Berkey Filter

[steve-o]

If anyone is looking to buy a Berkey Water Filter, I just got a helluva deal at DisasterStuff - Freeze Dried Food Storage Emergency Preparedness Kits. I used promo code BIR15 and saved $60 on my order. I've been going to every site that sells them today and this is by far the best deal out there. For the mods, I'm not in any way affiliated with the retailer posted above, just want to pass on a good deal if anyone else is looking.

 

[Southpaw]

Have you or any one here owned or used one? They look like they could be rather useful.

 

[steve-o]

I haven't used one, and I've only heard great things about them. Taking a bit of a chance in buying blind, but I'm pretty sure I'll get good use out of it.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

I've been looking at them and that's a really good deal.

 

[GeePee]

I have used one for the past year, my wife will not drink water without it being filtered. Coffee, tea and cold water tastes better.

 

[steve-o]

^^ good to hear. Mine should be at the house by Friday.

 

[Leper]

Great filters. I've used for many years. Don't forget to prime them before you use them. I can answer most questions about the setup.

 

[steve-o]

My Royal Berkey arrived yesterday. I got it set up tonight, and wow, I didn't realize how bad our tap water tasted. This thing gets a thumbs up from me so far.

 

[Leper]

It's amazing what it does for coffee too. What filters are you running?

 

[TexasRedneck]

A simple carbon filter on your water tap will do much the same....for a LOT less $$$.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

A simple carbon filter on your water tap will do much the same....for a LOT less $$$.

My impression is that regular carbon filters only filter the water while the Berkey filters purify it. The Berkeys remove chlorine, heavy metals, parasites, viruses, radon and even flouride without losing all the minerals like you do in reverse osmosis. I'm not an expert in this, but have read as much as I can.

When I was looking at cost the Berkeys are definitely more up front but go through a lot more gallons of water before they need replacements, so seem to have a lower price per gallon over the life of a filter.

Again, this was just what I turned up when I was trying to do comparisons. I'd love to hear more data if there's some out there.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Google fluoride removal, and tell me what component in the filter does that job.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Google fluoride removal, and tell me what component in the filter does that job.

Their PF2 flouride and arsenic reduction elements supposedly do it with activated (oxidized) alumina.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Their PF2 flouride and arsenic reduction elements supposedly do it with activated (oxidized) alumina.

It may sound like splitting hairs, but it'll reduce it...not remove it. And hardness will reduce/negate its' effectiveness, as will pH. And that's one of my issues with so much of this stuff.....just enough science (with gobblygook tossed in where needed) to sound good to the average layman - along with a huge dose of marketing to maximize the monetary separation.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I bought one about 3-4 yrs. ago, it is still in the unopened carton.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

It may sound like splitting hairs, but it'll reduce it...not remove it. And hardness will reduce/negate its' effectiveness, as will pH. And that's one of my issues with so much of this stuff.....just enough science (with gobblygook tossed in where needed) to sound good to the average layman - along with a huge dose of marketing to maximize the monetary separation.

I did not know that. That's good info. Yeah, its definitely hard to really compare a lot of the systems without actually testing the water out of your faucet through each, which is unlikely because a lot of the systems are expensive.

What do you suggest for a system that would, at a minimum, remove viruses and bacteria and some of the heavy metals?

 

[steve-o]

The main reason I bought the Berkey is to have the ability to clean water from a lake/river/pond for camping or in an emergency.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

The main reason I bought the Berkey is to have the ability to clean water from a lake/river/pond for camping or in an emergency.

Yeah, I definitely like that they're portable. You can bring one out to a hunting camp that has crappy water or if you're camping with a lot of people.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I purify water for a living.....have since 1976. When I say "purify", I mean just that - I can design and build water systems that will produce water suitable for direct injection into the human body without adverse affect. I treat water for the lab use of some of the largest blood banks in this state....and have designed systems that have been on NASA missions.

I say the above not as "lookit me!", but to give ya'll an idea as to where I'm coming from......saying "purified water" has a whole different meaning to me than it likely does to ya'll - but there are legal definitions for the phrase that are supposed to be met when used in the marketplace. Failing to do so is considered unethical - and, in fact, it's illegal - but like so much else, the law is seldom enforced.

IMO, the Berkey unit does NOT purify water in the true sense - and, in fact, by making those claims they put many folks at risk. They KNOW that, but do it anyways - which makes me distrustful - because if they'll do that, what else will they falsely claim??? On a filter that I'm going to rely on to keep my and my family safe....sorry - if it ain't built with my own 2 hands, you'd BEST be ready to show data to back up your claims - and the Berkey fails on several counts.

Understand - I do NOT sell or represent any product that CAN meet these types of claims, so there's no monetary gain for me here - just wanting folks to not be mislead by some marketing dweeb in a cubicle that ain't gonna care that your wife/child dies because of the crap they've sold you.

I designed and installed a system in Guatemala back in the 90's to treat a water source that WOULD kill you within 24 hours of ingesting it. Only water source for miles around, and certain US-employed folks working at that facility needed water to drink/bathe with, and hauling water in was out of the question. Did the install myself, and once it was in and running, one of the folks there asked me how confident I was that it'd work. I filled an empty soda bottle with the water and drank it, sayin' "You'll know in the morning!"<G> They were shocked, and commented about how I was "brave" to do it. I then pointed out to them that I had FOUR different treatment processes in the system, any one of which would stop the problem with the water - but because the consequences of a failure were so high, I was being VERY cautious with how I did it.

Did it work? Apparently so....I'm still here!<G>

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

You should design a system for houses then, man. That would be a good source retirement if you can market it

Sent while trying to concentrate on 6 things at once.