Filters on drinking water ?

[Dave_S]

Hi

I understand if I'm drawing water from somewhere unusual I will need to filter the water but if I fill with quality-ish tap water or from desalinator do I need to filter it.

Currently there are 2 inline filters on the galley tap. I was thinking about taking them out.

Dave

[sailorboy1]

I have a carbon drinking water filter at my sink for drinking water. It is mainly for when the water in the tanks has been around a while and I add chlorine to them. So for me it's about the taste

[Lepke]

No matter how clean the water is you put into your tank, it becomes contaminated. As you draw water, air is drawn into the tank carrying organisms and debris. At some point you have to treat the tank. Having filters after the tank removes sediment and bad tastes.

[Pete7]

I would rather know about the problem in the tanks earlier by not having a filter and therefore being able to take action straight away. I removed the filter to the galley sink. However, I should say that I sail in an area with plenty of good quality water that is monitored to meet very strict standards.

A dose of bleach each Spring keeps the tanks clean.

Pete

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Hi

I understand if I'm drawing water from somewhere unusual I will need to filter the water but if I fill with quality-ish tap water or from desalinator do I need to filter it.

Currently there are 2 inline filters on the galley tap. I was thinking about taking them out.

Dave

Take the typical marina hose, discharge it onto a white towel or something similar, and flex the hose. You'll be amazed at the crap that sloughs off the walls. It's not like home plumbing.

Filter as you fill, chlorinate, filter in-line with 0.5 micron filter. Or just don't worry about it.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/20...t-version.html

[JPA Cate]

Oh, Thinwater, no! Our hose lives in our lazarette, and is only used for watering out tanks and the occasional hose off of the boat (mostly rainfall does the latter.) But, you're right, I've seen hoses lying on docks, really ratty, but never did the white towel test!

Hmm!

We have an in line charcoal filter for the galley, too. As lepke wrote, when you've had to chlorinate the water 'cause it's a little suspect, the filter removes that flavor, and also the occasional sediment that shows up.

[puffcard]

Just open your tanks, inspect them and then decide if you need a filter. I flush the hose for a couple minutes and I still get trash in the tanks. I would clean the tanks ever year, that's when I got filters. We use one whole boat carbon filter and have a dedicated drinking filter and faucet. That use to be a Seagull, but switch to Mutlipure. The water is so good after the filter. It's so good I wouldn't even worry about water from Flint Mich.

https://www.bestfilters.com/Multipur...ter_p_572.html

[travellerw]

We only fill our tanks from our watermaker (400L lasts 5 days). We have never filtered our water. Our water has always tasted pure and never off flavors.

We just emptied our tanks and sponged them out. There was absolutely no sediment or anything in the tanks after a year and half!

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by travellerw

We only fill our tanks from our watermaker (400L lasts 5 days). We have never filtered our water. Our water has always tasted pure and never off flavors.

We just emptied our tanks and sponged them out. There was absolutely no sediment or anything in the tanks after a year and half!

That's sounds good in theory and you are not alone in doing this. But here's the thing. There is a reason that there is a small amount of residual chlorine in domestic water (dock water) This helps keep the growth down. When you use only RO water to fill your tank/s then there is no protection from growth at all. Usually what I recommend is that when you do have access to known good domestic water that you do use it to fill your tank/s. This helps to re-introduce some chlorine to help keep growth down. You show me 1000 fresh water tanks and I'll show 999 that have some form of contamination or another no matter how much the water id pre-filtered before going into the tank. It has nothing to do with how fastidious one may be with maintaining their tanks. The nature of the beast is they all are subject to contamination. These are not sealed systems, even a deck fill cap can leak a few drops during a good rain which can work its way to the tank with all the nastiness that lives on your deck. (Think of your brother-in-law running around on your deck barefooted and sweaty. Not to mention birds.) The air vent alone is usually the larger cause of contamination from air born particles. A lot of the new Cats vent their tubes to just lead down to locker areas where the tanks are installed. These are usually very damp and moldy areas and as a half full tank of water sloshes around inside, the air vent actually breaths back and forth with the water motion in the tank. It really doesn't take much to unknowingly contaminate a tank. That being said, I'm an old schooler that thinks a few nasties in our system is a good thing, but that's another subject. For the purist, I would certainly recommend at least a filtering system under the Galley sink for the consumable water. For the super purist it would always be a Seagull filter.


HaldenMarineService@yahoo.com
(954) 515-7077

[a64pilot]

I have a Seagull, cause it came with the boat.
However I feel sure you can do as well, for a whole lot less money

[RickG]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have a Seagull, cause it came with the boat.
However I feel sure you can do as well, for a whole lot less money

There was a Seagull on our boat when we got her. The water coming out of that tastes better than bottled water.

I use a particulate filter inline when filling at the dock - 5 micron spun polypropylene. I use a clear filter housing so that I can see the bits and pieces that get caught. Running the water for a minute before filling the tank does almost as much good.

Cheers, RickG

[_m_miles]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I have a carbon drinking water filter at my sink for drinking water. It is mainly for when the water in the tanks has been around a while and I add chlorine to them. So for me it's about the taste

I just installed a Pur filter on my faucet and the restricted flow makes the freshwater pump cycle regularly. Is this something to worry about?

Thanks.

[Cheechako]

I dont think filters are necessary in your situation. Common filters dont really take many harmful things out anyway. But I do like having a charcoal filter as it helps with the taste of water. The down side is you must change it at least every 3 months as they grow things in the filter.
Bottom line: I would have at least one.

[barnakiel]

Our boat water is boat water and our drinking water is drinking water. Boat water (dock) we only drink BOILED, never fresh. No filters.

Our drinking water comes from PET bottles. It is spring water. No filters either.

If you envision drinking e.g. rainwater from watertanks in the Pacific, then you want hell of filters of all viable kinds - carbon, ultrasound and ultraviolet, whatever.

Cheers,
b.

[zeehag]

leave the filters in place. change cartridges. enjoy safer water. tanks grow contaminants easily and rapidly.
you will kick yourself hard if you remove em.