Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-22-2017, 07:18 AM   #1
Guru
 
Fletcher500's Avatar
 
City: San Diego
Vessel Model: Helmsman 4304
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,005
Water Filter System for Drinking

We are not live aboards, but my wife and I spend at least 100 nights per year on our boat, year-round.

I previously had a dual stage and UV light filter system Made by water fixer. Overall I give the system a B-.

I am just starting my research, and curious to get input from others regarding a high and purification system. I want a good unit that will kill just about anything out there microbial or viral.

Thanks in advance.
Fletcher500 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 07:40 AM   #2
Guru
 
City: Carefree, Arizona
Vessel Name: sunchaser V
Vessel Model: DeFever 48 (sold)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,179
Two things. How about one of those ubiquitous RO units that many have under their kitchen sinks - millions in use. Second, carry two 5 gallon water coolers.

But, if you are filling from city water and keep your water tanks clean, you'll do just fine.
sunchaser is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 08:03 AM   #3
Guru
 
ranger58sb's Avatar
 
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
We filter water as it comes aboard, down to .5 micron with carbon block if it's going into our tanks. Then we use a Pur filter pitcher for cold drinking water, coffee, etc.

Forespar now makes a drinking water filter faucet intended for the filter element to be easily changed... I think also .5 micron carbon block... but they don't actually answer any e-mail asking what the countertop penetration size (diameter) might be.

None of that will "kill" stuff, though...

-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
ranger58sb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 08:19 AM   #4
Guru
 
Maerin's Avatar
 
City: East Coast
Vessel Name: M/V Maerin (Sold)
Vessel Model: Solo 4303
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 886
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fletcher500 View Post
We are not live aboards, but my wife and I spend at least 100 nights per year on our boat, year-round.

I previously had a dual stage and UV light filter system Made by water fixer. Overall I give the system a B-.

I am just starting my research, and curious to get input from others regarding a high and purification system. I want a good unit that will kill just about anything out there microbial or viral.

Thanks in advance.
Curious, why the need for UV? As someone else said, if you're filling from a muni supply, it's got a residual so there's really no compelling reason for the UV. If you're looking to fill with water that is known to be contaminated, it makes sense.

We live aboard, travel extensively, have a carbon T&O filter, that's it. In 10 yrs. have never given the water a sideways glance, and I'm a retired master plumber and certified water treatment specialist. Have installed a LOT of UV systems, IMHO it's simply not needed on a boat in domestic environs. If you're planning to 3rd world cruise, that's a good reason for UV.
__________________
Steve Sipe

https://maerin.net
Maerin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 08:20 AM   #5
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
I have a 2 element Whirlpool under sink setup with seoarate water spout.

Sold by Lowes and Amazon.

As long as I get city water from most places, I feel the filters do enough.

The definitely get most tastes out, but some water from iron rich areas are tough to make tasteless.
psneeld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 08:48 AM   #6
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,869
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunchaser View Post
................ But, if you are filling from city water and keep your water tanks clean, you'll do just fine.
That's they key. Start with a clean system and put nothing but clean water into it. Use a drinking water safe hose and use it for nothing but filling your water tank. Don't leave it on the dock where other people can borrow it to rinse their holding tanks.
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 09:32 AM   #7
FF
Guru
 
FF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
"How about one of those ubiquitous RO units that many have under their kitchen sinks - millions in use."

Most of these use 10-18 gallons of water to make a quart? of filtered water.

OK dockside if not paying for water.
FF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 10:08 AM   #8
Guru
 
jleonard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,034
Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
I have a 2 element Whirlpool under sink setup with seoarate water spout.

Sold by Lowes and Amazon.

As long as I get city water from most places, I feel the filters do enough.

The definitely get most tastes out, but some water from iron rich areas are tough to make tasteless.
I also have a 2 filter system with a separate spout. Seems to work fine.
__________________
Jay Leonard
Ex boats: 1983 40 Albin trunk cabin, 1978 Mainship 34 Model 1
New Port Richey, Fl
jleonard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 01:17 PM   #9
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
I have lived aboard for coming up on 12 years on 3 different boats.

Keeping "floaters" out of the water system is really hard....for a variety of reasons.

The worst offending hoses are tbe Marine/RV hoses that are translucent white ones. They seem to grow algae quicker than almost any other hose I have used.

Heck in many areas if you hold a glass of city water up to the light there are sometimes things floating in it.

Not sure I need a one part filter or a threee part system to feel safe....but the 2 filter system I have seems to remove any tastes in the watet and it is perfectly clear every time.
psneeld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 04:38 PM   #10
Guru
 
Fletcher500's Avatar
 
City: San Diego
Vessel Model: Helmsman 4304
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,005
Thanks for the feedback. I have not checked out those RO systems yet, but if they have that much waste, its a no go because we don't have a water maker.


I took on water at Catalina Island a couple years ago, and whatever was in there did a number on my domestic water quality. I had a lot of particulate matter that was visible, and the stuff you cant see can be even worse. It took about a year of several bleaching's to get it right again.


Personally, I think a good filter system is worth the investment, and yes I also drank out of the hose when I was young and survived
Fletcher500 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 05:04 PM   #11
Guru
 
C lectric's Avatar
 
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,409
Good filter and filter systems can be had from places like
RV Filter Store.
Although they are aimed at RV. They should be able to offer suitable units.
Add a ceramic filter and the UV won,t have much to do.
Keep the contaminants out of the tanks as first step.
C lectric is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2017, 07:05 PM   #12
Guru
 
Lepke's Avatar
 
City: Between Oregon and Alaska
Vessel Name: Charlie Harper
Vessel Model: Wheeler Shipyard 83'
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,021
First, bacteria will always get into a tank, period. Especially a tank that is left for some time. Bacteria also travels with air. Air moves in an out of your tank, thru the vent, with day and night temperature changes. Chlorine in city water evaporates out if no new water is added. City water leaves many thing in that a filter system removes. If you haven't had a problem, you're lucky.
The best places to buy filter sets is Amazon or Ebay. Then you're using standard filters replacements, too. Common sets are 1-5 micron sediment, carbon block and gac. They remove many things the city water leaves in. Look up online. Standard sizes go from 2.5x10 to 4.5x20. The bigger the filter, the longer it lasts.
UV light kills bacteria, but usually needs 120v AC. I use one before the tanks. I make all my water and it's sanitized before the tank. I also add chlorine. I use a cheap pool chlorination test kit ($5 Amazon) and add to the lowest mark on the gauge. Unless I screw up, I can't taste it.
I know commercial fishermen that use house RO membranes and no filters in clean ocean water. They don't remove as much salt but do produce water. I drank it. Not as good as mine, but is drinkable if you can tolerate the salt.
Lepke is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2018, 12:09 PM   #13
Veteran Member
 
lavida's Avatar
 
City: Madiera Park, BC
Vessel Name: LaVida
Vessel Model: 1973 Grand Banks MY 48.5'
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 30
I accidently put a small amount of diesel fuel into my steel 250 gallon water tank. dumba$$ thing to do. but hey. All tasted ok until I drained my water tank and diesel amount that was floating on top of water, now entered hoses and taps on board. Now a constant smell and taste of diesel in water. Would a carbon filter remove the diesel odor and taste? Am I looking at replacing water lines??
lavida is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2018, 12:25 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Molly's Avatar
 
City: Punta Gorda
Vessel Name: La Bella Vita
Vessel Model: 2006 Mainship 34T
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 127
I used the Seagull system on my last 2 boats. We cooked and drank right from the tanks. I also had a simple carbon cartridge filter in line with the hose to fill the tanks. Never had an issue. The filter for the Seagull is $65, but I would get 2 seasons out of it. I guess 12 months of continuous use?
Molly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2018, 07:39 PM   #15
Guru
 
ssobol's Avatar
 
City: Southwest MI
Vessel Name: Sobelle
Vessel Model: C-Dory 22 Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,229
Chlorine in municipal water only sticks around for about 24 hours. After that you water is chlorine free.
ssobol is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-10-2018, 08:49 PM   #16
Guru
 
Steve's Avatar
 
City: Thibodaux, Louisiana
Vessel Name: Gumbo
Vessel Model: 2003 Monk 36
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,882
I have a GE "Smartwater" system under the galley sink, tees off of the cold water line through the filters(2) then up through a small spout. It works fine, no odd tastes yet, but the flow rate is low. I do check the chlorine level in the tank water using test strips I ordered online. Our water tank is 100 gal capacity so when cruising we go through it fairly fast. I am always surprised that so far even when sitting for long periods unused the water hasn't developed off odors or tastes. When filling I let the water run a while through a clean hose, then taste it, if it is ok I add a hose end filter and fill the tank, some areas have "rust or sulfur tasting" water I don't need a tank full of that!
__________________
Steve W.
https://mvgumbo.blogspot.com/
Steve is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2018, 02:25 AM   #17
Veteran Member
 
City: gibsons
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 55
Kenmore whole house system. It's four separate filter all plumbed in series, easy to service and reliable.
micheln is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2018, 02:50 AM   #18
Guru
 
City: Sydney
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,646
The only 100% filtration to remove diesel taste/smell from your supply is reverse osmosis . The tanks are easy cleaned with Dawn and hot water but the pump and lines will adsorb the diesel .


How do I know ?? I did the same
gaston is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2018, 08:35 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Islanddreamer's Avatar
 
City: Kingsville, MD
Vessel Name: Harmony
Vessel Model: Pacemaker 1990 37' Convertible
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 287
Same as psneeld. Two stage under the galley sink. First filter from tank is a sediment filter feeding into the second filter with a charcoal element. When taking water from my marina, we run water for 10 minutes to clear the lines down the pier from stagnation. I use an inline filter on the end of the hose with a brass cutoff lever to control on and off.
__________________
Any day aboard is a good day.
Islanddreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-11-2018, 08:50 AM   #20
Guru
 
Maerin's Avatar
 
City: East Coast
Vessel Name: M/V Maerin (Sold)
Vessel Model: Solo 4303
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 886
Quote:
Originally Posted by gaston View Post
The only 100% filtration to remove diesel taste/smell from your supply is reverse osmosis . The tanks are easy cleaned with Dawn and hot water but the pump and lines will adsorb the diesel .


How do I know ?? I did the same


But oil is death to membranes!
__________________
Steve Sipe

https://maerin.net
Maerin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:14 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012