Sawyer Gravity Setup – Bag Alternatives

[Yoyo]

I think this is what you need:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=37300&catid=926

I’m not entirely sure, though, as I haven’t tested it.  But it should work with your female coupling, or so it seems.

[JCH]

re: “vapor lock”. Just squeeze the dirty bag until water begins to exit the filter. No additional hardware required.

[KRS]

Casey and Dave, I don’t use the (valved) QC on the hoses because once they are disconnected the water or air is stuck in the hose even if the opposite end is not valved. I have been down that road already!!! I will Just use the valved QC on bottles caps, preferably soft bottles. I only use my gravity system in camp (It is my luxury item). Hiking I use the Sawyer squeeze screwed on a Smartwater bottle for filtering into another Smartwater bottle. I like the Squeeze because it easy to switch from one system to the other with the adapter. I also wanted to be easy to remove in freezing conditions so I could put it into a pocket or sleep with it. Little thing to think about when building a gravity set up. BTW I found 4 feet of tubing to be the best IMO any longer and you need a ladder to hang the darn thing.

My Hiking setup

Camp Setup

[Yoyo]

Kurt,

Can you explain exactly why the air/water will be trapped in the hose if you incorporate the shut-off valve into the tubing, right above the dirty inlet to the filter?  Couldn’t you just dump the dirty water out of the other end of the tube?  Here is my plan:

 

Dirty bladder -> screw on cap with male nozzle -> dirty tubing -> female attachment with shut off valve -> male attachment (no shut off valve) -> short length of dirty tubing > male barb on dirty side of filter -> FILTER -> male barb on clean side of filter -> clean tubing on hydration system

I just placed the order on US Plastics for these parts.  Let me know if I should switch things around.  I thought that by incorporating the shut off valve into the dirty tubing, I could avoid using the clamp that you are using to prevent “vapor lock.”  Just trying to save weight here and simplify things as much as possible.  Let me know your thoughts.

 

Thanks,

David

[KRS]

Can you explain exactly why the air/water will be trapped in the hose if you incorporate the shut-off valve into the tubing, right above the dirty inlet to the filter? Couldn’t you just dump the dirty water out of the other end of the tube?

David, its like putting you finger on the end of a straw while it in a drink and lifting it out, the water stays on the straw. Now take your finger and put it over one end and push the other end into a drink the air will not let the water up the straw. Same idea if you use a valved QC. It will work fine using the filter but will be a problem getting things started. That is the reason I use the clamp. Try it, it may not be a problem for you.

[J-L]

I received a couple of the 1/4” adapters for hanging tube waterer mentioned earlier in this thread (http://www.qcsupply.com/quarter-inch-adapter-hanging-tube-waterer.html)

They weigh 14g total. 7g of that weight is in the large metal washer which seems critical to getting a good seal. I initially tried attaching the setup to a lightweight 30D silnylon water bag I have from Anti-Gravity Gear and I got some leakage around the adapter. I then added some PTFE thread seal tape around the adapter and in the thread, but it didn’t seem to help.

I suspected that the large amount of water pressure may be stressing the silnylon around the adapter (or that I had somehow damaged the fabric near the adapter), allowing water to more easily pass through the fabric. So I then tried the adapter on some scrap silnylon 2nds fabric I have (which has a very thick coating and is quite heavy) and I only get a small little drip. Seems like for this application, a heavier fabric may be needed. Since I already own the adapter, I may try it out with some of the high HH SilPoly fabric I have, but will probably just end up going with the 4L Platypus bag idea since others have reported it to be reliable. The weight may be comparable too when all components are accounted for

For trips where hauling water is required, I picked up a couple of the 2L Platypus bags. We’ll see how long these last. They do screw onto my Sawyer Squeeze with no issue and no leakage.

[bmcf]

Where do you get that “valved quick connect” that you put on your orange Evernew cap? Do you have a web link to them, it’s just what I’m looking for. Of course will need info on male end if not sold as set. Those are nice setups.

[Author]

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