Build your own Berkey and save

[Stainer]

I can't remember where I originally saw one of Glockem's videos, but of the three he has put out, two have been very helpful and cost saving. If you are looking into buying a Berkey, why not build your own? The advantages are a lower cost and a system that can break down into the size of a 5 gallon bucket. With a two filter system like he builds, you are getting more holding capacity then most of the berkeys and saving about $100 bucks. If you put 4 filters in your homemade system, you would still be equivalent to a $300 system for about $200. Not too shabby

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASQmqnvC-l8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASQmqnvC-l8[/ame]

 

[rockhopper46038]

Nice video. I think I'll make one of these just to put in the closet. I've heard some crappy reviews lately about the black berkey filter though, so I might substitute a different one. Same concept, though.

 

[Justin Case]

Thanks for the post! I was researching this just last night. Looking for local suppliers for the filters. I plan on building 3 or 4 of these (1 at a time as the funds are available) and I definitely can't afford to pay full price for the original berkey system.

 

[irishfan]

Don't overlook the monolithic setups for filtering on the cheap.

Monolithic Marketplace — Ceramic Water Filter

 

[SmileDocHill]

Don't overlook the monolithic setups for filtering on the cheap.

Monolithic Marketplace — Ceramic Water Filter

I have one of these i setup using 5 gal buckets. It is great. It is so much less expensive than anything else I want to try and rig it to be more portable.

 

[irishfan]

I have one of these i setup using 5 gal buckets. It is great. It is so much less expensive than anything else I want to try and rig it to be more portable.

You can literally buy 3-4 of these with ease and and give them to close family if need be so they can filter their own instead of begging others in a crisis. I consider them a great insurance policy.

 

[Justin Case]

Don't overlook the monolithic setups for filtering on the cheap.

Monolithic Marketplace — Ceramic Water Filter

Thanks for the link. Just ordered one to try with 5 gal plastic buckets.

 

[daddymikey1975]

Don't overlook the monolithic setups for filtering on the cheap.

Monolithic Marketplace — Ceramic Water Filter

Do you have any specs on these filters ?

just curious.. (great find by the way)

 

[Justin Case]

Do you have any specs on these filters ?

just curious.. (great find by the way)

This is from the website:

Product is manufactured to meet:

National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 42
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 53
ISO 9002 Quality Standard
USA AEL Laboratories
USA Analytical Food Laboratories
USA Johns Hopkins University
British 5750 Quality Standard
England’s Water Research council (WRc) Performance Standards
The filtration efficiency is 0.2 micron
Removal capabilities as follows:

>99% Arsenic 5 and 99% Arsenic 3 (special order)
>99% Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
>95% Chlorine and Chloramines
>99% Taste
>99% Odor
>98% Aluminum
>96% Iron
>98% Lead
>90% Pesticides
>85% Herbicides
>85% Insecticides
>90% Rodenticides
>85% Phenols
>85% MTBE
>85% Perchlorate
>80% Trihalomethanes
>95% Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons
>99.999% of particles larger than 0.5 micron (Staffordshire University Labs) (includes Anthrax)
>99.7% of particles larger than 0.3 micron (Staffordshire University Labs)
>98% of particles larger than 0.2 micron (Staffordshire University Labs)
>100% Giardia Lamblia
>100% Cyclospora
>100% removal of live Cryptosporidium (WRc Standard)
>100% removal of Cryptosporidium (NSF Standard 53 – A.C. fine dust – 4 log challenge)
>100% removal of E. Coli, Vibrio Cholerae (Johns Hopkins University)
>99.999% removal of Salmonella Typhil, Shigella Dysenteria, Kiebsiella Terrigena (Hyder Labs)​

Product is silver impregnated

and will not permit bacteria growth-through (mitosis)
provides a hostile environment for all microbiological organisms and will not support their growth
Ceramic elements may be cleaned 100 or more times with a soft brush or damp cloth.​

Performance Features:

Easy installation
Good flow rate / 14 to 17 gallons a day (gravity flow)
Up to 60-70 gallons per day (pressure flow)
Filter will accept water from floods, lake, rain, well, tap, river or stream
Semi/Annual filter replacement Cleansable with clean damp cloth
Shelf life is extended by shaking filter every 3-4 months to loosen media inside and prevent packing
Once in use, filter will last 6-8 months
​

 

[gutpile]

ok time to school the ignorant.....
If you build one of these with 2 black Berkey filters and precharge them via sanitized bottle water......what is the flow rate per hour? and if you add the PF-2 filters( bug out area has some aresnic in the ground water) how will that affect flow rate per hour?
and keep 2-4 sets of filters in reserve.....
and what is the difference in the white and black Berkey filters?

thanks Gutpile

 

[SmileDocHill]

When I bought mine it said it was a .02 micron filter. It even had an option for the .2 or the .02 but I have not seen that on their site in a couple years now. I don't know if they got testing results that say it wasn't in fact a .02 filter or if it was a typo or what.

 

[Bikerdad61]

Nice video Stainer. Building one of these water filtration systems is on the top of my MUST DO list. Wife and I have a great source of water with our well should the SHTF and we lose the city water supply. This Filter system would give us the water we would need.
Thanks for the info and insight guys!
Brett