Anyone here usiing 12 volt UV Water filter

greenrvgreen wrote:
Rover Bill--

I believe Berkey makes a white (standard) Ceramic filter as well as their black one. Is the black one a ceramic filter impregnated with GAC? Because removing the dissolved solids you describe is something that a good GAC (charcoal) filter can do, but a (white) ceramic cannot. That's why I use both!

I'm not a Berkey salesman but through several months of research via the internet, I'm convinced that the Black Berkey filters are one of the best drinking water PURIFICATION systems available. Their filters purify the water equivalent to distillation and R/O systems and without the required extra energy or specialized plumbing.

As best as I can tell, the black Berkey filters are a

proprietary formulation of more than six different media types

in a solid black ceramic filter that outperform standard white ceramic filters. They are NOT ordinary carbon filters. For more detailed info see:


Specs
Test-Results

Yes, the Berkey website does sell units with white ceramic filter. However, their white filters are described:

The Super Sterasyl element, used in British Berkefeld systems, ...(incorporate) pure silver impregnation into the porous ceramic shell ...

that encloses a core of activated carbon. See:

White-Filters

I have often read that activated carbon 'block' is more effective than granulated (GAC) as it is harder to get through and doesn't have the gaps that granulated does...

5 microns is a HUGE hole in the germ, bacteria and especially the virus world. Like a bike going through a 4 lane tunnel!
Even 1 micron allows many baddies to pass through. You really want the 0.00x micron which is nanofiltration to get the virus.

Of course boiling the water, 212 degrees F, basically kills them all except botulism which needs a temperature of 260 degrees F if my failing memory serves me correctly. (a pressure cooker will superheat the water to 260F...that is why they are often used for canning)

TechWriter wrote:

Traveler7 wrote:

TechWriter wrote:

Traveler7 wrote:
Here is one I am considering-

SafH2OUV Model 212

It's a 2 gpm unit. That's pretty slow flow.

I only have a 15 Gal Tank and I think the slow flow promotes a good exposure to the UV for purification so to me that is a feature and not a bug.

I don't think you understand . . . my concern over 2 gpm is not the UV output -- it's the input.

If you connect it to a water source that's > 2 gpm (a distinct possibility), then your UV sterilizer won't work.

I do not have a city water connection and will be using a Shurflo 3gpm pump, but I don't think it will make a difference. I believe the 2 gpm figure is how fast the water will flow thru the prefilter and unit. Usually that number is an outflow number and unrelated to the inflow. This unit is designed for an RV so it must be more flexible than that.

Traveler7 wrote:

TechWriter wrote:

Traveler7 wrote:
Here is one I am considering-

SafH2OUV Model 212

It's a 2 gpm unit. That's pretty slow flow.

I only have a 15 Gal Tank and I think the slow flow promotes a good exposure to the UV for purification so to me that is a feature and not a bug.

I don't think you understand . . . my concern over 2 gpm is not the UV output -- it's the input.

If you connect it to a water source that's > 2 gpm (a distinct possibility), then your UV sterilizer won't work.

TechWriter wrote:

Traveler7 wrote:
Here is one I am considering-

SafH2OUV Model 212

It's a 2 gpm unit. That's pretty slow flow.

I only have a 15 Gal Tank and I think the slow flow promotes a good exposure to the UV for purification so to me that is a feature and not a bug.

Oh, and Mex, in spite of the above-mentioned rules of drinking water safety, 25 years ago on a Baja Jeep trip I refilled my drinking water cans directly from the creek that runs behind the bar at Mike's Sky Rancho.

Live and learn!

Rover Bill--

I believe Berkey makes a white (standard) Ceramic filter as well as their black one. Is the black one a ceramic filter impregnated with GAC? Because removing the dissolved solids you describe is something that a good GAC (charcoal) filter can do, but a (white) ceramic cannot. That's why I use both!

Otherwise I want to echo Rover's comments. A little triage, please. The very first thing that's going to harm you are water-borne pathogens which can be quickly and easily filtered out by a ceramic filter, with no fuss or electricity required--and no concerns about dwell time, etc.

As said, charcoal does a great job of filtering out the overwhelming majority of dissolved solids (lead, etc) which can lurk in public water systems. The 97% removal math that is of no value when talking about virii or bacteria is plenty good to save your family's health where lead or other contaminants are concerned.

This is why I filter ALL my drinking water, at home or on the road. Why be some municipal buraucrat's guineau pig?

Contra Costa County California 1997 I stayed there for a month - medical.

Contra Costa County Times Newspaper. Scandal. Huge. 25 cents per gallon water R/O machines were not filtering water table contamination from Fiberboard, DuPont, etc.

Home undersink R/O systems examined. Found to be useless. PCB's and selenium were listed as the biggest culprits. About 100x above FDA max.

Then the issue got tamped down.

I switched to distilled water.

THE BEST way to avoid problems is to refer to a professional lab test results. Chemical manufacturing, mining, and refining are the biggest risk areas.

Water districts supply data sheets. It's the law. In Mexico, our town has a well that produces domestic water with almost three times the safe level of lead. We get our consumable water 28 miles away. It is R/O OZONE. Test data was reviewed. we do not cook, drink, or even brush our teeth with local water.

UV radiation is a proven safe, simple, and FAST way to kill a lot of bacteria in water. Washing your pots and pans, dogs, or yourself in UV treated water will not cause any immediate harm to most people. However, UV radiation only KILLS bacteria but doesn't remove them. You'll still be ingesting DEAD bacteria and their unpleasant byproducts when you drink that water. Bacteria (live or dead) will pass through most paper and charcoal filters.

Ceramic filters actually REMOVE bacteria. They purify the water for drinking and not just make the water safer to drink. Berkey filters are advanced ceramic filters that PURIFY the water like white ceramic filters but they also remove LEAD, MTBE's, chlorine, VOC's, and heavy metals "the type that produce three-eyed grandchildren" (LOL).

If I were going to use river or ground water I'd filter as best as I could and treat with Uv. Last step would be to add some bleach. Potable water is no laughing matter, so it behooves the end user to be as careful as possible.