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gravity filter


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  • #1264331
    Matt DeWitt
    Member

    @tritan

    Locale: Midwest

    I did a hammock hang for the first time with the hammock form.net guys and one of them had a katdin base camp gravity filter it was great. I wan't to find something like it but a bit smaller would be nice for solo or me and the wife. I found ULA made a omega pro but no longer sell it . Is there something like it you guys recommend? I saw a guy made his own but no idea how he did it. If its that easy I would try it but would rather buy one.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzRlfV44Z-I if you are interested in the trip.

    #1653943
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    This really is an easy MYOG project. I made one using a JacksRBetter pack cover and a Sawyer inline filter. There was a parts list that i used posted on another site. This can also be done with a silnylon stuff sack. I originally used a katadyn hiker filter element but it clogged too quickly. I added a siltstopper inline to stop that from happening with the Sawyer.

    I think that I posted that on here as well. I'll take a look for a link

    http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=31461&skip_to_post=266377#266377

    Here is the link for the filter before I added the Sawyer filter and siltstopper. There is also a link to the parts list.

    #1653944
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    Here is one thread.

    And Here is another.

    #1653963
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    Heath,
    That link requires a login.
    I tried to search on heathpitts and "gravity filter" but got no hits.

    Can you provide a date and a few key words?

    I'm particularly interested in you silt filter. Brief description?

    Thanks.

    #1653968
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    The post was titled "Gravity filter with JRB pack cover". I'm not sure why that link requires a login. Date was 4/14/2010

    The siltstopper is an MSR product. It's made for use in really sandy water. It has a replaceable filter material inside and I also added some carbon for taste inside the siltstopper. The Sawyer doesn't include carbon. So far this has worked well with the same or better filter rate of the katadyn hiker element

    #1653971
    Matt DeWitt
    Member

    @tritan

    Locale: Midwest

    hmmmm. interesting. I don't see alot directions on how to do it. The filter I seen was a homemade bag of some kind with a filter in the center of it and a clamp on a tube. It was great we could go to the tap when we needed it and filter our bottles. I don't see this any where. I wonder if a sawyer filter inline would be enough?

    #1653976
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    Looks like I can no longer access that post on hammock forums. Arrowhead Equipment used to sell an item called aqua simple I think but I don't see it on their site anymore. Here is one similar using a Seychelles filter on gofastandlight

    http://www.gofastandlight.com/Gravity-Power-Water-Filter-and-Purification-Basecamp-Bag/productinfo/W-S-GRAVBAG/

    I ordered all the pieces from U.S. Plastics. I'll try to find my order and post the parts list here

    #1653977
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    Item # Qty Qty U/M Item Price Disc % Disc Price Extended Price Item Description
    62169 2 Each $0.90   $0.90 $1.80 Female Adapter Nylon Fitting 1/4" x 1/4"
    62174 2 Each $0.65   $0.65 $1.30 Male Adapter Nylon Fitting 1/4" x 1/4"
    59200 2 Each $0.51   $0.51 $1.02 Tubing Clamp accepts tubing up to 1/2 inch O.D. Acetal.

    I also used some rubber bumper washers that I purchased at Home Depot

    #1653994
    Matt DeWitt
    Member

    @tritan

    Locale: Midwest

    I like the gofastandlight setup. That is what I am looking for . 27 bucks is better then the Kat base filter for 70.00.

    #1654002
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    Heath,
    Thanks for the follow up info.
    I'm on it.
    Great setup.

    #1654005
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    Any time! If you are going to build your own and you want me to post more pics of the current setup then I will be glad to do so.

    #1654014
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    I really like the idea of adding activated charcoal to the pre-filter!

    Clean, clear, good tasting water every time.

    #1654017
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    It seems to work well. I did have to add a small piece of screen over the top of the carbon. I just wanted to make sure that no smaller pieces would become stuck in the tube.

    #1654091
    Pieter Kaufman
    Member

    @pieter

    I have my eye on the Frontier Pro, but on the shop page, the gravity rig tutorial video incorporates Micropur tabs as part of the system. The product text says nothing about requiring tablets as a fail-safe, and inasmuch as I've used other people's filters, no one's ever doubled-up the filter with tabs. Is there something different about the Frontier Pro that makes doubling up with tabs prudent, or is the tutorial guy just overly cautious?

    #1654092
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    I believe that the filter pore size on the frontier pro is larger than the Sawyer or Katadyn. That would be the reason for the tablets first

    #1654099
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    Yes, Pieter, the pore size on the Frontier Pro is 2.0 microns. This will filter out the protozoa spores, but not bacteria or certainly viruses. The Sawyer filter has a pore size of 0.1 micron, which will take care of everything but viruses. So, you need to add pills or Aqua Mira when using the Frontier Pro. The big advantage of the FP over just using pills is that you don't have to wait up to 4 hours before drinking (bacteria and viruses are neutralized in maybe 20 minutes; the filter takes care of the protozoa). The other advantage of the FP is its charcoal element. This removes the chlorine taste of the pills or Aqua Mira. The Sawyer doesn't have a charcoal element, so your pill-treated water (if you're using them to kill viruses) will still have the chlorine taste.

    #1654114
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    There are various ways to add a charcoal element. You can make your own and run it theough a small dropper bottle attahced to your hose somehow, buy charcoal at fish supply store. Or you can use these filter things that farmers use, i've seen them before on a setup, they fit right in your hose for the gravity setup, are pretty light too. Hopefuully someone will remember. I think a sawyer + a charcoal is the best way to go without a doubt, but you have to myog it, thats what im going to eventually do. Cuben water collection bag + hose + charcaol + sawyer.

    #1654117
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    I added the charcoal to the MSR siltstopper that I have in-line. It seems to work well so far.

    #1654122
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    #1654144
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    Those look like they would work well. Any ideas on the element that is in the filter already? Could be a low cost replacement to the siltstopper if the pore size is small enough

    #1654146
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    Sorry, there was a thread on Hammockforums that had the details, i cannot remember. Do some googling, i will later. peace

    BTW how long does the siltstopper thingy last before you have to replace it, i really like it. at less than 2 oz, its appealing.

    #1654157
    Pieter Kaufman
    Member

    @pieter

    Gary and Heath, thanks for the clarification. I guess I could have read the fine print!

    However, this is interesting to me, given that I've been out with a lot of people who use and seem to love filters like the Katydyn, and I wasn't aware that they don't stop absolutely everything. I wonder if all the users are aware of this as well.

    For me personally, if I have to carry tablets and employ them with the filter as well, that's a real knock against the system. Not because of weight per se, but because of a lack of simplicity. More and more, I'm finding that the fussier the system, the less likely I am to want to use it. Aquamira drops work fine, but I'm tired of playing junior chemist on the trail. Tablets take too long. I may still experiment with a filter system, but not if I have to double it up with something else.

    I did just buy a Steripen, and I was kind of sold on the idea on a trip in July when another companion had one. But even it has its shortfalls.

    Thankfully for me, most of the year I don't have to worry about treating my water. It's just those relatively few trips (i.e., up Whitney trail in summer with no snow) when I won't drink untreated water that it becomes a pain.

    #1654161
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    I feel like the sawyer is the best bet, becasue from the reviews it seems to have a long life, its backflushable as well, and takes care of everything except viruses. The purifier version also takes out viruses. So if you had this + a charcoal element, you would never need chemicals, it would be as easy as scoop and filter. I would even install some sort of prefilter, to increase the longevity of the sawyer-which is already one of the longest among all water filters for backpacking. And im just guessing here, but i bet the whole setup could be under 7-8oz if you did it right.

    Is the MSR siltstopper charcoal based or not? It appears white the inside.

    #1654166
    Heath Pitts
    BPL Member

    @heathpitts

    Locale: Nashville

    The siltstopper isn't carbon based. I just added the carbon to the void in the middle of the filter.

    #1654173
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    Heath, what type of carbon did you use–powdered or granulated? Where did you buy a small quantity? I have a siltstopper on the way, and I'd like to try your technique with my Sawyer setup.

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