Water Converting My Big Berkey

[Rabbit]

I can no longer afford the cost of two black replacement filters. The last time I checked the pair was $178. I am not only considering the high cost but in these uncertain times, the availability could be a problem. I have tried cheaper alternatives and was not pleased with any of them.

So what I am preparing to do is make my own carbon, sand, and gravel filter. There are plenty of instructions on YouTube. I was going to try and use two 5-gallon buckets but making enough ground-up charcoal (bag of 100% oak hardwood no additives) is very tedious.

What I have decided to do, and I welcome serious input from you all, is use my Berkey instead of plastic buckets. For one thing, I won't have to grind up as much carbon at a time and still have some in reserve. The plan is to line the inside of the Berkey with cotton tee shirts to protect the stainless steel surface. I also could get a couple of silver dollars to put in the reservoir.

What do ya'll think?

 

[Hfcomms]

That was exactly what I was going to suggest when I saw your thread title. Takes a long time to burn through a set of the stock filters though unless your water has a lot of solids and is murky. But yeah, I would have no problem making my own filter and I've seen it done before.

What I might do though as long as things are still up is to make your filter and then put some water that you know is contaminated through it and then draw a water sample and have it analyzed and then that way you know that how you did it is working.

The only drawback though is the filter is going to weigh a ton and not be nearly as portable as a standard Berkey is.

 

[Rabbit]

That was exactly what I was going to suggest when I saw your thread title. Takes a long time to burn through a set of the stock filters though unless your water has a lot of solids and is murky. But yeah, I would have no problem making my own filter and I've seen it done before.

What I might do though as long as things are still up is to make your filter and then put some water that you know is contaminated through it and then draw a water sample and have it analyzed and then that way you know that how you did it is working.

The only drawback though is the filter is going to weigh a ton and not be nearly as portable as a standard Berkey is.

Good idea. The Berkey stays in one place all the time and since you mentioned the weight I think I will use three tee shirts to be able to lift each section out at a time if I need to move the thing. It permanently sits on a heavy-duty wrought iron plant stand in a corner of the kitchen.
I also have the base for a propane turkey fryer I was going to use for the buckets. It would be a bad bad thing if it fell over.

 

[Wildwood]

Good idea. The Berkey stays in one place all the time and since you mentioned the weight I think I will use three tee shirts to be able to lift each section out at a time if I need to move the thing. It permanently sits on a heavy-duty wrought iron plant stand in a corner of the kitchen.
I also have the base for a propane turkey fryer I was going to use for the buckets. It would be a bad bad thing if it fell over.

If you follow through, please let us know what your results are. We have pretty bad tasting well water and I don't want to go back to drinking it, as is, right out of the tap. It was fine in coffee and sweet tea and I still use it in coffee and to boil my tea but top the tea off with filtered water. I do that because I do think our well water has some good health benefits despite it's taste. It gets heated enough in the process of making both to kill any bacteria that may be in it.

A set of filters last us about seven years and I just changed them a couple weeks ago. We have one more set so, at our age, if the quality is as good as the filters we've used in the past, we may have a lifetime supply. Still. I'd like a back up in case we have to filter more than we are right now.

 

[JasmineAndLace]

I have purchased replacement filters from St. Paul Mercantile in the past--https://stpaulmercantile.com/ceramic-and-carbon-block-filters. Their prices are pretty reasonable and they fit my Big Berkey with no problem.

 

[kyrsyan]

My filters last a very long time when used with relatively clean water. If I was in a scenario where clean water was a problem, I'd create the alternate filter in another location. Then the water from it would get boiled, cooled, and have one last filtration through the Berkey.

I'm also glad I got a couple extra before the latest price jumps.

 

[10-22]

There are several other options.
The Berkey is a wonderful system but lots of other options. And the filters will interchange. I think this is what we ordered and it makes our rough water a whole lot better for tea and coffee. Fits on the Berkey with no problem.
Here is a pair for $37 bucks with free shipping.


Water

Water Filter

 

[tech]

What do ya'll think?

You might want to consider cleaning the filters....this is a snippet from the Berkey site:

Berkeys don't use disposable filters, which means our filter elements have to maintain their integrity after many thorough cleanings. As part of a regular maintenance routine, our filter elements can be cleaned up to 100 times before the need to purchase a replacement.

 

[Rabbit]

You might want to consider cleaning the filters....this is a snippet from the Berkey site:

Berkeys don't use disposable filters, which means our filter elements have to maintain their integrity after many thorough cleanings. As part of a regular maintenance routine, our filter elements can be cleaned up to 100 times before the need to purchase a replacement.

They were. I had them for a long time using city water. The initial cost of the Berkey and the current rise in the price of two black filters just irked me to the point of looking for another sustainable and affordable option. I have not had time to put it together yet but all of the components are ready. I hope it works, I'll let you all know.

 

[Rabbit]

I did it and the results are not great, my fault for sure.

I put the charcoal inside of a loose weave cotton bag and lined the Berkey with a 100% cotton pillow case, put the bag of powdered coal on the bottom, and added a layer of sand and then a layer of gravel. I put tap water through it, many times, and lost count.

It looked clear but tasted a little bit like dirt and the taste did get fainter but not totally gone.

I bought clean play sand that wasn't all that clean and I guess I didn't rinse it enough. It is going to be an ongoing project until I get it right. Meanwhile, one of my friends has a wonderful supply of the best well water in the world and has graciously allowed me to come and fill up.