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Gravity filter pre-filter effectivness


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  • #1235955
    Chris Chastain
    Spectator

    @thangfish

    Locale: S. Central NC, USA

    This trip out I decided I would try to investigate the effectiveness (or lack there of) of my pre-filter setup in my gravity system.

    I'm currently using a Platy CleanStream cartridge, but also used the exact same type of system with the Frontier Pro filter.

    With the Frontier Pro, I just put a 3/4" piece of hose on the intake (inside the bag) to facilitate a silt settling area of water that would remain in the bag. With the CleanStream, I just left the long hose barb sticking up in the bag.
    hose barb in bag

    Here is an example of what gets left in the bag from clear creek water. It would probably be more efficient, the longer it was left to settle.
    silt in bag

    To catch the stuff that doesn't settle, the Frontier Pro comes with a few little round chunks of fiber-fill looking stuff that goes between the intake parts. In my CleanStream bag, I put a chunk of the same stuff in between the two hose barb adapters that screw together on the inside and outside of the bag.

    Here's what it looks like after 3 long weekend trips… same water conditions.

    dirty pre filter

    Ok, that's all. Thought it might be mildly interesting.

    Edit:
    Sorry for the lighting in that last pic. Should have used a flash.

    #1503539
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    Chris,

    in this thread,

    http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=20561&skip_to_post=164912#164912

    it was mentioned that all parts can be had at Ace. I went there and was told that the two parts (inside and outside of the "dirty" bag) have incompatible threads – one is hose threaded and the other is pipe threaded.

    You mentioned US Plastics. Is this the piece (coupler)?:
    http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/variant.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=6913&product_id=7750&variant_id=63157

    Sorry, don't know how to make a click-able link yet.

    Were you unable to obtain the parts locally (like Ace, Lowes, or Home Depot)?

    Thanks!!

    #1503548
    Tony Fleming
    BPL Member

    @tonyfleming

    Locale: Midwest

    Hi Kent,

    I have the same set up with a Sawyer water filter. I made an order from US plastic over a year ago, and the part numbers are still the same. They have more than two 1/4 inch options. Here is what I ordered that work well together:

    61130 1/4 Male nylon adapter http://tiny.cc/FATUD
    62169 1/4 Female nylon adapter http://tiny.cc/wAYF4

    A stop cock http://tiny.cc/w3SSm
    50' (min order) of 1/4" tubing http://tiny.cc/ygHhn

    I would also recommend you order some of their small bottles http://tiny.cc/guffv

    Tony

    #1503799
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    Tony,

    This is the specific info I've been trying to hunt down.

    Thanks!

    Are these "specialty" parts that you couldn't find at a local retail store?

    I ask for several reasons:
    1 – support local brick & mortar
    2 – speed in obtaining parts
    3 – I'll probably have to pay 2-5 times the parts cost for shipping!

    #1507404
    Tony Fleming
    BPL Member

    @tonyfleming

    Locale: Midwest

    Hi Kent,

    Sorry I didn't see your follow up question earlier. I could not find the parts locally. When you place your order at US Plastic, click on the shipping option "Prepay and Add" the Actual shipping charges will be added to your order's total after the order has been shipped, and the shipping will not be to excessive.

    Tony

    #1507412
    Roleigh Martin
    BPL Member

    @marti124

    Locale: Founder & Lead Moderator, https://www.facebook.com/groups/SierraNorthPCThikers

    Tony, super super fantastic post. I just ordered the items and it was super inexpensive — thanks for the plug for the small plastic bottles too.

    #1507417
    Tony Wong
    BPL Member

    @valshar

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    Tony,

    Wow, this is fantastic!

    I am going to add this information to my review of the Sawyer In Line Filter as a solution to preventing clogging due to mucky water.

    By the way, what are you using inside of this pre-filter to capture the silt/muck that does not bring the rate of flow into the Sawyer filter to a crawl?

    -Tony

    #1507421
    Tony Fleming
    BPL Member

    @tonyfleming

    Locale: Midwest

    Hi Tony,

    Chris is the one with the prefilter idea. I have emailed Aquamira and asked them where I can buy the replacement prefilter disks for the Frontier Pro. I will post a source when they provide it.

    Tony F.

    #1507475
    Walter Carrington
    BPL Member

    @snowleopard

    Locale: Mass.

    Thanks for the parts #s.
    I'm not sure if this is the same as your part, but for backwashing the Sawyer filter, a standard US garden hose female to 1/4" adapter at usplastics is:
    63001 Nylon Swivel Female Insert 1/4" Hose Size x Swivel GHT
    It fits the standard outside faucet for garden hoses.

    #1507480
    Bryant Burton
    BPL Member

    @moabrocks

    Tony –

    I've been wanting to make one of these for a while and looking over your parts and I had a question for you. Was there a reason besides cost that you went with the PVC tubing? Is there a big weight difference? The silicone tubing on my pump is nice as it doesn't kink and stretches for nice tight fits on the fittings.

    Thanks,
    Bryant

    #1507485
    Rick Dreher
    BPL Member

    @halfturbo

    Locale: Northernish California

    Hi Bryant,

    I can't speak for Tony but will speculate it's what he could find, rather than a preference. Silicone tubing isn't commonly stocked in my area, so takes some hunting (i.e., on-line sources).

    I agree that silicone is the way to go, for the reasons you cite plus it never alters the water's taste.

    Cheers,

    Rick

    #1507490
    Yoyo
    Spectator

    @dgposton

    Locale: NYC metro

    Chris,

    A couple comments / questions on your system.

    1. It seems you would get a faster flow rate if you had dirty tubing in between the dirty bag and the filter. What kind of flow rate do you get currently with the CleanStream cartridge?

    2. Why did you not go with the Sawyer filter?

    3. The Platy Clean Stream dirty bag solve the sediment problem by placing the output about 2" above the bottom of the bag. That way, dirt can settle. See my post in the above thread about why the Clean Stream dirty bag is the best I've seen yet out of all the options out there.

    #1507709
    Kent C.
    Member

    @kent

    Locale: High Sierra

    Tony,

    I just clicked the cart button and then entered my zip code and clicked the update button; shipping charges calculated and shown, before placing order.

    Thanks again for the parts info. With your URL's I was able to quickly locate the correct parts, and yes, the shipping charges were acceptable ($6.30 in parts and $6.28 shipping).

    Happy Trails (& germ-free water!)

    #1507730
    Tony Fleming
    BPL Member

    @tonyfleming

    Locale: Midwest

    Bryant – I actually had picked out some more expensive Tygon® Beverage Tubing. But, couldn't decide between it or Antimicrobial tubing. So, before placing my order I called US plastic to confirm what to buy. A rep pointed me to this tubing for this use as it meets FDA standards, is widely used in the food industry, and is 1/10th the price. I had not done enough research to know to pick Silicone tubing http://tiny.cc/AEJx9 or http://tiny.cc/3FT0X.

    Chris/ others – with the AGG bag and the parts listed above you can add a piece of tubing as long as you want to stick up as high as you want in your dirty water collection bag to keep sediment that has settled from entering your filter. With an added valve on your tubing you can let collected water stand to allow setiment to settle before starting the water flow.

    Tony

    #1530657
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    Tony: Do you have to still treat with micropur or mira or something else b4, or does the sawyer take it all out? Also can this setup be used with a sawyer purifier? Finally, would the purifier be too slow, and clog easily as well? (clooging may be remedied with the hose inside the bag method)

    #1530703
    Walter Carrington
    BPL Member

    @snowleopard

    Locale: Mass.

    The cheaper Sawyer filter takes out everything but virus. If there will be virus in the water, then treat with chemicals also. Apparently straight chlorine bleach will do this fine even though it is problematic for giardia and bacteria.

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