New Water Filtration System

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
Have always used he in line filter. With new rig on the way, I'm trying to put together my new system. After reading all the posts here, I opted for the standard size dual canister whole hose set up with the Watts regulator. Going to put the regulator after the filters. Probably go with the tote box. What quick connects are people using and do they leak? I can't start getting what I need for the UDC connections since I'm not familiar with it yet but it would be nice to have a manifold to feed all water inlets on rig. I've seen some pretty clean setups on this site and am trying to copy some of the ideas I've seen. Do you just use short custom water hoses with quick connects added in the UDC? Again, what is a good brand of Quick connect that I should use? Thanks in advance.
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
I've tried various quick connects, but the best I have found are solid, machined brass that I found at ACE Hardware.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
My connection are from lowes...again solid brass. You will chase leaks all the time. Always unhooking and hooking back up takes a toll on everything. Not gushers but usually a drip here or there.

I use a crate so the air can get around to keep things dry. I tried a tote but had to keep emptying it from spills, drips or when I vented the system during hook up.

A suggestion is I would incorporate a union in the rats nest of plumbing which will make it easier to work on and change out filters.

I also built in a seperate outlet for either the black tank flush or a hose connection.

I did not custom cut any hoses as after 20 years I had lots of pieces. I do only use a 5' piece from the filter to the UDC.

I wrap my hose around the ladder(had to find something useful for it since I am not climbing up it) so I need an adapter for the end of my supply hose since it is connected to the park supply when I store the hoses for travel. Tried a few times to put quick disconnect on park supply and left too many behind.

Dispite the the trouble it is well worth it in good tasting water and cleaner water.
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
I also use the Ace Hardware brand of quick disconnects. I have them on my filter setup and all my hoses , ACE brand is the best I have found.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
Thanks for the replies. I guess this will be trial and error till I get it the way I want. The crate idea makes sense as long as everyting is capped of for storage and travel. Thanks again for the replies.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Brass quick connects. You'll have to replace one side or the other once in a while, so get a type carried in lots of places, and keep a spare set.

Also, use teflon tape on all connections.
 

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
Here's another vote for the ACE brass quick connects. That's what I use on all my hoses except the one going to the water source, duh,,, I have the two in-line, whole house filter set-up that I carry in a plastic milk crate. Easy to take in and out of basement and keeps things relatively clean.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
I noticed Jim used the 105 degree quick connect at the fresh water in. I saw this at the site for the filters. I really don't want to get a bunch of mismatched fitting in the system. If I use a standard 90 drop from there with a brass QC form Lowes, is there enough room for old fingers to operate it? I probably need to wait for the rig before trying to figure that out. It would be nice o have a system ready to plug and play. Thanks again for the replies.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
All of my Quick-Connects came from the RV Water Filter Store, as did my filtration system and the 50ft. water hose. I made a simple manifold from CPVC pipe that connects to the city water inlet, black tank flush, and has a utility hose. For utility hose, I now have a 25ft. length of the black Flex-a-hose. Since the manifold lines stay connected to their inlets, I haven't put quick connects on them, but have installed 90-deg. elbows to take some of the strain out of the short hoses. None of the connects leak, BTW.

Along with the Watts BG55N regulator, after the filters, I have an inline water meter so I can gage water usage and how much I'm adding to the black tank via the flush to recharge it. I also have a pressure gage in front of the filters, so I can tell if the filters are plugging and restricting the pressure (static vs. residual). To keep the supply hose clean, I use a stake-in hose support near the pedestal and loop the line over the tires to keep it out of the dirt. Less clean up. My tote system may not be for those that move a lot, but since we stay put for the entire summer, it works for me.
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
Avoid the Wally world ones that look like brass. They are anodized aluminum and corrode. I have a 3' hose (capped when not in use) connected to the UDC(that connector is a pain). It goes out the bottom and connects to the output of the regulator(Watts) which is on the output of the filters. I have a short hose on the input of the filters which is looped back to the output when traveling and it's all in a milk crate. I do not use a manifold for the black tank flush as I don't want that anywhere near my drinking water. The black tank flush has a QD(also hard to get to) on it and I have a 25' gray hose for the flush. For simplicity I have a 2-way at the campgound water supply but if I hook up the gray hose I disconnect the drinking water hose.
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
I put brass 90s on the fresh water inlet and the black flush inlet. Then I added short reinforced plastic hoses to each that are just long enough to hang out the bottom of the UDC. I put my watts regulator on the fresh hose and a back flow preventer on the flush hose, then I added brass quick disconnects to both. Now I don't have to fumble with trying to screw a hose into those cheap plastic fittings in the UDC and eliminated the possibility of stripping the threads and water leaks as well. You could even use wash machine or dishwasher supply hoses for this as well. I also have short pigtails for the cable and satellite than hang out as well. Much easier to hook up...Don
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I should add that my black tank flush inlet is actually a brass city water fitting with a real check valve, not the cheap plastic flow restrictor tube that was there (and broke off). That and the anti-siphon valve give me no worries since I don't wait until the toilet backs up to dump the tank.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
Since it's an open line, could you run full pressure to the black tank flush instead of going through a regulator? Also, if I ran 3 filters down to a 1 micron final filter with the regulator after the filters, would I still have good water pressure? What is the max safe setting for the regulator? Is anyone using a water softener with the filter setup? Thanks in advance
 
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Garypowell

Well-known member
I see no reason to not use full pressure on black tank flush but then I always remove the vacuum breaker too.

I also don't have a real high opinion of black tank flush systems.....just a fancy way to get water into the tank.

All that that said my black flush water comes off after the filters.

I know I don't have 1 micron but don't really know what mine is. I do know most parks have poor water pressure/flow (imha). I set my regulator for 60 PSI at home but many parks only make it up to 45 PSI with no flow.

I have always ways assumed they could provide better pressure/flow but save on their water bill by throttling the water.
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
I see no reason to not use full pressure on black tank flush but then I always remove the vacuum breaker too.

I also don't have a real high opinion of black tank flush systems.....just a fancy way to get water into the tank.

All that that said my black flush water comes off after the filters.

I know I don't have 1 micron but don't really know what mine is. I do know most parks have poor water pressure/flow (imha). I set my regulator for 60 PSI at home but many parks only make it up to 45 PSI with no flow.

I have always ways assumed they could provide better pressure/flow but save on their water bill by throttling the water.


I thought that way also until it was pointed out that the sprayer nozzles create back pressure and with high enough park pressure the lines can come off the tank(and have). Since they are not easy to get at I just use an old regulator I had.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I would advise from experience to have your hookup system somewhat modular so that you can hookup your regulator FIRST, at the faucet, when you encounter HIGH water pressure. I am at Thousand Trails Snowflower at the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains and had my water hoses blow apart at the fittings about 4 times when I first checked in. I was told their water pressure here is something like 125 psi. I got a GOOD $40 adjustable regulator with gauge off of Amazon as quick as I could to replace the fixed orifice "regulator" I did have. I do agree that MOST campgrounds have low water pressure and for a good pressure shower there it is best to put the regulator AFTER the pressure drop of the filters.

BTW, my first experience with HIGH water pressure was when I was travelling cross country to Yellowstone and the Gillette National rally, and stopped overnight in Wells, Nevada. I wanted to dump my black tank first thing, hooked up the water hose without a regulator to my black tank flush, and promptly heard a big water flow within the trailer - The plastic black tank flusher atmospheric check valve had blown apart from the water pressure inside the wall behind my toilet. The waterfall coming down soaked and ruined my $220 12 volt converter/charger on the utility crawlspace floor. This was an expensive, tough, PITA, set of problems to fix myself while travelling on the road in mostly rural areas. If you have the original black tank flusher with the plastic valve in the wall, I would recommend using a water pressure regulator when black tank flushing unless you are SURE the water pressure is not too high. My flusher valve has been changed over to a brass valve, and I no longer have that concern. You would probably want a SEPARATE water pressure regulator for the flusher with black water system/fresh water system contamination concerns. Short of a new metal atmospheric check valve, maybe a regulator permanently plumbed into the flusher system might be the best.
 
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