Ceramic Water Filtration System Monolithic Filter Ceramic Filter Filter Sock Spigot 0.5 Micron Efficiency - $29.95
The video on the page will show you how to make a decent filter with the kit and two five gallon storage buckets.
Posted on 12/10/2012 9:34:21 AM PST by Vigilanteman
With the downward spiral of society and the economy ensured by Obama's narrow reelection, I am now looking at gear to ensure, or at least greatly improve, my family's survival when TSHTF.
I have 3-4 months supply of food including canned goods, dried goods, MREs and stuff we use regularly. I have ammunition and firearms to protect it and a couple of alternative escape plans just in case. I also have a hand-crank radio and lighting to ensure communication and illumination. Last election season also helped us define which neighbors would be potential allies, most of them military veterans including a guy with a large front yard flagpole and kids who farm and potential looters, those who put out the rare Obama lawn signs in our neighborhood.
Next big worries are alternative fuel (we're looking into propane) and water. Especially water.
You can't store enough water. It is heavy, bulky and must be rotated frequently or you have to buy expensive canned or bottled water especially designed for long term storage. Everyone has some water in their water heater and the back of their toilet tanks which would be safe to use with just a capful or so of chlorine per gallon, but that would provide you with a few days worth of water at best.
We need to get something which could treat readily available unsafe water and turn it into safe water. When TSHTF, the last thing you want to deal with is an even minor intestinal ailment from drinking unsafe water which could develop into something fatal.
I like the looks of the ceramic filter that was on the thread from last night as well as the price(Another Emergency Survival Preparedness list). For one thing the price fits my budget.
Also, american_ranger gave some excellent information on using Calcium Hypochlorite to make your own bleach. It has a 10 year shelf life and is much more portable than the liquid stuff in case of Bug Out situation.
I am thinking if I got a solar panel outfit, I might want it to do more than what this one does, but it depends on you and your situation.
Water is my biggest concern - only 3 days without it-that weighs on my mind a little. Even though we have a well, it doesn’t run without a pump, we have never even needed to tap the water heater and have been without electric for extended periods and managed very well.
Plus I like to have 3 alternatives minimum for most things. For water, I’d like to have more than 3, and indeed something for all occasions which gets a little obsessive after a while I guess. I also would like to be as self sufficient as possible.
We do have portable generators, but there again fuel could eventually run out, even if I could get Hubby to do the wiring to use the generator.
I eventually found very narrow buckets of less than 6” in diameter which should work. I also found make it your self plans.
Since they don’t cost much, I can either buy the device or the materials to make it. It is so inexpensive, I won’t mind if we don’t ever have to use it. It will make me feel lots better too.
Next up, what if the well goes dry? A real concern this summer, due to the drought, and new next door neighbors who seem to be oblivous to that possibility and make no restriction to their water wasting activities which hurts everyone in our subdivision.
Also, there is always the potential for the well water to become contaminated. Adding chlorine would suffice for some, but not all of the potential contaminants.
So what to do if the well is not useable? Well, we already collect rainwater off the roof, but we didn’t have enough for the garden last year, so we purchased an above ground pool which will give us about 4000 gallons in addition to our other supplies. That will help no doubt, but we do need most of that to grow our food.
Using the ceramic filter, and bleach or boiling and/or distillation we could turn this into potable water.
But what if the drought gets worse, and the storage isn’t enough?
Same as in the woods with no stream? Trees have deep roots. Some are deeper than others. Tie bags around the branches and let condensation work, or set up a solar still. Well, that’s good to know and could save your life out in the booties. Still don’t want to spend a year or more doing that.
There is a gizmo that runs on electricity that makes drinkable water by pulling moisture out of the air. It costs too much -$1500.00 and up. Then you are back to the question of fuel too. But it started me thinking.
Our central air conditioner produces 5-10 gallons of water per day; we usually collect it for the garden it would be more than enough and pretty clean to begin with.
Now we are back to electricity. Solar power is not feasible for us to set up for that. However, a dehumidifier might just do it and use less electricity that a less expensive solar system could handle. It could also be loaded into a vehicle to go with you. So that’s what I am currently researching.
At some point, if the situation is bad enough, and lasts long enough, I am convinced that getting an ethanol converter for your necessary engines and generators, a small still, and then make your own fuel would be great.
Except the Government won’t let you - afraid you might make some moonshine. But hey that could change some day right?
When I was researching inverters, I ran across a similar size solar equipment outfit that did a little more than the one on this page, and had the possibllity of using solar, inverter/generator, or regular electrical outlet.
I thought I bookmarked it, but couldn’t find it to compare the two.
Well, I hope I have generated lots of alternatives for you to consider-maybe something will spark and idea that will help you decide whether to purchase this or look around a little more. Good luck.
Expensive yet durable....used these for more than 20 plus years all over the world....
Never failed me...
Katdyn Expedition ... Have two of em at home now along with the small pocket filter they make as well. The pocket filter katdyn was issued to me in 1988 while active duty. It still serves me well.
http://shop.katadyn.com/media/dimg/27af3554b8e1d21458e20ba9c89602bd.jpg?l=4
Stay safe ...
Turn off your pool pump and it turns green very quickly.
Also, chemicals to kill algae contain copper which isn’t good for people to ingest.
What about building your own water system? A 55-gal plastic drum with charcoal and sand fed from cistern/gutter system?
I mean, if the SHTF time comes, you may not be able to get filters. Seems like their ought to be a natural resources alternative afa as filtering.
Save me some time, please. Is this about how to set up such filter systems at home? This is the way I want to go. Buying/stocking gross counts of filters seems like a loser proposition to me, in terms of long term.
I’ve tested that stove and it’s very fuel efficient. However, for daily use over a long period of time, it wouldn’t hold up. I really like the EcoZoom stove and the rocket stoves by Stove Tec. they are extremely heavy duty and use very little fuel. Get one that uses both charcoal and wood.
As far as water goes, I’ve tested the LIfe Straw and really like it for a portable water filter. http://eartheasy.com/lifestraw
Bleach is good but it has a shelf life of about a year. If you remember to rotate it, no problem. You can use calcium hypochlorite, aka pool shock, but not all “pool shock” is the same. Get one with calcium hypochlorite as the only active ingredient. Here are instructions and then something I added after talking with a city water engineer.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Using-Pool-Shock-as-a-Water-Purifier.pdf
I have an Aqua Pail that I need to test and review. The inventors of that product believe it to be the best, of course, but I haven’t taken a close look at it yet.
Good luck.
I've started building my own water filter, but just have not found time to finish it. I did have time, however, to buy my Big Berkey, which is much nicer than anything I could have constructed from PVC tubing, etc. And, with some extra elements you should be able to purify water for a small group while the rest of the world dies off.
All I see now are the silver impregnated ceramic katdyns .... Give em a email and ask.
Sorry couldn’t help .... Stay safe !
I think that is a good way to go, but UV does not remove particles, so I want to be able to clear the water first and then have several systems to make sure the water is safe to drink
Here is one nano silver
http://www.h2odistributors.com/cbc-10(10)-ns-lr.asp
“...I want to be able to clear the water first...”
Agreed. We do too. Our 25,000 gallon cistern could be cleared as we use it by staged filtration. I like that approach.
We have two wells, but need power to pump the water. We are working on that too. We are thinking about a natural gas fueled generator, 17 kw Generac or equivalent. We have mineral rights to a gas well and would pipe directly from the well when it is SHTF time. Otherwise, the generator would give us uninterrupted power during temporary interruptions.
“...I want to be able to clear the water first...”
Agreed. We do too. Our 25,000 gallon cistern could be cleared as we use it by staged filtration. I like that approach.
We have two wells, but need power to pump the water. We are working on that too. We are thinking about a natural gas fueled generator, 17 kw Generac or equivalent. We have mineral rights to a gas well and would pipe directly from the well when it is SHTF time. Otherwise, the generator would give us uninterrupted power during temporary interruptions.
Berkey has sold hundreds if not thousands of defective filters. Then they changed their return policy to make it harder to get them replaced and charge a pro rated fee. They were using a glue to adhere the filter to the plastic base. The glue doesn’t stick to the plastic base, and allows water to rush around it rather than through it..
I bought the Royal Berkey with 8 extra filters. All of my filters failed. Two fell completely off their bases
If you want a quality ceramic filter in a gravity fed system, get a Doulton.
Here you can get them for about half the cost of a Berkey. Stainless steel housing and all!
http://stpaulmercantile.com/index.php?action=store&page=WaterFilters
Actually their high failure rate makes them the worst. Google defective Berkey, and spend several hours reading all the complaints. I believe I nearly died because I was drinking unfiltered surface water from my Berkey. Please don’t trust your life to them!
Please don’t encourage people to buy a defective water filter! I’m not aware if hey ever did fix the defects. Last time someone in the know said anything, they were still selling defective filters. All 10 of mine were defective.
As I’m telling everyone who posts about Berkeys, get a Douton. Berkey sold way too many defective filters to ever be trusted. I bought a Roupyal Berkey which came with 2 filter candles, and 8 spares. All 10 of mine failed.
Please google ‘defective Berkey’ and spend some time reading about all the unhappy folks who bought them, and wound up drinking unfiltered water because the defect allows water to bypass the filter element. I’m one of them.
I've had one for over 10 years and it's fine. Chill.
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