# Big Berkey Water Purifier



## unregistered296863 (Apr 13, 2012)

Looking to purchase a water purifier for emergency use as well as every day use. Have read conflicting reviews on Amazon in regards to the filter cartridges... I would really appreciate opinions and experiences in regards to this product (and the company supplying them) as well as suggestions on perhaps any comparable purifiers out there.
Many Thanks,
Mari


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

Well you will get MANY different opinions on here. I have the berkey light, I purchased it from MPS and LOVE it. It meets our needs and has held up well. That said I do test my filters once a month to make sure they are working properly. I fill the top with water/red food coloring and watch for the red to come thru. The instructions come with the filters. I love my berkey and you will not find a better company to buy it from than MPS, free shipping and great customer service.


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## GaryinTX (Mar 15, 2012)

I've had an Imperial Berkey for about a year and a half with four filters. Absolutely great performance so far. With our water it would be noticed immediately if the filters were leaking.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

Water Filtration System - Berkey Filtration System - Gaiam
I got this one on sale with free shipping black friday/Christmas season. Love it! Five stars!


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## Mike CHS (Apr 3, 2011)

We have the Big Berkey at out place and have just discovered our third faulty filter in a little over a year and a half (3 out of 4 purchased). In spite of that I would buy one again if I was looking to buy a water filtration system. I'm thrilled with the number of bad filters but have been around enough manufacturing to know that "stuff" happens occasionally.


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## sahmoffour (Nov 4, 2010)

We have the 2nd largest size (I think it's the Crown?) and we love it! Works great, after 3 months no red food coloring makes it through when we do the test, and water tastes great. Filters fast. Definitely nice for peace of mind too knowing we have a back up source of water between our Big Berkey and our 3 1000 L rain barrels.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

As long as you use the Doulton filters/candles you won't have failures. The black filters which have a history of failing do need to be tested.


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## longshot38 (Dec 19, 2006)

sort of on topic, what is the difference between the white filters and the black?

thanks
dean


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

Great question. I have the black filters and they tested fine, but I'm doing research and want the white filters now.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

longshot38 said:


> sort of on topic, what is the difference between the white filters and the black?
> 
> thanks
> dean


The sterasyl and super sterasyl filters are made in the Britain by Fairey Ceramics. I don't think anyone on HT knows were the black filters are made.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The black filters are LIKELY made in China or Korea. The Berkey people operate out of a house, and CLAIM the filters are made in the U.S., yet offer no supporting documentation.

I have to guess at this, so I may be incorrect. However, my ratio of correct to incorrect is about 95% to 5%. I THINK, based on evidence, that the black filters have a type of carbon block that also contains alum (aluminum sulfate) as the inner core to an outer filter of porous ceramic. The adhesive between the filter element and the plastic holder uses an adherent that is weak.

The Douton/ British Berkfeld filters have a granulated carbon core, a rock solid adherent between base and filter, and a silver compound within the ceramic. 

I have been extremely concerned about the tack that Berkey has taken when it was found that its black filters had problems.

Bluntly - I have Doulton filters and you could not PAY me to swap them for the more expensive Berkey filters.

If Berkey doesn't like me, tough. My life and the life of my wife is worth more than marketing and a popularity contest. I am EXTREMELY careful not to make outrageous claims. The same can not be said for certain companies...


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## jamala (May 4, 2007)

where do you purchase the Douton filters?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

You can buy from lots of sources.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sup...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

For those that use the super sterasyl...how often do you need to replace them? I know it depends on water quality, but just trying to get a general idea. 

I really want to find a different product than the black berkey elements - I bought some last year, had to have them replaced because of the failed glue, and the replacements were just garbage. I even emailed the seller and asked where they are making these things now, China? They said, "oh, they just changed the molds". Yeah, right.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

cjean said:


> For those that use the super sterasyl...how often do you need to replace them? I know it depends on water quality, but just trying to get a general idea.
> 
> I really want to find a different product than the black berkey elements - I bought some last year, had to have them replaced because of the failed glue, and the replacements were just garbage. I even emailed the seller and asked where they are making these things now, China? They said, "oh, they just changed the molds". Yeah, right.


IIRC, the replacement period was based on how much water was filtered. If you filter a lot of water daily you'll need to replace the filters sooner than someone who doesn't use the filter as much.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Douton filters can be put into Berkey units?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

City Bound said:


> Douton filters can be put into Berkey units?


It's my understanding the differnt filters/candles are interchangeable. They don't specify the size of the hole. The hole size should be the same on all of the Berkey/Berkefeld models.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

What do you folks think of this one: CAMP-354 - Ceramic Water Filter Candle Style Filter Big Berkey Replacement Filter

Any good?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Camp-354 no. There is too much BS, which is a dead giveaway. Further, the cost difference between it and a Doulton isn't enough to make me jump.

What BS?
"Filters are manufactured to meet:
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 42
National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) Standard 53 "

Bullticky. manufactured to meet does NOT mean passing the tests and keeping the certification. Go to the NSF site. See who is certified for what. The rest of the claims are just copied BS.

We are still using four Doulton filters we started using in 2007 (average daily use of about three or four gallons). I figure we'll get another ten years out of 'em unless I switch to a whole house system I've been brewing in the back of my head.

The issue is less the ceramic than the carbon inside, which has a limited amount of ability to filter certain things. Carbon can get to a point that it HARBORS bacteria. That is not a good thing.

Yeah, hole size for the threaded part is the same.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

We bought the Berkey last year. Between the filters that came with it and the spares that we ordered, there were 10. Berkey never made any effort to notify us that they were selling defective filters (the black ones). I found out, and did the red food color test. All 10 of mine were defective. I can't trust any filter that they produce. The filter bases are glued to the black ceramic filter. The glue doesn't stick to the plastic base. It separates and allows unfiltered water to pass into the drinking water chamber. 

I currently have white Aqua Cera filters in my Berkey stainless steel housing.

If you do a search on Berkey here at HT in this forum, you will find a thread that I started,where I posted photographs of my Berkey test.

I have asked Berkey to do a recall of all of the filters they produced during the time they were selling defective filters, and they have refused. I turned them in to both Federal and state government agencies. I am very much afraid that someone will die from drinking unfiltered water from their Berkey.


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## Groene Pionier (Apr 23, 2009)

I have a Berkefield (the British Berkey) and I have the white ceramic water filters. They work great imo. An occasional cleaning under the tab and you are all set.


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## meddac (Nov 21, 2008)

I'm glad this thread came up. One of my last major purchases left to buy is a large water filter and this thread just confirms what reviews on Amazon have been saying. It's looking like a katadyn is in my future.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Tater, I recall you thread, it is was a good one. it shocked me.

I need to get a water filter also, but with all these bootleg filters going around, I am scared I will make the wrong choice. 

I am torn because I love the look of the metal berkey but I can make my own filter for much less money with food grade buckets and parts. I am thinking that the metal casing of the berkey is a better choice for a life long purchase, where as the plastic buckets will start to break down later in life and I will have to rebuild the filter again (Maybe it is just me but older plastic starts to give water a plastic taste as it ages and gently decays). I still have not made up my mind though.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> Tater, I recall you thread, it is was a good one. it shocked me.
> 
> I need to get a water filter also, but with all these bootleg filters going around, I am scared I will make the wrong choice.
> 
> I am torn because I love the look of the metal berkey but I can make my own filter for much less money with food grade buckets and parts. I am thinking that the metal casing of the berkey is a better choice for a life long purchase, where as the plastic buckets will start to break down later in life and I will have to rebuild the filter again (Maybe it is just me but older plastic starts to give water a plastic taste as it ages and gently decays). I still have not made up my mind though.


This is where I bought my Aqua Cera filter candles.

Doulton Water Filters

If you look, they also sell Doulton stainless steel filter housings, for a great deal less money than you would pay for a Berkey. They sell Doulton and Aqua Cera candle filters. Doulton has been around forever, and I haven't been able to find negatives about either kind of filter. We are happy with the ones we are using at our ranch. There, our water comes from a creek. So with surface water, you really do need an excellent water purifier.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

thanks tator


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

About half way through the show the host goes into the history of these filters and a little bit about berkey. 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PQ5lg2yfI]The Armchair Survivalist radio show April 8 2012 - YouTube[/ame]


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> About half way through the show the host goes into the history of these filters and a little bit about berkey.
> 
> The Armchair Survivalist radio show April 8 2012 - YouTube


It starts at about 1:05. I'm listening to it now.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> Douton filters can be put into Berkey units?


Yes, Doulton and Aqua Cera filter candles will fit in your Berkey housing.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> About half way through the show the host goes into the history of these filters and a little bit about berkey.
> 
> The Armchair Survivalist radio show April 8 2012 - YouTube


Folks, you really should listen to what this guy has to say. He used to be a Berkey dealer. So he talks about a great many things from the history of Doulton, British Berkefeld, Ne Millinium Concepts,a nd the difference between "Berkey" and British Berkefeld. He talks about the Berkey light, and how as a dealer he had three in stock that didn't sell, and all three cracked while still in their boxes, and NMC refused to replace them. I'm sure glad I got the stainless steel! 

He talks about how the different types of filters and how they are made, and what they do. He talks about the black berkey filter and how it is made, and what it does and doesn't filter, and the high failure rate of these filters. As I said above, his discussion on the fiters begins at about 1:05.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

From about 1:23 for about 20 minutes, he goes on about New Millennium. He confirms everything I researched and worse. (For a while, it was like I was listening to myself) If, as he suggests, the black filter is JUST a carbon block filter, then 90% of the claims about it are pure bunkum. It just plain astounds me that these guys have pulled off their (word deleted) for this long and gotten away with it.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Harry Chickpea said:


> From about 1:23 for about 20 minutes, he goes on about New Millennium. He confirms everything I researched and worse. (For a while, it was like I was listening to myself) If, as he suggests, the black filter is JUST a carbon block filter, then 90% of the claims about it are pure bunkum. It just plain astounds me that these guys have pulled off their (word deleted) for this long and gotten away with it.


Ha! As I was listening to him I was wondering if it WAS you talking!


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Yeah, that host makes it sound as though berkey are the problem and that berkey is causing all the trouble by degrading the integrity of the market by copy catting berkfield.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

CityBound, that sounds pretty accurate. British Berkfield isn't the problem, and never was. All of the problems I have had are with New Millenium Concepts and their black Berkey filters. If you do your own search on defective filters you will find many, many unhappy people posting online about their defective black Berkey filters. You will find lots of complaints about the filters coming apart, and people drinking unfiltered water because of it. You will also read about mishandled complaints to NMC.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Well, those black filters are just junk made in china. I doubt they even filter all the things they claim they can filter. To me it just sounds like the chinese bootleg market. 

I am happy you folks told me about the doultons.

When I first found out about these types of filters I was confused because what I read about was berkfield then when I went looking for them all I found was the berkey filters and I had no idea if they were the same people with a new name or something different.

I am suprised that lehmans still carries berkey. I think they should dump berkey. I do not see berkey staying in business much longer. I would not be suprised if they are not being sued by angry shoppers.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Can you imagine missionaries in the third world who had to deal with damaged filters? Hopefully they did not catch anythign serious and die.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

City Bound - I doubt that many missionaries use those filters. Costs, word of mouth, and hopefully some divine intervention would limit that.

Common Tator, a LOT of people are indebted to you for bringing the issue forward and for your perseverance.  You know that I am very curious about the reaction of one prominent forum member on these revelations.

I have more ummms and errrs when I speak. When I get past that, I guess I do have a decent radio voice. I don't much care. The important thing for me is that I think different. I make a heck of a lot of errors, but I usually get to a good end result.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> Can you imagine missionaries in the third world who had to deal with damaged filters? Hopefully they did not catch anythign serious and die.


Or here in America. I drank unfiltered creek water from my Berkey for months, because I didn't know about the defective filters. Then I had gastric bypass surgery. I read about the problems here on the S&EP forum. When I could finally get some red food color to do the test, I discovered that I had defective filters. We quit using the filters immediately. Then my stomach tore. I nearly died. I had to have emergency surgery to close the hole. Was it because I drank unfiltered creek water? Possibly. Probably. I had a lot of new wound tissue in my stomach for bacteria to fester in.

When I spoke with a manager at NMC and tried to tell him about this, he cut me off and blamed ME. That's right. The customer is supposed to know about the defective filters and do the red food color test. Apparently the customer is supposed to know this by ESP, because NMC made no effort to notify their customers of the defect. When they learned of the defect, they tightened up their return policy. I asked them to do a recall of the filters that were produced when the defective ones were sold. They refused.

I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, & with the Texas State Attorney General.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Yes, thank you tator, you did a great deed to all of us and I for one and very happy you sounded the alarm.

harry, I do not think we need to dig up old wounds. the most important thing is that the community is taking the matter into their own hands and talking amongst themselves to spread the word and help each other so that no one has to needlessly get sick or waste hard earned money that most of can not afford to waste. I am grateful to you harry for shedding light on this issue for me. Tator, I was just about to order a berkey when you posted your thread about the leakage. Before that i just trusted that the people who were making these filters were honest and they were testing them. Wrong I was. So, thank you for sounding the alarm and saving me a whole mess of anger and frustration and a pocket full of money that i barely had to spend.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Perhaps we could get more assistance from the government agencies that are supposed to protect us if more people would file complaints.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Tator, i hope nmc get hit hard over this issue because they earned the payback. Lehmans is still selling the black filters, are they the defective ones(?)....I do not know. Does lehman's care (?).....I do not know


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

if I had grounds to file a complaint, I would. I am just shocked because I nievely assumed that homesteading was a small subculture and that the industries that serviced the community were actually run by people who were homesteaders who were honest.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Not old wounds. The member I am thinking of is honest and reputable, but may have been taken in by stuff that I am not.

I fear the government stepping in. I would much rather see the system work with liability suits that would drive any opportunists out of the marketplace.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> if I had grounds to file a complaint, I would. I am just shocked because I nievely assumed that homesteading was a small subculture and that the industries that serviced the community were actually run by people who were homesteaders who were honest.


The magazines that serve the homesteading communities all still advertise Berkeys. Countryside, Backwoods Home, Mother Earth News. I sent a lengthy email about it to two of these, and got no response. 

So either you stumble across the information online by sheer luck, or you trust the magazines you love and have trusted for years, and they are leading you astray on this issue.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Mike CHS said:


> We have the Big Berkey at out place and have just discovered our third faulty filter in a little over a year and a half (3 out of 4 purchased). In spite of that I would buy one again if I was looking to buy a water filtration system.* I'm thrilled with the number of bad filters* but have been around enough manufacturing to know that "stuff" happens occasionally.


:shocked:

Do you mean you're not thrilled? Because that's a 75% failure rate. Despicable by any measure. In an EOTWAWKI scenario, you and your family would have a hard time getting by with just the one remaining filter, and then, only until it breaks, and it will break.

As far as I can tell, black Berkey filters have three phases.

1. Going to break.

2. Breaking.

3. Already broken.

Why not get something reliable?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Given what we now know - I am at the point of:

*If a distributor is still selling black Berkey filters - do NOT trust the distributor. They are more interested in taking your money than in your well being.
* Spend ALL of your prep money by supporting ONLY those distributors who have the decency to remove them from the product lineup. I hate to be so blunt, but if something THIS obvious passes their sniff test, they have no business being in business.

The same goes for various magazines that allow the advertising, although I'd allow a couple of months for pulling the advertising and a public retraction and warning.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Sadly, I have to agree Harry. The customer's health and safety must be paramount. Not the relationship as a distributor. And there are much better products out there. Much more reliable. Much safer, and much cheaper. There is no reason to stick with this product when the failure rate is so high. Especially when you know that the lives of your customers and their families depend on having good, safe drinking water.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Are you saying that a distributor of products needs to test and verify everything that they sell? I just don't think this is feasable. Do you think a distributor can test and verify everything that they sell? Do they have the facilities to test everything? The personnel to devote to this? That would sure drive up prices!

As for magazines... same goes. They would have to have a dedicated employee that would surf the internet looking for any controversey on any of the products out there that sellers are wanting to advertise? Do you think one of these magazines can verify everything in the distributor's catalog before allowing the distributor to advertise in their magazine? I'm sure that would outweigh the money they get for the advertisement itself. Here again, this would require them to raise the price of their magazines.

Yes, I think a distributor should monitor complaints coming in from their customers. This is part of customer service. I think they should do due dilligence in this regard. It's also my opinion that the gooberment does not have to get involved. They control or dictate way too much of what goes on in my life as it is. Buyer beware. Do your own research and purchase quality products. Spend that extra dollar if it's a safety product. Safety is not an area that you want to be cheap and save a buck.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

No Average Jo. We are saying that a distributor of survival products should quit selling a product when they KNOW that it has a high rate of failure and could cause death or disease because of it. Especially something as critical to survival as a water purifier.

The magazines that I contacted are aware of the defects. I found out about the defect right here on the S&EP forum. But I found that same poster on a discussion forum for one of those same magazines discussing the Berkey filter failures. Do they read the discussion forums that they set up and moderate? Do they read their own email?

Buyer beware with water purifiers? Spend an extra dollar? I spent a lot of extra dollars on my Berkey and extra filters. They are far more expensive than their competitors. And when I bought mine, the information about the defects wasn't yet out there. But Berkey knew. And they continued to sell defective filters. Spend an extra dollar, huh? I spent over $800.00 for my Berkey and extra filters. If I had known that I could have gotten a Doulton Stainless steel housing and the same number of extra filters (8) for $367.00, I never would have bought a Berkey! Read the red food color thread. I explain there that I nearly died, and I believe it was because I drank unfiltered creek water from my Berkey, thinking it was purified water. But "buyer beware", so I had it coming, right?

For what it's worth, we used a $35.00 pur countertop purifier for 11 years before buying the Berkey. The filters need to be replaced fairly regularly, but they always worked perfectly. It's a good thing too. We had that inexpensive filter to fall back on when we found out about our Berkey filters being defective. 

The distributors probably didn't hear about the defect from New Millenium Concepts, but they have sure heard about it from their customers. Would you continue to sell water filters that advertise that you can run stagnant pond water through them and drink clean, pure water from it, but in reality they come unglued and allow unfiltered water into the drinking water chamber? Would you continue to sell these filters knowing that your customers could get sick or die because they fail so frequently? Seriously?

I have to say, I'm amazed by the condescending tone of your post. How could you SUPPORT the selling of defective water purifiers?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

AverageJo said:


> Are you saying that a distributor of products needs to test and verify everything that they sell? I just don't think this is feasable. Do you think a distributor can test and verify everything that they sell? Do they have the facilities to test everything? The personnel to devote to this? That would sure drive up prices!
> 
> As for magazines... same goes. They would have to have a dedicated employee that would surf the internet looking for any controversey on any of the products out there that sellers are wanting to advertise? Do you think one of these magazines can verify everything in the distributor's catalog before allowing the distributor to advertise in their magazine? I'm sure that would outweigh the money they get for the advertisement itself. Here again, this would require them to raise the price of their magazines.
> 
> Yes, I think a distributor should monitor complaints coming in from their customers. This is part of customer service. I think they should do due dilligence in this regard. It's also my opinion that the gooberment does not have to get involved. They control or dictate way too much of what goes on in my life as it is. Buyer beware. Do your own research and purchase quality products. Spend that extra dollar if it's a safety product. Safety is not an area that you want to be cheap and save a buck.


I'll add to what Common Tator said, which I agree with.

Addressing the money and increased costs issue, given the multiple accounts of KNOWN issues at this point, distributors of the defective product are setting themselves up to be _cleaned out_ by lawsuits. The legal issue is that there has now been clear warning that the product has had a strong potential to be highly dangerous AND not do the very task it was supposedly _designed_ to accomplish. If it is like other scum companies, NMC is likely protected ten ways to .... through LLC, Corporate veil, siphoning of receipts into sham companies, etc.. Any attorney looking to recover damages is going to focus on the distributor almost immediately.

It takes business smarts to remain in business. A distributor who knowingly sells defective products is an idiot. Ever see how fast most retailers pull a recalled product from the shelves, even if it is a minor recall? They have business smarts. Product liability is a huge issue.

As for magazines, magazines refuse ads all the time if they don't meet their criteria. A magazine that advertises products that it knows are defective may not have the same liabilities as a distributor of the product, but it does have responsibility to readers. Crying poverty for not doing basic checks doesn't cut it.

What I have been quietly trying to promote, and am now saying with a louder voice, is that there still is such a thing as personal responsibility and ethics in business, even if it has to be enforced in the courts.

If someone knowingly sold me a defective product that killed my wife, or made her deathly sick, you don't even want to know how I would hound them to death. I can get REAL ugly. I would view such a person, a person promoting such a product, and the developer of the product as casual murderers unworthy of a free life, and I would make sure the world knew it.

If that doesn't convince you, consider that if a jury for a wrongful death suit was informed of what I now know, it would award the person bringing the suit the largest possible amount. I can just about guarantee that. 

There are hundreds of "scare" issues, like casual asbestos exposure, radon, and the like that get lots of publicity with little real proof positive of the risk. This is a case where the risk practically beats you over the head with a hammer, and you are suggesting it should be ignored or minimized? I think not.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

jo, they at least have to test samples from each batch. If the samples prove to be faulty then the whole batch comes into question and that batch needs to be isolated, investigated, and maybe destroyed.


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Common Tator: I'm sorry. I didn't mean my post to mean that you did anything wrong or to minimize nor dismiss what you went through. Not in the least. My eyes have been opened to what is going on by the posts everyone has written here. I meant it more for those that are still LOOKING at buying a filter. They need to do their research. Read forums like this one. If there was even one person, like YOU, that had serious health questions, I would NOT be buying this product. And I sure didn't mean for you to think I thought you "had it coming"... NO WAY. What you went through had to be very frightening to say the least and I wouldn't want anyone else to endure what you did... or worse. 

I guess I need to stop posting on heated threads. I can't seem to get my thoughts out right and someone gets offended. :bash:

I had misread the other posts and took them to mean that every company has to personally test all the products they distribute and handle, which isn't economically feasable. But I would agree that if they get numerous complaints, it would be prudent for them to look into it further. 

So what filter do you use now? Are you back to the PUR countertop model? Something else? How will you be sure they work? Will you be able to be assured of proper working order and verification of the claims of that company?

Again, I'm sorry if my post offended. It's hard for me to pose a contradictory point of view without any 'tone' to it. :cowboy:


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

FWIW, I still have the email from Fairey Ceramics the manufacturer of the Doulton ceramic filters and the original Berkefeld units. It states that *they have never had a Doulton candle fail.* Those are made in the UK. They are not crapped together in some Asian sweat shop like the black Berkey filters.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

"I guess I need to stop posting on heated threads. I can't seem to get my thoughts out right and someone gets offended." -AverageJo

LOL! If you are referring to me, you did not offend in the slightest. If anything, I need to apologize to you for catching you in the crossfire as I battle the intransigence of distributors and magazines. You asked honest questions. The heavy handed nature of my reply was designed to catch other eyes.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Thank you for clarifying what you meant Jo.

I am currently using Aqua Cera filter candles in my stainless steel Royal Berkey housing. I can't find the link now, but somewhere I found a comparison of the Doulton and Aqua Cera filters, and the Aqua Cera had slightly finer pores or something.

So I wanted to point out the timeline of Berkey problems, as I have been able to ascertain from complaints on the web, conversations with employees of New Millenium Concepts and from New Millenium Concepts forms online and my own experience.

In late 2010, NMC got a bad batch of filters. In this case, the glue job was sloppy. They didn't glue all the way around the base of the candle filters, and the gap where there was no glue allowed non filtered water to enter the lower chamber of the Berkey. NMC learns of the problem from customers. They didn't issue a recall, or notify their customers. However if customers did discover the defect, they would replace the filters.

Early 2011. NMC apparently made a change to the gluing procedure, because the filters produced during the first half of the year have great gobs of glue all around the base, but it doesn't stick well to the plastic base. As it separates, unfiltered water is allowed into the lower chamber of the Berkey. If this happens slowly, the owner is unaware of the leakage and is drinking unfiltered water.

Complaints started pouring in and NMC did another redesign. They continued filling orders with defective filters though. I placed my order for my Royal Berkey and extra filters in May of 2011, and the order was filled in June.

More and more people are discovering that their filter candles are defective and are starting to complain on various websites. In November of 2011 Stanb999 posted this thread here. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sp...edness/421678-i-going-buy-berkey-i-close.html

I tested and discovered my defective filter as a result of Stan's thread. I called NMC to tell them about my defective filter, and they didn't offer to replace it. The woman said I was going to have to test all of my filters, and then they would replace them on a prorated basis, Yep, NMC tightened up their return policy to make their trusting customers pay for replacement filters. And this was in response to having so many customers with defective filters asking for replacements or refunds. She also said proudly that "fewer than 5% of their filters were defective" This 5% figure was not an actual number of defective filters, but rather that only 5% of their customers even knew about the defect, tested and found them defective, or they saw the ceramic element laying on it's side in the housing. That 5% figure was the percentage of returned filters.

I believe the number is much higher, and that with the passage of time, more and more of the filters are separating from their plastic bases. Another problem is that as the filters are used, and the black ceramic elements stand in water in the Berkey housing, the ceramic softens, and then separates from the glue. This is different from the problem I described above.

Plus, there are lots of these filters in storage. Preppers who sotckpiled filters, who won't even break out their Berkey unless the SHTF. 

NMC finally put something on their website, buried three layers deep, and you will never find it unless you are looking for it. http://www.berkeywater.com/Element.pdf

I was able to take over a kitchen in a fire house for a few hours and do the red food color test on all of my Berkey filters. I have to say here. This was a royal pain in the patootie! Why should I have to go through that much time and trouble to test expensive water filters? They were supposed to be the product that they advertised, and give me years of trouble free use with occasional cleanings!

Any way, All ten failed. Some were apparent at first, and others were filled with red water when I took them out of the housing and shook them out to dry. Another pain in the patootie. I was instructed to prop them up with the plastic base facing down for 5 days before packing them up to put away. who as room and equipment to do that? Who wants them sitting out for days?

I called NMC back, and they wanted me to pay a prorated fee for my filters. I refused. Most hadn't even been used other than to prime them and do the red food color test. I posted the red food color thread. I upset My Patriot Supply, and he contacted NMC and they had a manager by the name of David call me. 

I told David about how I got sick and nearly died, and he cut me off and wouldn't let me finish my story. It was MY fault that this happened. Yeah, it is the customer's fault. I told David that I wanted them to do a recall of all of the filters that were produced during the time frame that they were producing defective filters, and he said "That isn't going to happen".

They did send me replacement filters at no charge to me, but only because I made a stink, and Matt from MPS called them on my behalf. These were the "New and improved" filters. The date of manufacture was printed on the boxes. One of them was produced in June of 2011. That was the month that they shipped me my original order and replacements. And this proves that when they shipped me the original order, they were already aware of the problems with the old ones and were already producing the "New and improved ones, while still shipping out the old ones that they knew had a high rate of defects.

Meanwhile, Berkey was getting a lot of complaints and returns on their "new and improved" filters. So they redesigned them again. In post #94 on the red food color test thread, The Berkey Guy says that the "New and improved" filters are also having problems, and so they redesigned the base again. So my new filters that they just sent me two months ago, of the "new and improved" design, can't be trusted. http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/su...rkey-red-food-color-test-picture-heavy-4.html

So the original Black Berkey filter was supposed to be the best of the best. Oops, they have a defect, which they claimed they fixed. Oops, that fix didn't fix anything, so they redesigned it again. Oops... and the story isn't over yet. People are still buying these things after seeing pictures of pretty stainless steel housings on the internet and in the pages of magazines, and they are believing the hype, just like I did. Unless they go looking for information or stumble across it by accident, they won't know they have a problem until they get sick, or look in their Berkey and see the filters laying on their sides.

If I were a distributor for a product like this, I wouldn't sell it. I would have sent out notices to my customers when I first learned of the problems. And I would have found better products to sell my customers. And there are better products for better prices.

I am very much afraid that people are drinking unfiltered water from their Berkeys, and aren't even aware of the defects. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through, and I certainly don't want anyone to die.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Darren said:


> FWIW, I still have the email from Fairey Ceramics the manufacturer of the Doulton ceramic filters and the original Berkefeld units. It states that *they have never had a Doulton candle fail.* Those are made in the UK. They are not crapped together in some Asian sweat shop like the black Berkey filters.


 When I spoke with David, the manager at New Millenium Concepts, he said that NMC didn't manufacture their filters. He said that they were made by a manufacturer in Colorado. I don't know if this is the truth or not, it is what he told me though.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Common Tator said:


> When I spoke with David, the manager at New Millenium Concepts, he said that NMC didn't manufacture their filters. *He said that they were made by a manufacturer in Colorado.* I don't know if this is the truth or not, it is what he told me though.


If the original manufacturer was someone located in this country, it shouldn't be hard to get them to correct the situation. Otherwise you find a new supplier. Of course if you're buying from an importer/manufacturer It may not be easy for them to find a new overseas supplier. The globbed on sealer sounds like an attempt to fix the filters they have in stock.

I'm probably wrong, but this seems to be a case of someone buying a very large quantity of products packed and shipped in a container. If that's the case NMC has a bunch of filters to dump/sell. What better way than suggest the red food coloring test? The customers get to QC the product and pay for the privilege.

Damage control consists of harrassing the customers. 

The Federal Trade Commission should be the agency that watchdogs this stuff. Do they enforce country of origin labeling?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The design concept itself appears to be part of the problem. If these are, as the link to the online radio show describes, nothing but tubular carbon block filters, then no attachment will be reliable, as the carbon granules themselves will break bonds under even minor stress. It wouldn't matter which country made them.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Darren said:


> The Federal Trade Commission should be the agency that watchdogs this stuff. Do they enforce country of origin labeling?


I filed a complaint with the FTC. Customs and Border Protection is the agency that enforced Country of origin markings.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

This si the radio show harry is refering to for anyone who just joined the conversation. The info is about half way through the recording, around 1.06. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PQ5lg2yfI[/ame]


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

It is makes me so angry that they would put these filters out there knowing that they were defective, then they would not give a full refund.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

City Bound said:


> It is makes me so angry that they would put these filters out there knowing that they were defective, then they would not give a full refund.


Me too City Bound, me too.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

what do you folks think of this doulton ss4? Doulton ceramic carbon charcoal water purification systems. Gravity fed and whole house water purifiers.

Tator, it must cost the company 25 cents to buy these filters from whoever they are buying thm from, so people's lives are worth 25 cents to this company.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM0gYAM0H3Q&feature=relmfu]Potters for Peace Ceramic Water Filter Part 2 - YouTube[/ame] that is a link to a ceramic filter treated with silver. it seems simple enough. if it is good, or not, I do not know.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Hey, I found the comparison between the Doulton and Aqua Cera filters! http://www.stpaulmercantile.com/store/itemImages/CeramicCandleChart.jpg

City Bound, I trust Doulton. I went with Aqua Cera because of the chart I just posted here. If the Aqua Cera wasn't available, I would have bought the Doulton.

St Paul Mercantile doesn't say which housing they offer, but their price is much better than the link you posted. Stainless Steel Water Filter

Then I found this lovely Doulton housing with two Doulton filters, and it is much better looking than the others. And it is only $165.00! The seller has lots of sales, and a 99.5% positive feedback rating, so I would trust them. This housing is very nice looking! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-S...&otn=4&po=LVI&ps=63&clkid=7913965515054103172


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Common Tator said:


> .
> 
> St Paul Mercantile doesn't say which housing they offer, but their price is much better than the link you posted. Stainless Steel Water Filter
> 
> ]


I like this one, but it seems so narrow.

What do you think of the idea of gettingsome daulton filters and some food grade buckets and making a filter DIY?


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

That would work. Many people have done it that way. I like the stainless steel. It looks nice, and you don't have to worry about anything harmful leeching out of the bucket that way. I think you would be able to taste the plastic if you use buckets, but that is just a guess. 

Perhaps someone who has done it could weigh in?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Common Tator said:


> That would work. Many people have done it that way. I like the stainless steel. It looks nice, and you don't have to worry about anything harmful leeching out of the bucket that way. I think you would be able to taste the plastic if you use buckets, but that is just a guess.
> 
> Perhaps someone who has done it could weigh in?


As long as they are food grade buckets they might be OK. You still don't know what might be leached out of the bucket. A lot of products are packed in the 5 gal. buckets ranging from pickles to bakery fillings. If you eat anyplace outside the home, you've eaten something that's been packaged in one of those buckets.

That doesn't necessarily make it safe. But I haven't read about any problems,


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

All of my old frosting buckets still smell like frosting, even after a couple of years. I wonder if that flavor would carry through to water?


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## unregistered296863 (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question! I had never heard of Doulton and I am purchasing an Aquacera. I'm impressed by the fact that the filters are made in England and NOT China... Plus the company has been around since the 1800's-wow! First time to this site and will visit OFTEN. You guys are great!
Mari


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

That's great Mari! Sounds like you made a good choice!


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## longshot38 (Dec 19, 2006)

Harry Chickpea said:


> The black filters are LIKELY made in China or Korea. The Berkey people operate out of a house, and CLAIM the filters are made in the U.S., yet offer no supporting documentation.
> 
> I have to guess at this, so I may be incorrect. However, my ratio of correct to incorrect is about 95% to 5%. I THINK, based on evidence, that the black filters have a type of carbon block that also contains alum (aluminum sulfate) as the inner core to an outer filter of porous ceramic. The adhesive between the filter element and the plastic holder uses an adherent that is weak.
> 
> ...


does any HT'ers in Canada know of a Canadian dealer for the Daulton filters?

thanks
dean


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## Diggin-it (Apr 4, 2012)

I'm considering one of these 2 models, I shipped my unopened Big Berkey back...

Stainless Steel Water Filter with 2 Black Aqua Cera CeraCarb 7-inch Ceramic Candles

Or

Propur

Propur is alittle more expensive but it is silver impregnated and NSF-42 certified....decisions, decisions......


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I haven't heard of Propur, but just checked the NSF website and searched for that name. "No Matching Manufacturers Found".

Perhaps the spelling is off?


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

longshot38 said:


> does any HT'ers in Canada know of a Canadian dealer for the Daulton filters?
> 
> thanks
> dean


Longshot, I'm not in Canada. The spelling is Doulton, if you would like to do a search in the places you shop. Or you could contact the manufacturer and ask them who their Canadian distributors are. They are manufactured by Fairey Industrial Ceramics. Fairey Ceramics - Drinking Water Filters - Home Water Filtration Systems from Fairey Industrial Ceramics Ltd


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## longshot38 (Dec 19, 2006)

thanks CT


dean


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Dean, is there a reason you won't buy from one of the sellers in the US?


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## Diggin-it (Apr 4, 2012)

Common Tator said:


> I haven't heard of Propur, but just checked the NSF website and searched for that name. "No Matching Manufacturers Found".
> 
> Perhaps the spelling is off?


I just sent an email to the company asking them about the NFS-42 claim, awaiting a reply. 
https://propurusa.com/Home_Page.html


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

Common Tator said:


> The magazines that serve the homesteading communities all still advertise Berkeys. Countryside, Backwoods Home, Mother Earth News. I sent a lengthy email about it to two of these, and got no response.
> 
> So either you stumble across the information online by sheer luck, or you trust the magazines you love and have trusted for years, and they are leading you astray on this issue.


Or you stumble onto the controversy as I did, by checking to see why Harry Chickpea had not posted on HT for many weeks (when my feeble old brain finally noticed).


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

I bought a Berkey Light,partly because of cost,partly because I wanted to watch it work.I didn't set it up for a while,it was missing a washer.I could only afford 4 filters at the time.3 weeks or so after I set it up,both filters were pouring a steady stream and I was tasting chlorine,which I hadn't been tasting.I didn't need a food color test to know the filters were bad,but MPS suggested I try it,so I did.They failed the test and I sent them back to MPS.The replacements they sent me failed within 2 weeks so I put my last set in.They failed tout of 6 filters I had experience with,all six failed.I have 4 filters sealed with non toxic silicone and they seem to be working.When I can get better filters I'll throw these away.I will never buy another Berkey product,nor will I recommend them to anyone.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I'm so sorry OTH47! It is so disappointing to pay so much for a product that you thought was great quality!

The good news is that there are other filters that will fit in your Berkey housing. scroll down here: Doulton Water Filters

And here is a comparison chart for the different Doulton and Aqua Cera filter candles. I'm running Aqua Ceras in mine, and am very happy with them. http://www.stpaulmercantile.com/store/itemImages/CeramicCandleChart.jpg


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## oth47 (Jan 11, 2008)

The one bright spot is that I didn't have enough money to buy any more filters,they'd probably have failed,too.At least now I know not to throw good money after bad..


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Hey guys! Let me resurrect this old thread. 

I've also suffered from this Berkey scam. Now Iâm looking for either Doultonâs Super Clerasyl or the AquaCera Ceracarb. Until now Iâve been leaning towards the AquaCera Ceracarb. Iâve listened to the podcast by the Armchair Survivalist that you guys have posted and it was very informative. However Iâm even more confused now because that guy in the podcast said that Ceracarb is the newest and a much better model by Doulton. 

But, as I understand it, Cerabarb is manufactured by AquaCera, NOT Doulton. Hereâs what a Douton representative wrote to me: 

_*DoultonÂ® is our registered brand and is trademarked and if a product is not specifically shown as this it is not ours. For your reference our filter grades (also registered trademarks) are as follows: Sterasyl, Super Sterasyl, ATC Super Sterasyl, Supercarb, Chlorasyl, Ultracarb.*_

I was unable to verify where AquaCera filters are manufactured, not even was I able to find their homepage. And hereâs a comment on Amazon from a guy regarding AquaCera: 

_*...AquaCera is doing the same thing. They start their website with talk about England and how these came about, leading you to believe that what they're selling is from England and of the same company. They are also not associated with Doulton, nor are their products made in the UK, they are "foreign made" (their words) and packaged in USA. They, like Berkey (maybe the same company for all we know) are very crafty in how they keep this info out of sight and when pinned, put a semantic spin on it that leads people to believe something that isn't true. After all my endless research, and after being screwed by Berkey with their China made defective filters, Doulton is the only product that I trust. Made in the UK with handcrafting since the 1800's. I'm sick to death of the business non-ethics in this country. *_Link to the comment: http://www.amazon.com/Doulton-W9121...er/forum/-/-/1?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B006X5UKMY

Another thing is that AquaCera is NOT on the list of the NSF Certified manufacturers which can be verified at this link: http://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/

So the question is: *what is AquaCera, really?* Where are they made? Does anyone have proofs that they are manufactured in England? Why are they not NSF certified? Is that another scam similar to Berkey??? 

Please, share your thought on this.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The concept of micropore filtration through unglazed ceramics doesn't much care who creates the ceramics. As long as the material doesn't have voids or breakage, any CERAMIC micropore filter will do the basics.

IIRC, Cera stuff is Korean, but it has been a while since I checked. I'm happy to pay a couple bucks extra for the Doulton certification and assurance of quality.

FWIW - this type of filtration would allow the alcohol in the Elk river spill to pass through the micropores and any carbon block or granules would not be terribly effective, if at all. Remember that Jack Daniels alcohol is filtered through tons of the stuff and still comes out alcoholic.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Hmmmâ¦. So Aquacera is Korean? Anyone else has any info on that matter? 

Out of gravity Doultons candles, which one is best for city water? The SupeSterasyl?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

City water has chlorine or chloramines. Those can "use up" the carbon granules or carbon block in a filter. The ceramic part of the filter will last for years. With that in mind, the better solution might be to get a basic candle, drill out the screen after the allotted lifespan, remove the carbon and replace it with fresh periodically. I don't particularly worry about the carbon part of the filter here, as it isn't fighting bad odors or whatever.

The "best" filter is the one that best fits YOUR needs.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Itâs an interesting idea to replace carbon inside the ceramic shell filter. We donât have chloramine in the city where I live, but chlorine is plenty. 

Not exactly on the topic of emergency preparedness... but do gravity systems filter more thoroughly than pressure ones? Iâm thinking whether I should get a Doulton under sink system and just have gravity one for emergency, or just have one gravity for all. Do gravity ones filter better than pressure systems, or same?


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

It shouldn't make a difference.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

A Man said:


> Itâs an interesting idea to replace carbon inside the ceramic shell filter. We donât have chloramine in the city where I live, but chlorine is plenty.
> 
> Not exactly on the topic of emergency preparedness... but do gravity systems filter more thoroughly than pressure ones? Iâm thinking whether I should get a Doulton under sink system and just have gravity one for emergency, or just have one gravity for all. Do gravity ones filter better than pressure systems, or same?


As far as micropore filtration in an uncompromised system, the results are the same. Carbon filtration is another matter, AFAICT. The more the fluid gets to interact with the carbon, and the more time it has, the more effective it will be (within certain limitations). The surface area of many carbon filters could be compared to coarse gravel in a pipe. If you push water through the pipe under pressure it will find a path of least resistance, flow quickly, and only eddies will contact some of the gravel. Slow the flow to a trickle and the water will have a greater tendency to disperse through the gravel bed. On a much smaller scale, the same is true of granulated carbon filters. Block carbon is somewhat more effective because high flow channels are much more difficult to form.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Harry Chickpea said:


> As far as micropore filtration in an uncompromised system, the results are the same. Carbon filtration is another matter, AFAICT. The more the fluid gets to interact with the carbon, and the more time it has, the more effective it will be (within certain limitations). The surface area of many carbon filters could be compared to coarse gravel in a pipe. If you push water through the pipe under pressure it will find a path of least resistance, flow quickly, and only eddies will contact some of the gravel. Slow the flow to a trickle and the water will have a greater tendency to disperse through the gravel bed. On a much smaller scale, the same is true of granulated carbon filters. Block carbon is somewhat more effective because high flow channels are much more difficult to form.


What you said is interesting and it is confirmed by this Doultonâs chart: 
http://www.faireyceramics.com/wp-co...fairey__filter_performance_table_19.10.11.pdf
It says there on the bottom on the chart that for Super Sterasyl under pressure: chlorine reduction >50%, but under gravity >95%. And I was also leaning more towards the gravity. However for Supercarb (which is the pressure version of the Super Sterasyl) it says >97% chlorine reduction. Supercarb uses carbon block versus granular activated carbon in Super Sterasyl. 

Here http://www.faireyceramics.com/filter-candles-cartridges/ under SUPER STERASYL they mention that: *âGranular carbon is not as effective as a carbon block under pressure conditions. Therefore, in a pressure filter, Supercarbâ¢ should be used for chlorine and organics removal.â *

So this confuses me. Do you think Supercarb can be as effective under pressure as SUPER STERASYL under gravity?...


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Probably, depending on flow rate. Static pressure is almost irrelevant. If you have a filter delivering to one of those small sink-side faucets, I'd say chances are good. If you are doing whole house and gallons per minute, not so much.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Harry Chickpea said:


> Probably, depending on flow rate. Static pressure is almost irrelevant. If you have a filter delivering to one of those small sink-side faucets, I'd say chances are good. If you are doing whole house and gallons per minute, not so much.


Hm... I just got a confirmation of what you said in an email from Doulton. They said pressure filter may be even more effective due to using carbon block rather than granulated carbon. Looks like I will get an under sink system and will get 1 or 2 Super Sterasyl for emergency. 

Crystal Quest ( http://crystalquest.com/index.html ) also makes filters that are more affordable than Doulton and claim to be super-duper but again, they are *NOT* NFS certified except for 2 certificates for quality of some components. But not for effectiveness of filtration, like Doulton. Does it smell fishy just like Berkey and advised to stay away from or they are actually good? Anyone?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

A Man said:


> Hm... I just got a confirmation of what you said in an email from Doulton. They said pressure filter may be even more effective due to using carbon block rather than granulated carbon. Looks like I will get an under sink system and will get 1 or 2 Super Sterasyl for emergency.
> 
> Crystal Quest ( http://crystalquest.com/index.html ) also makes filters that are more affordable than Doulton and claim to be super-duper but again, they are *NOT* NFS certified except for 2 certificates for quality of some components. But not for effectiveness of filtration, like Doulton. Does it smell fishy just like Berkey and advised to stay away from or they are actually good? Anyone?


Although my ego would love to inflate itself, puff out and say "I told you so!" that would be stupid. What you are getting from Doulton is simply a recognition that what they are doing makes scientific sense, and I more or less understand the basics of that, hence the similar ideas and recommendations.

I have no connection with Fairey or Doulton in any way and am not interested in anything like that. I am interested in what Heinlein called "fair witness," something almost unachievable in the U.S. I know nothing about Crystal Quest and am not even interested.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Actually Iâve emailed Doulton even before asking here as I thought they wonât reply anyway. But you were right regardless. 

Does anyone know what the shelf life of the Super Sterasyl is? Indefinite I guess? 

Alsoâ¦ if the capacity of a fluoride reduction elements is 8,000 ppm and our water has 1 mg/L of Fluoride, do you know how long will one element last? Theyâre trying to kill us not just with Fluoride but with mathâ¦


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Do you want a mg/L to ppm convertor? Not sure if this tells you how long the filter will last.

http://www.unitconversion.org/conce...iter-to-parts-per-million-ppm-conversion.html


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

A Man said:


> Actually Iâve emailed Doulton even before asking here as I thought they wonât reply anyway. But you were right regardless.
> 
> Does anyone know what the shelf life of the Super Sterasyl is? Indefinite I guess?
> 
> Alsoâ¦ if the capacity of a fluoride reduction elements is 8,000 ppm and our water has 1 mg/L of Fluoride, do you know how long will one element last? Theyâre trying to kill us not just with Fluoride but with mathâ¦


I don't think there is a reliable answer to that without testing. Part of the problem is that any filter that uses carbon can become contaminated and turn into a growth media. Hence the fairly standard 3 month suggestion on rotating out carbon filters. 

However... the ceramic filters filter out large pathogens, a lot of organic matter (bacteria food) and the filter also contains some silver, so the numbers SHOULD indicate longer effectiveness and safety, but there are enough variables that any answer has to have the caveat "it depends." 

Shelf life should be decades if there are no chemical reactions in the media and the plastic and media materials are stable.


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## A Man (Jan 12, 2014)

Thanks. The calculator showed 2,100 gallons for one Doulton fluoride element of 8,000 ppm capacity (I assume that those CN-A2 elements are made by Doulton: - http://doultonusa.com/HTML pages/ceramic_candles.htm#specialty ). Not bad. 

Regarding shelf life: I guess I will pack them air-tight and hope theyâll make it to the bad day. Actually I hope the bad day never comesâ¦


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