Sawyer inline filter problems

Derek,

Hummm, that is really odd.

I have been backwashing my Sawyer filter for the last 2.5 years at home without any problems.

Question: When you are backwashing the filter, I am assuming that it is "wet" inside the filter with no air in the line at all…..are you seeing the water exit out of the input side of the filter, which should "prove" that it has been backwashed?

Also, when you are then using the filter, is it also wet without any air in the filter?

I prime mine by sucking on the output end of the filter to start the filtering process by pulling water through the filter and then I let gravity do the rest.

Did you use any bleach in the water that you used to clean the filter to kill off any potential organic material that could be clogging the system as an extra measure to clean the filter?

Short of these suggestions, I am at a loss to explain what is causing your problem.

Just this month, I was able to back wash my filter in the field while on a 9 day trip to restore the normal rate of filtering.

-Tony

Tony-

Thanks for responding. Water does come out the other end when backwashing, but requires a fair amount of pressure. With pressure I can also get it to go through the correct way, but without it will barely drip.

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask is it wet and if there is no air in the filter… I attach a tube and try to get water to go through… before the water reaches the filter the air filling the space in the tube must pass through first…

I tried sucking on it to prime it as you mentioned and could barely get anything to come out at all. Once I stopped sucking the water ceased to come out.

Thoughts?

Derek,

This is a bit of a stumper for me.

You got it right, you have primed the filter by sucking water through it to get it stared, you backwashed it.

Humm….you also sucked the air out of the line so water flows directly from the dirty bag to the filter.

The only other thing that I can think of is your catch bag.

Not sure what you are using for a catch bag, but if you have tubing going from the output of the Sawyer filter directly to a catch bag with a screwed on cap to the Platypus bag, you might have a problem with pressure build up in the catch bag, which is stopping you.

If this is the setup that you have, you need to either losely screw on the cap attaching the tubing that goes from the output end of the filter (clean water) to the Platypus catch bag.

If not, then as water flows to the bag and displaces the air, it builds up pressure in the catch bag that will stop the flow of clean water into the bag.

By lightly screwing on the cap the the Playtpus clean water bag, this allows displaced air from the water entering the clean bag to escape and allows the flow to continue normally.

This is just a guess assuming a lot about your setup, but it is the only thing that I can think of from my own experience that would cause the problem that you having.

Basically, you DO NOT want to have a closed/sealed system between the dirty and clean water because of the need to allow that air to escape from the catch bag.

otherwise, air pressure builds up and prevents additional water from entering your clean bag.

I really hope that this is the solution to your problem, otherwise, I can not think of anything else- which is a worry for me and any other user of this filter.

-Tony

Darn… not it. I use a sea to summit dry bag, but even with the top open and exposed to air so that pressure can't build up it doesn't work. i will continue to fiddle around with it and may call the company if i can't figure anything out.

Derek,

Sorry that I could not help you.

Could you please post back here after you talk to Sawyer about the filter?

I really would like to know what happened to your filter.

-Tony

It's fine Tony, thanks for trying. I have emailed them (24 hours ago almost) and am waiting for a response now. I will keep you posted.