How to clean fresh water strainer

[MagicalArmchair]

I located the fresh water strainer.

• Whats the process for cleaning this little sucker please?
• How do your take it apart?
• Its there a service kit with seals etc for it?
• Also, finally, to give 'proper' filtration of water, what have people upgraded to? I used the water treatment tabs (like these https://www.piratescave.co.uk/aqua-clean-tablets-midi-box-x-32.html) in my old boat and a carbon filter (like one of these https://www.piratescave.co.uk/whale-aqua-source-clear-water-filter.html), but still found the water treatment tabs left a nasty taste in the water. I much preferred the taste of the water before I started using the tabs to be frank 

In context here:

[Yngmar]

You open it up by unscrewing it counterclockwise, where the black o-ring is. Clean it, check the o-ring, replace if necessary (generic part) and put some silicone grease on before reassembly.

This is not a water filter, just a strainer to protect the pump from debris in the tank. If you want filtering of drinking water, fit an activated charcoal filter under the sink with a separate tap. I think there's a thread or two somewhere around here on that subject, if not, look up Britaly on Youtube, they've done a video on it.

Treatment tabs are usually chlorine, they kill bacteria but do not improve taste, and if you overdose them you get a icky chlorine taste too.

[MagicalArmchair]

Thanks for that, why put it on a separate tap? Could you not just put the filter before the mixer tap? Or would the hot water kill the filter?

[tiger79]

As Yngmar has said, the device near your pump is simply a coarse strainer.  To open it up for cleaning, you first have to remove it, which will probably involve removing the 2-way valve below it first.

I use the Aqua Clean tablets you mentioned, primarily to discourage any algal growth in the tank.  Yes, the water has a residual taste, but I find that after boiling the water it's not too bad.  For drinking cold water, I use bottled mineral water from the fridge.

If you want to fit a charcoal filter, just plumb it in to the cold pipe before the mixer tap.  Hot water won't go through it.  I think Yngmar suggested a separate tap in order to minimise the amount of use the charcoal filter gets, as they steadily deteriorate with use.