Clorox in the Water Purifier???

[noremark]

Getting ready to flush the fresh water system. I am wondering if I run the cloroxed water threw the on board water filter? seems like filter would retain the chemicals of the clorox.

I got to thinking when I winterize I should take out the filter turn it upside down to drain and let it dry out for the winter. I can't believe it's good to let it set full of water all winter. What does everyone else do?

[TheCabin]

I get a new filter each year.

[SteveSueMac]

I use a filter at the water supply and don't bother with one under the sink.

[AWCHIEF]

I double filter. One in the intake hose and one in the sink faucet. Change them both out along with smoke detector batteries the first of the year. My filters do no sit unused very long. I camp year around.

[TheCabin]

Good idea about smoke detector. I didn't even consider that it had a battery. Thanks!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by noremark

Getting ready to flush the fresh water system. I am wondering if I run the cloroxed water threw the on board water filter? seems like filter would retain the chemicals of the clorox.

Granular activated carbon filters will remove chlorine from the water. Putting chlorine bleach through the filter will also shorten the filter's useful life because there is a limit to the amount of impurities a filter can hold before it becomes useless.

I got to thinking when I winterize I should take out the filter turn it upside down to drain and let it dry out for the winter. I can't believe it's good to let it set full of water all winter. What does everyone else do?

Letting it set full of water or draining it makes no difference to the filter's effectiveness. In fact, capping both ends and leaving it full of (clean) water all the time is perfectly fine, and probably better than draining it and leaving it open where dirt can get inside.

But no filter lasts forever. As I said, once it has absorbed all of the impurities it can hold, it's worthless. Best to replace it every year, just to be safe.

[Zil]

There are always going to be some microbial contaminates in any water. The water saturated filter will provide a perfect place for these contaminates to thrive. This is especially true of activated carbon filters. Get a new filter at the beginning of your RV use.

[dkottum]

We don't use a sink filter, just put one at the campground spigot and change it a couple times a year. I can't bring myself to trust the variety of campground waters we see for drinking, so we drink purified or bottled water whenever possible.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Zil

There are always going to be some microbial contaminates in any water. The water saturated filter will provide a perfect place for these contaminates to thrive. This is especially true of activated carbon filters. Get a new filter at the beginning of your RV use.

Granular activated carbon filters will not remove microbes, that is true. They are for removing chemicals and sediment only. The Clorox treatment of your fresh tank is what takes care of the microbes. As long as there is ANY residual chlorine in the water— or fluorine in the case of fluoridated municipal water— there will be no live microbes in the water and thus no microbes in the filter. Then the filter can remove that residual chlorine or fluorine before you drink the water.

I think all of us can agree that getting rid of the old filter before you winterize, and putting in a new filter after you treat the fresh water system with Clorox, is the best solution all around.

[ROBERT CROSS]

We use a new one of these every Season, just in case we have to use the FW tank for drinking.

Are there others available that are ok if frozen? Cracking the reason?

Bob

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Are there others available that are ok if frozen?

No filter that's full of water will be okay if frozen. Freezing can split the casing. An empty filter can be frozen and thawed safely, but not one that's in use.

[WestieHouse]

Originally Posted by TheCabin

Good idea about smoke detector. I didn't even consider that it had a battery. Thanks!

And also the CO detector! The LPG detector runs off 12V, but requires replacement every 7 years.

And whenever on ANY Internet site keep the BS detector powered up!

[JCWDCW]

If you want to flush the system and not spoil the filter, just remove the cartridge and put the casing back on, empty. If you put enough chlorox through the cartridge to disinfect the pipes, The cartridge will be fully used up and no longer able to remove chlorine form the water. The Chlorine is held in solution in Clorox by dissolving it caustic soda, and there is more of that than chlorine in the jug, so that will also mess up the carbon.
JCW

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by WestieHouse

And also the CO detector! The LPG detector runs off 12V, but requires replacement every 7 years.

And whenever on ANY Internet site keep the BS detector powered up!

My smoke/co detector is combined. Makes it simple. The new one talks with an obnoxious voice. Going to have to research the LPG detector replacement schedule. Never even considered that.

[labtopia]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

The new one talks with an obnoxious voice.

MINE too, sounds like we got the same, not sure why they need to make the lady so robotic...