trademarks and serial numbers to the fiberglass shell, and fabricate genuine-style Dow cartons and center connectors.
With decades of water treatment engineering experience under our belt, we’ve summed up typical identifying defects of these counterfeit products as follows:
1. Carton Packaging & Markings
Genuine Dow membrane cartons
High-copy fake Dow membrane cartons
Side of genuine Dow cartons
Side of high-copy fake Dow cartons
The white side label on authentic Dow cartons features exquisitely printed model codes, serial numbers and barcodes. Model numbers adopt a proprietary custom font, while serial numbers start with letter F followed by 7 Arabic numerals.
Serial numbers of Dow RO membranes start with F (or T for batches manufactured after late 2015), succeeded by 7 digits.
White labels on high-copy fake Dow membranes use mismatched fonts for model codes — the shape of digit 0 is an obvious telltale sign. Their fake serial numbers lack standardized digit rules: though they copy the F prefix, they are followed by 9 Arabic numerals instead of 7.
2. Trademark on Membrane Elements
Trademarks and model marks of genuine Dow membranes are embedded into fiberglass windings during production, so they appear slightly faint on the surface, with a darker color strip near the middle section of the element.
High-copy fake Dow membranes are based on blank generic membrane elements; their trademarks and model info are just self-adhesive stickers glued onto the fiberglass outer shell, which can be peeled off manually. A close comparison will uncover numerous inconsistencies in trademark patterns and text details.
3. Membrane End Face
The end cap of genuine Dow membrane elements features a hub-shaped structure. Internal membrane sheets are bright and clean, with evenly spaced gaps and no abnormal discoloration.
For high-copy fake Dow membranes, inner membrane sheets look dark and gloomy with irregular gaps and patchy color stains. Poor-quality counterfeit versions may even turn damp and moldy.
4. Membrane Element Main Body
The fiberglass shell of authentic Dow membranes is translucent and glossy, with uniform winding without loose or shedding fiberglass strands, forming a full, well-proportioned cylinder.
Shells of high-copy fake Dow membranes look dull and murky. Close observation often exposes frayed fiberglass strands, and the element is thick at both ends but narrow in the middle.
To sum up: counterfeiting thrives where profit exists, and forgery craftsmanship grows increasingly sophisticated as the market expands. The most effective measure to avoid high-copy fake Dow membranes is purchasing through official authorized channels.
That’s all for today’s tutorial on identifying high-copy fake Dow membranes! If you have any questions related to the water treatment industry, feel free to leave a comment below. XBYMC is a 100% free, neutral water treatment forum, and every comment you submit will be read and responded to. See you next time!
