Reverse Osmosis water filtration

[ncbambi]

Anyone used a portable reverse osmosis in an AS, or anywhere else? With new health concerns, I have to drink water that has more filtration than the filters that are in the AS trailers. Any ideas?

Nancy

[Redcobra]

We use a reverse osmosis system from Culligan in our house and we love it. Highly recommend it. Do not have any experience with one in an AS.

[ArtStream]

RO is great if you have full hook-up and don't travel much or intend to boondock.

Running an RO system using only you fresh water tanks, boondocking for instance, would only produce about 10-12 gallons of RO water. The rest could be used for flushing the toilet

Many people are unaware that four or more gallons of concentrated waste water are flushed down the drain for every gallon of filtered water produced. Zero waste RO units are available, however problematic, as they can re-inject the concentrate waste water back into the water feeding the RO thus forcing the RO to work harder and shortening its service life.

I buy my RO water while on the road for about 15 cents a gallon and use it for human consumption only. Tank water for everything else.

Michael

[Jammer]

ArtStream is correct. These units send a lot of water down the drain.

Bottled water might be cheaper and more practical, for one person.

You might also consider one of the countertop water distillers, which require a good deal of electricity, but use less water. The water is of comparable purity.

[biggoofball]

Reverse osmosis does not remove bacteria, microbes or other organisms. If you want to remove that you'll need to have a holding tank after the RO filter and chlorinate the water. but you need contact time for that to work and a carbon filter between the holding tank and the sink. (lots of stuff and weight) Ultra-violet light systems are great for killing bacteria and microbes. I do not know if they are practical for RV use though. they are fragile (obviously)

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by ncbambi

...With new health concerns, I have to drink water that has more filtration than the filters that are in the AS trailers. Any ideas?

Nancy

without prying into private issues, it's impossible to offer solutions for specific 'health concerns'.

because different health issues require specific/varied types of water treatment.

this much however is generally/universally true...

most folks wildly confuse clean water and health related issues.

for example totally CLEAN water with a bit higher sodium content is a specific health risk for some people...

while for others, with IMMUNE deficiency, even SAFE CRITTERS in water is very risky, while NOT a big risk for an intact immune system.

"more filtration" needs to be clarified also.
_____________

the water one puts IN the 'stream is only as clean (or dirty) or safe for consumption as the source water...

IF properly treated public water supply water is put it the tank (and the tank is clean) the water is totally safe to drink.

however if the tank or lines or taps, or drinking cups are dirty, the water is too.

many people incorrectly believe clean city water is dangerous but bottled water is safe...

when in fact MOST bottled water in the usa, is just clean municipal/city water put IN a bottle...

and unfortunately many folks put biologically CLEAN water into dirty containers, they haul back to the hut for drinking...

there are a LOT of threads here on filtration and the misc systems and relative value of each...

here is one thread with LINKS to OTHER useful THREADs inside and the basic in on personal safety related to drinking water...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...ues-38456.html

the basic filter included in most newer 'streams is simply a carbon particle/canister type used to REDUCE chlorine taste/odor.

they are very effect IF the water isn't overly loaded with chlorine and the canister is replaced occasionally.

for minerals/metals and other NON biological contaminants (which probably have already been removed to trace levels)...

there are other filters available, some with good data to support their performance and many with QUESTIONABLE value or support data.

however filtering chlorine from the water PRIOR to filling the tank INCREASES the risk of 'stuff' growing in the tank and water.
____________

for travel into zones with questionably contaminated water (biological things) or NON municipal water (well water is an example)...

a UV based portable filtering system can be used to KILL most critters, IF one does not want to use chemical sanitizers in the water...

there are also NOW inexpensive gizmos for TESTing the water for stuff, and these are useful IF one understand the info provided.

and the most useful tool to understanding the safe water issues is still education.

distilling the facts from the myths is time well spent.

cheers
2air'

[ncbambi]

Thanks all for the input. The main concern is of chemicals and metals that are in the water. I use a brita now, and that is great at filtering to a point, it is of the chemical and toxic nature of buildup of metals in the body that I am interested in .

I thought of getting the RO water available at many health food stores, but the bottles to store it in would have to be huge to accommodate enough water for a trip, etc. The thought of a portable counter-top RO unit seemed to be a good solution. If however, there is more of a chance to have the filtered matter migrate back into the mix, is not a good thing.

Maybe toting smaller bottles, etc are in order. The question now is what plastic bottles are safe that do not transfer or leach in to the water. Now they are saying that the bottles they felt were safe are not. Who do you believe and where can you get the information that would be the right info?

Thanks for your help!

Nancy

[2airishuman]

hi nancy

unfortunately this issue is often over blown...

Originally Posted by ncbambi

...The main concern is of chemicals and metals that are in the water...

yes there are real concerns about trace metals/chemicals but most of the info is MISinformation designed to confuse and SELL filters.

ALL municipal water system regularly tests for 100s of items, they are required to do so...

you can request a copy of their most recent test reports which will include the ppm of 100s of items.

the reports are often online (my city supplier mails out these reports to everyone 2x a year)

one can then compare those reports to the same reports for OTHER municipal water systems...

of course one need to BELIEVE the reports are truthful, and...

the "last 100 yards" may still be an issue (lead pipes, old iron or copper stuff or...?)

all of this may inevitably be confused by a pseudo health vendor who is still trying to sell something...

there is good info available about clean/safe water from online sources like the nih, usphs, and so on...

but the good stuff tends to come from UNexciting sites, not selling nething...

cheers
2air'

[biggoofball]

Toting RO water around in containers poses it's own problems. As I said RO does not remove bacteria, etc. and RO filters are often used in conjunction with a carbon filter to remove chlorine. So once the water is in the container the "bugs" begin to grow (there are always some bugs. just in non harmful levels).

This is where the Municipal water really shines. just fill your fresh water tank. Add an inline carbon filter to remove the chlorine and you've got good clean water.

If you have well water this obviously changes everything. I've designed sytems for homes in the past that had good sized holding tanks after a really good sediment, RO, ultra violet filtering system. Just prior to the holding tank was a chlorine injection pump. The chlorine would kill all the bugs. then at the kitchen faucet or right after the holding tank I would put a carbon filter.

The problem then becomes toting it around. if you tote around the water that's been through the carbon filter you now have water that can "go bad". I would make a way to access the water for the AS holding tank before the carbon filter and then have a carbon filter on the AS.

sorry for the long windednes.