Reverse Osmosis water filter under kitchen sink?

LK23 · 03-21-2006, 01:16 PM

Has anyone installed a reverse osmosis water filter under the kitchen sink? If so, what is your experience and any recommendations?

LK23 · 03-21-2006, 01:16 PM

Has anyone installed a reverse osmosis water filter under the kitchen sink? If so, what is your experience and any recommendations?

John_Canfield · 03-21-2006, 02:27 PM

Rex - I thought going the RO route but opted for a water softner that follows a two cartridge charcoal filter. I was mainly put off by the space the RO takes; with my setup I can break it all down and squirrel it all away when it is time to break camp.

MrTransistor · 03-21-2006, 02:43 PM

Hi LK23,
No. But I did replace the stock under sink filter with a better, higher capacity one by the same manufacturer, Everpure. Its and ˜OW4 Plus' Part number EV9635-01. It is about twice as long but still fits nicely.

I went this route because of the expense of RO and the fact that I don't mind a little hardness in my water. This new filter has a capacity of 1500 gallons (over 4 gallons a day for a year), removes particles down to ½ micron and is certified to the NSF42 and NSF53 requirements. Here is the link to the page at Everpure http://www.everpure.com/catalog/productview.asp?type=Ta...brand=Everpure&app=4

They have many filters and systems including RO. The OW4 Plus seems like the best choice for Full Time RV use. Check out their site. You'll need to search the web for a distributor, the one I found was in Fl. www.superwater.com and I ordered 4. Still working on the first one. Wouldn't go back to the ADC filter that came with the RV for any price.

Just a note. The fixture that the filter slips into has a valve that if cranked full open allows a flow rate of something well in excess of 1 gallon per minute. Both of these filters are specked for 1/2 gallon per minute. Turn on the faucet with a gallon jug under it, then slowly open the filters valve till the flow rate is 1/2 GPM. This saves a lot of wear and tear on the filters and may be the problem with all the ADC filter failures that cause carbon to drift back through the water lines when the pump is turned off.

Ron and Marsha · 03-21-2006, 04:22 PM

We had a RO unit on a fifth wheel. It was rather cumbersome and I never felt it worth the bother. We were told at Lowes that a RO unit required higher water pressure than that found in RV units. Since it was installed by the former coach owner I had no problem in not using it. The filters were rather pricy as well. We felt a good filter system to be a better option.

NeilV · 03-21-2006, 05:59 PM

I had considered one but they are bulky, require more care then a conventional filter, the elements are much more costly and if you don't have a water softener need to be replaced more often.

Regards,

Neil

AdrianLee · 03-22-2006, 03:01 PM

MrTransister - does the OW4-PLUS fit into the samefilter receptical or did you have to chang the faucet and the below cabinet hardware?

MrTransistor · 03-23-2006, 04:16 PM

Hi AdrianLee,
The OW4 Plus fits the same adapter as the ADC that Winnebago installs in (as far as I know) all the coaches. Turn the valve off, quarter turn counter clockwise and pull the old one straight down. Slip the new one in, then a quarter turn clockwise to secure it. Remember that if the valve is full on, the flow rate will exceed the rate specified for the filter, so start out slow and time it. I used a one gallon jug and adjusted for a time to fill of two minutes. We had an 03 Journey before the Horizon and I'm pretty certain that there would have been enough space under the adapter for the longer OW4 Plus. There is plenty of room in the Horizon and the trash basket still fits fine. The link to the EverPure site will get you to the dimensions information. Good luck if it seems this will work for you.

Oemtech · 03-23-2006, 06:22 PM

Mine fits under the sink in an area that you normally would on store something you need not very often. Go over to the photo section a complete set of photos.

You can get this system at CostCo for $139. It is a 5 stage system that is a 4:1 water useage. You can also get a zero waste verion for $239.

DonavonP · 03-24-2006, 04:56 AM

Nice install Dale. Clean and out of the way.

LK23 · 03-24-2006, 12:40 PM

Dale,

That is exactly the information I was seeking. How expensive are the filters? How often do you replace them? What do you do to winterize?

Thanks for the info.

Rex
LK23