Since ancient times, people have been filtering water in order to purify it from various chemical and physical substances. Filtration is necessary in order to provide a person with health, clean drinking water. But the question is, how long will the water be filtered?
How long is the water filtered in berkey water filter system
It is difficult to unambiguously determine which is easier and more pleasant to use — a berkey water filter or a fluoride filters. For some, the difficulty in installing a berkey water filter negates all potential advantages. Others are annoyed by the sight of the fluoride filters and the need to constantly top up the water.
At the same time, the final portion is limited by the volume of the container — on average 2-4 liters.
One thing is for sure: the water in the berkey water filter system is processed quite slowly — from 2 to 5 minutes per liter. That is, to clean two liters of water, you will have to spend up to 10 minutes of time.
With running water, clean water is always available to you, and you can safely fill at least a glass, even a large cooking pot at any time. In this sense, the berkey water filter is much simpler. Especially if you have a large family, or you prefer not only to drink clean water, but also to cook on it, use it for tea, coffee and other needs — in general, where water consumption is much greater.
The most specific in operation is the reverse berkey system. On the one hand, we have the most powerful cleaning. On the other hand, these berkey water filters require a pressure in the water supply of at least 3 atmospheres, and cleaning is slower.
Therefore, reverse berkey water filters usually have a storage tank, which takes up several times more space than a sorption berkey water filter system. And this system can not put down for a long time without using. If you are going somewhere for a long time, the fluoride filters need to be preserved and then rinsed.
Sometimes it is advised to periodically rinse the reverse berkey water filter membranes. However, it is almost impossible to clean the membrane qualitatively at home. Some water filters have a membrane flushing mode, which increases its service life. But in any case, the berkey water filter membrane only needs to be replaced with a new one at the end of its service life.
Cleaning quality
The most important question is what cleanses the water better: a berkey water filter or a jug? It is not so easy to answer it. To make everything clear, first let’s briefly understand the main types of filters.
Pitcher
It’s also cumulative, the simplest option. A berkey water filter is installed in the jug, filter water is poured into the upper container, passes through the black berkey filters and flows into the main container. There is always one upper chamber in the jug, and the thoroughness of cleaning depends on both the type and the quality of the cartridge.
Black berkey filters — connected to the water supply, usually consisting of several cartridges. It cleans well from chlorine, rust, heavy metals, organic matter.
Bottom chamber
Also connected to the water supply. Water under pressure passes through the membrane — a tightly twisted thin polymer material. This membrane retains even the smallest particles. At the same time, in addition to the membrane, there are mechanical and black berkey filters in the reverse osmotic system. Their disadvantage is that the water turns out to be practically distilled if a mineralizer is not provided in the design.
This is the most powerful purification available: chlorine, rust, heavy metals, bacteria, parasite cells, viruses — water gets rid of them by almost 100 %
There are also main black berkey filters and nozzles for the crane, but we will not touch them in this article — we will focus on the most popular modifications.
It is important which types of sorption cartridges are used in the fluoride filters system. Cartridges by type of purpose are:
- Fluoride filters — organic and inorganic impurities, heavy metals, chlorine and its compounds. Usually made of granular backfill or pressed activated carbon, sometimes with the addition of silver. Some brands like “Aquaphora” use their own developments, for example, the sorbent “Aqualen-2” from a special fiber.
- Upper chamber – polymer resin, replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. Softens water.
- Black berkey filters— cope with iron and manganese.
- Bottom chamber — the same polymer material in reverse osmosis.
There are also coarse, mechanical cleaning black filters — disk, mesh and others. Most manufacturers are “chemical” with cartridge compositions, adding, for example, both coal and resin to one. As a result, cartridges with a mixed composition for unique tasks are obtained. Some cope well with toxins, others with bacteria, others with rust, and so on.
Why does my Berkey take so long to filter water?
Black berkey filters have proven themselves on the market as one of the best. There are a lot of reviews on this product on the Internet. But there is one disadvantage that many users note. This is a large amount of time that the filter spends on water purification elements.
Let’s figure out why he spends so much time.
Filtration elements are made of more than 6 types of media. They are built into a matrix that contain millions of microscopic pores. These microscopic pores are so small that water pollutants are physically simply unable to penetrate through them. They get stuck and we get purified water.
Uses an absorb odors that creates an ion barrier. It works by blocking pollutants that are smaller in size than pores. Therefore, the black berkey filters is able to remove even submicron viruses without the use of chemicals such as Chlorine and Iodine.
Includes extraction of heavy metal ions. This is achieved through the process of ion exchange — attraction and attachment to the upper chamber.
How to install the black berkey filters
It is very easy and simple to assemble the black berkey purification elements. You just need to know a few important nuances. On average, it takes 30 minutes, and then most of this time goes to cleaning and preparing the berkey filters.
All upper chamber (both classic black and white) need to be washed under water. To do this, you need to keep them under a stream of water with a special upper chamber included in the kit. It is necessary to keep them under the stream for several minutes until the water becomes clean and transparent.
After installing the big berkey filters, you need to upper chamber the first 3 times and pour or use this water for flowers.
Black berkey purification elements or PF-2 big berkey filters are necessary to purify water from Fluoride and Arsenic. They are recommended to everyone who lives in cities and where water is fluoridated. These black berkey purification elements are screwed onto the classic berkey filtered water from below. Moreover, it is important to take into account that this should not be done completely, not tightly.
In ours, we use 2 classic berkey filter (a maximum of 4 can be set, but this will only accelerate the filtration rate, not the quality of water purification) and 2 black berkey purification elements from Fluorine and Arsenic. Two additional holes (for additional filters) are closed with special buttons that come with the kit.
How do you know when Berkey filter is done?
One of the frequent questions that people who use black berkey purification elements ask is how to find out when all the filtered water has been filtered and is ready for use. There are several options here.
- Indicator. It will show the level of filtered water, as a result, you can decide for yourself how much filtered water you need at a given moment. Indicators can be different, for example, an LED lamp or a level indicator.
- In some black berkey purification elements, filtered water simply does not come from the tap if it is not filtered, so here you just have to wait until all the water is filtered out.
- Before buying and installing the black berkey purification elements, ask the sellers how long it takes to clean the water in this black filters. Based on the response received due to this time and wait.
Advantages of the berkey system
- Polished 304 stainless steel, not plastic
- Black berkey purification elements 99.99% of all viruses, bacteria, parasites and herbicides
- Black berkey purification elements the Chlorine to an undetectable level
- Removes 95% of Lead and other heavy metals
- When installing PF-2 filters, it removes Fluorine and Arsenic from the water
- It can completely big berkey filter out food dyes — it is so powerful!
- Surpasses all EPA logo 7 ANSI/NSF filtration protocols and pass not just as a big berkey filter, but as a water purifier
- No need to install under the sink, works under the influence of gravity
- The need to change black berkey water filters every 11.5 thousand liters (in an average family every 4 years!)
- In emergency situations, it is able to black berkey filter out non-drinking water (from rivers, lakes, and so on) up to drinkable
- Flow rate
- The berkey purification elements purify all the water completely, thanks to their special structure
- It is easy to repair damage with scotch brite pad . The scotch brite pad will keep the filter working for a long time
Sight glass spigot
A sight glass spigot with a humidity indicator can be installed on a horizontal section of the liquid line using a bypass tube (see Fig.6-33.). This installation reduces pressure losses in the liquid line and facilitates the work of replacing the indicator. In addition, the installation of the sight glass on the bypass tube prevents its premature wear due to erosion.
Taking care of filter elements
When you notice that the black berkey element rate has decreased significantly, it means that it is time to clean the berkey system.
Cleaning them is very simple — you need to pull them out and rinse thoroughly under running water using a metal sponge. Insert it back and continue to enjoy the delicious and clean water.
You can use filtered water for brewing tea, cooking, and of course drinking!
The kit includes a stainless, as we call it, a can, 2 classic black berkey element and 2 PF-2 filters for Fluorine and Arsenic.
Why do I need to spend time on water purification at all?
Water enters apartments and houses centrally from the nearest river. If there are any enterprises in the city that dump waste into this river, it can cause global water pollution. And enterprises are not the only problem of pollution: blooming or stagnation may occur, after which it is impossible not to drink, but even to wash dishes with this water.
And in the summer, in the heat, bacteria multiply much faster, and in such cases, they resort to chlorination and mechanical cleaning. The pipes through which water flows are also far from ideal.
They wear out, there may be problems with them when laying in the ground, violations in operation often occur due to too much water pressure, and changes in its composition can cause corrosion of pipe metal. The hardness of the water depends on the tank in which it is located, so the hardness standards are always overstated, and there is no one to blame for scale on the kettle or plaque in the washing machine.
What does the filter remove?
If there is no rug at the entrance to the apartment, then you will have to wash the floor very often. After all, it is he who takes on the main dirt from the street. In water purification systems, these are mechanical impurities.
Therefore, the first stage of water purification is called mechanical. Another name for these particles is insoluble. These are sand, clay, rust, silt, algae. Moreover, their sizes range from a millimeter to 5-10 micrometers (0.01-0.005 millimeters). That is, large and very small.
They scratch, clog, stick, grind, etc., which leads to damage to pipes, washing machines, dishwashers, pumps, nozzles, plumbing, water flow deteriorates. Water loses its transparency. As a result, it’s just unpleasant to drink it. As a result, without removing mechanical particles from the water, it is useless to use chemical purification methods (ion exchange, sorption, etc.)
How can you protect yourself from the effects of mechanical particles?
1. Settling is the easiest way to remove mechanical impurities. No effort is required from us. The particles gradually settle to the bottom themselves under the influence of gravity. The larger the particle, the faster it gets there.
However, when the water is shaken, all the dirt rises from the bottom to the top. This can be observed in any well or in a well after downtime. Accordingly, in dynamic systems, settling as a cleaning method is not used.
2. But there is another way mechanical filtration with berkey system through a porous medium. It has been used for thousands of years. The future Buddha — Prince Shakyamuni himself took a bowl and a handkerchief with him when leaving home on his endless journey. With his help, he cleaned the water in his travels around the world. And today these are the only items that monks can own.
The cleaning principle is simple and clear. We constantly use this method in everyday life, for example, brewing coffee in the morning.
Everything that has more holes in the big berkey medium is delayed, and what is less with the liquid goes further. In principle, anything can be filtered — fabric, cotton wool, gauze, paper, mesh, a skein of thread, a layer of sand, gravel, etc. You may not believe it, but the filters from the store work on the basis of these components. If desired, you can assemble a mechanical water purification big berkey filters with your own hands.
What is it necessary to filter the water from?
Chlorine
Chlorine has always been disinfected and disinfected tap water (yes, not everywhere, but in most cities). Unfortunately, it not only eliminates all dangerous bacteria and viruses, but is also capable of harming the human body itself.
Fluorine
This element can be added to water for dental health, but it causes more harm to health than good.
Lead
Presumably, lead appears due to old metal fasteners connecting pipes. The presence of this element contributes to the appearance of diseases in the neuromuscular system, stomach, fatigue.
Arsenic
Nature has endowed some types of soil rocks with arsenic, from where it enters the water.
Toxic organic compounds
These include trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, perchlorate and atrazine. Perchlorate is found in explosives and causes mental disability, trichloroethylene is widely used in industry and can contribute to kidney and liver diseases, perchloroethylene is a common solvent that causes the appearance of malignant tumors. Atrazine appears as a result of the use of pesticides.
Salts, iron and other mineral compounds
These trace elements make water hard. Hence the appearance of scale in the kettle, rust on plumbing, plaque in the washing machine, dishwasher, water heaters. For humans, the hardness of water is also harmful. With the help of filters with softeners, you can correct the situation.
The probability of mixing tap water with sewage liquid
Sewer and water pipes usually run parallel to each other. As you know, the condition of many of them leaves much to be desired. Hence, there is a danger of mixing, which, firstly, is not very pleasant, and secondly, it is very dangerous, because there are a large number of diseases with fecal-oral transmission.
This is not the whole list of harmful substances contained in water. Pharmaceuticals, bromine, chromium, etc. can also get into the groundwater.
Damaged pipes
Of course, the listed harm is rather an exception, but there are always risks, especially if you live in a house where pipes have not been changed for a long time. In any case, it is necessary to filter the water to preserve health, so that the body does not suffer from harmful substances contained in the water. It is also necessary for home appliances to extend their service life.
How to clean the water berkey system
A number of restrictions
Not every berkey system of rough cleaning of hot water can be rinsed, no matter how much you want, and in some cases it is simply replaced with a new part. You can clean metal and plastic products that are part of the overall cleaning berkey system. Big berkey water filter and jug consumables can also be cleaned.
But these varieties, operating in hot water conditions, need to be replaced:
- polypropylene (fibers);
- coal;
- membrane (belonging to the household reverse osmosis system).
With 50-50 ion exchange black berkey elements, those belonging to the Fe series also need to be replaced after the end of their service life. Flow rate filters based on ion exchange resin are regenerated with a solution of table salt (10%).
The procedure for washing the coarse water purification system.
Regardless of the type of flow rate filter elements, the general preparation is as follows:
The first step is to shut off the supply of cold and hot water by turning both valves. They are usually located in the bathroom.
Open the taps to make sure there is no water.
Prepare the tools:
- adjustable wrench/gas/pipe/swedish;
- pliers;
- a bucket is a saucepan or some other large capacity.
Now you can proceed directly to the procedure.
How to clean a coarse water filter?
Externally, the system is represented by a flask with a replaceable cartridge (foamed polypropylene or polypropylene thread winding). At the same time, it is the threads that are most efficient due to the retention of large debris at maximum throughput.
The cleaning algorithm itself:
- After the overlap of cold and hot water, a bucket or other container is placed under the filter to drain excess liquid.
- With a suitable key, the clamping nut is unscrewed and the bulb is removed.
- The cartridge is well washed under strong water pressure. To increase efficiency, the element is placed on the bottom of the bathroom upright and a strong pressure is applied inside the cartridge from the hose. Together with the reverse flow, all the garbage and dirt will come out. Instead of a bathroom, you can use another container of appropriate dimensions. The cleaned filter is suitable for repeated use.
- A clean cold water filter returns to its original place, after which the assembly is carried out in reverse order.
- Not every cartridge can be reused – only winding options. The other type is only subject to replacement and this should be taken care of in advance.
Mechanical elements
Usually, a metal or polymer mesh is used for rough cleaning of cold and hot water, and based on the size of the cells, it is able to delay contamination of various sizes. For cleaning, you need access to the sump outlet:
- To begin with, the supply of cold and hot water is also blocked.
- Next, it is necessary to unscrew the tap on the sump with a wrench. In case of difficulty of access, you can use a car candle key. If the lid is “stuck”, engine oil will help, which must be filled with a syringe between the lid and the tap.
- Cleaning the filter implies another step – to immediately check the technical condition of the sealing part of the lid. In the case when it has already become very thin, it necessarily requires replacement. Otherwise, there is no way to avoid leakage, which will bring additional hassle.
- When the lid has yielded, the mesh filter element is removed. It is also washed under strong water pressure for efficiency. If silt or other hard-to-clean contamination is detected, then it can be removed from this coarse water filter with an old toothbrush with stiff bristles.
- Instead of a gasket, you can use a FUM tape or wind tow.
- After flushing the filter, it remains to assemble everything in reverse order. That is, first the washed part is placed in the sump, then the gasket follows and the cleaner is placed in the outlet. At the final stage, the lid is screwed with a key. Next, the hot or cold water filtration system is ready for operation.
The first method is the use of salt
For obvious reasons, there is no longer a need to turn off the supply of cold and hot water. But first you need to prepare a cleaning solution. To do this, the salt itself is taken in the amount of two teaspoons per glass of water (200 ml). To dissolve it, you need to mix everything well.
The resulting solution should be poured into the filter cavity and wait until it begins to pour out of it. Accordingly, before cleaning the filter, a suitable container should be prepared in advance, where the liquid will drain.
To increase the efficiency of cleaning, it is necessary to pour in the remains of the liquid spilled from the more filters again. It also makes sense to prepare a little more solution by increasing the amount of salt:
- 2 cups – 4 tsp .;
- 3 cups – 5 tsp .;
- 4 cups – 6 tsp , etc .
After washing, the replacement filters is ready for further operation. Only beforehand it should be well rinsed under running water to avoid the taste of salt.
The second method is cutting off the cap
There is also no need to turn off cold and hot water, as well as additional devices and tools. All that is required is to remove the cartridge from the jug, and then cut off the cap. A mesh is hidden under it, which should be well rinsed with boiled water.
If necessary, you can pass a saline solution through the filter, the preparation of which has already been discussed a little above. Despite the loss of the cap, the cleaned cartridge is suitable for further use for a long period of time. Periodically, it is also desirable to clean the mesh with regularity once every three months.
If there are still doubts about how to clean the water replacement filters or there is no desire at all, then the best option is to buy replacement cartridges.
Why you should buy a berkey filter
These filters have a good reputation in the market. Their high-quality black berkey elements help to obtain high-quality drinking water. Such bekey water does not contain harmful chemical and physical elements. It is perfect for eating both adults and children. It is completely safe. Such berkey water can also be used in cooking.
Thanks to the filter element, microscopic pores (microscopic pores better retain all dirt), the special structure of the gravity water filtration technology, bottom chamber, flow rate you can remove ionic minerals.
We also advise you to buy these berkey filters primarily operate, because two black berkey filters will be enough for you for a long time, provided that the family consists of 4-6 people.
Also, this fluoride filter has a high flow rate and remove ionic minerals. The flow rate allows you to save time when collecting and filtering water. The high flow rate is due to the high water filtration rate. As soon as the flow rate starts to decrease, then change the filter from the set of two black berkey filters.
We will also pay attention to the lower chamber, which is simply necessary for many fluoride filter. It is durable, resistant and multifunctional. The lower chamber is able to withstand heavy loads, but do not forget that the lower chamber also needs to be changed and cleaned.
Black berkey elements products
Gravity water filtration technology, as a rule, is part of autonomous flow rate systems that are installed in private real estate objects. This option is not suitable for the central water supply of cold and hot water due to low efficiency, and therefore an angular analogue is used here instead, supplemented by a fine filter installed after the meter.
The correct approach to cleaning filter elements will extend the service life of all equipment and save money on the purchase of new elements.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to say that it is difficult to choose a really good filter, but not impossible. These filters will delight you for a long time, give you clean, good water to drink. And the black berkey filter elements will provide a quick cleaning of the water.
Nowadays it is very important to drink clean purified water, do not forget about it. I hope in this article we were able to give answers to your questions.