water filter

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by SoulReflection

So, did you cut out the canister completely?

Yes, complete canister and bypass valves are completely removed. Need a extra one?

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

So you made a ‘v’ with the pex and the 90 degree fitting?

No, it's a 90 degree turn. The main water line comes in from the right and now turns downward (with the 90 degree fitting) to go to the water pump on the floor.

Actually, my water pump is directly underneath the canister (which is another stupid engineering decision) and I'm thinking of remounting it in my large compartment roof in the rear, so I can get to the strainer and any repair issues. The pump is making a bunch of vibration noise, so since I need to address that, I'm thinking just relocate it for easy service.

I made one of these:

I originally was thinking of making something like that, and keep the bypass valves, but there was no reason to keep those valves, so it was easier just to put the Shark Bite fitting in, and cut everything out.

[SoulReflection]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Yes, complete canister and bypass valves are completely removed. Need a extra one?

HaHa!

[cherv]

We also have a 22j and all i did was not touch the canister since it came from factory without a filter . Just pumped in antifreeze which will force water out of canister and replace with antifreeze. Uses extra antifreeze but is makes winterizing much easier. I like to meet the designer that placed that placed the canister@#!*#@!

[dabrown]

i have 26' red hawk & there is filter under bath room sink

[alazear]

I have your exact rig. 2020 Redhawk 24B. I'm just a year ahead of you in dialing in this rig so it works as it should have out of the factory. Straight out of the factory, mine and many others, have faults. I like everything about it much better now that I've made some changes.

Follow RetiredOne's advise exactly and rip that stupid filter out ASAP. It has no business being in that back cabinet with all the critical electronics in the same space. Just as annoying, it's hell for handy in there to service. Plus it makes winterizing/dewinterizing much more difficult. Winterizing/dewinterizing should be an easy 5 minute process without the filter, and it is very quick without it. But with the filter in there - it's a real pain. Given that an exterior filter you hook to hose works just as well or better; and ends up being about 1.5 feet away from the placement original [PEX-hose piping wise], just on the outside of the rig rather than inside, it makes no sense to leave the original in that cabinet. You flat out don't need it, it's redundant.

When you do remove the original you'll also see it's screwed in very poorly to particle board masquerading as your cabinet face frame. For how heavy that filter is when bouncing down the road - full of water, it's a disaster waiting to happen - inside your electronics cabinet...

I did the exact same thing as RetiredOne's descriptions above recommends. The only thing I did different was to use my PEX crimp tool [which I already owned] to use PEX crimp fittings rather than Sharkbite fitting since I already had 1/2" fittings laying around, but Sharkbite work great for exactly that job.

I've made a ton of post on this site in the last year [as many many others have before me] regarding my 24B and things I've improved on, they are easily searched via topic or people's names, then topics from there. People here are super helpful asking questions to directly as I'm sure you can tell. Good luck, it's a nice rig.

[alazear]

Just noticed you're in San Marcos, so winterizing is probably not an issue for you.

[GaryNK]

I have removed the canister, leaving the male butterfly connections on the pex. I made up a splice using pvc - to be installed - using dope (not glue). since the canister female had some sort of gasket I will eliminate, will I have problem with the seal?

[Jopopsy]

I did mine with glue - its been airing out in the garage for almost a week. It’ll be installed in a couple of months. To be truthful I’m wondering if the glue is a bad idea - so I got some pex and 2 SharkBite 1/2 inch male ends to make the same thing all over again. However, the I’m wondering if I’ll have a flow issue; the 3/4 inch sharkbite fittings took larger pipe but then it wasn’t plug and play anymore.

[alazear]

On canister removal itself on a 2020 Redhawk 24B, [you have to do this only once - thankfully], this is what I'd recommend exactly. It's basically the same as RetiredOne recommended

1. Remove both drawers top and bottom [far back - right side after opening slide all the way] to gain good access and elbow room to work. I'm 6'2" so I needed this. It was still tight. For removing the drawers one black lever on the drawer slides goes up, the other goes down - pull drawer straight out for removing them. You'll have to push the right drawer slide half way back into the cabinet [once releasing the lever] to have the drawer clear the edge of the slide out. Once you understand it, it's easy. The first time removing this drawer, it can be tricky to get out.
2. Then carefully, not spilling any water on electronics, covering things with a towel, etc, get the filter completely out, screws, mounting bracket and all.
3. Cut cleanly and squarely the inlet and outlet PEX tubing so you have left 2 raw ends looking at you, probably pointing straight upwards.
4. Make a trip to the hardware store and buy the 1/2" Sharkbite fittings you need, might be straight fittings or 90 degree fittings or a combo - depending on how they routed things from the factory, plus a foot or two of 1/2" PEX piping. [None of this is very expensive, maybe $30 or so total]. You'll most likely need 2 90 degree fittings.
5. Push on your Sharkbite fittings and cut your PEX piping to appropriate length and push it all together by hand making sure to seat the PEX tubing in the Sharkbite fittings well from both sides. If you think you might make a mistake the first time with length or routing of piping, buy the half circle orange tubing remover Sharkbite sells and the piping is easily removed from the fitting for a redo over and over until you are happy.
6. Pressure test the system. Wipe up any stray spills from removing the filter.
7. Put your drawers back in.
8. Have a beer and enjoy knowing you won't have to get back in there again anytime soon.
9. Use an exterior filter like what you are used to from then on.

[GaryNK]

I wouldn't think flow will be a problem. I'm using dope due to prior bad experiences using pvc thread to brass fittings, using tape. I don't advise using glue at all for thread pvc fittings.

[alazear]

Poor cell phone picture from inside the cabinet with the slide out and bottom drawer removed for access. For doing the job, I'd remove the top drawer too for better light and access.

This is what I ended up with after filter removal. Your piping might be similar or a bit different depending on how the factory did things. I used crimp on fittings where you'd probably use Sharkbite ones as you don't need a special tool to use them.

There are lots of other ways to skin this cat though and some good other suggestions on this thread too if cutting into your PEX piping is more than you want to tackle.

[Bluesky46]

they install those in so many different places, hopefully someone with your make and model will respond. On my Greyhawk 31SS the internal filter is in the rear storage compartment behind a wall, to access it you need to empty the storage compartment and crawl inside, remove a panel and the filter is behind that panel. It's probably somewhere just as inconvenient on yours. First time I had to crawl in there and get to mine, I by passed it and use a blue in hose filter. Much easier to use, much easier to change.

[Jopopsy]

I consider myself lucky that mine was under the bathroom sink. Easy peasy. Gosh some of the hoops you guys have to jump through to get at yours !

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by alazear

,
8. Have a beer and enjoy knowing you won't have to get back in there again anytime soon.

First, that's a real great write up and description...

But, we might have to get back in there, the water pump and inline filter screen was directly below the filter housing. I'm going to take another look in there the next time I run the slide out, to see if there's a better place to relocate the pump. Maybe the ceiling of the big compartment in the rear.

I have to remove one of those right drawers anyway, as I have a drawer slide that self-destructed (wonderful Jayco assembly and cheap parts) that I have to replace....

[CAG]

Maybe I am not understanding what the goal was here other than removing the filter so that replacing it was not such a pain. Could you not just remove the filter and not the housing and accomplish the same objective? Put another filter someplace else easier to get to and leave that housing where it was. I wouldn't think it would restrict flow.

[cheverly262]

Hi,
We purchased our 2020 Redhawk 24B in February. We had it winterized, as up here in Northern CA (40 miles from Oregon) it’s below freezing often enough to freeze your pipes.
Like others have mentioned, our rig came without an installed water filter. It took me a while to figure out where it goes, and was planning on installing it after de-winterizing and sanitizing the water system. However, after reading the replies I’d prefer to bypass the water filter and use the Camco external filters.
Thanks for all the detailed directions. I’m not that handy, but I follow directions pretty well. My concern is that if I don’t perform the bypass correctly, I run the risk of water leaking on the electronics. Could I just leave the canister as is without ever installing the filter? I’m thinking that I might use more antifreeze and/or water, by I won’t fry any electronics.
Thanks so much for all the ideas and solutions. You guys really help us newbies out!

[CAG]

Could I just leave the canister as is without ever installing the filter?

My question in the post directly above yours.

[SoulReflection]

Originally Posted by cheverly262

Hi,
We purchased our 2020 Redhawk 24B in February. We had it winterized, as up here in Northern CA (40 miles from Oregon) it’s below freezing often enough to freeze your pipes.
Like others have mentioned, our rig came without an installed water filter. It took me a while to figure out where it goes, and was planning on installing it after de-winterizing and sanitizing the water system. However, after reading the replies I’d prefer to bypass the water filter and use the Camco external filters.
Thanks for all the detailed directions. I’m not that handy, but I follow directions pretty well. My concern is that if I don’t perform the bypass correctly, I run the risk of water leaking on the electronics. Could I just leave the canister as is without ever installing the filter? I’m thinking that I might use more antifreeze and/or water, by I won’t fry any electronics.
Thanks so much for all the ideas and solutions. You guys really help us newbies out!

I believe this makes two responses regarding removal of the filter and canister or just the filter.

Unless there is some other comments to the contrary, I plan to just remove the filter. Some have said they were concerned about the weight of the canister and the strength of the canister wall mounts. Rather than break and make more connections by removing the canister, I will just investigate removing the filter and bracing the canister, if it needs it.

[drmike961]

Originally Posted by SoulReflection

I believe this makes two responses regarding removal of the filter and canister or just the filter.

Unless there is some other comments to the contrary, I plan to just remove the filter. Some have said they were concerned about the weight of the canister and the strength of the canister wall mounts. Rather than break and make more connections by removing the canister, I will just investigate removing the filter and bracing the canister, if it needs it.

Also filter heads have been know to crack and leak. It's best to just get rid of it.