Water Filter Question

[Jopopsy]

I'm beginning to assemble my shopping list for this year's camping trips. Typically I buy a 4 pack of those blue Camco water filters that hang off the side of the coach. The internal water filter in my Greyhawk is a bit of a pain to work with and I really don't want to change it a couple times a year due to all the inactivity and water sitting in it (that's why I use the Camco ones).

Do you guys generally filter your water or do you rely on the campground's supply being generally good?

[dalebra]

Filter it. The same as you are doing.

[rjackson]

I just use the campground's water no filter

[hboy]

I've done both ways and think it's a personal preference.

[tylersdad]

We use a Camco filter and a Brita pitcher.

[oldmanAZ]

We were in many CGs this year. The water taste and odor ranged from ok to yuck and almost always very hard (poor suds for dishes and showering).

Before we left, I wasn't sure what we'd encounter so I was prepared with a solid carbon block filter (.5 micron, I believe), a Pentek Water Softening Cartridge, and a Camco RV water filter. IMO, the Camco filter did little to nothing for bad taste and odor. I believe it is primarily designed to keep sand etc. out of RV water systems.

What we did was fill the fresh water tank with water going through the carbon filter (1st) and the softening cartridge. Then we used water exclusively from the FW tank. It was great for drinking, coffee, showering, and dish washing.

The flow rate through the two filters was too low for good showers when connected to the 'city' water inlet. But using the trailer's pump from our FW tank there was plenty of pressure and flow for good showers.

[jloco]

I know this is bad, but we drink Poland Springs bottled water ($4.99 for 40 .5 liter bottles, along with lots of Arizona green iced tea (and beer!). I have the blue filter outside the RV for 'everything else' water, but we don't drink the tap water.

[Fairenatic]

Carbon filters are very good but have a VERY short life. If you use it every day, they may last a month. After that, they just start dumping everything back into the water.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Fairenatic

Carbon filters are very good but have a VERY short life. If you use it every day, they may last a month. After that, they just start dumping everything back into the water.

Good to know, but I'm not clear on their life of one month...
Is that a time issue or gallons used?

If gallons, wouldn't that depend on the size of the filter? I used 'whole-house' filters (~10" long x 3"dia) said to be good for 20,000 gallons at reducing chlorine, 750 gallons to reduce other chemical contaminants. I might have been around the 750 gallon mark after using it for 4 months. I never noticed chlorine odor in the water from our FW tank.

If time, I usually used it twice a week to fill my FW after boondocking for about 4 days. When done, I drained the water out of the filter canisters and stored them until filling the FW again. By not using them everyday, does that extend their life? I've never seen any limits on what the life of the filter is over time.

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Good to know, but I'm not clear on their life of one month...
Is that a time issue or gallons used?

If gallons, wouldn't that depend on the size of the filter? I used 'whole-house' filters (~10" long x 3"dia) said to be good for 20,000 gallons at reducing chlorine, 750 gallons to reduce other chemical contaminants. I might have been around the 750 gallon mark after using it for 4 months. I never noticed chlorine odor in the water from our FW tank.

If time, I usually used it twice a week to fill my FW after boondocking for about 4 days. When done, I drained the water out of the filter canisters and stored them until filling the FW again. By not using them everyday, does that extend their life? I've never seen any limits on what the life of the filter is over time.

Many manufactures claim and post numbers based on gallons filtered. Problem is, carbon absorbs EVERYTHING around them. Air and water. Unless they are in an air tight container when they are not in use, then yeah, you can go by the numbers published. But, in real life, this does not happen. Also, carbon does not work well at high flows and pressures. Ideally, you want a trickle flow over so that water reaches the cracks and crevices for maximum effectiveness. This does not happen at flows we use in a RV or in a household kitchen.

I have raised and grown soft and hard corals for 30 years. You would be amazed at what you will find in water when you test it on a regular basis.

Your best bet, bite the bullet and invest in a Reverse Osmosis system. They last a long time (usually many years) before needing replacement and the water quality can not be touched by carbon filters. A decent 5 stage, 90gpd RO system will cost around $300.

P.S. I recommend a grit filter of 0.5 micron or less to fill your fresh water tank and use the RO system down stream (kitchen sink for me) for cooking and drinking water.

[Gone campin]

We drink bottled water and use a Camco filter for everything else.

[norty1]

Whole house filter on input hose at camper. I change it several times a year.

[ROC-REQS]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

...Do you guys generally filter your water or do you rely on the campground's supply being generally good?

I always use a 2 stage external filter when ever hooked up to a campgrounds water supply.

I use a sediment filter in the 1st canister (i.e., closest to water supply) and then a carbon taste & order filter in the 2nd canister, which outputs to the trailer's water intake.

I change the filters based on number of day's camping.

[Jopopsy]

Wow. As with most RV questions I tend to ask, the answer becomes more than I expected and often more costly as well !!!

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Wow. As with most RV questions I tend to ask, the answer becomes more than I expected and largely more costly as well !!!

And don't forget, adds weight and reduces overall Cargo Capacity.

[corky111111]

Originally Posted by Gone campin

We drink bottled water and use a Camco filter for everything else.

Same here.

[Cdash]

Originally Posted by ROC-REQS

I always use a 2 stage external filter when ever hooked up to a campgrounds water supply.

I use a sediment filter in the 1st canister (i.e., closest to water supply) and then a carbon taste & order filter in the 2nd canister, which outputs to the trailer's water intake.

I change the filters based on number of day's camping.

Why the 2 filters ? I may be wrong, but doesn't the carbon filter have a smaller opening size, meaning that it would catch all the stuff that the first filter is catching ? Seems like a waste of a filter. I could understand if there was really heavy sediment, but for RV use seems like real overkill.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Wow. As with most RV questions I tend to ask, the answer becomes more than I expected and often more costly as well !!!

... and you probably noticed the wide variety of answers from members of the JOF with one thing in common.... all are alive to post their opinion.

My point is there are lots of us with differing opinions, but lots of times there is no right/wrong answer! Just pick the 'solution' that most agrees with YOUR thinking and your budget.

[Fairenatic]

Originally Posted by Cdash

Why the 2 filters ? I may be wrong, but doesn't the carbon filter have a smaller opening size, meaning that it would catch all the stuff that the first filter is catching ? Seems like a waste of a filter. I could understand if there was really heavy sediment, but for RV use seems like real overkill.

If you use a quality sediment filter, you will be removing 99% of the larger particles. Carbon is better for those elements that dissolve in water like chlorides, nitrates, nitrites, potassium, sulfates, ammonia, floride, and many heavy metals.

So no, the carbon filter will not be clogged if you use a fine sediment filter first.

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by Gone campin

We drink bottled water and use a Camco filter for everything else.

Bingo!