Six cartridges, six different jobs. Some strip out rust and sediment. Others go after cysts, chlorine, or heavy metals. Here's exactly what each one does — straight from the manufacturer's own filtration data — so you can pick by what's actually in your water, not by guessing.
What "micron rating" actually means
The lower the micron number, the finer the filter — and the more it catches. But finer isn't automatically "better": a 0.05 micron cartridge alone will clog fast if it's also catching the coarse dirt a pre-filter should handle first.
| Cartridge | Micron Rating |
|---|---|
| GAC/KDF Ext. In-line | 20 µm |
| GAC/KDF Int. In-line | 20 µm |
| Sediment Pre-Filter | 10 µm |
| Carbon Block | 5 µm |
| Cyst / Sediment Filter | 1 µm |
| Advanced Carbon Block | 0.05 µm |
Specs & contaminant reduction, side by side
Every cartridge in the AquaFRESH lineup, matched against what it actually filters out. Data per Valterra manufacturer specifications.
| GAC/KDF Ext. In-line |
GAC/KDF Int. In-line |
Sediment Pre-Filter |
Carbon Block |
Cyst / Sediment |
Adv. Carbon Block |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part # | A01-1131VP A01-1132VP |
A01-1133 | A01-1137 | A01-1136 | A01-1135 | A01-1134 |
| Filtration | 20 µm | 20 µm | 10 µm | 5 µm | 1 µm | 0.05 µm |
| Capacity* | 3,000 gal/6mo | 500 gal/6mo | As needed | 500 gal/6mo | 500 gal/6mo | 1,200 gal/6mo |
| Operating pressure | 20–100 psi (all cartridges) | |||||
| Reduces the following contaminants | ||||||
| Rust | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sediment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cysts (Crypto/Giardia) | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Chlorine taste & odor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| VOCs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Mercury | ✓ | |||||
| Lead | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Copper | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
* Results depend on water quality — replace when taste/odor appears or flow decreases. Caution: not for use with microbiologically unsafe or unknown-quality water without adequate disinfection.
Match the cartridge to your concern
No single cartridge does everything — pick based on what you're actually worried about in your water source.
- Just want basic taste & odor improvement → Carbon Block — handles chlorine and VOCs at a moderate 5 micron rating. Simple and effective for city water.
- Filling from a well, lake fill, or unknown source → Cyst / Sediment Filter — the only mid-tier cartridge rated for cysts like Crypto and Giardia at 1 micron.
- Want the most complete single cartridge → Advanced Carbon Block — covers cysts, chlorine, VOCs, and mercury at 0.05 micron, the widest coverage in the lineup.
- Worried about lead or copper from old plumbing → GAC/KDF In-line (Ext. or Int.) — the only cartridges with KDF media rated to reduce lead and copper specifically.
- High-volume or long-season use → GAC/KDF Exterior In-line — rated for 3,000 gallons per 6 months, by far the longest capacity in the lineup.
- Protecting a downstream filter from clogging → Sediment Pre-Filter — catches rust and large particles first, extending the life of a finer cartridge behind it.
Shop RV water filter cartridges
All six cartridges from the AquaFRESH lineup, plus the housings that hold them:
- GAC/KDF Exterior In-line Filter (20 µm, A01-1131/32VP)
- GAC/KDF Interior In-line Filter (20 µm, A01-1133)
- Sediment Pre-Filter Cartridges, 2 Pack (10 µm, A01-1137)
- Carbon Block Cartridge (5 µm, A01-1136)
- Cyst & Sediment Cartridge (1 µm, A01-1135)
- Advanced Carbon Block Cartridge (0.05 µm, A01-1134)
- Dual Filter System (housing, ships with 2 cartridges + bracket & wrench)
- Single Filter System (housing, takes any 10"×2" cartridge above)
Not sure which cartridge fits your water source? Contact our team and we'll help you match it.
0 comments