10" 2-stage combined cartridge wound and GAC charcoal 140 g Aquapro, ref. PR-SWC-10

10" combined cartridge, wound and activated charcoal

Two-media cartridge in a single body, standard 10" format:

• polypropylene wound envelope for mechanical particle retention
• granular activated charcoal core, 140 g, for chlorine, taste and odour

Water first passes through the wound layer, then the charcoal bed.

Aquapro reference PR-SWC-10.

The benefit of 2-in-1

The combination replaces two cartridges and two filter housings with a single assembly.

What changes in installation:

• single filter housing to install, single bowl to open for maintenance
• reduced footprint, useful under a sink or in a technical cupboard
• lower installation cost than a two-stage assembly

What changes in operation:

• both media are replaced at the same time, regardless of which reaches end of life first
• the capacity of each media is lower than that of a dedicated cartridge of the same format, since volume is shared
• the allowable flow rate is lower than that of a prefilter alone

The 2-in-1 is therefore a choice for compactness and simplicity, not performance or runtime.

Combined or two separate stages

• Combined cartridge: compactness, installation budget, simple maintenance. Reduced runtime, full replacement.
• Two separate stages: higher capacity on each media, independent replacement at each one's own pace, higher flow rate, thresholds adjustable to water quality. Greater footprint and installation cost.

At a point of use with moderate consumption, the combined cartridge is sufficient. On a high-flow installation or upstream of a reverse osmosis unit, two separate stages remain the preferred configuration.

The wound media

The wound polypropylene thread forms a depth retention layer that traps sand, silt and rust particles whilst supporting a particle load before clogging.

This outer layer protects the charcoal: without it, particles clog the surface of the grain bed and water channels, causing adsorption efficiency to drop well before actual saturation.

Granular activated charcoal, 140 g

Granular charcoal retains by adsorption free chlorine, chlorination by-products and organic compounds responsible for taste and odour.

The mass of 140 g determines adsorption capacity. It is lower than that of a dedicated 10" charcoal cartridge, giving shorter runtime on the taste function.

Charcoal has no effect on water hardness or dissolved minerals, which pass through the media.

Initial rinse

On first commissioning, let water run to drain for several minutes. Fresh charcoal releases black fines and gives greyish water on first pass.

Replacement

Two signals; whichever comes first triggers replacement:

• flow loss: the wound layer is clogged
• return of chlorine taste: the 140 g of charcoal is saturated

Indicative interval of 6 months, shorter than a dedicated cartridge, due to shared capacity. On heavily loaded water, the wound layer reaches end of life first.

Installation

Standard 10" format, for single-body 10" filter housing. Respect the flow direction indicated: the wound then charcoal order is fixed; reversed installation sends raw water directly onto the charcoal.

Check the presence and condition of the bowl O-ring, tighten with a wrench without forcing, bleed air before returning to service.