water filter

[tmoody1958]

Look though the wall vent nearest your outdoor shower with a flashlight. If no outdoor shower, look through all your wall vents. The filter is behind one of the vents.

Tom Moody

[alazear]

There are lots of ways to do this job, or I suppose, just ignore it and don't do anything. If you're not comfortable with complete removal, then just not installing the filter cartridge, but leaving the canister is another way to go. Mine had the filter cartridge pre-installed in the canister when I bought it. Maybe the dealership rather than the factory put mine in???

For me it came back to wanting to get rid of the whole thing pretty badly. Knowing the filter cartridge is going to be just as heavy filled with only water as filled with water + a cartridge - within a few ounces - gave me my answer. I did consider leaving the canister in for a brief moment, as that is easier. But, by getting rid of the whole thing I felt that I was reducing the potential future leak points in and around the cartridge canister by eliminating it totally. To each his own on the comfort level of leaving it in there.

There are no ultimate right answers, just the right answer for each person. The right answer for me was - rip the sucker out completely, reduce the junctions and leak points in doing so, and make my own really good connections to bypass. But I have the skills and tools to do so with confidence.

If you work with PEX and Sharkbite fittings at all in a HomeDepot/Lowes you quickly see how easy it is - they push together with hand pressure. You can get a tech to help you understand how the fittings work - in about a minute. They come apart [with the orange 1/2 rig tool just as quickly if you make an error.] They are incredibly versatile and strong. Still, I understand the resonance on cutting into the water system of a new vehicle inside a fairly tight cabinet. I'm just mystified that Jayco put it there to begin with. The pump is also a problem, but less so as it is mounted solidly to the floor, but still it vibrates plenty while in use - right next to the electronics. Good luck with whatever you decide. There are just right answers for you. My suggestions are just that, suggestions for one solution.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by alazear

I did consider leaving the canister in for a brief moment, as that is easier. But, by getting rid of the whole thing I felt that I was reducing the potential future leak points in and around the cartridge canister by eliminating it totally.

Exactly why I took mine out, Why leave a empty cartridge filled with water to ferment, leak or freeze, or fill it with antifreeze. Since it was never going to be used again, I felt just get rid of it completely, and never have to worry about it again.

[alazear]

Something I grabbed off Youtube showing the most basic way of using these Sharkbite with PEX fittings. They make it easy to do this bypass/canister elimination and are cheap to buy. Not the most pro quality video - but shows the concept of what you need and what you'll find at any home center for about $30 to do this job if you so choose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ4CqSPH_Pg

Best,
Adam

[SoulReflection]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Exactly why I took mine out, Why leave a empty cartridge filled with water to ferment, leak or freeze, or fill it with antifreeze. Since it was never going to be used again, I felt just get rid of it completely, and never have to worry about it again.

OK. You and the rest have convinced me to get rid of it !

[Wayfinder 1]

The water filter canister in my 2018 Redhawk is located inside the cabinet under the bathroom sink. Make sure the water is off and have a small towel to catch the water or you'll get wet! Easy to replace the filter. Hope this helps!

[Jopopsy]

The video above shows 2 things I hadn’t considered. One he uses some silicone on the pipe - the Sharkbite website doesn’t show this so I didn’t do it.

The other thing - he raises the fact that Sharkbite fittings use O-rings. Does it matter that some of us have rigs that sit in sub-freezing weather with RV Anti-Freeze in the pipes? Would any of that cause the O-ring to fail sooner I wonder?

Don’t have that issue w/ the PVC/Glue solution. Of course, since I made both maybe I should use the PVC for winterizing and swap out for Pex when its time to use the water.

Hrm.

[RetiredOne]

I think you're over thinking this. Shark bite and Pex fittings are use virtually in all RVs today and all over the world. Freezing Pex lines that split are a bigger issue. For water to flow through the fittings, it has to be above 32 degrees. O rings have a wider use range.

[Jopopsy]

Maybe I am, but I guess I’m focused on the O-ring of the Sharkbite fitting, not the Pex. The Pex I saw under my cabinet had all crimp fittings; no O-rings. Does it matter?

[RetiredOne]

I doubt it matters, o rings are tough dudes. Specially in the range of temperatures we see.

[Jopopsy]

Good, I’ll put my pex solution in and call it a day.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Good, I’ll put my pex solution in and call it a day.

When is the maiden voyage?

[CAG]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

I think you're over thinking this. Shark bite and Pex fittings are use virtually in all RVs today and all over the world. Freezing Pex lines that split are a bigger issue. For water to flow through the fittings, it has to be above 32 degrees. O rings have a wider use range.

While the Pex lines can be a freeze problem, in most cases they are not what goes first. In all of the single digit camping we do elk hunting/Spring Turkey hunting when we had a problem it was the plastic L, T or splitter that the Pex was connected to that split with a freeze. The Pex lines did fine.

[CINCEARTH]

Jopopsy, do you know what the brand and size of the water filter is? I need to replace mine in my 29MVP. I can't seem to find it anywhere. Thought it would be easier to ask here before I email Jayco. Thanks for any info you might have.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by CINCEARTH

Jopopsy, do you know what the brand and size of the water filter is? I need to replace mine in my 29MVP. I can't seem to find it anywhere. Thought it would be easier to ask here before I email Jayco. Thanks for any info you might have.

Here you go. You can also see the 2 fittings I made to bypass:

[alazear]

Sharkbite is a brand name, like Kleenex is to facial tissue. There are many other brands out there, just as there are many other brands of facial tissue besides Kleenex. But people still say Kleenex for tissue just like Sharkbite is arguably the most well known for these PEX tube fittings.

The "Sharkbite" fittings I've been referring to are the push together type found at many hardware stores and home centers. They are made of metal, with O Rings, as you've seen in the video. I've used them in many applications in my house for years in different remodels - bathrooms, kitchen, etc. I'm a sometimes serious woodworker who has a house that I'm constantly remodeling for some demented and unknown reason I like making cabinets from scratch.

The one problem of the push together type of fitting, is their cost per fitting. So, Sharkbite, the company, [as well as other brands] also make a full line of both brass and plastic crimp together fittings that the pros use for greater cost savings and some would argue permanency. These require a proper crimp tool to use, about $80 for a good quality crimp tool, last I looked, brand dependant. They are also bomber fittings, just as the push together type are. If you look carefully [in my crummy cell picture] I've used one brass 90 degree version and reused a stock plastic 90 degree version [from Jayco] in my simple bypass. Both are crimp fitting type - I've got the tools. For a simple bypass, without buying a crimp tool, just use 2 push together types and be done with it in half and hour, faster if you've used them before. Then throw the dumb filter in the trash and smile at a job well done.

I've never used silicone grease on the O Rings either and thought that was weird in the video, but I doubt it could hurt either. This Sharkbite type technology is not new. When looking into it for my own remodels, over a decade ago now, I, found way back then, it was used in Australia for at least 10-15 years before it was approved for home use nationwide in the US. It's been around a long time now and has an excellent track record. PEX piping [another brand name like Kleenex] and these crimp style fittings are used in many new homes today all throughout the home, in the highest end - most green - new home constructions and down through less expensive homes too.

The technology has serious advantages: it's cheaper, has better freeze/thaw and vibration tolerances, can bend moderate curves without additional fittings and is way lighter than copper or steel. Doesn't that sound perfect for RV's? That's why it's the new standard there and is throughout your Jayco now unless it's an older version.

PEX piping's downfall is sunlight, as that degrades plastic. Keep PEX out of the sun and it does extremely well year after year for decades. RV manufactures do cut corners by using the plastic crimp fittings rather than brass, but they still work fine too for many years, but probably are a weak point. Talk to Jayco and every other RV manufacture...

Having said that, any fitting can fail, including copper + steel. Do the job well and you lessen the risk. Remember RV's are a house on wheels crashing down the road at 70+ mph - creating vibrations way high up on the Richtor scale every time you go out. They also need to handle extremes in weather. I think the PEX - Sharkbite combo fits those needs well, arguably better than anything else. It is far from the only solution though. It is what the manufactures choose to use.

[Spower]

So now I am wondering if I have a water filter somewhere? I have a new 2020 model that nobody else seems to have yet (my signature). If I do will it be mentioned in the owners manual? If not, I have no idea how to find it if there is one.

I want to use an inline filter when I use city water. What do you guys use??

Thanks!

[SoulReflection]

Sorry, can't help you with that model but it probably has one under a sink or below a cabinet. Check out the recent posts in the Class C thread for more detail this and why many others removed the interior ones and only use exterior filters, like me.

[cherv]

I just leave the canister empty. Too much of a pain to lay on your back, remove 2 drawers to change filter which is above all the wiring and electronics, ridiculous. Winterizing just pump in more antifreeze to fill canister and force it to faucets, shower and toilet. Works for me.

[Bluesky46]

It’s probably near the internal water pump. Different models are in different places. I’m my 31SS it is behind a panel inside the rear storage compartment. To get to it you have to empty the rear storage and physically crawl in the storage to get to the panel, remove that and the filter is behind the panel. Total PITA to get to. I have bypassed mine and use a blue in hose filter.