Subject:
Re: _[tt-forum]_Re:_Planned_Emergency_Water_filtering_In_It’s_simplicity
From:

Date:
Mon, 26 Jan 2004 09:32:34 -0800
To:
tt-forum@yahoogroups.com

An important item to have is the following:
"RUBBER STRAP WRENCH" on sale now for $3.99. See
http://www.harborfreight.com/
Type in the number 40198 below the following line an hit go.
Find Item Number:
40198   & hit go

You can also get a similar item at most good local hardware stores for 
more cost.  By the way these work good on stuck lids on jars.



Leigh Ann Gray wrote:


 Many thanks for the breakdown!  You are the one that has solutions to 
problems...you have no idea!
 
   wrote:Home Depot recite says:
 
 084691790945 FXUTC      14.97   FOR FILTER CANISTER CASE
 084691795896 GXWH01C     9.99   FOR CARBON FILTER ELEMENT .5 to 1 Micron
 048643025561 VINYL TUBE  2.98   10FT OF 5/8" CLEAR VINYL TUBE
 048643067431 BARB        1.49   3/4" PIPE TO 1/2" HOSE ADAPTER
 048643067431 BARB        1.49   3/4" PIPE TO 1/2" HOSE ADAPTER
               subtotal   30.92
               Tax         2.55
               total      33.47
 
 
 mr_john_jones2003 wrote:
 
 

-



One of the simplest and cheapest ways to get a quantity of quality 
drinking water in an emergency takes a bit of preparation before 


the 



need.  One collects up a few basic things.  For example:

1) Carbon or Carbon block filter cartridge rated at .5 to 1 micron 


600 



to 3000 Gallon capacity.  The filters element is about 9.75" long 


and 



about 2.25" in diameter. Typical cost is about $10-$27/each.  I 


used 



Home Depot's $9.99 unit.

2) Standard plastic case with removable filter canister, so the 


filter 



cartridge can be replaced.  Has .5" or .75" pipe thread for input 


and 



output. Typical cost is about $13 to $25.

3) Plastic or brass adapter to change the pipe thread to plastic 


tubing. 



I used two .75" pipe to .5" tubing plastic adapter fittings that 


cost 



$1.49 each.

4) 5/8" Vinyl clear plastic tubing is about .5" inside diameter 


and 



works well.  Easy to assembly by hand.  You need a minimum of 10 


ft and 



preferably more, say 40 ft.  This is about  $.30/ft.

My unit cost $33.47 for parts at Home Depot, and took about 10 


minutes 



to assemble.  I had two plastic buckets already ($3.00/each).   


These 



parts can typically be stored and built when the emergency arises. 
Storing extra filter cartridges as one can afford it is 


recommended.



Construction:  One bucket is put on the floor, with the other 


bucket up 



in the air as high as possible. I used a stepladder for my 


testing. 



When needed, one could hang it from the ceiling, or a branch of a 


tree, 



or up a hill, or make a three-log tripod that it could be hung 


from. 



The hose runs from the high bucket to the input of the water 


filter at 



ground level.  The output of the water filter uses a short as 


possible 



hose to just make it into the lower bucket.

One can cut a smaller than the hose-diameter-hole in the side of 


the 



upper plastic bucket near the bottom with a sharp knife or drill 


bit. 



This is planned out to be a tight pressure fit and seals its self 


when 



the hose is pushed into it.  If this becomes a problem then fish 


tank 



silicon water sealant can be used to stiffen and seal the 


connection.



The higher the top bucket the higher the head pressure or flow 


rate.  A 



height of 3.5 ft above the top rim of the bottom bucket to the 


bottom of 



the upper bucket gives about 6.6 Gallons/day output.  At a height 


of 5.1 



ft gives about 47 Gallons/day.

As the filter clogs up the rate will go down.  So the idea is to 


build 



as much potential head pressure into the initial design as one 


can. 



The Block Carbon filters typically remove about 98% lead at a flow 


rate 



of .5 GPM or 720 gallons/day.  Now if the flow rate is several 


hundred 



times slower than rated flow rate then it can be expected the 


filtering 



percentage for lead and pathogens will improve.  Typical any 


filter of 



less than 1 micron will filter pathogen cysts to a high percentage.

An option for improving the filtering capacity is to put one or 


more 



stages of particle filter canisters in front of the carbon 


filter.  One 



could use 20 micron and/or 5 micron stages before the carbon 


block .5 to 



1 micron filter.  Doing this would greatly extend the time before 


the 



carbon filter pugs up.

The only special tool needed for maintenance or filter changing is 


a 



strap wrench or special stamped out plastic wrench that fits over 


the 



canister case to help tighten and loosen.  I bought several strap 
wrenches on sale at Harborfreight tools for $3.99 each.  Sometimes 


one 



is strong enough that one can tighten and loosen it by hand 


without a 



wrench.





Can you provide an URL to these items?  How about a UPC?   I didn't 
see them at my local Home Depot.

I agree that activated carbon filters can purify water to 
astonishing degrees, but all activated carbon was not created equal.

I formerly used activated carbon to purify water to less than 0.001 
parts-per-million of halogenated compounds on a routine basis, but 
it was not a particularly affordable process.




