Community Forums

Lac · 03-26-2018, 08:36 PM

Attached is a picture of a 5 micron sediment house filter. It’s the first in series of 2 that I use for our city water inlet to our trailer. The second filter is a .5 micron sediment,and for taste. The used one is after 4 months of full hook up resort camping in California. We have an anode in our water tank and have zero build up and has not significantly deteriorated. Sorry for the photo. New and old filter. Same type and brand of filter

Old-Biscuit · 03-26-2018, 09:54 PM

Then your anode rod is NOT providing the sacrificial protection it is used for.

But that has nothing to do with type of filter being used.

Anode rod deteriorates due to mineral content/hardness of water

Aluminum lasts longer but doesn't provide as much 'corrosion' protection

Magnesium deteriorates quicker but can react with microbes in water and cause a sulfur smell

Filtering is GREAT. Keeps plumbing system clean
But anode rods are for protection of the steel tank in your water heater

Might want to check which anode rod you are using.
Aluminum...flat surface on top of hex head
Magnesium....small 'tit' in center of hex head (Suburban OEM anode rod)

keymastr · 03-26-2018, 09:55 PM

How is your filter set up? I have thought about building a portable setup in a box with a short hose to the city input that I could switch to the tank fill if needed. The whole house filter housings are inexpensive enough and building a little box to house them in would be relatively easy.

Electrolysis is what eats the anode rod. It is a sacrificial anode just the same as the zincs on a boat. If you use too much teflon tape on the threads then it is not electrically bonded to the metal and is not protecting the heater.

brulaz · 03-27-2018, 06:26 AM

Ugh. We too have seen some pretty bad water and always use a 1 micron filter when on city water.

I also like to filter the water when filling the FW tank cause particulates in there can screw up the pump, despite the little built-in filter it has.

Frontier · 03-27-2018, 10:34 AM

On hook-ups or when boondocking from tanks, do many folks drink from these sources? I tend to always carry separate spring water for drinking. Making the filtration of water unimportant. This strategy also avoids the periodic sterilization of water system which is generally recommended.

grumpy0374 · 03-27-2018, 10:46 AM

We have always used bottled water for drinking/cooking due to hit and miss water quality across USA and Canada. Only use camp water for cleaning and showers, and if that is really bad, use our fresh water tank.
Grumpy

Old-Biscuit · 03-27-2018, 11:01 AM

Travel with FULL fresh water tank..........got caught once when campground main water line broke---no water

Use fresh water tank and on-board pump exclusively.

Use the fresh water for EVERYTHING..........cooking, washing,drinking, showers etc.
No need to BUY water when you already have it.

Folks will wash/brush teeth/shower with it but won't drink it------??????

60sumtin · 03-27-2018, 11:25 AM

How fast the anode rode gets consumed depends on how hard (or soft) the water is and how hot the tank is set at. Where I live I've never needed to replace the rod in our home HW tank, but where I grew up in southern SK, they were consumed quite quickly thus needing frequent replacement.

rotozuk · 03-27-2018, 10:05 PM

I usually travel with enough water in tanks to get to a campsite at which point I will fill my tank before heading into dry camping. Filtering is simple enough, but I have been camping in trailers my entire life and drinking the water where ever I am except maybe Las Vegas. I grew up on tap water from Los Angeles, it doesn't get much worse. LOL I guess I am one of the few that drinks tap water from most locations.

When back packing or camping out of a car, you don't have much choice, you source your water as you go. Travel trailer is about the same for me. When I lived in So Cal, when I visited somewhere that has GREAT water I would fill the RV tank and bring home as much water as possible to enjoy it as long as possible. Now that I live in Nor Cal I am lucky to have amazing tap water, so no need to do that.

keymastr · 03-27-2018, 11:57 PM

I also drink tap water but prefer to filter it for taste and hardness. In some areas like Vegas it is much cheaper to buy water than rapidly clogging filters but in most locations it is fine. I sanitize the water system a couple times a season and always travel with a full tank.

brulaz · 03-28-2018, 06:17 AM

We find that city water is often too chlorinated (or otherwise smelly) for tea/coffee/cooking. So use bottled water for that.

But I like having the chlorinated water in the tank and pipes as a disinfectant. That's why we do not use a carbon filter (removes chlorine) at the source, just a 1 micron fine particulate filter.

If the water is not treated in any way, we don't put it in the tank/pipes. Well water for example.

Mark N. · 03-28-2018, 10:13 PM

If you use any kind of charcoal filtering on your source, that is before your trailer anywhere, you are removing chlorine from the water. Be aware of that if untreated water in your holding tank is something you are worried about. You can always use a Brita pitcher filter (or another brand) to keep filtered water at the ready for drinking or cooking, leaving your tank full of chlorinated water. Everyone has their own level of acceptable risk.