Water Filters

[Maverick]

Yeah you get quite a few refills with the mini. The only thing putting me off was a few people have said the bag breaks when they were out and about. Majority of reviews are good though.

You can use different brand bags such as platypus platy water bottles (made in the US) and evernew water bottles (made in Japan) these are what I use, but I also have used sawyer with good results.

 

[Maudite]

Like the idea of life straw family but can’t get it here for less than £140 ($180). Is the Berkeley for use at home?

The Berky is indeed for use at home. But, as Maverick stated, those filters are costly. The Berky is what we are using. A few years back, had an earthquake that affected our well. The cost of putting in a new 400 ft well to reach good water at the time had doubled being that a number of other wells in the area were just as affected, and the well drillers were hiking prices. Was cheaper to put in a rain water catchment system and the Berkys.....these filters eliminate any concern at cross contamination as the water flows off of metal roofing. Two large stainless steel stock pots, or food grade pails plus two Berky blackfilters is all that is required to get started. This youtube video shows how to build a Berky type system....

 

[Maverick]

My portable water system

32oz capacity SS water bottle
24oz capacity SS cup w/lid
Baker fish spreader
Sawyer SP126 Mini Water Filtration System w/maintenace kit
2 platypus platy water bottles *not in picture
Coffee filters (pre filter for Sawyer SP126)
Polar Pure - Crystal Iodine Water Treatment
Nalgene 96oz capacity wide mouth canteen (empty) *not in picture
Seattle sports foldable camp bucket 3 gallon *not in picture

 

[user 4617]

Use a Berkey for home water, but would not rely on it for SHTF. The design is totally dependent on the seal formed by a course thread plastic stem that is prone to stripping out and puts very little pressure on the seal. I had a set of filters UNGLUE when they had quality control issues.

For SHTF I use..
https://iconlifesaver.com/product/lifesaver-jerrycan-20000uf/

 

[Gracieboo]

Do you know what, you lot are like a goldmine for useful info. I can look for days on google and still be flummoxed. Can’t use quote but so far, ordered the sawyer and the jerrycan filter is something to work towards because the idea of boiling water from my rain barrels is daunting.

 

[Gracieboo]

Oh and the coffee filters for the sawyer, great idea.

 

[Maverick]

Use a Berkey for home water, but would not rely on it for SHTF. The design is totally dependent on the seal formed by a course thread plastic stem that is prone to stripping out and puts very little pressure on the seal. I had a set of filters UNGLUE when they had quality control issues.

For SHTF I use..
https://iconlifesaver.com/product/lifesaver-jerrycan-20000uf/

The last 6 years of using I haven't had any issues with Berkey or it's filters other than the plastic spigot on one Big Berkey, I have since replaced with the metal spigots on all the Berkey's.

 

[user 4617]

The replacement spigots are nice. Have you done food color tests?

Boroux Stainless Steel Spigot –... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0170M9DPS?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Maverick]

Yep, I do that before it’s used and we clean it

 

[user 4617]

Good to go then, after something fails on me once and because of what I feel is a design error or quality control issue (Berkey recalled the filters) I'm not willing to bet my life on it.

We use it on our well water and when we go camping from "potable" sources, but I'd prefer to use something like the Lifesaver that has a record of working in 3rd world countries using feces infested water when drawing from "non-potable" water like my rain barrel setup or pond.

 

[Kevin L]

Good and very cheap way to purify water when camping and/or hiking is to line a plastic funnel with a coffee filter, add granulated activated charcoal, pour untreated water through this funnel into a small metal teakettle, and then boil the water with a backpacking stove.
P.S. (added later after further thought): It's a myth that water needs to boil for 15 minutes before it's safe. As long as it's brought to rolling boil--however briefly--it's microbially safe. People say to add time with altitude, but there's controversy about this. Above 170° F supposedly kills almost everything. The activated charcoal is to remove chemical contaminants like nitrates, nitrites, pesticides, ammonia, urea, benzene, phosphates, and so forth.

Just note that boiling doesn't purify saltwater.

 

[Ranger72VH]

The sawyer mini I have was fairly inexpensive. Less than $20.00

 

[Brent S]

You can’t beat the berkey filters. Expensive but considering water is the single most important thing in life, well worth it.

 

[Kevin L]

I have a collection of different water filters and spare parts, and I take water issues very seriously.

Waterbourne disease kills millions and millions of people every year. Cholera, dysentary, hepatitis, giardia lamblia, and a whole laundry list of other protozoa, viruses, and bacteria can kill you . . . especially if your immune system is weakened because you're under stress and are not eating and sleeping regularly, which seem likely post SHTF.

I always love how many preppers stock up on tons of guns and ammo, yet put away only one or two water filters.

I've also stashed pool shock, which is a kind of concentrated chlorine powder that's great for disinfecting water. A pound might disinfect maybe as much as 2,000 gallons of water (depending upon the quality of the water you started out with), and a pound may be about $15.00 at Walmart.

 

[Gracieboo]

Thank you, I’ve researched how people used to purify water. I’ve got a folder with it written so I’m not dependant on my phone or computer. The chlorine ( I’ve put bleach would be useful short term if you’re desperate) People used activated charcoal (well most people 200 years ago drank beer and wine because the water was so foul) to make lye for soap, it’s a bit of a pain to make, so worth having some on hand, good for poison too. We have Given some to our dog when she ate half a chocolate cake. Read about how to get the salt out of water using solar and a filter in a book called ‘The Hoffman plague’ takes a lot of time though.

Can’t quote but refers to Berkeley filter. They’ve got great reviews, will look again at big filters when I’m ready to buy.

 

[Kevin L]

Thank you, I’ve researched how people used to purify water. I’ve got a folder with it written so I’m not dependant on my phone or computer. The chlorine ( I’ve put bleach would be useful short term if you’re desperate) People used activated charcoal (well most people 200 years ago drank beer and wine because the water was so foul) to make lye for soap, it’s a bit of a pain to make, so worth having some on hand, good for poison too. We have Given some to our dog when she ate half a chocolate cake. Read about how to get the salt out of water using solar and a filter in a book called ‘The Hoffman plague’ takes a lot of time though.

Can’t quote but refers to Berkeley filter. They’ve got great reviews, will look again at big filters when I’m ready to buy.

To make activated charcoal, burn bread until it's black ashes, and the black ash is activated charcoal. Just make sure that you grind it into a fine powder.

 

[Gracieboo]

I didn’t know that, great tip.

 

[Maudite]

Activated charcoal can be purchased at pet stores as it's used to filter aquarium tanks. It's the type of carbon we use to make period correct gun powder. As for filtering water we store in all cotton white socks doubled up as the carbon is quite fine...

 

[Morgan101]

Yeah you get quite a few refills with the mini. The only thing putting me off was a few people have said the bag breaks when they were out and about. Majority of reviews are good though.

It was my understanding that the filter would fit a standard size bottle with the same threads, so you wouldn't have to use the bag if you didn't want to. I would hate for you to buy one and find out I am wrong, but the cap from the bottle was interchangeable with other standard beverage bottles I have, and the caps from those beverage bottles fit the bag.

Are they available in a retail store where you can check?

 

[Petoski]

Yeah the sawyer mini fits a standard soda bottle thread. I don't carry the bag that comes with the sawyer because it looks like it will split easily and it doesn't pack nicely in my bug out bag. I just carry an extra soda bottle of water and use that to collect water while out and drink direct from the filter. The important thing to remember with the sawyer is to backwash it after it has processed dirty water clean it out and also if the water is very dirty you should remove sediment prior to filtering. Something like a bandana would remove the large particles. One other thing to remember is that the dirty water will most likely touch the outside of the bottle or bag when filling and you should be careful that it does't run down the side of the bottle and in to your mouth. There are plenty of videos on youtube that show it in use.