Water Filters

[Rockpool]

Have been toying with the idea of installing a water filter in our van basically to give us a better tasting water and help with reducing micro bacteria. So have been looking at a Micro Hiflo 10 Flostream filter and thinking about installing this between the fresh water tank and our surflo pump, so that all the water is filtered in the van.
The filter has a flow rate up to 10 LPM and the pump works at 6.8LPM and the pressure range for the pump works okay with the filter.
Has anyone fitted one of these filters and if so how have they performed? Also would you thing the addition of the filter in the system would compromise the pumps performance with the added resistance of the filter?

Thanks.

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The Flostream Micro HIFLO10 water filter has been specifically designed to suit the needs of caravans, motorhomes and service vehicles. Designed to be as compact as possible, the Flostream Micro HIFLO 10 provides a mighty 10 litres per minute flow rate of fresh and clean filtered water. Using a...

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[Molly A]

FWIW I see the Flostream filters down to 10 microns, and the General Ecology which ceejayt mentioned and quite a few here use for drinking water filters to 0.4 microns.

I've used four of the Seagull IV filters, since the 90s, and got a fifth waiting to go into our motorhome. Tap water tastes better than bottled water.

https://generalecology.com/product/732007/

Not really suitable for filtering all the water though.

If you're using non-mains or questionable water supply, how about filtering it as you fill the tank?

Got a seagull I V on our yacht, amazing bit of kit. One of the best things we have bought in terms if improving the way we live on the boat. Have been thinking about putting one in the van.....

 

[cyberyacht]

What one of these?

 

[Lenny HB]

If you're using non-mains or questionable water supply, how about filtering it as you fill the tank?

You would filter out the chlorine OK if you fill the tank every day but not a good idea if you are keeping water in the tank for a few days.

 

[gpat]

Would taking it out, wash it in bleach, rinse and return work? The bleach should debug it.

The bleach would destroy the carbon thus rendering it useless

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[gpat]

You would filter out the chlorine OK if you fill the tank every day but not a good idea if you are keeping water in the tank for a few days.

If its carbon then carbon will remove chlorine. Trouble is it uses up the carbons activivity. Carbon filters are lovely food sources for bugs and bacteria

I am a water scientist and water is my job. Unless you are really careful, IMO filters are a waste of time and can make things worse. Keep your tank clean and only put fresh tap water into it. You will be fine.

 

[Molly A]

What one of these?

Nah.... don't need one of those!!!! Awful things!!!

 

[HelixA5]

If its carbon then carbon will remove chlorine. Trouble is it uses up the carbons activivity. Carbon filters are lovely food sources for bugs and bacteria

I am a water scientist and water is my job. Unless you are really careful, IMO filters are a waste of time and can make things worse. Keep your tank clean and only put fresh tap water into it. You will be fine.

gpat, I broadly support your view is so far as there isn't a great deal wrong with our water (as I can testify having drunk it for over 65years!) but the reason we were interested in fitting a filter was following a trip to foreign parts where we weren't certain of the water quality and having to fill daily from hoses that weren't our own. We were thinking that to be safe, filtered water would be better than unfiltered water. With this in mind would you recommend a filter or not? If you would, what type? At one point we had a carbon based filter as well as UV.... but the UV unit was faulty so neither got installed.

I would value the opinion of a scientist rather than filter salesperson!!!

 

[gpat]

gpat, I broadly support your view is so far as there isn't a great deal wrong with our water (as I can testify having drunk it for over 65years!) but the reason we were interested in fitting a filter was following a trip to foreign parts where we weren't certain of the water quality and having to fill daily from hoses that weren't our own. We were thinking that to be safe, filtered water would be better than unfiltered water. With this in mind would you recommend a filter or not? If you would, what type? At one point we had a carbon based filter as well as UV.... but the UV unit was faulty so neither got installed.

I would value the opinion of a scientist rather than filter salesperson!!!

I think it all depends on what you want to use the water for. You only need to treat the water is you are going to drink it directly from the tap.

If it's for cooking, washing, tea coffee then a filter does nothing
If you want to drink cold water it's much cheaper and safer to drink bottled water than tey and treat it properly

A proper system will need filters and UV and expect no change from £2k for a proper system. Even the it depends on what's in the water from the hose

If you want to use tank water for tea and coffee and need to get rid of earthy tastes then a carbon filter will help. But that's all it will do and they need to be changed regularly

Let me know what your needs are and I will advise accordingly.

 

[HelixA5]

Gpat,

We tend to use our onboard tank for all water needs - mainly for ease. At the start of each season and during I will treat with chemicals, but filling/rinsing each time is wasteful so I begrudge doing it. This last season we were on a different site each night for about 6-weeks and the taps tended to have the hoses permanently connected so we had to use theirs rather than our own which we trust.

So our needs are to use the onboard if possible for cooking/tea and cold drinking water. I'm not that bothered about water taste - I just want the water to be safe... from your post it looks like the tank for all but drinking water for which I should use bottled water ....

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[dulvil]

When you go on 5 van type sites and they have a 50 metre hose not food grade sitting there with all diseases growing in the stale water. I wouldn’t want to wash in it let alone drink it.. I’ve always used my own food grade hose and been alright,s

 

[gpat]

Gpat,

We tend to use our onboard tank for all water needs - mainly for ease. At the start of each season and during I will treat with chemicals, but filling/rinsing each time is wasteful so I begrudge doing it. This last season we were on a different site each night for about 6-weeks and the taps tended to have the hoses permanently connected so we had to use theirs rather than our own which we trust.

So our needs are to use the onboard if possible for cooking/tea and cold drinking water. I'm not that bothered about water taste - I just want the water to be safe... from your post it looks like the tank for all but drinking water for which I should use bottled water ....

I guess if you don't mind the taste then you could use the tank water for everything

I find that with our tank its generally ok. We don't drink water directly from it though. Not because we are worried about it, we just don't have the need. The only issue we ever have is that sometimes tea and coffee tastes a bit earthy so thats why we use bottled water for that and only use it if we run out. Bottled water is often unchlorinated and thats why it has no taste.

Chlorine is both your friend and your enemy. It keeps water bacteria free very effectively but has the downside as often being the cause of off tastes.

If you are in a remote location and worried about bacteria from the water source, add and 1ml (cm3) of bleach (not thick bleaches that have detergents and scents in, but pure bleach like milton) to your tank each time you fill it or use some disinfecting tablets from a camping shop. That will keep it disinfected.

Many places abroad use much higher levels of chlorine that we do (which is good but bad if you know what I mean) and that can cause a lousy cuppa

 

[gpat]

When you go on 5 van type sites and they have a 50 metre hose not food grade sitting there with all diseases growing in the stale water. I wouldn’t want to wash in it let alone drink it.. I’ve always used my own food grade hose and been alright,s

You don't necessarily need food grade hose for water but I get your point. Its a reasonable precaution.

If I am worried about a hose I just run it for a good few minutes. That way the water I get has had minimum contact and even if there were bugs they would have been flushed out

 

[Molly A]

Personally I am very against using bottled water in the van. Travelling through southern Europe particular you see the horrendous pollution from plastic bottles everywhere. In the most beautiful areas of Greece one finds bottles washed up on beaches, littering the roads and the countryside everywhere. Where there is limited recycling facilities they end up in out of town dumps and the wind takes them everywhere, in addition to unfortunately, people littering carelessly. We spend 6 months in grreece on our boat and before we fitted our filter, the sheer effort of carting cases of drinking water to the boat , particularly if we had guests,was a daily chore. They also took up valuable locker space. I then considered the thousands of charter boats all doing the same and decided that I didn't want to be part of the problem.
In the van the tank is obviously way smaller( the boat tanks holds 660 litres) and you tend to turn over the contents pretty quickly so we do drink straight from the tank in most places, to no ill effect so far. We always subscribe to Gpat's advice on running the hose first before filling, or give our trusty watering can a good rinse first!

 

[gpat]

Personally I am very against using bottled water in the van. Travelling through southern Europe particular you see the horrendous pollution from plastic bottles everywhere. In the most beautiful areas of Greece one finds bottles washed up on beaches, littering the roads and the countryside everywhere. Where there is limited recycling facilities they end up in out of town dumps and the wind takes them everywhere, in addition to unfortunately, people littering carelessly. We spend 6 months in grreece on our boat and before we fitted our filter, the sheer effort of carting cases of drinking water to the boat , particularly if we had guests,was a daily chore. They also took up valuable locker space. I then considered the thousands of charter boats all doing the same and decided that I didn't want to be part of the problem.
In the van the tank is obviously way smaller( the boat tanks holds 660 litres) and you tend to turn over the contents pretty quickly so we do drink straight from the tank in most places, to no ill effect so far. We always subscribe to Gpat's advice on running the hose first before filling, or give our trusty watering can a good rinse first!

Fair point on Botted water.

WRT to your filter, its a simple carbon filter. They are very effective in removing organic matter (which is what causes the tastes). They do not remove bacteria though and in fact they can harbour it and make it worse. You need to have a UV filter downstream, or boil the water before you can safely drink water (or be assured it is bacteria free) using one of these.

Here is a useful and unbiased article which looks accurate to me

What Do Carbon Filters Remove From Water? | Livestrong.com

A carbon filter can remove organics affecting the taste, odor and color of your water and reduce some undesirable chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides.

www.livestrong.com

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[Molly A]

Fair point on Botted water.

WRT to your filter, its a simple carbon filter. They are very effective in removing organic matter (which is what causes the tastes). They do not remove bacteria though and in fact they can harbour it and make it worse. You need to have a UV filter downstream, or boil the water before you can safely drink water (or be assured it is bacteria free) using one of these.

Here is a useful and unbiased article which looks accurate to me

What Do Carbon Filters Remove From Water? | Livestrong.com

A carbon filter can remove organics affecting the taste, odor and color of your water and reduce some undesirable chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides.

www.livestrong.com

 

[Nirvanauk]

What one of these?

Used to have one and took part in the annual round the island (Bermuda) seagull race. It broke down.

 

[Molly A]

Fair point on Botted water.

WRT to your filter, its a simple carbon filter. They are very effective in removing organic matter (which is what causes the tastes). They do not remove bacteria though and in fact they can harbour it and make it worse. You need to have a UV filter downstream, or boil the water before you can safely drink water (or be assured it is bacteria free) using one of these.

Here is a useful and unbiased article which looks accurate to me

What Do Carbon Filters Remove From Water? | Livestrong.com

A carbon filter can remove organics affecting the taste, odor and color of your water and reduce some undesirable chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides.

www.livestrong.com

According to the test data sheet published by General Ecologies , the manufacturer of the Seagull IV, it is effective in removing various chemicals, bacterial contaminants, including faecal matter, salmonella and various others. Obviously, I am not a scientist, but would be interested in feedback if you feel that their test data is inaccurate.

 

[Molly A]

Used to have one and took part in the annual round the island (Bermuda) seagull race. It broke down.

My partner maintains that they are only useful as an improvised dinghy anchor.....

 

[gpat]

According to the test data sheet published by General Ecologies , the manufacturer of the Seagull IV, it is effective in removing various chemicals, bacterial contaminants, including faecal matter, salmonella and various others. Obviously, I am not a scientist, but would be interested in feedback if you feel that their test data is inaccurate.

Did you read the link I sent you. Do you have a data sheet for the Seagul IV. If it has 2 stages of filtration I.e. a second filter after the carbon then I might be persuaded. If it doesn't then I won't be. Happy to be convinced and happy to have another look at it.

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[Molly A]

Did you read the link I sent you. Do you have a data sheet for the Seagul IV. If it has 2 stages of filtration I.e. a second filter after the carbon then I might be persuaded. If it doesn't then I won't be. Happy to be convinced and happy to have another look at it.

It is 4 pages long. Will try to send link..

 

[gpat]

It is 4 pages long. Will try to send link..

I have done some more research. The Seagul iV is a micro filter and not a carbon filter

A micro filter will remove tiny particles including bacteria and protozoa (like cryptosporidium and gardia). Its basically a membrane

It will not remove dissolved matter including organic pollutants and chlorine. It will not remove viruses. Therefore you could still get off tastes (especially in you cuppa) and you could still be poisoned if the water you were using was contaminated by viruses. If you had a carbon filter followed by one of these and then disinfected the water with either UV or chlorine then you would have pretty much a full treatment system. The other disadvantage is the cost. They are not cheap are they and I reckon the cartridges would not last long if you had a poor water supply (cloudy).

 

[Molly A]

well, the filters last well over a year of constant use. Not cheap, but very effective. We use it for all our drinking water or water for the kettle. It deals with water of very varying quality from tiny greek islands and mainland communities with varying and so etc es dubious water sources and always produces water which tastes very good. In the 6 years we have had it we have never had any issues with cloudy or tainted water or any issues with stomach bugs or sickness, with water sometimes sitting for extended periods in our 3 tanks, each holding 220 litres. So I guess it works for us, it means that we are not hauling loads of plastic bottles on board and therefore not contributing to the plastic waste choking tbe planet, so frankly, I'll take that.

 

[cyberyacht]

3 x 220L tanks in an Exsis I-414. To quote Victor Meldrew "I don't believe it". Where do you sleep with all those tanks?

 

[Molly A]

3 x 220L tanks in an Exsis I-414. To quote Victor Meldrew "I don't believe it". Where do you sleep with all those tanks?

I was referring to my boat....as per my first post, my bijou little exsis certainly wouldn't cope with that amount of tanager. Nor would we need it as we are remarkably content to stay a bit on the grubby side when we are bussing it down to Greece.....

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[cyberyacht]

Ah, water ballast. No worries about payload then.

 

[mrai]

Fair point on Botted water.

WRT to your filter, its a simple carbon filter. They are very effective in removing organic matter (which is what causes the tastes). They do not remove bacteria though and in fact they can harbour it and make it worse. You need to have a UV filter downstream, or boil the water before you can safely drink water (or be assured it is bacteria free) using one of these.

Here is a useful and unbiased article which looks accurate to me

What Do Carbon Filters Remove From Water? | Livestrong.com

A carbon filter can remove organics affecting the taste, odor and color of your water and reduce some undesirable chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides.

www.livestrong.com

Been interesting hearing your advice on water filtration. I'm currently looking at mobile UV water filter bottles (for trekking and drinking from streams etc )
My friends use a lifestraw . Do you think a gravity carbon filter water bottle followed by a UV water bottle (larq is the one I've been looking at ) would be an effective setup ?

And in terms of cleaning the carbon filter bottle can you offer any advice ? Would boiling water in it sterilise the filter without damaging it?

I've been interested in water filtration for a while and it was great to come across a water scientist on this forum because the subject is daunting!

 

[Two on Tour]

Been interesting hearing your advice on water filtration. I'm currently looking at mobile UV water filter bottles (for trekking and drinking from streams etc )
My friends use a lifestraw . Do you think a gravity carbon filter water bottle followed by a UV water bottle (larq is the one I've been looking at ) would be an effective setup ?

And in terms of cleaning the carbon filter bottle can you offer any advice ? Would boiling water in it sterilise the filter without damaging it?

I've been interested in water filtration for a while and it was great to come across a water scientist on this forum because the subject is daunting!

As well as our water filter on our van we also carry with us on our van a Steripen Adventurer Opt UV water purifying steripen that we can take with us when out and about.

 

[mrai]

As well as our water filter on our van we also carry with us on our van a Steripen Adventurer Opt UV water purifying steripen that we can take with us when out and about.

Nice thanks I'll look at this UV filter
Which water filter did you install in van ?

 

[Two on Tour]

Which water filter did you install in van ?

This filter housing ........

https://www.directwaterfilters.co.u...lter-housing-only/SL10-12-Inch-Filter-Housing


with this filter cartridge .......

https://www.directwaterfilters.co.u...-disruptor-pac-nano-filter-cartridge-423.html


hooked up to this tap

Premium Single Lever Filter Tap

Premium Single Lever Filter Tap

www.directwaterfilters.co.uk

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[gpat]

Been interesting hearing your advice on water filtration. I'm currently looking at mobile UV water filter bottles (for trekking and drinking from streams etc )
My friends use a lifestraw . Do you think a gravity carbon filter water bottle followed by a UV water bottle (larq is the one I've been looking at ) would be an effective setup ?

And in terms of cleaning the carbon filter bottle can you offer any advice ? Would boiling water in it sterilise the filter without damaging it?

I've been interested in water filtration for a while and it was great to come across a water scientist on this forum because the subject is daunting!

I must admit I am more into industrial sized municipal water treatment than I am small scale hiking/portable stuff.

However I guess the theories stay the same.

UV is great but it only works if the water is clear. That's because it relies on the light penetrating through the liquid. I would be very wary of trusting it if the water was cloudy. On big UV plants the transmittance of the light is measured and the disinfection is deemed to have failed if the transmittance falls below a threshold.

With respect to activated carbon, its activated at temperatures up to 1200C so I would be confident to say that boiling water will not harm it.