Berkey Filter Stand

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Built a small box that functions as a stand for my Berkey water purifier. Made out of Walnut and a few strips of Maple, it elevates the Berkey and makes it possible to fill your mug much easier. It also gives me a place to store some spare parts and possibly my beloved tea bags
YouTube video link: https://youtu.be/o9wv6tXHcEY


Van Williams

[rowiebowie]

Looks nice and, best of all, functional.

I cheaped out and bought the Berkey with the see-thru plastic. Shoulda got the all-stainless.

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Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Looks nice and, best of all, functional.
I cheaped out and bought the Berkey with the see-thru plastic. Shoulda got the all-stainless.

The SS is nice (with SS faucet) but way overpriced for what you get and I'm still unsure about how effective they are.
Van Williams

[booster]

Hadn't heard of Berkely systems, so went to the website to look. What I got was a long laundry list of of how much % of a bunch of stuff it removed, but nothing about the micron rating or other more standardized specs. Is there more information elsewhere? When companies deviate from what most of the industry uses for performance criteria, I always tend to get very skeptical, but that is just my nature.
They also don't appear to have NSF certification, which would be a disqualifier for us.

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Originally Posted by booster

Hadn't heard of Berkely systems, so went to the website to look. What I got was a long laundry list of of how much % of a bunch of stuff it removed, but nothing about the micron rating or other more standardized specs. Is there more information elsewhere? When companies deviate from what most of the industry uses for performance criteria, I always tend to get very skeptical, but that is just my nature.
They also don't appear to have NSF certification, which would be a disqualifier for us.

I do agree with you. My initial approach to clean drinking water in the van, was to install a RO system, which is probably the best, but uses a lot of energy and is quite voluminous. A regular filtration system is also voluminous in a van. Quite interesting was a small UV system, but that didn't do a complete job. I ended up with the Berkey, only based on references of users, which I virtually never do. The company's sales setup, also looks more like a monopoly or pyramid scheme. All not very confidence building. Since I used it I have noticed an improvement of the (taste) of water, but that doesn't mean that it does what I need.
Haven't found that out since I acquired it. If you have more info on it, or know of a better system for a small van, you would do me a great favor, if you told me.
Van Williams

[booster]

Originally Posted by cargovanconversion

I do agree with you. My initial approach to clean drinking water in the van, was to install a RO system, which is probably the best, but uses a lot of energy and is quite voluminous. A regular filtration system is also voluminous in a van. Quite interesting was a small UV system, but that didn't do a complete job. I ended up with the Berkey, only based on references of users, which I virtually never do. The company's sales setup, also looks more like a monopoly or pyramid scheme. All not very confidence building. Since I used it I have noticed an improvement of the (taste) of water, but that doesn't mean that it does what I need.
Haven't found that out since I acquired it. If you have more info on it, or know of a better system for a small van, you would do me a great favor, if you told me.
Van Williams

We have used a 3M, which is really the Cumo system that they bought out, system for nearly a decade. It is NSF, .2 micron, final charcoal for taste, all in one cannister that is good for up to 2000 gallons, IIRC. These are considered the standard by many marine folks for quite a while now. We don't hesitate to drink our fresh tank water with the filter in line. We have it set up to do the whole water system. The numbers have changed over time, but I think it is called something like B2 USA or such. We change ours every other year even if we don't get to the gallons used, or even close most times.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by cargovanconversion

.............My initial approach to clean drinking water in the van, was to install a RO system, which is probably the best, but uses a lot of energy and is quite voluminous. ....................
Van Williams

Reverse osmosis (RO) water is good for showers or cleaning dishes or cars but not for drinking, the osmosis removes all minerals. Good filtration and activated carbon is likely the best for house/RV use.

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Originally Posted by booster

We have used a 3M, which is really the Cumo system that they bought out, system for nearly a decade. It is NSF, .2 micron, final charcoal for taste, all in one cannister that is good for up to 2000 gallons, IIRC. These are considered the standard by many marine folks for quite a while now. We don't hesitate to drink our fresh tank water with the filter in line. We have it set up to do the whole water system. The numbers have changed over time, but I think it is called something like B2 USA or such. We change ours every other year even if we don't get to the gallons used, or even close most times.

From what I know, the Berkey has the same specifications: NSF, 2nm (=.2 micron), but the two canisters would last 5000 gal. So identical specs. It is gravity fed, opposed to the in-line system. That has pros and cons too.
The 3m name behind the Cuno/B2/Aqua Pure is a selling point, but getting replacement cartridges for older versions may be an issue.
Van Williams

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Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Reverse osmosis (RO) water is good for showers or cleaning dishes or cars but not for drinking, the osmosis removes all minerals. Good filtration and activated carbon is likely the best for house/RV use.

Many RO systems include a reintroduction of minerals after the filtration process, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Van Williams

[booster]

Originally Posted by cargovanconversion

From what I know, the Berkey has the same specifications: NSF, 2nm (=.2 micron), but the two canisters would last 5000 gal. So identical specs. It is gravity fed, opposed to the in-line system. That has pros and cons too.
The 3m name behind the Cuno/B2/Aqua Pure is a selling point, but getting replacement cartridges for older versions may be an issue.
Van Williams

The cannisters changed length by a bit a few years ago with a number change, but fit fine if you had an extra .5" of clearance, so no big deal for most. IMO, if a company meets NSF specs, which is IIRC more than just a micron rating, it is well worth the cost to get the certification as it opens up lots of more markets. 3M, of course, is trading on their reputation, but I can tell you that when the change happened a lot, and I mean a lot, of users and retailers were really upset because Cuma had/has such a good reputation in the market. As I said, claims to be the same as a certification, are not the same as actually having the certification, at least in my world. That is why I am skeptical.


5000 gallons is good if you use that much before the filters age out. Most recommend replacing every 6 to 12 months, and we usually stretch that to about 9 months as that will cover two camping seasons and we have never even used 1/2 of the rated gallons based on tank fills.

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Originally Posted by booster

The cannisters changed length by a bit a few years ago with a number change, but fit fine if you had an extra .5" of clearance, so no big deal for most. IMO, if a company meets NSF specs, which is IIRC more than just a micron rating, it is well worth the cost to get the certification as it opens up lots of more markets. 3M, of course, is trading on their reputation, but I can tell you that when the change happened a lot, and I mean a lot, of users and retailers were really upset because Cuma had/has such a good reputation in the market. As I said, claims to be the same as a certification, are not the same as actually having the certification, at least in my world. That is why I am skeptical.
5000 gallons is good if you use that much before the filters age out. Most recommend replacing every 6 to 12 months, and we usually stretch that to about 9 months as that will cover two camping seasons and we have never even used 1/2 of the rated gallons based on tank fills.

I agree. Van Williams

[GeorgeRa]

We are still on RV’s purification system, correct? You certainly can have a chem lab in RV but why, RO can still pass viruses, some bacteria or organics.
Can you provide a link to filter specification with 0.2 micron filter (0.2 micron is equal to 200 nm not 2 nm, it would take long time to move water through 2 nm filter)

[booster]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

We are still on RV’s purification system, correct? You certainly can have a chem lab in RV but why, RO can still pass viruses, some bacteria or organics.
Can you provide a link to filter specification with 0.2 micron filter (0.2 micron is equal to 200 nm not 2 nm, it would take long time to move water through 2 nm filter)

Good question. I took a look around and the ratings are mostly not .2 micron any more. This is the going obsolete replacement for our US-B1 and it is still rated at .2 micron.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


This newer version, which is also 3" taller (big ouch for us for replacement do to space) says .2 micron on Amazon, but .5micron other places.



https://www.amazon.com/3M-Aqua-Pure-...185015&sr=8-36


Nearly all of the others have .5micron at best now, except for one brand at .4 micron that is also quite compact but expensive. It also only has 1.0 gpm compared to the 1.5gpm we have.


https://generalecology.com/collectio...roducts/732007


They do make one at 2.0gpm that is over $900.


https://generalecology.com/collectio...roducts/832310

[InterBlog]

I bought a Berkey about two months ago. Omitting long story for brevity, the lack of certifications was not a deal-breaker for me. More important to me was how the thing performs, not what rubber stamps it has.

I had a 3-fold need for such an investment (I got the stainless steel unit and tap - pricey):

(1) Although our water in metro Houston is relatively good quality, I drink gyokuro (Japanese green tea) which is subtle in taste and exquisitely sensitive to water quality. I would not have bought the Berkey for this reason alone, but I do notice a taste improvement.

(2) I need to be able to filter water at my off-grid property in Nova Scotia during each summer's trip up there.

(3) Husband and I have a camp shack on Lake Sam Rayburn in deep east Texas. Potable water is supplied to the area and it meets state health standards, but it is AWFUL - undrinkable - in terms of taste. Here's a before and after pic of that camp shack water below. The Berkey makes a huge difference on that front.

Incidentally, I don't put our Berkey on any kind of high stand. It overhangs our double sink in Houston and overhangs a counter top at the camp shack. It's a center of gravity thing - I don't want to elevate it.

[GeorgeRa]

Doulton Water Filter Ceramic Candle And Cartridge Technologies

A combination of diatomaceous earth and silver baked into a Doulton ceramic cartridge sound a lot like Berkey but it not as in the video below.

Katadyn which I am familiar with is using Doulton filters.

Berkey is not selling their filters in California, could be related to cost or technical difficulties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIj5eVVsNn8

[InterBlog]

Routine chlorination will take care of bacteria and viruses, whether done by the local utility or by self. I don't see using a double filtration unit for that.

When I treat lake water at my property in Nova Scotia, I plan to use a virgin 5-gallon bucket to first capture and chlorinate it. Then I can feed that through the Berkey.

[InterBlog]

Just on FYI, Berkey Customer Service issued an email this morning advising that they are sold out of all products, both filter units and their components.

They are reportedly queuing orders for fulfillment at some future time.

[Brad1998RD]

Nice box. How to you secure it or store it all while driving?