Water Filtration System

[jbeletti]

Good website for water stuff

No regulators on any of the Heartland products that I am aware of.

Related to this, on the Mobile Suites forum over at 5th Wheel Forums, I read about a post that had a link to a RV Water equipment company.

Check out RV Filter Store.

That link was to their water pressure regulator page. Lots of good info.

As it happens, my brand new Everpure inline water filter was already cracked and leaking so I was due for another new one. I ended up ordering a two cartridge setup using a 1 micron sediment filter followed by an carbon based bacteriostatic/cyst removal filter. It's the second system from the bottom of this page for $80.95.

I also bought a 105 degree Kwik Link water connection and plan to install it inside the docking center on the shore water inlet (second item from bottom of this gadget page).

My plan is to mount this system into a plastic pop or milk type crate. I'll take pics and give a write up of the unit after I get it next week and try it out.

Jim

 

[jbeletti]

Water Filters - Installed

Hi gang,

I received the dual water filtration system this week from The RV Water Filter Store.

I forgot to bring my Coke crate out to the trailer so for now, I have set the filter system inside the Docking Center.

Kwik Link
I had a bit of a hard time installing the Kwik Link Quick -Connect System to the water inlet connector in the docking center at first. I had a leak at that connection. I ended up removing the rubber washer with built-in screen and installing the new rubber filter that came with the Kwik Link. No more leak!

The Kwik Link System I bought has a 105 degree bend in it. The allows my water hose to point downward towards the hole in the bottom of the docking center. I purchased the 105 vs. the 90 degree model so make it a little easier to connect the water hose.

The heart of this system is the fact that it a quick connect sort of a system similar to what you buy at any hardware center and use for garden hoses. Only difference being that you get the bend (90 or 105 degrees) built into a single molded body.

It also comes with a couple of rubber plugs so the system can be sealed when not in use. I was not able to attach the strap for the plug behind the 105 degree unit without leaks so I slipped it over the factory water inlet dust cap. Should be fine.

The other dust plug connects to the quick connector on the end of my filter output hose. I ended up buying a 6 foot hose with stainless couplings from the same store. Expensive but very well crafted. I may splurge later and get a 25 footer for the input line to the filter and add a quick connector to the filter end.

Filters
I ended up buying the dual canister system with a bracket. I also opted for white canisters as I plan to use these outside. I read that while clear canisters are nice for seeing what the filters are looking like, the UV in sunlight promotes bacteria growth or some such.

The first filter is a 1 micron sediment filter. A replacement filter came with the package I bought as it is assumed you will replace this filter twice as much as the second filter. The second filter in the system is for odor, taste and bacteria/cyst removal etc.

I am no water expert by any stretch. I only hope that the combination I bought is a good one for part-time use. The good news is that these are standard canisters so I should be able to readily find replacement filters for them and I can change the filter types down the road if I feel I need to try a different combination.

Performance
Of course, the proof is in the pudding. Does it really work. Well, it's been installed for a couple hours so I can't really say just yet. We made coffee from it and it tasted fine. Maybe later I'll get up enough nerve to taste the water by itself. What I really should do is capture some unfiltered and filtered water samples and send them in to be analyzed.

That's my report for now.

Jim

 

[Goldenwingers]

Jim, I was just wondering since you have had a few months to use the new filtration system how it is working for you? Are you satisfied with the result and would you knowing what you know now still purchase this system?

Don

 

[jbeletti]

Hi Don,

While I used the 2 stage filtration system faithfully for all of 2006, I honestly can't tell you one way or the other on what a difference it made. Would be nice if I had had the water analyzed form my home CG directly, then filtered from a tap in the trailer. But alas, I didn't.

But it gave me a lot of piece of mind - knowing that I was doing better than just an inline filter like I used the previous 2 years. One day, yet this winter, I'll remove the filters from the canisters and give the canisters and good cleaning. I'll bet I'll have feedback then. Probably some pretty gunky filters.

When I do the soft water thing in 2007, more piece of mind for sure but it should be really noticeable as well.

Jim

 

[sailorand]

Jim
What is the manifold on the right side of the picture??
thanks and Merry Christmas
Rand

 

[jbeletti]

Rand,

That is the cold water manifold. The left side has the hot water manifold (or I may have that reversed).

Anyway, in the Landmark, each water fixture has a dedicated run of PEX to the manifold so you can isolate a zone if needed.

Jim

 

[trdeal]

Hi Don,

While I used the 2 stage filtration system faithfully for all of 2006, I honestly can't tell you one way or the other on what a difference it made. Would be nice if I had had the water analyzed form my home CG directly, then filtered from a tap in the trailer. But alas, I didn't.

But it gave me a lot of piece of mind - knowing that I was doing better than just an inline filter like I used the previous 2 years. One day, yet this winter, I'll remove the filters from the canisters and give the canisters and good cleaning. I'll bet I'll have feedback then. Probably some pretty gunky filters.

When I do the soft water thing in 2007, more piece of mind for sure but it should be really noticeable as well.

Jim

Jim, did you have any reduction in water pressure using the water filters and do you still use a water pressure regulator with the filters? Thanks

 

[nhunter]

I was going to comment that you UDC looks way different than mine. I like the glove holder.

 

[Uncle Rog]

I have to laugh, I have not seen two UDC's that have been laid out the same even when plate #'s are very close....

 

[cdbMidland]

Thought the "U" in UDC meant "universal" None . Maybe it stands for unusual.

 

[nhunter]

or Unique

 

[jpmorgan37]

Mine is identical to Jim's. I think that Landmark's are the same, at least the earlier ones.

John

 

[nhunter]

I guess I should have ponied up the money if I wanted the fancy one.​

 

[jbeletti]

trdeal,

Yes, the water pressure is reduce going through 2 filters and the softener. I don't have a pressure gauge but I am stopping by CW next week to get a few things and I think I'll pick one up. When i get one, I'll measure the drop across the output of the filters, then again across the softener (and filters).

I'm fine with the pressure but Nancy mentioned it was lower than normal. I didn't mention why

As for the softener, I have started to write a review on the On-The-Go Portable Water Softener, with pictures etc. But I will say now that it works! I have pictures of the water hardness strips showing the before and after results.

Jim

 

[jbeletti]

When Heartland redesigned the Bighorn for the '08 model, they went with a UDC design that does not use a separate enclosure. Not sure but I think the pre-'08 Bighorns may have used a plastic or fiberglass enclosure for the UDC.

As John mentioned, so far as we've seen, all Landmarks use the same aluminum enclosure UDC. I suppose they commit to a number of them with their vendor at one time. Not sure what the redesigned Landmark will have for a UDC. We should find out this summer or maybe at the rally.

For me, I like the holder for the rubber gloves. I have a box of them in there now. But I have never used the liquid soap dispenser. I'd like to hear if anyone has ever used theirs. If not, perhaps this should be real estate that should be reclaimed.

Jim

 

[trdeal]

trdeal,

Yes, the water pressure is reduce going through 2 filters and the softener. I don't have a pressure gauge but I am stopping by CW next week to get a few things and I think I'll pick one up. When i get one, I'll measure the drop across the output of the filters, then again across the softener (and filters).

I'm fine with the pressure but Nancy mentioned it was lower than normal. I didn't mention why

As for the softener, I have started to write a review on the On-The-Go Portable Water Softener, with pictures etc. But I will say now that it works! I have pictures of the water hardness strips showing the before and after results.

Jim

Thanks Jim. I thought that the pressure might be reduced but wasn't sure . Good move on your part not to tell Nancy why.

 

[trdeal]

When Heartland redesigned the Bighorn for the '08 model, they went with a UDC design that does not use a separate enclosure. Not sure but I think the pre-'08 Bighorns may have used a plastic or fiberglass enclosure for the UDC.

As John mentioned, so far as we've seen, all Landmarks use the same aluminum enclosure UDC. I suppose they commit to a number of them with their vendor at one time. Not sure what the redesigned Landmark will have for a UDC. We should find out this summer or maybe at the rally.

For me, I like the holder for the rubber gloves. I have a box of them in there now. But I have never used the liquid soap dispenser. I'd like to hear if anyone has ever used theirs. If not, perhaps this should be real estate that should be reclaimed.

Jim

I have used the liquid soap dispenser for soap and for hand sanitizer.Works great for both.

 

[nhunter]

I have to use my for hand sanitizer as I don't have a glove holder

 

[jpmorgan37]

Jim;
I use the liquid soap dispenser, glove holder, paper towel holder and keep the individual valves turned off to items not being used. This is just one of the things that moved me from a Bighorn to the Landmark when I was buying. As far as nhunters comment goes, the payments are the same, just longer.

John

 

[nhunter]

John, I know, it's the Scotsman in me that wouldn't let me do it. I really do like my Bighorn, just crave the little extras of the Landmark. On edit: I didn't look at a Landmark until after I had the Bighorn, but I am glad I didn't get the Cardinal