Jon,
After talking with the technicians at RO-man about this problem some time ago, they informed us that there were a number of different calibration scales when measuring TDS levels (about seven if I remember correctly). Each calibration is intended for specific uses.
The in line TDS meters that RO-man retail are designed to give accurate readings on water purification set ups that control water temperature as well as PSI and are not extremely accurate when the parameters of the input water change as in our industry. They are therefore best used as a general guide of when to check TDS levels with a hand held meter, which have a more universal calibration scale.
Best Regards
Carl.