How Long does your Carbon Filter Last

[bigleo48]

All,

I have one of these carbon filters on my Spot Free machine for my touchless IBA. Does anybody know approximately how long this thing will last (in cars washed or gallons processed)?

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-17367-carbon-filter-12-x-52.aspx

 

[MEP001]

The carbon tends to last at least as long as membranes if the carbon filter isn't undersized. There's no real measure of how long in gallons or cars washed it should last because of the variable of how much chlorine is in the water.

 

[RykoPro]

Since yours will backflush it should last for years before needing to change the carbon. I would ask the manufacture.

 

[MEP001]

Since yours will backflush it should last for years before needing to change the carbon.

Backflushing shortens the life of the media since it's not actually filtering anything, it absorbs the chlorine from the water.

 

[CCAR]

Backflushing shortens the life of the media since it's not actually filtering anything, it absorbs the chlorine from the water.

I thought the purpose of backflushing was to prevent channels from forming in the carbon. I do mine every 12 days, manufacture said every other day. I would think some smart engineer could answer the question. I would like to know as well.

 

[MEP001]

I thought the purpose of backflushing was to prevent channels from forming in the carbon.

It is.

I do mine every 12 days, manufacture said every other day.

I set them every 6 or 7 days, depending on the timer. We used to sell units from Alamo Water Refiners in San Antonio and they sold units with the 12-day timer and recommended the cycle every six days.

I would think some smart engineer could answer the question. I would like to know as well.

If you meant bigleo's original question regarding how long the media will last, I feel I've answered it as well as any engineer can. Certainly with a measure of chlorine in the incoming water there's a way to figure it accurately to gallons, but without that information there's no answer.

 

[CCAR]

It is.


I set them every 6 or 7 days, depending on the timer. We used to sell units from Alamo Water Refiners in San Antonio and they sold units with the 12-day timer and recommended the cycle every six days.


If you meant bigleo's original question regarding how long the media will last, I feel I've answered it as well as any engineer can. Certainly with a measure of chlorine in the incoming water there's a way to figure it accurately to gallons, but without that information there's no answer.

I agree with your analysis. I did have mine set at 6 days but I felt that I was not using enough spot free to justify that quick of a backflush [just my guess]. That's why I went to the 12 day setting. Maybe there are better meters out there based on gallons going through the carbon instead of days. As you know there can be days when no one will wash, so it's backflushing to soon, and days when every one wants to wash and it's not backflushing soon enough.

 

[bigleo48]

I didn't know it backflushed!? Will check my spotfree machine tomorrow.

 

[tobaccofarmer]

First thing you want to do is check with your water company and see if they add chloramine. This is stronger than regular chlorine which means carbon wont work, you need to use a product called centaur to combat chloramine. All my locations have chloramine, and on average I have been replacing the centaur every two years.