PREP Emergency Water Filter (a.k.a. Berkey in a shoe box)

[night driver]

I've got a Spanish or Portuguese CERAMIC version of the Berkey, with the bottom unit ceramic "jug" (about 5 gal or more) has been impregnated with silver. Now, I'm STILL gonna have a 1 oz .9999 round in the "jug" to make sure but it's a BIG ASSED filter (4 TALL Doulton Filter Candles from PWP do the filtration) AND I have a couple other filter pitchers for taste.

 

[Double_A]

I use a Katydyn pump

Bought the katydyn after we had the 1989 quake Bay Area. A year ago bought the Travel berkey. Never used the Katydyn that much.

 

[KFhunter]

Ya, mines for hunting mostly, but it's suppose to do a lot of water per filter depending on clarity of the source of course.

 

[mikeabn]

A pump of some kind.

Considering the cost of filters, even if you had to buy a 12v RV pump, it would be worth it.

You need some kind of pre-filter too, even if it's a sand/charcoal type.

Even an old t shirt or a couple of paper coffee filters to take some of the dirt out. Better, a few such things in series from coarse to as fine as you can get before the final filtration step.

 

[1911user]

There are new people on TB2K that may not have seen this thread. It's worth another bump for emergency clean water.
We can thank Shane (KI4U) for this option. Read post #22.

 

[Toosh]

I decided not to test the flow rate at this time.

I donno, to me if it ain't tested I can't depend on it. I just don't know what I don't know. True it may work, but I learn how to work with it, build my confidence in using it and possibly tweak it for improved performance in my situation. I don't want to be doing it for the first time when I have to depend on it.

Drying is not such a big deal if you drain it, bring it in the house and let it sit for a day or two.

Great find, by the way. I didn't know about this company. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Johnny Twoguns]

yes millwright

a prefilter would seem to be what I need

but the rain water LOOKS clean

as does the melted snow

when I filled my hottub, I tied a nylon sock around the outlet hose into the hottub

I put a sump pump into my 300 gal rain barrel

I knew the big rain barrel had pine needles and 'floaties'

and with the hottub filters being expensive,

I wanted to negate immediate filter change

I have had the hottub since aug and the filter does not seem to have any buildup of film

I dont believe the nylon sock would have screened any film but it did get the pine needles

I've seen complaints about the berkey filters. I have one or two sets of some other types on the shelf in the garage, I'd have to go see what kind they are. You have some serious filtration problems if it takes days to filter 2 gallons. I have drank and cooked with nothing but mountain spring water, unfiltered, for about 7 years now. I wash and shower with the city liquid. I'm renting so I haven't done anything serious to deal with that stuff, but it is not fluoridated so that is a plus. If your stuff clogs up that fast I'd pre-filter, and use a less expensive brand filter.

While looking into it half a year to a year back there was a type of activated charcoal on amazon, couple pounds for about $100, and there is a very fine type of sand you can buy for a pre-filter. I've had a couple of 5 gallon water containers from walmart freeze up and burst through the bottom, two of which I've saved. If things do start to FINALLY look really dicey this spring/summer I'll cut the broken bottoms out, get that charcoal and that sand for the second stage pre-filter and then some coarser stuff for the first stage pre-filter.

There is a stream two blocks away, but I am in a town, and there are homeless that squat every summer upstream until they are kicked out, but if the worst happens that will be the only 'dependable' water supply.

 

[Peter]

We always run the rain water and other sources with potential dirt or other stuff through a few layers of old tee shirts into a bucket. That bucket gets filtered a couple of times and then goes into the Berkey.

Was going to say a 5 gal bucket with layers of cloth and sand would be a usable pre filter that may reduce film buildup on the candles.

 

[Peter]

I've seen complaints about the berkey filters. I have one or two sets of some other types on the shelf in the garage, I'd have to go see what kind they are. You have some serious filtration problems if it takes days to filter 2 gallons. I have drank and cooked with nothing but mountain spring water, unfiltered, for about 7 years now. I wash and shower with the city liquid. I'm renting so I haven't done anything serious to deal with that stuff, but it is not fluoridated so that is a plus. If your stuff clogs up that fast I'd pre-filter, and use a less expensive brand filter.

While looking into it half a year to a year back there was a type of activated charcoal on amazon, couple pounds for about $100, and there is a very fine type of sand you can buy for a pre-filter. I've had a couple of 5 gallon water containers from walmart freeze up and burst through the bottom, two of which I've saved. If things do start to FINALLY look really dicey this spring/summer I'll cut the broken bottoms out, get that charcoal and that sand for the second stage pre-filter and then some coarser stuff for the first stage pre-filter.

There is a stream two blocks away, but I am in a town, and there are homeless that squat every summer upstream until they are kicked out, but if the worst happens that will be the only 'dependable' water supply.

This.

 

[Babs]

I have found that rainwater clogs my berkey black filters very fast

at nearly $200cdn (or more) to replace a pair,

its outta reach for me

when I first got the berkey I tried cleaning the filter with the scrubbie

unfortunately, for me, I used too hot water

and the filter stopped working completely

it just let the water run freely thru it

my mistake the directions say DONT use hot water

but I didnt read the instructions til after..duh

next set of filters I used slightly warm water as recommended

when it was time clean them

seemed to work.. for a while

I only use clean water for cooking and drinking.

for household use, I use rainwater/snow as I dont have running water

I have a cup that I use to dip/transfer rainwater to a pot to heat up for doing the dishes etc

this cup, if not washed constantly,

gets a dark film on its outside

that film is what clogs my filters

in winter I use melted snow with the same results(film)

I have started using a toothbrush for cleaning the filters

and even so, it takes 2-3 days to filter down the 2 gal from top tank to bottom

fortunately for me, I only use about 4-5 gal a week for drinking/cooking

I wish there was some way to backwash the filters with warm water

I,m interested in the filters in this post,

but am skeptical that I mite have the same problem as with the berkey? (film buildup)

I have backwashed mine with a vinegar water solution.

 

[Wildwood]

I have found that rainwater clogs my berkey black filters very fast

at nearly $200cdn (or more) to replace a pair,

its outta reach for me

when I first got the berkey I tried cleaning the filter with the scrubbie

unfortunately, for me, I used too hot water

and the filter stopped working completely

it just let the water run freely thru it

my mistake the directions say DONT use hot water

but I didnt read the instructions til after..duh

next set of filters I used slightly warm water as recommended

when it was time clean them

seemed to work.. for a while

I only use clean water for cooking and drinking.

for household use, I use rainwater/snow as I dont have running water

I have a cup that I use to dip/transfer rainwater to a pot to heat up for doing the dishes etc

this cup, if not washed constantly,

gets a dark film on its outside

that film is what clogs my filters

in winter I use melted snow with the same results(film)

I have started using a toothbrush for cleaning the filters

and even so, it takes 2-3 days to filter down the 2 gal from top tank to bottom

fortunately for me, I only use about 4-5 gal a week for drinking/cooking

I wish there was some way to backwash the filters with warm water

I,m interested in the filters in this post,

but am skeptical that I mite have the same problem as with the berkey? (film buildup)

I had no idea you weren't suppose to use hot water and I did tons of research before I got one...of course, that was about fifteen years ago. I'm sure the rules have changed. Our original directions called for backflushing the filter to prime it. DH has also gently power washed them when they were on their last leg to see if we could get a little more time and sometimes it makes a difference. We have tons of iron in our water and it's the worse about accumulating on the outside of the filter and slowing it down.

We have a battery powered ryobi power washer DH got for me. It's gentle enough on low that you could use it to clean one.