Caravan Water Filters – Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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 Fittings, BESTWF 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.