The Everpure EV985800 (EF-1500) Drinking Water System is a residential drinking water system that installs under the sink. It filters water through your existing faucet, so no separate faucet is needed.
This guide covers first-time installation of the system, which takes an estimated 15–30 minutes. If the system is already installed and you only need a new cartridge, see our Everpure EV985850 (EF-1500) Filter Replacement Guide.
Safety & Preparation
Choose the Mounting Location
The system installs vertically, with the cartridge hanging down. It needs a space of 5" W x 15" H x 5" D, which includes 2-1/2 inches of clear space below the unit for cartridge changes. Measure 15 inches up from the base of the cabinet and mark where the top of the filter head will sit. Leave room above the head to open and close the built-in shut-off handle, and pick a spot that is easy to reach for future cartridge changes.
🔍 Before you start: confirm the Everpure EF-1500 suits your supply. It is for cold water use only, at 35–100°F (2–38°C), with a supply pressure of 10–125 psi (0.7–8.6 bar), non-shock.
Have Everything Ready
🧰 Materials
Included with the system:
You will also need:
⚠️ Safety Precautions
⚠️ Note: The manual's inlet step calls for a braided supply line that is not on its included-parts list, so confirm you have one before you start.
Step-by-Step Installation
Common Installation Mistakes
Most setup problems come from a short list of avoidable mistakes. Red cards mark mistakes to never make, and amber cards mark ones that are easy to prevent and fix. Where another section covers the requirement, the link points back to it:
Wrench force can damage the threads on these fittings, so tighten them by hand only. If a joint seeps, check the plumber tape before turning it any further. See Step-by-Step Installation and Troubleshooting & FAQ.
A leaking joint can go unnoticed inside the cabinet. After reopening the cold water valve, check every connection up to the inlet elbow before you continue, as in step 5 of Step-by-Step Installation.
The union and elbow threads need tape wrapped in the direction of the threads. If a joint seeps, disconnect it, wrap it again, and reconnect it by hand.
Two union sets are supplied for different tubing connections. Check the connection size on your existing braided tubing and use the matching set, as explained in Step-by-Step Installation.
Supply goes to the left (elbow) side of the head and the line to the faucet goes to the right (union) side. If they are reversed, reconnect them using steps 3 and 4 of Step-by-Step Installation.
The head and cartridge need to hang vertically, with 2-1/2 inches clear below the cartridge. If the unit is crooked or sits too close to the cabinet floor, remount it before connecting water. The full space requirements are in Safety & Preparation.
A bent line restricts flow, and a head with no room above it keeps the built-in handle from moving freely. Reroute the tubing or reposition the head so the line runs without a bend and the handle has room to move.
Line the cartridge lug up with the label on the head before pushing it in, then turn it until rotation stops. A cartridge that stops short is not locked in, so realign it and turn it again, as in step 5 of Step-by-Step Installation.
A new cartridge needs to be flushed before regular use. If you skipped it, run it now. The flush time is in What to Expect After Installation.
The timer is activated in step 6, and it only tracks the cartridge once it is running. If you missed it, activate it now. See When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge for how to read it.
What to Expect After Installation
Flush a new cartridge at full flow for at least three minutes to purge trapped air and loose carbon, as described in step 6 of Step-by-Step Installation. Water can look cloudy or sputter at first because of air in the filter and tubing, and this clears as the flush runs.
Once the flush is done, compare what you see against the two columns below:
✅ Normal After Installation
🔎 Worth a Second Look
If anything lands in the right-hand column, see Troubleshooting & FAQ. For how the filter timer fits into the replacement schedule, see When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge.
Official Product Resources
For Everpure EF-1500 Drinking Water System installation, the EF-Series manual has the parts list, mounting dimensions, and installation sequence. It covers the whole EF Series in English, Spanish, and French, so use the EF-1500 entries in the English section. The EF-1500 spec sheet lists capacity, flow rate, operating limits, space requirements, and certifications.
When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge
Replace the cartridge as soon as any one of these three limits is reached, whichever comes first:
The cartridge's rated capacity (5,600 L).
Replace the cartridge when flow at the tap drops too far.
Replace it at least once a year, even if the other two limits have not been reached.
⏱️ Filter timer: the timer you activated in Step-by-Step Installation works as a visual reminder. When its white window is completely filled with red, it is time to replace the cartridge.
The replacement for this system is the Everpure EV985850, the EF-1500 cartridge. It is sold as a 1-pack and as an open-box 1-pack. To stay on schedule without tracking dates, the 12-month filter subscription for the EV985850 is a set-it-and-forget-it option, with your annual replacement scheduled automatically.
How to Maximize the Lifespan of Your Filter
A few routine habits keep the system running as installed and the cartridge changes on time:
- Keep the area under the sink clear — so the cartridge and the built-in shut-off stay easy to reach, with the clearance below the cartridge left open.
- Avoid kinked tubing — keep the lines to and from the head running without a bend.
- Check the fittings now and then — look for drips at the unions and elbow, and recheck any connection that is damp.
- Stay within the operating limits — the water temperature and pressure ranges are in Safety & Preparation.
- Use the filter timer and a calendar note — record the install date next to the timer so you have two ways to track the schedule in When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Does the system need a separate faucet?
No. The system connects to the cold water line of your existing faucet, so no additional faucet is required.
How long does Everpure EV985800 installation take?
Plan on an estimated 15–30 minutes for a first-time installation. The full sequence is in Step-by-Step Installation.
A connection or the head is leaking — what should I check?
Recheck the plumber tape on the elbow and union threads and make sure the fittings are hand-tightened. Also confirm the cartridge is turned a full quarter turn to the right until rotation stops. The connection steps are in Step-by-Step Installation.
Water flow is low after installation.
Confirm the cold water shut-off valve is fully open and the shut-off handle on the head is lowered. Check that the braided tubing is not crimped. If flow slows later on, see When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge.
Why is the water cloudy or sputtering after installation?
Trapped air in the filter and tubing causes early cloudiness and sputtering, and it clears as the new cartridge is flushed and used. The flush is covered in What to Expect After Installation.
Can I use the system with hot water?
No. It is for cold water use only, within the temperature range listed in the operating limits in Safety & Preparation.
When should I replace the cartridge?
The replacement interval and the replacement cartridge are covered in When to Replace Your Filter Cartridge.
Product & Replacement Options
If you need more capacity than the EF-1500, these related systems and the EF-3000 cartridge are available from the same series:
A higher-capacity system in the same series, rated for 3,000 gallons at 2.2 gpm and mounted at 20 inches.
View Product →The cartridge for the EF-3000 system. It is a different part from the EF-1500's EV985850, so it is not a substitute.
View Product →The largest-capacity system in the series, rated for 6,000 gallons at 1.67 gpm and mounted at 22 inches.
View Product →Never Run Out of Replacement Cartridges
Subscribe to the EV985850 and a cartridge is delivered automatically every 12 months.
Conclusion
Installing the EF-1500 follows a short sequence: mark the mounting height, mount the head, connect the inlet and outlet lines, install the cartridge, and flush the system. Check each connection for leaks as you go, and activate the filter timer once the flush is finished.
From there, replace the cartridge on schedule, or let the subscription handle the timing. Record each change, and use our Everpure EV985850 (EF-1500) Filter Replacement Guide for the procedure.