Sunday, November 25, 2007

Exposure to chlorine

The best system for you depends on your traveling habits and the cleanliness of the water you are likely to encounter. Many POU systems are installed under the galley sink and deliver freshwater directly to a dedicated faucet for cooking and drinking. However, many RVers prefer the very popular, in-line external units that allow finite filtration without losing that precious under-the-counter storage elite kenmore water filter space. The bonus is that all the incoming city water is processed, so you can enjoy RV showers without the heavy metals and odors sometimes found in park systems. As an additional precaution, use an in-line filter as you fill the freshwater tank on the eider. As water is processed through the filter just before it enters the city water inlet or the inlet to the freshwater tank, sub-micron particles, bacteria and unwanted chemicals are removed by the active filtering medium, usually carbon. So just how does activated carbon remove the impurities? By the process of adsorption. Adsorption is the physical process that occurs when dissolved molecules, bacteria and other particles are attracted to and attach themselves to the surface of the adsorbent, the carbon. Quite different from the more familiar process of aB-sorption, which can be likened to a paper towel soaking up water. As an adsorbent, especially when filtering trihalomethanes (plasticizer), volatile organic contaminates (dupont water filters), pesticides and fungicides, activated carbon is quite effective because its surface area is enormous — about 1,000 square meters per gram.

There is a downside to using carbon as the sole filtering medium. Exposure to chlorine in water supplies will quickly deteriorate the adsorbing qualities of carbon, rendering it minimized or useless in as little as 200 gallons, so if you use a chlorine product to de-winterize your RV-water system, be sure to remove or bypass the specifier first.
General Ecology has developed a unique technology employing a structured matrix filtration component that instantly filters the water without the use of chemicals, A double treating or delay time. Hydro Life has perfected a filtering medium that employs carbon. This medium causes an electro-chemical reaction, which neutralizes harmful chemicals and dangerous metals such as lead. The water then passes through the carbon to complete the filtering process. An established maker of exterior and interior POU systems, Hydro Life also has developed a unique bracket to hold most external filters. A mounting plate is secured to the sidewall of the RV and a second water filters watts plate is provided for stowing the filter inside a compartment. The nice feature about this holder is that it can be reversed to hold either the canister-type filter or the in-line version.

Special stickers are included that allow you to mark the date when the filter should be replaced — filters are replaced annually.
The popular Everpure system utilizes a superchlorination/dechlorination process to attack bacteria, viruses, cysts, rust and other heavy metals — all of which can lead to foul smelling water. Look for a filtration system that satisfies the requirements of aquarium water filter: Drinking Water Treatment Units, as determined by NSF International, a third-party certifying agency.

To ensure proper filtration efficiency, always replace the filter media or cartridge as least once a year.
At some point, whole house carbon water filter medium will begin dumping contaminates back into the system. In severe cases, or when tainted water has been encountered, it may be necessary to replace the filters more often.

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