Samsung DA29-00003G / HAFCU1 Fridge Filter
The original Samsung cartridge for pre-2015 RS side-by-side fridges (RSG5, RSH1, RS21). NSF-42 certified, twist-in, rated 6 months. Still widely fitted across Johannesburg on fridges that have been in service for a decade or more.
Full specification
The DA29-00003G was Samsung's standard cartridge for nearly a decade of South African RS fridges. Here are the numbers the replacement should match.
| Part numbers | DA29-00003GHAFCU1DA29-00003B |
| NSF certification | NSF-42 (chlorine, taste and odour reduction). |
| Micron rating | 5 micron nominal. |
| Filter capacity | 6 months (no indicator-reset digital counter on most pre-2015 models). |
| Install type | Twist-in. Quarter-turn anti-clockwise to release, quarter-turn clockwise to seat. |
| Housing location | Inside the base grille at the front of the fridge on most pre-2015 RS models. Interior top right on later pre-2015 revisions. |
| Flow rate | 1.9 litres per minute nominal. |
| Operating pressure | 30 to 120 psi. |
| Operating temperature | 1 to 38 °C. |
| Certified compatibles | Waterdrop WD-DA29-00003G, EcoAqua EFF-6013A, Tier1 RWF1020. All three carry NSF-42 certification. |
Fridges this cartridge fits
If your Samsung fridge is ten years old or older, the DA29-00003G is almost certainly the cartridge you need. The model number confirms.
RSG5FURS
RSG5PURS
RSG5DURS
RSH1DTRS
RSH1FTRS
RSH1FBRS
RS21HKLMR
RS21NCSW
RS21DGRS
RS22HDHPN
RS22HZNRS
RF4287HARS
RF4289HARS
The base-grille install most people miss
The thing homeowners miss on pre-2015 Samsung fridges is the housing location. The DA29-00003G does not sit in the top right interior like the newer cartridges. It sits inside the base grille at the very bottom of the fridge, behind a removable kickplate panel. You pull the grille off, reach in, and the cartridge is right there horizontal.
On a fridge that has not been filtered in years, the grille panel clips are sometimes seized by dust and cooking residue, and the cartridge itself may have corroded lightly into the housing. We handle both without forcing anything that could damage the old plastic.
- Panel release. Two clips at the top of the grille, gentle downward pull.
- Cartridge twist. Anti-clockwise quarter turn. If it resists, we apply silicone spray first, never force.
- Housing inspection. We check the O-ring and the inner collar before seating the new cartridge.
- Flush and seat. Three-litre flush through the dispenser, panel goes back.
The four-step install
Same sequence as the newer cartridges, with one extra check on the base-grille housings because those tolerate less abuse than the newer top-right housings.
Confirm part
Model number in, DA29-00003G confirmed, housing location identified (base or interior).
Access and inspect
Grille off, cartridge out, housing O-ring inspected for wear or mineral build-up.
Fit and flush
New cartridge seated, three-litre dispenser flush to clear carbon fines.
Label and close
Dated label applied to fridge side, grille refitted, visual leak check.
Fridges that have earned a second decade
A large chunk of the DA29-00003G work we do is on Samsung fridges that have been in the same kitchen since 2010 or 2011. These fridges are mechanically fine. The compressor runs, the ice maker works, the door seals hold. The filter cartridge is the one consumable that gets forgotten because the indicator on the door is modest compared to the flashing red of newer models.
When we fit a fresh DA29-00003G on a fridge that has been off-filter for a year or more, the difference is usually described by the customer the same way: "The water tastes like water again." That is what a 5-micron NSF-42 cartridge delivers on Joburg municipal supply.
- Fridges we commonly service: RSG5FURS, RSH1DTRS, RS21HKLMR in Randburg, Parkhurst, Linden kitchens.
- Typical interval: six months if the household uses the dispenser, twelve months for lightly-used units.
- Age cap: we service fridges up to eighteen years old. Beyond that we do an honest assessment first.
Genuine Samsung or certified compatible?
The DA29-00003G is out of manufacturer warranty on almost every fridge it still fits. Certified compatibles are the common-sense choice for most households.
HAFCU1 (OEM)
- Original Samsung part number, clean box presentation
- Default for fridges with recent warranty extension cover
- Supply traced from authorised Samsung SA parts distributor
- Modest premium over certified compatibles
Waterdrop / EcoAqua / Tier1
- Matching NSF-42 certification on packaging
- Tooled to the same housing spec as HAFCU1
- Sensible choice for out-of-warranty pre-2015 fridges (most of them)
- What we fit in roughly seven out of ten DA29-00003G installs
The full reasoning is in our plumber's view on genuine versus compatible fridge filters.
Frequently asked questions
The DA29-00003G comes with its own set of questions because the fridges it fits are old enough that the first-owner manuals are usually long gone.
The DA29-00003G / HAFCU1 fits older Samsung RS side-by-side refrigerators built before 2015, including the RSG5 (large capacity), RSH1 (mid-range), RS21 (entry side-by-side) and RS22 ranges. It also fits a few older RF French Door models produced between 2009 and 2013. Send the full model number and we confirm before the install visit.
Yes. HAFCU1 is the Samsung part name, DA29-00003G is the Samsung part number. They refer to the same twist-in cartridge with the same housing and NSF-42 certification. The cartridge was used across all pre-2015 Samsung RS fridges sold in South Africa.
HAFCU1 (DA29-00003G) is the older generation cartridge for pre-2015 Samsung fridges, rated NSF-42 only. HAF-CIN (DA29-00020B) is the newer generation for post-2015 fridges, rated NSF-42 and NSF-53 with a tighter 0.5 micron filtration. The two cartridges have different housing diameters and are not cross-compatible. Always match the part number to the fridge year, not to price.
Yes. Samsung has kept the DA29-00003G in production because the installed base of pre-2015 fridges across South Africa is still large, particularly the RSG5 which was a popular household fridge from 2008 to 2013. Genuine stock is available through authorised Samsung parts distributors, and certified compatibles from Waterdrop, Tier1 and EcoAqua match the housing spec and carry NSF-42 certification.
Samsung rates the cartridge at 6 months. The older housing does not always carry a digital indicator, so on many pre-2015 RS models the replacement is time-based rather than volume-based. We fit a dated label to the side of the fridge at every install so the six-month mark is visible at a glance.
On the RSG5 and most pre-2015 RS side-by-sides the filter sits inside the base grille at the front of the fridge. Remove the grille panel at floor level, and the cartridge is visible horizontally in the cavity. A quarter turn anti-clockwise releases it, and the new cartridge goes in the same way. Some later pre-2015 models moved the housing to the top right interior, which is worth confirming before the visit.
Yes for a straight replacement on a fridge where the cartridge is visible and the connection is not weeping. The older base-grille housings on RSG5 and RS21 models sometimes have a slightly corroded connector if the cartridge has been neglected for years, which is worth having a plumber look at before it turns into a leak. We quote both options.
Yes, in most cases. If the ice maker and dispenser still work and the water line behind the fridge is not leaking, fitting a new DA29-00003G restores the filtered water feed without touching the appliance. If the fridge is over fifteen years old we do an honest assessment before the install because the internal lines can have mineral scale built up that the new cartridge will not resolve.
Need a DA29-00003G fitted?
Older Samsung fridges deserve a clean filter install, not a rushed swap. Send the model number, we confirm the cartridge and bring the grille tools on the day.
Post-2015 Samsung side-by-side? See DA29-00020B / HAF-CIN. Back to Samsung filters hub or the fridge filters hub.