KW1 water filter

[NJKris]

Glad it worked out Atilla. I'm guessing somebody used the 'wrench' to overtighten it. I don't used the wrench to tighten, only to loosen, much like an oil filter.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Attila the Pun

Took it to the dealer (Camping World). A tech agreed that it's better for me if they break it than if I do. Then he banged on it until it finally came loose (without breaking anything)!
Got home and finished winterizing - no sweat. No leaks around the canister. But gonna get some of that silicone grease and apply it next spring when I "summerize" and put the filter back in.
Thanks for all the help and tips, guys!

Might be a good idea to put an O-Ring or two in your spare parts kit.

If you can't fine them locally, they are available in a 3-pack here:

https://www.hannarv.com/P/34858/ORin...rCanister3Pack

[NXR]

A 4-pack for $10 for the RCS housing right from the manufacturer: https://waterpur.com/products/rcs-o-ring

I bought my spare filters and this o-ring pack from them.

Ray

[HappyTrav]

I just went to Home Depot and replaced mine with a GE GXWH20S which has a built in bypass.

The cost of the unit was comparable to the cost of the replacement filter for the KW1.

Bob




You can see the lever selector better in this picture which shows the backside of the filter.

[ENGINEER]

Which way are you turning the filter???

[Larry Bill]

I ran into the same problem, call the manufacture they do not make a bypass plate for that particular model, when talking to the manufacture he said even a drop of water in the threads would freeze and break the canister so be extra careful when you drain it to wipe everything down, I also looked at installing a water bottle but was afraid of it floating up and possibly blocking the nipple that protrudes down in the canister. Most likely it would be fine. Saving12 ounces of antifreeze is not a big deal.

[Tim F]

I’m in the same boat as you this year and while some pink antifreeze went into the canister (I never put a filter into it, preferring external filter on city line) there is still some untreated water. I hope it doesn’t crack in the cold, but at this point I am out of options.

[Draytondave]

Try warming the outer housing with a heat gun or hair dryer. The plastic cap will expand and it should help to remove it. Just don't melt the plastic.

[OscarsMom2]

Originally Posted by Noahron3

It seam like a waste to fill that canister with antifreeze!
Last year I put a empty water bottle in it to take up space to save a little antifreeze!

I saw that on a You-Tube video and tried it. While pumping antifreeze, the pump stopped. When I looked at the filter cartridge, the bottle was crushed and the cap was stuck in the top of the filter cartridge. I was able to remove it; replaced the half full cartridge; and the pump worked.

[srsc13]

First thing I did when I got my camper home was remove this ridiculous "on-board" water filter. It is awkward to work with, it holds stagnant water, it's impossible to remove/change without getting water everywhere, and as you have noted it makes the winterizing more of a pain. In general, it's pointless.

Do your self a favor and cut it out, secure the cut hose with little PVC connection from home depot, and then use one of those in-line/hose water filters outside the camper, which you can then blow out and store whenever you use it.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by srsc13

First thing I did when I got my camper home was remove this ridiculous "on-board" water filter. It is awkward to work with, it holds stagnant water, it's impossible to remove/change without getting water everywhere, and as you have noted it makes the winterizing more of a pain. In general, it's pointless.

Do your self a favor and cut it out, secure the cut hose with little PVC connection from home depot, and then use one of those in-line/hose water filters outside the camper, which you can then blow out and store whenever you use it.

Do you have a refrigerator that dispenses cold, filtered water? Do you use it every day? Refrigerators hold "stagnant" water too if you don't use water regularly.

FWIW those inline/hose filters are essentially just screens when compared to the filtration capabilities of the built in filter.

[KyDan]

I removed my onboard filter first thing when my trailer was brand new. It was in a terrible place to access. It had no bypass. It was impossible to unscrew without spilling water on me and everywhere else.
I use a whole house filter with hose fittings which I screw directly to my outside city water inlet. Been doing that for 10 years. It works for me and no worries about winterizing and anti-freeze going into my filter.
I replace the cartridge once a year or so whether it needs it or not!
I also use that filter with a short cut off washing machine hose to fill my fresh tank when I'm camping without water hook up.

Happy trails!

[Kennypatrv]

The filter housing Will eventually leak so I would eliminate it all together. Know this from experience. Was warned but learned hard way. Flooded basement in RV. I now use an external one. Good luck

[schoond]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

That is the new housing that does not have the locking teeth. Remove all pressure. Make sure you are turning counter clockwise when looking from the bottom up. I don’t know if you have to push up when removing the new canister.

remove mine , put it back on empty now and connect hose to water pump and use pump switch to fill it up. I use two gallons of rv pink antifreeze to fill my forest river. Pump toilet till you see pink, shower hot and cold till pink. All sinks hot and cold till pink. And use a half a gallon down all sink traps. Oh put water heater on bypass mode. Takes me 15 minutes. Dan

[srsc13]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Do you have a refrigerator that dispenses cold, filtered water? Do you use it every day? Refrigerators hold "stagnant" water too if you don't use water regularly.

FWIW those inline/hose filters are essentially just screens when compared to the filtration capabilities of the built in filter.

I understand your point...but you sort of prove my point. I DO use my fridge every day, so the water is constantly refreshed and moving. I suppose if this person is living in the camper and constantly moving water through it, this system may work great. But an awful lot of people don't use their camper like that, which means water gets stagnant, since this filter system doesn't empty. Ever. Unless you physically remove it (which is a pain, and messy as I noted) and empty it manually.

The inline filter I use is in no way just a screen...it's a pretty serious filter. But, heck, if that's really your concern, then I'd still say remove this filter housing from it's horrible and difficult to maintain location and put it outside. That would be best of both worlds, I suppose.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by srsc13

I understand your point...but you sort of prove my point. I DO use my fridge every day, so the water is constantly refreshed and moving. I suppose if this person is living in the camper and constantly moving water through it, this system may work great. But an awful lot of people don't use their camper like that, which means water gets stagnant, since this filter system doesn't empty. Ever. Unless you physically remove it (which is a pain, and messy as I noted) and empty it manually.

The inline filter I use is in no way just a screen...it's a pretty serious filter. But, heck, if that's really your concern, then I'd still say remove this filter housing from it's horrible and difficult to maintain location and put it outside. That would be best of both worlds, I suppose.

I actually don't find my filter to be in such a horrible and difficult location to maintain. Sure, I have to get down on the floor, open the door which is secured with two screws in the third hinge. If put valve in winterize position and run pump, the canister ends up at least half empty when I open faucet.

I replace O-ring at every filter replacement (once per year) so I don't need to over-tighten to keep from leaking. By running the pump in winterize valve settings I don't have any water in filter canister to spill.

I guess one can make any job as hard and difficult as they want.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Larry Bill

I ran into the same problem, call the manufacture they do not make a bypass plate for that particular model, when talking to the manufacture he said even a drop of water in the threads would freeze and break the canister so be extra careful when you drain it to wipe everything down, I also looked at installing a water bottle but was afraid of it floating up and possibly blocking the nipple that protrudes down in the canister. Most likely it would be fine. Saving12 ounces of antifreeze is not a big deal.

Originally Posted by OscarsMom2

I saw that on a You-Tube video and tried it. While pumping antifreeze, the pump stopped. When I looked at the filter cartridge, the bottle was crushed and the cap was stuck in the top of the filter cartridge. I was able to remove it; replaced the half full cartridge; and the pump worked.

If you look at the top of filter cartridge and the bottom part of the housing it's not that hard to figure out you must install the empty water bottle upside down.

[NXR]

But an awful lot of people don't use their camper like that, which means water gets stagnant, since this filter system doesn't empty. Ever.

The same could be said of the fresh water tank for those people's use of their of camper.

I have no idea how your RV is plumbed but on ours the KW1 filters all water going into the RV piping, including City Water and the water pumped out of the fresh water tank. The only thing it does not filter is water going into the Fresh Tank Fill.

That is one reason I use a Camco inline filter everywhere except at home; to keep campground water system "stuff" out of the fresh water tank. Another is to pre-filter what hits the KW1. After 7,000+ gallons the KW1 was barely starting to turn gray. Other KW1's I've seen where people to not use an inline filter have been a dark, muddy brown after just a summer season.

The Camco is 20 microns and the KW1 is 5 microns.

Ray

[dbledan]

When I had my filter I took the filter cartige out and put the canister back in to winterize. I filled the canister and still only used 2 gal of antifreeze. I then unscrewed the canister and dumped that antifreeze down the drain making use of it for the tanks and ptraps. I would NOT reattched the canister because the two platics expand and different temps so I did not want them to crack or break.

I removed the filter permanently and dont worry about it using the inline filter.

[Attila the Pun]

Originally Posted by dbledan

When I had my filter I took the filter cartige out and put the canister back in to winterize. I filled the canister and still only used 2 gal of antifreeze. I then unscrewed the canister and dumped that antifreeze down the drain making use of it for the tanks and ptraps. I would NOT reattched the canister because the two platics expand and different temps so I did not want them to crack or break.

I removed the filter permanently and dont worry about it using the inline filter.

Great tip - thanx!