Charoal Filter Flow Direction

[Ghetto Wash]

I broke the head on my charcoal filter so I purchased a new one. My filter is a 9"x48" fiberglass tank. Where I purchased the new head, I was told the correct flow is down through the center pipe and up through the charcoal bed. Wouldn't that "aerate" the charcoal and send some out with the outflowing water? Which direction is normal or correct? I don't know which direction my old one was.

Down through the center pipe and up through the bed, or down through the bed and up through the center pipe?

 

[Buzzie8]

I am pretty sure down through center pipe up through charcoal bed that's why they have gravel in the bottom. I have some old notes from when I swapped out charcoal that I will look for. You might want to change charcoal while you are doing it.

 

[MEP001]

It's NOT down through the center pipe. It flows outside the pipe and through the media, then the gravel stops the media from entering the strainer and uptube.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

You might want to change charcoal while you are doing it.

That's how I broke the head to start with.

If you don't mind, double check your notes for me and see if they agree with MEP.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

It's NOT down through the center pipe. It flows outside the pipe and through the media, then the gravel stops the media from entering the strainer and uptube.

That's the way I thought it was and opposite what I was told by my supplier.

I couldn't decide the correct way as I see a potential problem either way.

Up through the bed has charcoal discharged with the water flow and down through the bed compacts the charcoal over time.

 

[MEP001]

An actual head with a backflush feature is usually used to prevent the water flow creating channels through the media over time. If that's what you have, it definitely needs to flow up through the tube. If it's just a tank adaptor with fittings, I can see where someone might suggest flowing the opposite way, but I've serviced literally hundreds of RO systems and never once saw any evidence of issues with water always flowing down through the media. The charcoal particles are large and very angular, not beads like softener resin, and I don't believe they can shift to create open channels for water to flow through.

 

[JGinther]

Mep is right on the direction of flow. If you hook it up backwards, you will fill up your prefilter on the RO system in a hurry with carbon. I remember being called out once on an RO problem where I found tons of sand in the membranes. Turned out the pressure of the water from the supply was about 130 psi and was enough to break the screen in the carbon filter. All of the sand/gravel the vendor used in the tank flowed up the tube and literally crushed the prefilter, then went to embed in all four of the membranes and solenoid/regulator seats....