PREP Just ordered my first Berkey Water Filter today

China Connection

China Connection

TB Fanatic
Just put an order in today to beat the up coming price hike.

HOW-TO VIDEOS


127.jpg
pixel.gif


Please select a "how to" video below link: Our Blogs How-to Videos
 
Hermantribe

Hermantribe

Veteran Member
About to bite the Berkey bullet. I saw on the SafeCastle site that one of them (can't remember which) can't be shipped to CA. I thought that seemed strange. I've decided on the Big Berkey, and a pair of extra filters. At the moment, we have 5 adults and 1 pet (plus a bunch of desert tortoises but they don't need much water). Anyone have any insight into what's the best to buy for an average family?
 
Cardinal

Cardinal

Chickministrator
_______________
Hermantribe said:
About to bite the Berkey bullet. I saw on the SafeCastle site that one of them (can't remember which) can't be shipped to CA. I thought that seemed strange. I've decided on the Big Berkey, and a pair of extra filters. At the moment, we have 5 adults and 1 pet (plus a bunch of desert tortoises but they don't need much water). Anyone have any insight into what's the best to buy for an average family?
Click to expand...
Try the link above about how to choose a system.
 
Old Greek

Old Greek

Veteran Member
Hermantribe said:
About to bite the Berkey bullet. I saw on the SafeCastle site that one of them (can't remember which) can't be shipped to CA. I thought that seemed strange. I've decided on the Big Berkey, and a pair of extra filters. At the moment, we have 5 adults and 1 pet (plus a bunch of desert tortoises but they don't need much water). Anyone have any insight into what's the best to buy for an average family?
Click to expand...
We have had one going on 5 years - great system. I think the reason they will not ship to Kalifornia is that state wanted Berkey to give them the info needed to make their patented filters. Kali said they would protect that info, Berkey did not believe them.
 
O

one4freedom

Senior Member
I have a Berkey that I use, but for filters I went with JMCC water filters| Free shipping| Free maintenance services since I live in farming country and use well water. These filters are made to remove Roundup besides all kinds of other chemicals although I hope there isn't much of the latter in my water, but farm chemicals are a worry. Since my well is fairly shallow, I think filtering is important for me and am going to install a whole house filtering system.

Since community water systems don't test for hardly anything good filters are a must for those on those systems too.
 
D

Double_A

TB Fanatic
China Connection said:
Just put an order in today to beat the up coming price hike.

HOW-TO VIDEOS


127.jpg
pixel.gif


Please select a "how to" video below link: Our Blogs How-to Videos
Click to expand...


Which one did you get?

I got the Travel size about 18 months ago
 
B

bluelady

Veteran Member
Dennis Olson said:
The big Berkey uses 4 filter candles (if it’s the name brand Royal Doulton.)
Click to expand...

Yes, we have the Big Berkey and it holds 4 filters. But they come with plugs for the holes so you can choose to use just 2 filters at a time if you don't use as much water. It's just dh & me, so we use 2 filters (have the other 2 for spares), and I think we refill every day or two. Hard to tell though because either of us might fill it and I haven't kept track. :)

If you think the filters are getting slow you test by running water with some red food coloring (keep some on hand) through it and if you see any red it's time to clean the filters, if you have the black ones, with those thin green scrubbies (keep those on hand). We did the food color once & it was still filtering fine; probably should do it again, it's been a couple of years, I think?

We're on city water now so love having this. We have a zillion coffee filters so in case we ever have to filter questionable water we can pre-filter out particles.
 
Vulture45-70

Vulture45-70

Veteran Member
Have the Big Berkey and travel berkey. Filter all my water wince hearing the water in P'cola Fl is about the worst. Have a white scum on the the water outlet. Love Both. ;)
 
Millwright

Millwright

Knuckle Dragger
_______________
Have the components on hand to make a sand/charcoal pre-filter.

If you have to use other than tap water, everything you can remove before the Berkey helps the filters.
 
S

Snettrecker

Contributing Member
I purchased filters and made my own with 5 gallon buckets. Made it so that you can fill up both buckets and as the bottom is used, it fills from the top. No leaks when the bottom bucket fills up. It doesn't look as good as the stainless, but a lot cheaper. Just got it up and running last week.
 
D

Double_A

TB Fanatic
Old Greek said:
We have had one going on 5 years - great system. I think the reason they will not ship to Kalifornia is that state wanted Berkey to give them the info needed to make their patented filters. Kali said they would protect that info, Berkey did not believe them.
Click to expand...

the travel berkey can be sold in Calif. IIRC it’s capacity is 1.5 gals, much less than the Big Berkey I wanted. After getting mine about 18 months ago I realized in my tiny kitchen with little counter space, the Travel size was perfect.
 
D

Double_A

TB Fanatic
In a filtration system the filter are everything they do all the work. I’d want to see some chemical analysis of the minerals in that clay pot. Water is a universal solvent and can leach out lots of good stuff as well as bad stuff, it’s not inert.
 
River122

River122

Drop side of yonder
I bought a brand new never used Travel Berkey, but prior owner had had it in storage about 8 years. Should the 2 black wrapped filters be ok to use, as in would age have alter effectiveness? Also, I am planning to purchase 2 fluoride filters, so will the Travel size fit all 4 filters?
 
amazon

amazon

Veteran Member
We have 2 Berkeys. We use the fluoride filters as well since we have city water. Tastes much better. Bought extra filters before previous price raise. They have good customer service.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
River122 said:
I bought a brand new never used Travel Berkey, but prior owner had had it in storage about 8 years. Should the 2 black wrapped filters be ok to use, as in would age have alter effectiveness? Also, I am planning to purchase 2 fluoride filters, so will the Travel size fit all 4 filters?
Click to expand...
They’ll be fine
bracketquant said:
Yeah, but do they filter out snake venom?
Click to expand...
No
 
Z

zeker

Has No Life - Lives on TB
China Connection said:
There are lots of Aquarium filters and filter material one could use to pre filter one water supply with.
Click to expand...

I have to pre filter.

I use rain water and melted snow (no running water here)

the straight rain water leaves a film that plugs the filter very fast (cpl weeks)

I also notice that the filter slows down cuz I dont use much drinking water.

apparently, the solids? dry on the filter and negate the proper function.

mostly because I don't use much and don't keep the filter chamber full.

that allows the surface of the filter, to dry out, and next time I add water, its very slow.

If I clean the filter, and back flush it, the water filters quite good.

but if I let the top chamber stay dry, next batch of water is not so fast.

even in my buckets, I can see a film from rain water.
 
H

Hazard

Contributing Member
zeker said:
I have to pre filter.

I use rain water and melted snow (no running water here)

the straight rain water leaves a film that plugs the filter very fast (cpl weeks)

I also notice that the filter slows down cuz I dont use much drinking water.

apparently, the solids? dry on the filter and negate the proper function.

mostly because I don't use much and don't keep the filter chamber full.

that allows the surface of the filter, to dry out, and next time I add water, its very slow.

If I clean the filter, and back flush it, the water filters quite good.

but if I let the top chamber stay dry, next batch of water is not so fast.

even in my buckets, I can see a film from rain water.
Click to expand...
Chemtrails.?.?
 
D

dvo

Veteran Member
Been thinking about a Berkey. Or, one of the Chinese knock-offs. But, for us it would be for complete grid failure use only. We have a RO filter system for drinking water. Municipal water would have to be down big time, so, kinda big expense with hopefully a very small chance of need.
 
Dennis Olson

Dennis Olson

Chief Curmudgeon
_______________
Only the Royal Doulton is a big expense. The rest are about $125, and most of that is for the filter candles.
 
workerbee

workerbee

* Winter is Coming *
We just got The Big Berkey, just DH and I, we're using 2 filters, but just ordered 4 more....
Will use 3 filters and have 3 for backup.

2 work well, just slower to fill than we'd like.

Our tap water is un-drinkable.
The Berkey system works well!
 
workerbee

workerbee

* Winter is Coming *
If ya sign up on Big Berkey website, 10-20 % off depending on promo.

Small risk?
Water disruptions happen more often than radiation, yet I still have a nukalert and iodine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top