Improve my sawyer + myog gac water filter

[isaac m]

So this setup has served me well everytime I’ve been out but I haven’t changed anything on it in years.  It consists of a platy scoop bag w/on/off switch, sawyer and below that a refillable homemade granulated activated carbon filter(shown empyy) with small filter cloth to stop the gac from coming out.  If there have been any advancements in filters either activated carbon or otherwise, I’d appreciate any input.  Ty

[Michael B]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Nice. I’ve never needed to filter for taste in any streams but could appreciate in more desperate situations!  Looking forward to seeing some ideas about it.</p>

[JCH]

Nice UL filter setup…very similar to mine.

I suggest moving both the sawyer and carbon filter to the very bottom of tube.  I found the extra pressure of a full column of water above to increase flow noticeably. It’s not night and day, but it’s worth the effort.

 

[isaac m]

My thinking was if I dont have a long enough space between the sawyer and the carbon filter (about 2 feet right now) there wont be enough pressure and the flow rate will be very slow out of the carbon filter.  If I move them both lower, the setup will be very long, do you see this as a problem?

Do you think that with both of them at the bottom, there will still be enough pressure for a decent flow from the carbon filter as the sawyer will absorb most of the pressure snd whatever is left to go into the carbon wont be much.

[Michael B]

How is the flow rate going just through the charcoal filter? The pressure drop across the sawyer is probably higher, I would try going from the filter with the lowest pressure drop to the highest, whichever that is. For the sawyer on my gravity setup, I found that 36-42” is sufficient head pressure, so if the charcoal only needs a few inches, maybe you mount the charcoal filter 6” from the top, then another 36” to the sawyer. That would be a reasonable length if you wanted to tie it up around a tree or something

[Josh J]

how did you make your carbon filter, i’ve been wanting to make one!

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