Regardless of what type of marine water filter you want to use, it must be clean. Most filters are designed to be easily disconnected and rinsed in fresh water before being put away or replaced. The following article discusses four different types of these filters:
- Pump Style Filter – The most common style used by recreational boaters is a pump-style filter. This type is designed to be taken apart and the filter element rinsed out in freshwater when it has accumulated a visible amount of dirt or debris. These types are the easiest to use and maintain.
- Hose Style – A hose-style filter uses a replaceable cartridge that screws into the end of the hose length. The filter is designed so that water can be pumped or siphoned through the cartridge without taking the cartridge apart. These are best suited for transferring clean water from one location to another, rather than filtering dirty water to make it drinkable.
- Gravity Style – A gravity-style Marine Water Filter uses a replaceable cartridge placed inside the housing and mounted on the top of a storage tank. Water is pumped up from the bottom of the tank through the filter element, which removes dirt and debris from it before allowing it to flow out from an opening at the top of the housing. These are only suitable for water tanks with a low water level, as the pump for the filter must sit below the tank’s water level.
- Inline Marine Water Filter – An inline filter is most commonly mounted on a boat’s freshwater hose and used to make dirty water from docks, marinas, lakes, or rivers drinkable. The most important factor in using this filter type is backflushed when the filter element needs to be cleaned. If this is not done, the filter will become clogged, and water will no longer pass through it. Inline filters are designed to attach a garden hose from the outside of the filter housing. This causes a powerful backflushing action that quickly cleans the filter element and reuses it for many years.
After knowing these different marine filters, you can decide which is best suited for your boat or vessel. The good news about choosing any of these types is that they are all easily maintained, which ultimately makes a choice simple.