20"x4.5" Anti-Scale Polyphosphate Whole house system, Conditioner / Lime Free
3-Stage 20" x 4.5" Big Blue Whole House Anti-Scale Water Filtration System with 1" NPTF Ports
Help protect your plumbing, fixtures, water heater, and household appliances from sediment and mineral scale buildup with the Max Water 3-Stage Big Blue Whole House Anti-Scale Water Filtration System.
This high-capacity system combines sediment filtration, phosphate anti-scale treatment, and carbon block filtration to help reduce suspended particles, chlorine, unpleasant taste and odor, while helping control scale formation caused by hardness minerals.
The system uses full-size 20" x 4.5" Big Blue cartridges for greater media capacity, higher flow potential, and longer service intervals than standard slim-line filtration systems. Its 1" ports make it suitable for many residential, cottage, office, and light-commercial plumbing installations.
Whole House Scale-Control Filtration
The phosphate anti-scale cartridge is designed to help control scale formation by keeping certain hardness minerals suspended in the water. This can help reduce mineral deposits on plumbing surfaces, fixtures, heating elements, and connected appliances.
Unlike a traditional salt-based water softener, an anti-scale phosphate filter does not remove calcium and magnesium from the water. It helps control their tendency to form hard scale deposits under suitable water conditions.
Three Stages of Whole House Filtration
- 5-Micron Polypropylene Sediment Filter
Part No. 104112 . Captures sand, rust, dirt, silt, and other suspended particles while helping protect the anti-scale and carbon cartridges from premature clogging. - Phosphate Anti-Scale Filter
Part No. 104132 . Releases phosphate media gradually to help control scale formation and reduce mineral buildup in pipes, fixtures, water heaters, and compatible household appliances. The filter may last up to 2 years when the first-stage sediment filter is replaced regularly. - 5-Micron Coconut-Shell Carbon Block Filter
Part No. 104114 . Reduces chlorine, unpleasant taste, odor, and selected organic compounds while providing final water polishing.
Dual Pressure Gauges
Two vertical liquid-filled pressure gauges help monitor incoming water pressure and pressure after filtration. Comparing the readings can help identify increasing pressure loss across the cartridges.
A growing difference between the inlet and outlet pressure readings may indicate that one or more cartridges are becoming clogged with sediment and require inspection or replacement.
Anti-scale media exhaustion may not always cause a noticeable pressure drop. Replace the anti-scale cartridge according to water conditions, usage, and the recommended service interval.
Key Features and Benefits
- Whole-house treatment: Filters incoming water before it reaches faucets, showers, fixtures, and appliances.
- Scale-control protection: Helps reduce mineral scale formation in plumbing and compatible water-using equipment.
- Three complementary stages: Combines sediment, phosphate anti-scale, and carbon block filtration.
- High-capacity Big Blue design: Uses standard 20" x 4.5" replacement cartridges.
- Clear filter housings: Allow visual inspection of sediment and cartridge condition.
- 1" inlet and outlet ports: Suitable for higher-flow plumbing installations when correctly sized.
- Double O-ring housing seals: Help provide a secure seal when correctly installed and maintained.
- Pressure-relief buttons: Help release trapped pressure before filter maintenance.
- Dual pressure gauges: Help monitor operating pressure and filter restriction.
- Replaceable cartridges: Allow routine maintenance without replacing the complete filtration system.
Helps Reduce or Control
- Sand, silt, dirt, rust, and suspended sediment
- Mineral scale formation in pipes and compatible appliances
- Lime and hardness-related scale buildup
- Chlorine taste and odor
- Unpleasant tastes and odors
- Turbidity caused by suspended particles
- Selected volatile organic compounds
- Selected pesticides, herbicides, and organic chemicals
- Particles that may contribute to staining or appliance buildup
Package Includes
- Three 20" x 4.5" clear Big Blue filter housings with double O-ring seals and pressure-relief buttons
- Two 60 mm liquid-filled pressure gauges
- One 5-micron polypropylene sediment filter
- One phosphate anti-scale cartridge
- One 5-micron coconut-shell carbon block filter
- One heavy-duty PVC ball valve
- One hex nipple fitting
- One filter housing wrench
- One heavy-duty three-stage steel wall-mounting bracket
- Installation hardware for the filtration bracket
- One-year manufacturer's limited warranty
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| System Type | Three-stage whole house sediment, anti-scale, and carbon filtration system |
| Filter Cartridge Size | 20" x 4.5" Big Blue |
| Number of Filter Stages | 3 |
| Flow Direction | Right-side inlet to left-side outlet |
| Inlet and Outlet Connections | 1" ports |
| Sediment Filter Rating | 5 micron nominal |
| Estimated Sediment Filter Life | Approximately 6–12 months* |
| Estimated Anti-Scale Filter Life | Approximately 1–2 years under suitable water conditions; replacement may be required every 6 months in water with high hardness or heavy usage* |
| Estimated Carbon Filter Capacity | Approximately 20,000 gallons* |
| Maximum Operating Pressure | 90 PSI |
| Recommended Operating Pressure | 20–60 PSI |
| Operating Water Temperature | 40–100°F / 5–38°C |
| Compatible Feed-Water pH Range | 4.0–10.0 |
| Maximum Feed-Water TDS | 2,000 ppm |
| Housing Pressure Drop | Less than 1 PSI at 10 GPM, excluding cartridge restriction* |
| Maximum Estimated Flow Rate | Up to 20 GPM with 1" inlet and outlet under suitable operating conditions* |
| Approximate Dimensions | 27.5" H x 24.5" W x 8" D |
| Approximate Weight | 50 lb. |
*Actual cartridge life, capacity, flow rate, and pressure drop depend on incoming water quality, hardness, sediment concentration, chlorine level, pH, TDS = Total Dissolved Solids., water temperature, plumbing size, operating pressure, daily consumption, flow demand, and cartridge condition. Maximum housing flow does not represent guaranteed filtration performance at that flow rate.
TDS = Total Dissolved Solids.
Recommended Applications
- Residential whole-house water filtration
- Municipal and city water treatment
- Scale control for plumbing and fixtures
- Water-heater and compatible appliance protection
- Cottages and vacation properties
- Offices and small commercial buildings
- Restaurants and food-service applications
- Prefiltration before compatible reverse osmosis systems
- Prefiltration before compatible UV treatment systems
- Selected manufacturing and process-water applications
Installation and Maintenance Information
- Test the untreated water before installation to determine hardness, iron, manganese, sulfur, pH, TDS, and other relevant water conditions.
- Install the system on the main cold-water supply line after the pressure tank, when applicable, and before the water heater.
- Connect the incoming water to the right-side inlet and the filtered water line to the left-side outlet.
- Confirm all directional flow markings before completing the plumbing.
- Support the system securely using the supplied steel bracket and suitable mounting hardware for the wall structure.
- Leave sufficient clearance beneath the housings for cartridge replacement and routine maintenance.
- Use suitable thread sealant or PTFE tape on threaded connections. Do not overtighten plastic ports or fittings.
- Shut off the incoming water supply and release system pressure before opening any filter housing.
- Lubricate O-rings only with food-grade silicone lubricant. Do not use petroleum-based lubricants.
- Flush all new cartridges thoroughly according to the product instructions before placing the system into normal service.
- Replace the sediment cartridge when flow declines or the pressure difference across the system increases.
- Replace the anti-scale cartridge according to water hardness, water consumption, visible scale formation, and the recommended service interval.
- Replace the carbon cartridge when chlorine, unpleasant taste, or odor begins to return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does this system soften hard water?
A. No. The phosphate anti-scale cartridge helps control scale formation, but it does not remove calcium or magnesium and does not produce soft water. A traditional water softener may be required for substantial hardness reduction.
Q. Does the anti-scale cartridge reduce calcium?
A. It does not substantially remove calcium from the water. The phosphate media helps keep certain hardness minerals suspended so they are less likely to form hard deposits on plumbing surfaces and heating elements.
Q. Can this system remove sulfur odor?
A. No dedicated sulfur-removal media is included. Hydrogen sulfide and sulfur bacteria normally require specialized oxidation, catalytic filtration, disinfection, or another treatment method selected after testing the water.
Q. Will this system remove iron?
A. The sediment cartridge may capture some particulate iron, and phosphate may help control limited staining under certain conditions. However, this is not a dedicated dissolved-iron removal system. Tested iron contamination may require specialized treatment.
Q. Is the filtered water suitable for household use?
A. The system is intended for whole-house water filtration. Suitability for drinking depends on the quality and safety of the source water. This system does not disinfect microbiologically unsafe water or remove every dissolved contaminant.
Q. Does this system reduce TDS = Total Dissolved Solids.?
A. No. Sediment, phosphate anti-scale, and carbon filtration do not substantially reduce TDS. Reverse osmosis or another specialized process is required when dissolved-solid reduction is needed.
Q. When should the sediment filter be replaced?
A. Replace it when water flow decreases, the pressure difference across the system increases, the cartridge becomes heavily discolored, or the recommended service interval is reached.
Q. When should the anti-scale cartridge be replaced?
A. Replacement depends on hardness, water consumption, temperature, and overall water chemistry. Under moderate conditions, the cartridge may last one to two years. High-hardness water or heavy usage may require replacement approximately every six months.
Q. Can the pressure gauges show when the anti-scale media is exhausted?
A. Not reliably. The gauges can help identify clogged cartridges, but exhausted phosphate media may not cause a noticeable pressure drop. Cartridge replacement should also be based on service time, water usage, hardness, and scale-control performance.
Filter Replacement Options and Alternatives for Item Number:103066
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