Drinking water filters

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by 96 Wideglide

I had been using the blue Camco in-line filters until I hooked one up to a spigot at a park on my way home from AZ. I had been using this filter for a couple of weeks in AZ. I turned on the spigot at this other park kinda fast with just the filter attached.
You would not believe the brown crap that came out the end of that filter for the first couple of seconds. They must have some kind of bypass, and when the flow is high, allows whatever the filter has trapped goes right on thru !!

You should always run the water with just the filter attached. First thing, I run water thru the bare spigot, then I clean the spigot with antibacterial, as well as the parts I'm about to attach. I attach my splitter, my regulator and my hose. I run water thru the hose for a few seconds, then shut it off. I attach my blue Camco filter to the end of the hose and run water thru it, then shut it off. Finally I connect the Camco filter to my rig and turn the water on, checking for leaks. I don't want that spider that crawled into that spigot to get caught in my regulator or filter and decompose into my water supply.

[scenic route]

Originally Posted by TonyMac

First thing, I run water thru the bare spigot

Learned that little lesson when we first started RV'n. The first time I forgot this procedure, I thought the pressure regulator was bad...nope, 'twas a little spigot toad seeking refuge that got pressed into the inlet screen of the Camco. Yuck!

It is amazing the gunk that comes out of some CG spigots when first turned on. Yet, I see people hooking up without clearing the spigot all the time.

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

Americans exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water 'dramatically underestimated': report

https://www.foxnews.com/health/ameri...timated-reprot

First, here's the original EWG report that Fox summarized. PFAS is a real thing. Great, one more water contaminant to worry about.

My RV water filtration system is pretty good, but I use a carbon block filter instead of a GAC (Granular Activated Carbon) filter that's recommended for PFAS removal.

Originally Posted by IC2

That article is junk scare science and a Fox filler piece. 44 samples in 31 states is far from representative and unacceptable statistics in a country as large as the US, with a 330 million population.

Well, the article may have jumped to conclusions since there's nothing in their methodology that indicates those 44 samples were part of a random sampling.

However, some state governments are concerned enough to address PFAS contamination:

- Rhode Island

- Michigan

- New Hampshire

[Sonic]

We’ve discussed carbon block filters as whole house filters in the past, but just a reminder that although some will allow good flow, their effectiveness significantly decreases with flow rates beyond .5 to 1 gpm depending on the filter spec.
There’s no getting around the fact that carbon requires time to work, so if you’re pushing 2,3,4 or more gpm through them, they’re not doing the job you may think they are.
They’ll obviously work fine as a drinking water filter where the flow rate is within spec.

[firedoc]

Originally Posted by Sonic

We’ve discussed carbon block filters as whole house filters in the past, but just a reminder that although some will allow good flow, their effectiveness significantly decreases with flow rates beyond .5 to 1 gpm depending on the filter spec.

There’s no getting around the fact that carbon requires time to work, so if you’re pushing 2,3,4 or more gpm through them, they’re not doing the job you may think they are.

They’ll obviously work fine as a drinking water filter where the flow rate is within spec.

I would suspect then that the carbon block filter lowers the water flow in the rv?

[Sonic]

Originally Posted by firedoc

I would suspect then that the carbon block filter lowers the water flow in the rv?

The flow into the RV is typically lower than with a sediment filter but some carbon block filters have decent flow rates. Again, maximum flow rate and effective flow rate are two different things.

[txcpl]

Water quality is a BIG deal no matter where you live or travel. Each of us has the responsibility to practice safe hygiene, not only for ourselves but for those who follow.
Ever wonder why the water at dump stations is labelled as "NON-POTABLE"? Just sit there and watch what some folks do sometime.
It always amazes me how "man" behaves due to ignorance, laziness, and/or greed.
The best thing every responsible RV'er can do is to set the example.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by TonyMac

You should always run the water with just the filter attached. First thing, I run water thru the bare spigot, then I clean the spigot with antibacterial, as well as the parts I'm about to attach. I attach my splitter, my regulator and my hose. I run water thru the hose for a few seconds, then shut it off. I attach my blue Camco filter to the end of the hose and run water thru it, then shut it off. Finally I connect the Camco filter to my rig and turn the water on, checking for leaks. I don't want that spider that crawled into that spigot to get caught in my regulator or filter and decompose into my water supply.

Great advice!

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by Sonic

We’ve discussed carbon block filters as whole house filters in the past, but just a reminder that although some will allow good flow, their effectiveness significantly decreases with flow rates beyond .5 to 1 gpm depending on the filter spec.
There’s no getting around the fact that carbon requires time to work, so if you’re pushing 2,3,4 or more gpm through them, they’re not doing the job you may think they are.
They’ll obviously work fine as a drinking water filter where the flow rate is within spec.

Not that simple. Talked to a guy at Pentek and while increased flow decreases a carbon filter's effectiveness and its lifetime, the flow vs effectiveness relationship isn't linear.

I use a Pentek FlowPlus-10BB which is rated at 2 GPM. However, I regularly see flow rates of 3 to 4 GPM. I'm not worried.

[Sonic]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

Not that simple. Talked to a guy at Pentek and while increased flow decreases a carbon filter's effectiveness and its lifetime, the flow vs effectiveness relationship isn't linear.

I use a Pentek FlowPlus-10BB which is rated at 2 GPM. However, I regularly see flow rates of 3 to 4 GPM. I'm not worried.

I didn’t say it was linear, is said the effective rate is not the same as max flow rate. You’re using a 4.5” filter which is atypical but the concept is the same in that you’re pushing the filter beyond its most effective flow rate and therefore not getting the level of filtering you may think you are. You cannot overcome physics.

[Smitty77]

At the Bib Camco Blue.

RV's Whole House main filter:
https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/A1209.htm


Drinking and Ice water, from under the kitchen sink counter filter:
https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/A1404.htm

Going in under the kitchen counter to our water spikes filtered water line, the 12V Acuva Mini UV.

=======

Water safety is important. It only takes one place along your travels to get seriously sick... And I'm not paranoid, but I do also pay for things like Earthquake and Umbrella Insurance - because I like to be prepared... Feel the same way about the water we drink, and shower in!

To each their own!
Best to all,
Smitty

[Sonic]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

Americans exposed to toxic chemicals in drinking water 'dramatically underestimated': report

https://www.foxnews.com/health/ameri...timated-reprot

For additional info, the nonprofit nonpartisan Environmental Working Group has a database that can be accessed by zip code, showing what they found in the data from 50,000 water utility companies across 50 states. They say the U.S. government hasn't added any new chemicals to the Safe Water Drinking Act in 20 years, and this group includes suspected cancer causing chemicals that are excluded by the government standard.
https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by Sonic

...They say the U.S. government hasn't added any new chemicals to the Safe Water Drinking Act in 20 years, and this group includes suspected cancer causing chemicals that are excluded by the government standard.
https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

With this being the case, it makes one wonder why the protections currently in place for our drinking water are being removed? How is making it easier to pollute the surface and ground water going to make it easier to find safe drinking water as we travel around?

I remember a time when there were signs at the edge of many cities touting their water quality. Don't think I've seen one of those for a while now.

I'm on a private well right now, which we have tested periodically to make sure it's still safe to drink. It is, but I know that it's just one chemical spill or septic system failure away from having to be shut down.

[G Schulz]

We have a Berkey water filter that we use for drinking water. It is gravity feed and doesn’t require any power. It removes everything out of the water. They even have an additional filter that will remove fluoride if you require it. It will convert pond water to safe drinking water. It is so good it will remove red food coloring out of the water. It removes so much that we have to put in mineral rocks in the second chamber to give it some taste as it is very bland without it.
It’s one of the best things we have purchased for our RV. No more hauling cases of water. We haven’t bought bottled water for over three years now. My wife drinks a lot of water. It has easily paid for itself.
As an extra bonus, think of all the plastic bottles that aren’t going to the land fill.