Caravan RV and Portable Water Filters

Welcome to our Caravan and RV Water Filter page! Please explore our our selection of Caravan Water Filters below. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

You can also read our Introduction To Caravan Water Filters at the bottom of this page.

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Water Filters For Caravans and RV’s

Clarence Water Filters stocks a wide range of caravan water filters and RV water filters.

Based in Sunny Yamba, NSW, we offer both residential and commercial water filtration solutions.

This includes:

  • Under sink water filter systems for Caravans and RVs
  • Point of entry water filter systems for Caravans and RVs
  • Point of use water filter systems for Caravans and RVs
  • Inline water filters for Caravans and RVs
  • Water filter systems with push on hose fittings

Our filter systems are designed to deliver safe and healthy water for drinking and showering water while you are travelling around Australia.

We have options available for treating all types of water including town, tank, bore, tank, river, and dam water.

Ceramic filters and UV light systems also available for protection from bacteria, viruses, and protozoa when using untreated tank, bore, river, and creek water.

Why Filter Your Water When Travelling?

Although Australian drinking water is good by international standards, it can still contain a variety of contaminants including chlorine, chloramines, sediment, disinfection by-products, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and dissolved minerals.

If you are obtaining water from a natural or untreated water source, you could be also be exposed to bacteria, cyst parasites (cryptosporidium, giardia, cyclospora), algal spores, and viruses.

Caravan water filters can remove all of these contaminants, making your water safe to consume.

Filtering your water will also dramatically improve its taste, odour, and appearance — making your trip around Australia much more enjoyable!

Point of Use (POU) Vs Point Of Entry (POE) Caravan Water Filters

Caravan water filters are typically placed into two categories: Point of Entry (outside the caravan) and Point of Use (inside the caravan).

A Point Of Entry (POE) Caravan water filter system is installed between the source of your incoming water and the caravan.

It will filter 100% of your incoming water supply before it reaches your caravan’s water tank or taps.

Our most popular POE system is the Hi Flow Twin Caravan & RV Water Filter System with Sediment & Carbon Filters.

It can handle high flow rates (up to 10 LPM) , making it ideal for caravans which contain showers.

This unit features brass click on hose fittings so you can quickly detach and attach the system using standard drinking water hose and standard garden hose fittings.

The High Flow POE system listed above is designed to handle high flow rates so is less fine than other filtration options.

However, there are also some ultra-fine ceramic POE filter systems which are designed to filter out bacterial contaminants at slow rates — great for when you are free camping and forced to use untreated water.

However, it’s important note these ultra-fine ceramic filters cannot handle the flow rates needed for onboard showers. They are best operated at flow rates lower than 4 litres per minute.

A Point Of Use (POU) Caravan water filter system is located where you use your water, typically somewhere inside the caravan, after the water tanks.

Most POU systems are installed under the kitchen sink and attached to a dedicated drinking water tap.

They are typically finer filters which are designed to filter water at a slower flow rate. The additional fineness makes them better at reducing extremely small sediment particles, complex chemicals like chloramines, and heavy metals.

If the carbon filter is a carbon block rated at 1 micron or lower, it will also be able to reduce CYST parasites including Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and Cyclospora. Useful when travelling and forced to use water that is untreated or improperly treated.

An example of a popular Point Of Use Water Filter System is the Genuine 3M™ Under Sink Caravan and RV Water Filter System.

Types Of Caravan and RV Water Filter Systems

There are several different styles of water filter systems available including:

Inline Caravan Water Filters and Inline RV Water Filters

An inline water filter system is installed directly onto a water line outside or inside of your caravan or RV.

Most inline filters are fully enclosed with fittings on both ends suitable for the type of hose, tubing, or braided lines you are using.

For under sink installations, internal inline filters will be usually be configured with 1/4″ or 12mm tubing which allow them to be inserted into a caravan or RVs existing tubing.

However, under sink inline filters can also be configured with 1/2″ male fittings for connecting to stainless steel braided lines.

External in-line filters usually have click on hose fittings which allow them to be connected to a standard 12mm drinking water hose (looks like garden hose). This lets you easily connect to hose fittings in caravan parks and filter all of the water coming into your caravan or RV.

Our most popular inline water filters for caravans and RVs are the AIC-K with Click On Hose Fittings, BESTWF, BESTHC and the American-made Omnipure K5567.

Under sink Caravan and RV Water Filters

Under sink caravan and RV water filters are compact units designed to filter drinking water. Because they are only treating drinking water, they usually have a slower flow rate and a finer level of filtration.

Most under sink filters will offer filtration below 1 micron which makes them ‘cyst-rated’. This means they are capable of filtering out parasitic cysts including cryptosporidium, giardia, and cyclospora.

Having a Cyst rated filter is particularly important if you are occasionally using untreated water from tanks or bores.

High Flow Caravan and RV Water Filters

High flow water filter systems are designed to achieve flow rates up to 10 litres per minute, making it possible to filter going to showers and other water consuming appliances with high flow requirements.

Our most popular high flow unit is the Hi Flow Twin Caravan & RV Water Filter System with Sediment & Carbon Filters. It is a cannister style system with standard 10″ x 2.5″ filters. Ideal as a point of entry unit which filters 100% of the water going into your tanks or through the caravan/RV from a mains line.

One of the most popular filter configurations with this unit is a 5 micron sediment filter followed by the AP1025KDF/GAC. The sediment filter reduces sand, silt, dirt, algae, and other particulate contaminants. The KDF/GAC filter does a wonderful job at removing chemicals and improving the3 taste/odour of your water at high flow rates.

Benchtop Caravan and RV Filters

If your caravan has a standard kitchen spout (21mm thread size), you can use a benchtop system. Benchtop systems screw onto your kitchen spout and are operated using a small lever tap.

Benchtop systems can be unscrewed and placed in storage when you are on the move. Ideal for caravans and RVs without sufficient room under the sink for a standard filter system.

A standard caravan benchtop water filter with a 1 micron silver impregnated filter is perfect for traveling. It is a 1 micron cyst-rated filter with bacteriostatic silver impregnated carbon.

Our QMP benchtop caravan water filters use standard 10″ x 2.5″ water filters, so finding replacement filters while you are traveling is simple. We also send out filters Australia wide, so we can get one to you while you are on the move!

Permanently Installed Caravan Filters vs Portable Caravan Filters

Permanently installed units are designed to remain in one position once installed. Most under sink units will be permanently installed as they are plumbed into your mixer tap or a dedicated drinking water tap.

Portable systems can be plugged into an incoming water supply, then taken off and stored in a safe location. Our twin high flow system is an example of a portable unit. It features click on hose fittings, allowing it to be quickly connected to a standard tap outlet and your caravan or RV water inlet.

Water Softening and Scale Reduction For Caravans

Many parts of Australia has water with a high concentration of dissolved minerals and salts. This type of water is commonly called ‘hard water’. Many parts of WA, QLD, and SA have hard water.

The minerals in hard water can precipitate from the water, forming a hard-to-remove limescale crust. This can ruin the appearance of your caravan’s taps, sinks, and shower cubicle. Eventually severe scale build-up can cause damage to plumbing fixtures, metals pipes and glass surfaces.

To reduce scale build-up using filters, you can:

  1. Soften the water
    Ion Exchange Resin can be used to swap out dissolved minerals for harmless molecules. The only downside of these types of systems as they can only support a slow flow rate. Water softeners physically remove dissolved minerals. Example: Portable Triple Stage Water Softener & Purifier Water Filter System
  2. Condition the water
    Water conditioners will change the form of the dissolved minerals in the water, so they are less likely to form scale. Example: Scale Reduction Portable Triple Stage Water Filter System

There are also inline water conditioners for caravans, which use a special alloy to reduce scale build-up. The advantage of this type of unit is that it can be plumbed into your water line or attached to a point of entry filter system. They have no moving parts, no replenishable components, and a very long lifespan. One example is the popular SofterWater™ Inline Caravan Hard Water Softener.

Benefits of Using An Inline Caravan Water Filter

The main advantages of using a caravan inline water filter include:

Water That Smells and Tastes Great

An inline caravan water filter adsorbs most of the the molecules responsible for giving water a bad flavour or odour. All you left with is water that has no noticeable smell or taste. If you are using a filter that has coconut carbon, it will even give the water a slightly sweeter taste, making it more enjoyable to drink.

Removal Of Potentially Dangerous Chemicals

Carbon and other media like KDF do a wonderful job of removing chemicals from your water.

This can include chlorine, chloramines, disinfection by-products like Trihalomethanes, pesticides, herbicides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), petrochemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and much more.

Having a caravan water filter can make your water much safer to consume and protects your health.

Protects Your Appliances

Most Caravan Inline Water Filters will incorporate some sediment protection, trapping sand, silt dirt, and other particulates.

In addition to making your drinking/showering water cleaner, this protects your water consuming appliances and caravan plumbing from damage.

That means less chance of damage to your water heater, dishwasher, taps, and other parts of your caravan.

Dealing With Hard Water

If you are a keen traveller and explore many parts of Australia, you have probably encountered hard water. Hard water is water that contains a high level of dissolved minerals and salts. Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland have particularly hard water

Some of the minerals within hard water can precipitate from the water and form a hard limescale crust on hard surfaces. This problem becomes worse when the water is heated.

Limescale build-up from hard water can be very detrimental to a caravan, motor home, or RV. In severe cases, it can cause plumbing blockages, damage taps, coat heating elements, and impair solenoids. This can eventually damage or destroy appliances like coffee machines and dish washers.

There are several options for dealing with hard water including:

If you need any help choosing one of the above options, get in touch.

Need Help? Contact Us Today

Use the links above to view the caravan and RV water filter systems we stock. If you need any assistance, please contact us at sales@clarencewaterfilters.com.au or give us a call on 02 6646 8565.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Caravan Water Filters Expensive?

No, they are surprisingly affordable. Inline caravan filters with brass hose fittings (to connect to a standard hose fitting) are close to the $50.00 mark.

Complete under sink caravan kits that come with a dedicated drinking water tap are below $150.00.

If your budget is a little higher, you can purchase a Genuine 3M™ Under Sink Caravan and RV Water Filter System for about $200.00.

Point of entry water filter units (which go between the tap and your caravan) range from around $85.00 for a single filter unit to $170.00 for a twin high flow unit.

For this small investment, you can improve the taste/odour of your water and protect yourself from sediment and some very nasty chemical contaminants.

How Often Should You Change Your Caravan or RV Water Filter?

The frequency of your filter changes will vary based on the type of filter installed, the amount of water you use, the quality of the water, and the number of filters in operation.

Most filters are designed to achieve at least 1 year of full time use if water quality is reasonable. If you are only travelling sporadically and using water of a decent quality, you could even achieve 18 months from a single carbon filter.

However — we always suggest changing out filters before the 2 year mark as the risk of bacterial growth inside the cannister increases over time.

If you are using heavily sedimented water or raw water from a natural source, the lifespan of water filters can be significantly reduced. In these situations, it often helps to have one or two sediment filters in place before the water reaches the more expensive carbon filters.

The sediment filters are much cheaper than carbon filters and will protect your carbon filter from clogging up prematurely.

Ceramic filters are also useful for raw water as they can remove most forms of bacteria. They can also be cleaned many times, so you can use them for several months.

However, it’s important to note that most ceramic filters contain carbon which will reach maximum capacity well before the ceramic outer shell fails.

If your flow rate slows down or you notice bad taste/odours in your water, it’s usually a good sign that your filters need to be replaced.

Contact us to learn more.

How To Store Caravan Water Filters When Not In Use?

If you are only travelling sporadically, leaving water sitting inside a water filter or a filter housing can be a bad idea, as it makes bacterial growth much more likely.

Whenever the caravan is going to be left unused for several weeks, remove the water filters and leave them upside down in a sink so the water can drain out.

Once reasonably dry, store them in a dry location — preferably in a clean container so they can’t get dirty.

If you are using cannister-style housings, you should put the filters back into the dry sumps. This protects them from dust, dirt, and other contaminants.

Contrary to popular belief, water filters should NOT be stored in a refrigerator when not in use.

That’s for two reasons. The first is that the carbon will start to absorb the aromas of the food in the fridge — and you might not enjoy bacon flavoured water!

The second is that the filter will be more likely to develop bacteria due to moisture and any old food left inside the refrigerator.

What Is The Best Caravan Water Filter?

The ‘best’ caravan water filter for your will vary based on several factors, including:

  • Where you are traveling
  • How long you will be traveling for
  • How much water you will be consuming
  • What type of water you will be using (town water, bore water, tank water etc)
  • How much room you have under your sink and inside your caravan

For many travellers, a simple inline filter like the BESTWF is all they need. They just plug it into a garden hose when they fill up their water tanks at the local caravan park.

However, if you have a shower on board or you will be traveling through areas with lots of sediment in the water, a high flow point of entry system might be ideal.

If you are sometimes using unchlorinated water, then much finer filtration will be required. At the very least it should be below 1 micron nominal so cryptosporidium and giardia will be filtered out.

The LED-4R UV Steriliser (12v/240V) is another great option for untreated water. It is an ultraviolet steriliser which uses powerful LED lights to kill 99%+ of all bacteria, viruses, algae, parasitic cysts, and protozoa in the water supply. A great option if you are off-roading and drinking from water tanks, bores, and dams.

Because it uses LED lights, it is much more robust than traditional UV systems which use globes. Additionally, it doesn’t use much power, which is useful if you don’t always have access to mains power.

Give us a call or shoot over an email and we can help you choose the right product.

What Best Inline Caravan Water Filter?

“Inline” caravan filters are fully enclosed filters which are inserted along an incoming water line. There are several to choose from, but we usually recommend the AIC-K with Click On Hose FittingsBESTWF or the BESTHC.

If you will be travelling in an area with high levels of sediment, a twin cannister-style system is usually best. Give us a call if you are unsure which one to choose.

Why is it better to use silver impregnated carbon in caravan filters?

Silver is bacteriostatic, which means it can kill or incapacitate bacteria. This reduces the risk of bacteria growing inside of the housing.

This is useful for caravan water filters, as most people only travel intermittently. This means they might leave water sitting in their water filters for several weeks between trips — which can give bacteria time to grow.

Even if you are using silver impregnated filters, it is best to never let your filters go beyond 2 years of service life.

How Do I Know If My Caravan Water Filter Is Working Correctly?

When a filtration system is working correctly, you will enjoy water that is clear in appearance and virtually tasteless/odourless.

If you notice that the water has become discoloured or has developed an unpleasant taste or smell, it is time to replace your filters.

Another warning sign that it is time to replace filters is the flow rate of your water filter system becoming slower. This indicates that your sediment filters are clogged full of sediment. At this point, sediment particles will start to push through the filter and into your drinking water.

What Happens If You Don't Change Your Caravan Water Filter?

If you don’t change your filter, a few things will can happen:

  1. Sediment particles begin to push through
    When a sediment filter becomes clogged with sediment, particles are pushed through due to water pressure. This can discolour your water or make it taste bad.
  2. Carbon reaches full capacity
    Activated carbon works by trapping chemicals against the microscopic pores on the carbon’s surface. Eventually, the carbon becomes saturated with contaminants. At this point, chemicals will simply flow through the carbon and into your drinking water.
  3. Flow rate may decline
    When a water filter becomes packed full of contaminants, it can become harder for water to travel through the filter, slowing your flow rate.
  4. Bacteria may develop
    If water filters are left inside of a caravan unused for a long period, they may eventually harbour bacteria. This is much more likely if they are left with water inside of them. That’s why we recommend a maximum lifespan of 2 years for any caravan water filter.

How Long Do You Need To Flush New Filters For?

It is recommended that you flush brand new Carbon, fluoride, alkaliser and calcite filters with water. This releases any fine particles or media dust inside the filter.

Most smaller under sink filters only require 5-10 litres of flushing. Just pour the water you use for flushing down the drain or use it to water a pot plant. There is nothing dangerous about the water that is flushed out, it will just have an unpleasant taste or may contain fine particles that are not nice to drink.

What Is The Best Option For Caravan Scale Reduction?

Traditional Water Softeners and Water Conditioners can both be effective. However, they softeners are limited in terms of effective flow rate and conditioners containing polyphosphate can only have soft to slightly hard water.

For that reason, the best option for most travellers is the SofterWater™ Inline Caravan Hard Water Softener. It is effective at faster flow rates, doesn’t have any replaceable parts and can be plumbed into the caravan or attached to a filter system.

If you’d like to learn more about caravan and RV water filter systems, please contact us at sales@clarencewaterfilters.com.au or give us a call on 02 6646 8565.