Water filter upgrade

When we started traveling full time in an RV in April, we didn't know how critical it would be to have a high-quality water filter. After using a basic filter for the first 6 months of our journey, we've upgraded to a much better system. It's called a whole-coach double 10" canister set by RV Water Filter Store.

Photo courtesy Camco

The first filter we bought was the Camco TastePURE filter, a blue pigtail that attaches to the water hose between the water source and the coach. It costs about $20 and lasts for about a season. It filters particles out of the water that are about 100 microns or larger. That leads many to call it a "frogs and logs" filter, meaning it will filter out large particles.

Take a meter (just under 40 inches) and divide it into a million slices -- one of those slices measures a micron wide. An average human hair is about 100 microns thick. So is a standard sheet of paper. That's small, but there are many potentially harmful particles in water that are much, much smaller.

We realized we needed a better filter when we stopped at an RV park in Pasco, Washington for the night to get a good night's rest, dump our holding tanks, and replenish our fresh water supply. After hooking up to the electric, water, and sewer, we were ready to take showers and sleep. Imagine our shock when brown water ran from the sink. The water cleared up after it ran a few seconds, but every time we turned on the water, it started brown. We wound up using our dwindling fresh water supply to brush our teeth and shower, and reserved the brown water for flushing the toilet. This is why we always carry plenty of bottled water -- you just never know what the water quality will be until you turn on the tap. After disconnecting the next day, we flushed our lines out with water from our fresh water tank. I'm surprised we didn't use it all up before getting to a place with better water.

The double canister set we now use on our coach has two filters. The first filter in the set is a disposable sediment filter that traps particles as small as 5 microns across. This filter must be replaced every 3 months (I bought an extra filter to match the longevity of its companion). The second filter, made of powdered activated carbon, removes particles from the water as tiny as 0.5 microns. We're talking molecular level stuff, such as chlorine and cysts. It'll improve the taste of  potable water and can even remove the stink from water. This disposable filter must be changed every 6 months.

A tote keeps the canister set upright. We slide it under the coach
to protect it from the sun and rain. The filter weighs about 10 pounds.

The whole system, pictured in the photo at top, cost about $100, shipped. It includes a wrench for opening and closing the canisters. The system requires two hoses: one from the water source to the canister set, and another from the canister set to the coach. You also need to mount it to something to keep it upright. The vendor sells mounting brackets, but we chose to place it in a tote, which also doubles as its storage bin.

A third canister can be added for additional filtering, such as reducing the high mineral content of hard water.

There are a few things to consider:

• Water pressure -- There is a noticeable reduction in water pressure when using the canister set. The filters I bought are rated for 3-4 gallons per minute. I couldn't find details on the TastePURE's flow rate, but we didn't notice any change in water pressure.
• Cost -- It'll cost about $60 each year to filter our water using the canister set, about $20 less than buying a TastePURE filter each season. The savings will pay for the canister set in a little over 3 years.
• Space -- The canister set is about 5 times heavier and 3 times more bulky than the TastePURE filter. And it requires an additional hose, plus a way to mount it when in use.
• Recycling -- Dave Brannam, owner of RV Water Filter Store where I bought my canister set, recommends checking with your local recycling station to see if they take spent canisters. If not, you can ship them to the Water Filter Store in Indiana. Dave suggests drying them out first to save on shipping costs. 
• Better systems -- There are other options to consider, including reverse osmosis and jumbo canisters.

I'm satisfied with our whole-coach double 10" canister set, all things considered. I'd be curious to see how it deals with the brown water issue we experienced, but I'm not making a special trip for that. Special thanks to Bob Petitt for doing the research and recommending this canister filter. Take a deep dive into choosing a water filter system for your RV.