A countertop bottleless cooler is only as good as the filter inside it. When the water starts to taste flat or chemical, or the flow slows, it is time for a fresh one. This SMART inline cartridge, part CQE-RC-04057, is the replacement filter for the Crystal Quest TURBO Countertop Bottleless Water Cooler.
It packs five stages of filtration into one compact, sealed inline cartridge: fine particle pads, granular activated carbon and two grades of Eagle Redox Alloy. Crystal Quest's cooler manual calls it the SMART Mini Inline cartridge, and it is the only filter cartridge the TURBO Countertop cooler uses, so one swap renews the whole filtration system.
At a glance
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Five stages in one cartridge: one-micron pad, granular activated carbon, ERA 6500 and ERA 9500 redox alloy, and a final one-micron pad
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Targets chlorine and chemical tastes and odors, plus fine sediment, rust and dirt particles
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Made for one cooler: the direct replacement listed for the TURBO Countertop Bottleless Water Cooler
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Plumbed inline: a sealed cartridge with threaded elbow connectors, swapped as one piece
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Made in the USA, as printed on the cartridge label
What you are looking at
A compact white inline cartridge with an elbow connector at each end and a flow arrow on the label. The label reads "Crystal Quest SMART PLUS Inline Cartridge" and shows the part number, the operating limits and nine numbered replacement steps. The housing is sealed: the five stages stay inside, and the whole cartridge is replaced when the media is spent.
How the five stages work
Stages 1 and 5: one-micron pads
Water enters through a one-micron filter pad. One micron is 1/25,000th of an inch, fine enough to stop suspended particles such as silt, sand, rust and dirt before they reach the media. A second one-micron pad at the outlet gives the water a final pass for any fine particles that remain.
Stage 2: granular activated carbon
Activated carbon is a maze of tiny pores with a huge internal surface. Dissolved organic chemicals cling to that surface as water passes, a process called adsorption. That is how carbon reduces the chlorine taste, chemical odors and volatile organic compounds that make tap water unpleasant to drink.
Stages 3 and 4: Eagle Redox Alloy
Eagle Redox Alloy (ERA) is Crystal Quest's high-purity copper-zinc granule. Two dissimilar metals in contact with water set up an exchange of electrons, an oxidation-reduction or "redox" reaction. Free chlorine is converted to chloride as it flows through, which takes load off the carbon and helps it last. ERA 6500 is the chlorine grade; ERA 9500 is the grade made for iron and hydrogen sulfide. Using both grades widens what the redox stages can handle.
What it reduces
Primary targets: chlorine and the chemical tastes and odors it leaves, plus suspended particles such as silt, sand, rust and dirt.
Also reduced by the carbon stage (capabilities of granular activated carbon described in Crystal Quest's TURBO cooler literature, not separate tested ratings for this cartridge):
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Pesticides, herbicides and other organic chemicals behind off tastes and odors
Not designed to treat: total dissolved solids, fluoride or nitrate. The TURBO Countertop cooler is a filtration cooler, not a reverse osmosis cooler, so dissolved minerals stay in the water. It is also not a disinfection stage: use it only on water that is microbiologically safe. If you want RO-purified water from a cooler, look at the SHARP Ultrafiltration + Reverse Osmosis Bottleless Water Cooler.
Why Crystal Quest
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Built for your cooler. This is the replacement cartridge the TURBO Countertop cooler lists, so the fit, connections and filtration match what the cooler was designed around.
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Our own redox media. Eagle Redox Alloy is a Crystal Quest product with its own data sheet.
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Printed guidance on every cartridge. Flow direction, operating limits and replacement steps are on the label.
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Over 1,000,000 people served since 1994. Crystal Quest builds under ISO 9001 quality management, has made water filtration in the USA for over 30 years and offers lifetime support by phone, email or chat.
Where it fits
Not sure which you have? The part number is printed on the label of the cartridge in your cooler.
Common questions
Which cooler does it fit?
The Crystal Quest TURBO Countertop Bottleless Water Cooler, which lists CQE-RC-04057 as its replacement cartridge.
Can I use it in a floor-model cooler or an RO system?
No. Those systems list a different SMART inline cartridge, CQE-RC-04040. Order the part number your system lists.
What are the five stages?
A one-micron filter pad, granular activated carbon, ERA 6500 and ERA 9500 redox alloy, and a final one-micron pad, all inside one sealed cartridge.
Does it remove fluoride or dissolved solids?
No. It targets chlorine, chemical tastes and odors and fine particles. Dissolved solids and fluoride need reverse osmosis or a dedicated media stage.
Is it a bottleless water cooler filter replacement I can open and refill?
No. The cartridge is sealed and replaced as one piece, which keeps the swap clean and the media undisturbed.
When should I replace it?
Follow the water cooler manual, and replace it sooner if flow slows or taste, odor or clarity changes. Actual life depends on feed water quality and how much water you use.
Why does the first water taste different after a change?
New media needs flushing. Flush about 15 minutes as the label directs, then empty the reservoir three or more times.
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Published cartridge specifications
| SKU |
DESCRIPTION |
| CQE-RC-04057 |
SMART inline replacement cartridge for the Countertop Turbo water cooler |
Filtration stages (Crystal Quest TURBO cooler literature)
| Stage 1 |
One-micron filter pad (1 micron = 1/25,000 inch) |
| Stage 2 |
Granular activated carbon (GAC) |
| Stages 3 and 4 |
Eagle Redox Alloy ERA 6500 and ERA 9500, high-purity copper-zinc granules (redox) |
| Stage 5 |
Final one-micron filter pad |
| ERA pH range |
6.5 to 8.5 (ERA data sheet) |
| Format |
Sealed inline cartridge, threaded elbow connector at each end, flow arrow on label |
| Label name |
Crystal Quest SMART PLUS Inline Cartridge |
| Operating Specifications |
Value |
| • Cooler supply (water cooler manual) |
Pressure regulator required above 60 psi; cooler will not operate below 25 psi; 1/4" OD supply tubing |
| • Water supply |
Cold water only; microbiologically safe water |
*Use only on water that is microbiologically safe. Flush about 15 minutes before first use.
*Cartridge color is subject to change without notice.
