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Municipalities have been adding chlorine as a disinfectant to their water supplies for ages. As you are probably well aware, in addition to an unpleasant taste and odor, chlorine also causes dryness damaging your skin and hair.
The Pelican EZ-Connect Compact Water Filtration System provides a viable solution to this problem. By removing chlorine and other contaminants you will be able to enjoy cleaner water at every tap in your home plus your showers. And although the EZ-Connect is not a drinking water filter, it’ll make your water taste much better.
Pentair EZ-Connect Compact Water Filtration Systems
Price:
?
Filter Media:
Sediment Pre, Carbon Block
Filter Life:
6 Months
Flow Rate:
5 gpm
Annual Cost:
?
Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Pentair EZ-Connect PC100-P & PC200-P Compact Water Filtration Systems – All Specs
Model: PC100-P, PC200-P
Filter Media/Process: Sediment Pre, Carbon Block
Filter Stages: 2
Flow Rate: 5 gpm
Filtering Capacity: 6 Months
Water Temperature: 36-120 °F
Water Pressure: 25-80 psi
Water pH: 6-11
Warranty: 12 Years
Pentair EZ-Connect – Key Features
First of all, with the Pentair EZ-Connect Compact Water Filtration System (former Pelican) you can choose between the PC100-P that features 10-inch industry standard filters and the PC200-P with 20-inch industry standard cartridges (big blue).
Both are whole house filter systems and both will eliminate 99% chlorine from your water, says Pentair. Above that, the PC200-P is also suited for chloramine treatment (99% reduction).
The latter is a so-called secondary disinfectant and a commonly used alternative to chlorine in municipal water distribution systems. In recent years, chloramine applications have been on the rise.
By the way, the issue with chloramine is that it requires longer contact time with the filter media to remove. Thus the larger cartridges.
What else distinguishes the Pentair PC100-P from the PC200-P?
Both use a 5-micron pre-filter for sediment reduction. This will protect your pipes and appliances but also the second filter stage from clogging. The PC100-P uses an activated carbon block as its second stage. The PC200-P on the other hand makes use of catalytic carbon which is more effective.
The flow rate is 5 gallons per minute which is enough for small homes and families with 1 or 2 bathrooms.
Pentair PC100-P & PC200-P Pros
The sediment pre-filter housing is clear so that you can see at a glance how dirty the cartridge inside really is. This takes out all the guesswork and allows for timely replacements.
We also like the molded design, meaning that the housing cover connects filtration stages 1 and 2. This not only rules out potential leaks, it also simplifies system assembly.
The standard sizing allows you to customize this whole house water filter to your liking. You can use any standard-sized filter cartridges with it. Again, the Pentair PC100-P uses 4.5”x10” cartridges, the PC200-P 4.5”x20”. This might even save you some money when you go off-brand.
And lastly, the EZ-Connect is backed by a 12-year warranty (limited) against manufacturer’s defects granted by Pentair.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The EZ Connect removes sediments like rust, sand, and silt down to 5 microns. It removes 99% chlorine, and disinfection byproducts alongside other organic chemicals. The PC200-P also removes chloramine.
Installation
Hooking up the PC100-P/PC200-P is not difficult at all. So if you are somewhat handy with tools there’s no need for you to call a professional plumber to do the setup for you.
There’s no built-in bypass valve, so a bypass with one shut-off valve before and after the system is recommended.
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
Here are the tools needed for installation:
1” male threaded adapter
Shut off valve
Bypass valve
Follow these steps to install the system:
First mount the bracket on the wall using the fasteners included in the package (lag bolts and washers).
Using 1” male threaded adaptions, attach your plumbing to the ports labeled INLET and OUTLET (it’s advisable to install a shut off and bypass valve prior to attaching the plumbing, however, these items don’t seem to be included in the package).
Remove cartridges from their package and insert them into their respective housing. Ensure each cartridge is well placed on the stand pipe in the housing.
Attach housings onto their corresponding covers on the mounted bracket. Make sure to tighten them in a counterclockwise motion (be careful not to over-tighten).
Turn on your main water supply to fill the housings.
Open the faucet nearest to the system and allow it to run for at least 10 minutes to expel carbon fines from the system.
Turn off the faucet after 10 minutes.
Your system is now ready for use.
Video
The Package (Parts)
2x Filter housings with covers
Sediment filter cartridge
Carbon filter cartridge
Mounting bracket
Bolt and washers
Spanner wrench
2x decals
Silicone grease
Maintenance
The good news is that neither of the Pentair EZ-Connect whole house filter systems require a lot of maintenance.
All you have to do is change cartridges no later than 6 months after installation as per manufacturer’s recommendations. For the sediment pre-filter you may be required to make replacements sooner than that (every 3 to 6 months), depending on your feed water quality and overall usage.
How much does it cost to maintain the Pentair EZ-Connect? Slightly more than what you pay for most other whole house filtration systems on the market.
Replacing Filter Cartridges:
Turn off the main water supply or open the bypass in case you have installed one.
Open the nearest faucet to drain any remaining water and leave it open for now.
Use the housing wrench to remove the filter housing (turn clockwise).
Discard the old filter cartridge. You can also dispose of the old O-ring.
Insert a new cartridge and center it on the stand pipe.
Lubricate the new O-ring with food grade silicone grease and put it in place.
Put the filter housing back on and tighten carefully.
Slowly turn on the main water supply. Allow your system to refill.
The Pentair EZ-Connect Compact Water Filtration System has no NSF certifications.
Earlier Product Versions
As far as we know, there are no earlier versions of this product.
Pentair PC100-P & PC200-P Cons
All we can say right now is that, like all other Pentair water filter systems, the PC100-P and PC200-P are both pretty expensive – especially considering their relatively small size and simple build.
And like we said, the same applies to replacement filters.
We would also have appreciated NSF certifications for chlorine/chloramine reduction.
Another con is the lower flow rate. 5 gallons per minute isn’t enough for larger homes. 1-2 baths is the max.
Pentair EZ-Connect Review: Our Verdict + Best for
If your municipal water contains excessive chlorine or chloramine and you want to get rid of it, a Pentair EZ-Connect Compact Water Filtration System can help you with that. Your water will be up to 99% free from disinfectants and organic chemicals, it will taste much better, and you will like its feel when in the shower. Yes, EZ-Connect systems are pricey, but most users are happy with their purchase.
In our opinion, both the PC100-P and PC200-P are best for small homes on city water.
Let’s see how well the Pentair EZ-Connect PC100-P and PC200-P do against popular whole house water filter alternatives like the SpringWell CF and Kind E-1000.
SpringWell CF
Price:
$$$
Filter Process:
5-Micron Sediment, Catalytic Carbon, KDF
Filter Capacity:
1,000,000 gal or 6 Years
Flow Rate:
9-20 gpm
Annually:
~$40
Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Beginning with the SpringWell CF, it’s a whole house tank-based filtration system. It uses KDF and catalytic carbon. High volumes of these media make the filter better suited to tackle a wider range of contaminants than the Pentair PC100-P and also the PC200-P, including lead and some other heavy metals, PFAS, chlorine, chloramines, and more.
It also has a one million gallon filtration capacity and 20 gpm flow rate which makes it more desirable for large homes.
Lastly, the installation process is relatively easy, and it comes with a bypass valve. But the best part is that although it costs more than most whole house filters upfront, the SpringWell CF doesn’t require cartridge replacements, so maintenance costs come down to as low as $40 per year.
As for the Kind E-1000 (formerly known as the Evo E-1000), it’s a 2-stage cartridge-based whole house filtration system. It uses a 5-micron sediment filter and a catalytic carbon block – just like the PC200-P.
However, it has a far higher flow rate of 15 gpm and a filtration capacity of 12 months, so it’s better suited for serving larger homes.
The bottom line: The PC100-P and PC200-P by Pentair are solid filters with good features, but both the SpringWell CF and Kind E-1000 trump them with higher capabilities.
This completes our review of the Pentair EZ-Connect PC100-P & PC200-P Compact Water Filtration Systems. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Gene Fitzgerald is one of the founders of BOS and currently head of content creation. She has 8+ years of experience as a water treatment specialist under her belt making her our senior scientist. Outside of BOS, Gene loves reading books on philosophy & social issues, making music, and hiking.
Learn more about Gene and the rest of the BOS Team.
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
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Leave a Comment:
Carmen Fraguas says
June 30, 2022
Hello. I have a 3 family house and installed Pelican EZ Connect Compact water filtration system. I had to remove the filters because the pressure of the house came down a lot, if someone in the house open a faucet … the others would very very low. I had to remove the filters and then we got the pressure back. I was told that the filters had to be less thick so the water could run through them. I am wondering if there are other type of filters … the water is going to be less clean but better than the one coming into the house.
Hi Carmen,
The flow rate of this system is 5 gallons per minute – for small homes and families with 1 or 2 bathrooms max.
What you need is a much larger system that can handle the required flow rate. You should find one here: https://www.best-osmosis-systems.com/whole-house-water-filter-reviews/
