Kinetico Filter Teardown After 1.5 Years on Hacked K5 Filter - Too Dirty to Use?

[@chyrsbates3167]

why would anyone buy this system in Canada. One Dealership in the entire city, 3 filters = $600.00 each time. I purchased the house with the system already in it, but don't think I'll use it. Ridiculous prices for filters in Calgary, AB.

[@raistlinsly1]

nice to know i got a little while before i have to buy a new one. I get 1 pair free a year but if i need one before then its 75 for the pair. Thanks for the hack wish there where aftermarket filters.

[@GABI59042]

there in no way to cut the bottom of old Kinetico filters to reuse them with other brands or something else like an adapter?

[@dmckabney]

The hack didn’t work. Carried it out like you said. Little to no flow after install of orange filter. Ideas?

[@pvonk46]

I have had the local dealer's tech person come out each year (that's how long my K5 goes before the timer closes it down) to replace the two filters (orange/purple). This includes the cost of a service call ($100 in addition to the filters). This year they are months behind schedule for house calls, hence they offered to sell me and mail filters instead. I watched the KZbin videos on how to replace them and was able to do that. I decided to see if I could buy filters on the web (since my dealer generally doesn't sell filters without a service call). There seem to be only two main sources, eBay and Amazon. Costs vary a bit for the Orange/Purple filters but are generally $230 and above. I found web pages for several dealers around the country but can't find pages where I can order the filters from them. With shipping, my local dealer charged me about $130 for both filters. Why is there such a difference in price? eBay/Amazon seem to be a real ripoff. Any comments?

[@fiehlsport]

Some dealers like to mark them up more than others. It sucks, they can basically charge whatever they want. When the filters hit eBay, you can usually get a better price on them. I honestly don't think dealers are allowed to display pricing for Kinetico products online without facing penalties from Kinetico.

[@chrysalistransform]

I live in Scottsdale and they charge me almost $500 for a filter change once a year. They are the biggest crooks here! Thanks for this hack!

[@chrysalistransform]

And i forgot to mention I am single! Just me drinking the water. It's insane what they charge.

[@HLD0205]

My filters with service call is $293 every 5 months 😢. I only got this system because the brochure said a family of four will last 1 to 1 1/2 years - and there are only two of us here. I stopped using it for cooking and no difference. Complete rip off. Costs more to maintain than jugs from the grocery.

[@brong61]

I liked your video on the filter hack. Kinetico does crush you on the filter price every 500 gals. Let us know if you find a place to buy them outside the dealer. Thanks

[@The.Consultant.]

Amazon

[@skybiz4520]

Those Greedy idiots from Kinetico modifying these filters based upon their greed level goes up every year... I'm using same volume of water for the last 5 years, and usually it take 1 year APROX. in my situation to finish the filter cycle(alleged 500 gallons), the last year, I noticed it is only lasts 8 months, then I replace it and Now it runs out in 2 months??? WTF??? I told you, these greedy bastards have no bounds, so, of course you have to modified to prevent scamming..

[@The.Consultant.]

@@skybiz4520 it’s based on usage bubba. And if you’re having issues like that then you have a problem. Also, if you have a carbon whole home filtration tank you don’t need to replace the carbon filter on your drinking water system but ever other year. Only filter you really need to change is the RO membrane. Think about what you’re saying - and if you hate it that much then stop using it !! Blasting a quality product does what to help you? Seriously ?

[@skybiz4520]

@@The.Consultant. Are you saying all of the sudden I start using x6 times more water (I'm NOT talking about Whole house system, it is ONLY for Drinking WATER under the sink)??? "Based on Usage" - my Azz.. It is based on Greed.. I don't need to replace sh*t, because my tap water even without filter is fine. I said Kinetico System is perfectly fine, but whoever creating (control) those filters are Screwing with the "Limit" . I can use + 10% - 10% but not 600% + as usage has been the SAME for YEARS (5+) And never have issues before..

[@danamennerich2752]

the purple filter is also for chlorine removal. you need to remove all the chlorine from your water to protect your membrane. by leaving the purple filter in too long you risk burning the membrane with chlorine. you may even need to change the purple filter before the orange filter if your chlorine levels are high coming into your house...

[@GABI59042]

there in no way to cut the bottom of old Kinetico filters to reuse them with other brands or something else like an adapter?

[@danamennerich2752]

@@GABI59042 unfortunately they can't be cut apart and reused. your stuck using new filters until someone invents a housing that can come apart and kinetico won't allow that until the time on the patent runs out...

[@GABI59042]

there in no way to cut the bottom of old Kinetico filters to reuse them with other brands or something else like an adapter?

[@MS-ze2xm]

Do you know if it is counter clockwise to back out the "meter screw" in the orange filter? I'd like to get another 200 gallons if I could. Thanks for the videos!

[@fiehlsport]

I believe so, but you're gonna have a tough time turning it. The screw has a one-way head, so unless you superglue a rod to it, it's not going to turn back. Check out my other Kinetico hack video and you can see what it looks like removed.

[@MS-ze2xm]

I turned the screw counter clockwise and expired the (near its end) filter. In this case righty is loosey to back out that meter screw.

[@Paulscole3]

Gabriel...lol. I feel the same way. There's got to be a generic filter, adapter, or a hack of some sort that works for the K5 filters. Has anyone tried and succeeded in using a different filter than the K5 filters or figured out how to replace the guts inside the old filters? I have these solid gray cartridges from a K2 system that look like a generic casing but I can't get them open either without cutting them apart. Any help out there?

[@HLD0205]

I have realized it’s a complete rip off. The brochures and representative state that a family of four should only have to have the filters replaced every year to a year and a half. There are only two of us in the house, and we are hardly at home, but we have had to replace the filters twice now in a year and a half. It cost more money to maintain the system than it would to buy a water cooler with jugs from the grocery store.

[@mikelyon2249]

How did u hack your charcoal filter "timer"?

[@leehirschman473]

Could you have cleaned that off of the outside, and still get life out of it? Or, once you cut it open, its done?

[@fiehlsport]

Yes, it can definitely be cleaned, (backflushed) but I’m not sure of a way to seal it all back up again.

[@TRAN_S]

None of ours ever had water that dirty. 😮

[@GABI59042]

there in no way to cut the bottom of old Kinetico filters to reuse them with other brands or something else like an adapter?

[@fiehlsport]

Have you cut yours open to check? I bet you’d be surprised. This was in use for a long time.

[@biotechemboy]

will the Reverse Osmosis Membrane get impacted negatively for elongating the use of this hacked filter?? I am planning to hack my K5 filter using the suggested presta cap adjustment from your previous video

[@fiehlsport]

The RO membrane should be unaffected. By extending the interval of the pre-filter, you would only negatively impact the flow - it would not let more particulates through if you used it for longer than recommended. Worst that can happen is your pre-filter clogs up. It still protects the RO Membrane. Thanks for watching

[@fiehlsport]

Also if you go too long on the carbon-filter, it won't filter out the chlorine, but it should last a lot longer than 500 gallons.