Water Filters

[lwmcguire]

If you typically use extremely high hardness water and or high high iron content then a water softener ahead of the RO will extend the useful life of the membrane

RO units should always be after the softener, never ahead

Softener Cation resin has a very long life and really only the enemies

Osmotic shock
High free chlorine residual in make up
Freezing when hydrated

It can last 10-20 years but usually the beads break apart and fines get back washed out

When a softener is ran past exhaustion it requires a back to back regeneration to recover 100% capacity

Not so important on a small unit, you will just have to regenerate more often

Remember you are doubling your Na in the softened water so with high hardness incoming you may need to factor that in

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

How long does it take to fill your water tank?

The first fill is the longest. LOL

I have a 150 GPD set up. With the float switch installed my SeeLevel shows us at 83% when "full". The boost pump comes on when it the SeeLevel drops to about 79%. I am estimating that I am getting a gallon of fresh water every 6-7 minutes.

Typically we have already seen that we can do a load of clothes and the system doesn't go below 79% and recovers to 83% by the time the load is done.

Now...part of the upgrade is that we installed an Aquajet AES with 3.4 GPM @ 65 PSI. That puts out more water than the previous OEM pump. When Sandee takes one of her long showers The tank drops down to as low as 55%. Recovery back to 83% is about 1-2 hours. That is just a ball park figure since I haven't really put a stop watch to it but I think 2 hours max is pretty fair.

In general, using anything that isn't metering the water like the washer will use more water than before. Even our macerator toilets use more water. At least we think they use more water based on the number of flushes we get when the SeeLevel shows 100% and the red light comes on.

Of course, the simple answer is that we haven't run into a situation were the recovery rate was a factor. The only concession I make is that if we are going to travel and I want the tank at 100% I unplug the sensor connector to the the tank level controller (TLC). That makes the pump run until I plug it back in. Of course, I need to baby sit it a bit to reconnect the TLC to the float switch. I also plan to put a flow restrictor in the shower to return it to its original, sufficient flow.

I'm posting more on a thread I started covering my installation. My current project is to record total dissolved solids (TDS) going into the RO, TDS out of the RO and TDS at the faucet. I'm also measuring PH at the faucet. RO water tends to be acidic and my current PH is 6.0 where it should be between 6.5-8.0. I have a filter canister that is currently empty but I plan to put a remineralizer cartridge in it after a few weeks. That should balance out the PH but might increase TDS a bit. I've posted a few videos on the set up from water bay to boost pump.

To some, my approach to getting all this data might be tedious but I enjoy it. It also helps me better understand what variables will affect my final water product. To each, there own.

[Piros1]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

Yes. Before we started full timing, we completely revamped our water filtration system:



A = Pressure Regulator
B = Sediment Filter (5 micron)
C = Carbon Block Filter
D = Water Softener
E = Flow Meter (measures GPM)
F = UV Filter Light

Finally, we have a RO (Reverse Osmosis) system under the kitchen sink.

Looks like you really did a complete package! How often do you back flush your softener?

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

The first fill is the longest . . . I am estimating that I am getting a gallon of fresh water every 6-7 minutes.

So I wouldn't want to be behind you in line if you're filling your tank, right?

Also, where does all that RO brine go? Waste tank? Ground?

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by Piros1

How often do you back flush your softener?

Once a month. Every other month I recharge with salt.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

So I wouldn't want to be behind you in line if you're filling your tank, right?

Also, where does all that RO brine go? Waste tank? Ground?

Check out my RO thread
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/wate...es-453582.html

I posted 3 videos about my setup.

No one has to wait behind me. LOL

Brine goes to my gray tank.

[Btheresoon]

We installed a 12,000 grain fully automatic softener in the bay just behind batteries. You never know what kind of water you are hooking up to do how often to regenerate is somewhat of a guess. Still use the oem filter with a 5 micron cartridge. Ok so that is just for quality utility water, not drinking. So I added a RO unit, connected the frig in Bay Area. I didn’t want to drill a hole in the sink top so I had a long piece of 3/8 tubing with a valve on it to fill larger bottles. Frig works great for a glass full. Important to note the RO will ice water to make water so only run it when you are connected to a water supply. The good part is the RO holding take holds 2-3 gallons for those days without hook ups. As someone mentioned earlier, it is very important to change any filter that contains carbon at least 1 time per year or after a period of no use. Chlorine is not a good indicator that the filter is exhausted. Much of what the carbon removes will start slipping thru before chlorine sometime it can be exhausted,remove chlorine and start throwing off into your water something worse. Bottles are far easier than all that but it can be done. Also note, water softeners and sediment filters improve many aspects of the water but not really the things you would be concerned about drinking. Putting a carbon filter on the whole coach is a problem as well, those cartridges are not designed for that much flow rate. Sorry I’m so windy, just wanted to get the facts out there

[puttin]

We use the jumbo canister from the water filter store along with their carbon block filter. Makes great tasting water for drinking and ice cubes. We don't worry about the pathogens...never stay where there's well water or other questionable sources. The worst is in Az...too much salt, etc. The water there is as hard as a brick- but no bad stuff. We only stay there rarely so I don't bother with softeners, etc.

[Robt531]

I put a Reverse Osmosis system under the kitchen sink. Feeds a small faucet on the sink. Also ran a line to the fridge for cold water and ice. Works great and the water tastes like bottled water. In addition, when I'm in a hard water area, I attach a potable water softener. It doesn't improve the RO water but it does make for a nicer shower as well as a better result from our DW and washing machine (at least DW says so).

[FLJOE]

Originally Posted by Flanz

Since we fulltime, I installed a number of filters to clean up the water as best as possible. No UV here, didn't think it was needed.

I've also eliminated the wimpy RV water pressure regulator and plumbed in a house water pressure regulator. Its set to 55psi and when the campground supplies at least 55psi - our pressure, through out the coach, has been awesome.

So, in my wet bay I've added a couple of pressure gauges. The large one in the background is for the input to the regulator and the other gauge is the output of the water pressure regulator. In the same compartment I modified the plumbing of the 10" filter to be used by the fridge and the sink. The sink is the small spigot used for cooking. I changed the filter to a 1/2 micron carbon block filter. And behind the removable panel is the house pressure regulator.

In the bay next to the Aquahot I added three 10" filters, a water softener, and a DI water system for cleaning. In the same bay, and attached to the DI setup, I've added a 1600psi electric power washer. Both the DI setup and pressure washer are a must for cleaning the coach and the Harley. I use three filters and they are in order, 10 micron, 5 micron, and a 1 micron carbon block. At the output of the filters I added a pressure gauge that I use to determine when/if the filters need to be changed.

So far, after three and a half years, this setup has stood up well and our water has been super clean......

Interesting. Great photos. You do realize most recent Newmars have Oasis and not Aquahot systems, plus our wet bays aren't like yours. But it looks like you are set up nicely.

[tnedator]

The only way I'm going to get improved filtration in the mini-wet bay in the Ventana is to mount some of the filters so they hang down in front of the FWS shaft that runs through the wet bay.

Does anyone know the construction of the top of the wet bay? Can I safely screw a piece of angle aluminum into the top of the wet bay?

My thinking is to attack a piece of 1.5" or 2" aluminum angle into the top of the wet bay that extends most of the length of the wet bay, and then attack filter brackets to it, that allow the filters to hang down past the FWS shaft.

Alternatively, I would have to use something like aluminum square/rectangular tubing into the white plastic sheet to shim the brackets out enough for the filter housings to clear the shaft.

Screwing into the top, assuming there is nothing there to be concerned about, seems like the more sturdy option.

[Flanz]

Originally Posted by FLJOE

Interesting. Great photos. You do realize most recent Newmars have Oasis and not Aquahot systems, plus our wet bays aren't like yours. But it looks like you are set up nicely.

My setup has nothing to do with the type of heating system installed in the unit. If you READ the post I stated that my setup was installed in the bay next to the Aquahot.

The point of my post was that I installed several filters, a water softener, a residential water pressure regulator, and three water pressure gauges for monitoring incoming water pressure. That’s all!

This type of setup and the components used can be duplicated in any coach. Doesn’t matter if you have an Entegra, Newmar, or any other coach. I also joined the thread hoping to learn and see what others use....I view all sites as public and not exclusive to the equipment used within the site.

[TJ]

Curious about "three water pressure gauges for monitoring incoming water pressure." At what points are you measuring incoming pressure...and, why at those three points.

TJ

[Flanz]

One on the inlet and outlet or the water pressure regulator and the third one on the outlet of the filters. The one on the filters helps to determine if/when filters need to be changed.