Berkey FAQ

We would like to spend the least amount of money for a system that can meet the needs of a larger group, what would you recommend?

When determining the best size for your situation, please consider that the larger the systems capacity, the less often it will need to be refilled. All of our systems are available configured with two Black Berkey Purification elements however; the four larger stainless steel systems are expandable which means that your first consideration should be to purchase the system, which has the capacity to best meet your groups needs. If at a later date you determine that you require more gallons per hour, you will not have to invest in another system, you can simply order additional purification elements to expand your current system. Below is a list of our various two element systems, their capacities and the maximum number of elements each system can accommodate.

SYSTEMTWO ELEMENTSFULLY EXPANDED
Travel Berkey- 1.5 GALLONS- 2 Elements
Berkey Light- 2.75 GALLONS- 2 Elements
Big Berkey- 2.25 GALLONS- 4 Elements
Royal Berkey- 3.25 GALLONS- 4 Elements
Imperial Berkey- 4.5 GALLONS- 6 Elements
Crown Berkey- 6 GALLONS- 8 Elements

What is the filtration rate per hour for the various Berkey systems?

The chart below shows the gallons per hour for each system, when configured with two Black Berkey purification elements and when expanded to accommodate the maximum number of elements. Flow rates calculated with upper chamber full to top. Flow rate decreases as water level declines.

SYSTEMFLOW per hourFULLY EXPANDED FLOW
Travel Berkey- 2.75 GALLONS- N/A
Berkey Light- 4.25 GALLONS- N/A
Big Berkey- 3.5 GALLONS- 7 GALLONS
Royal Berkey- 4.0 GALLONS- 8 GALLONS
Imperial Berkey- 5.5 GALLONS- 16.5 GALLONS
Crown Berkey- 6.5 GALLONS- 26 GALLONS

We are going to be traveling to a third world country and will require a system for a large group of people. Which system would you recommend?

As a rule of thumb you will need two gallons per day per person for sustained use and 1/2 to one gallon per day per person for short-term emergency use. The difference being that for sustained use more water is required for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and hygiene whereas for short-term emergency use, drinking water alone is calculated. Please make a determination as to the number of people within the group and whether or not the system will be used for sustained or for emergency use, then review the above FAQ’s to make a determination as to the best system to meet your groups needs. You might also want to consider taking several Sport Berkey purification bottles as well. These systems are very compact personal purification systems and were developed for use in third world countries. They often come in very handy when travel requires that you be away from the location of your larger purification system.

What are the basic differences between the in the Berkey Light and the other stainless steel systems?

The Berkey Light system is designed for outdoor use therefore it is about three pounds lighter in weight than the equivalent capacity of our stainless steel system. The Travel Berkey system is also designed for outdoor use and is the smallest of the stainless steel systems. It is compact enough to fit within a suitcase because unlike the Berkey Light system, the upper chamber nests within the lower chamber during travel. This is the preferred system when mobility is a big issue.

The four-multi use systems are designed for indoor everyday use so they are of a heavier construction than the above systems but these systems can also be used outdoors or during unexpected emergencies when a source of potable water may not be available.

I have been using my system for about six months and the flow rate has slowed down considerably. Do I need to replace the elements?

No, unlike other filtration elements Black Berkey purification elements are re-cleanable. What typically causes the filters to drip slowly is turbidity and sediment clogging the micro-pores of the purification elements. Simply remove the elements from your system, scrub the exterior of each element with preferably a white or blue (3M or ScotchBrite brand, etc.) pad or stiff toothbrush. Simply scrub a section of the filter until you see a bit of black on the white or blue pad then move to the next section. It’s simple to do and takes less than a minute.

Do the Black Berkey elements remove drugs from the water?

There are simply too many pollutants that could be found in drinking water (including pharmaceuticals) that a water filtering system could be tested for to see how it performs. By too many I mean it is impossible to test for them all. However, we do know, from testing, that the purification processes used by the Berkey water filters we offer remove more pollutants than any other system available in the market today. In other words, if there is any system that removes pharmaceuticals from the water, the Berkeys are one of them. I hope that helps.

I just purchased a Berkey system but the system is hardly filtering any water at all. Am I doing something wrong?

Typically the problem you are experiencing is due to high water tension, which prevents the air from being purged from the micro pores of the new purification elements. Included with your Black Berkey elements is a priming button and instructions for use. Please remove and prime your purification elements, reinstall them and that should fix the problem.

Is there a way to test my Berkey system to make sure it is working properly?

You should test your filters by filling the upper chamber with water then add a tablespoon of food coloring for every gallon of water within your upper chamber. If the food coloring is removed entirely, your filtration system is working properly. If not, check to make sure that the wing nuts on your elements are securely tightened then re-run the test.

I just purchased a Berkey system but didn't receive a priming button. Instead, I think I received an extra black washer in the box. The instructions say to use the tan colored priming button. What gives?

Please check in the box which held your Black Berkey purification elements. The box should contain two (2) elements. Attached to each element should be a rubber washer and a wing nut. Also in the boxes should be what could looks like another single black rubber washer. This is your priming button. It is thicker than the washer and the center hole is smaller. This black priming button can easily be confused with a washer; so we asked the manufacturer to change the color of the priming button back to tan.

Do the PF-2 elements replace the Black Berkey purification elements?

No, the Black Berkey elements fit into the base of the upper chamber with the stems of the filters protruding through the holes in the base of the upper chamber. The protruding stems are threaded and the PF-2 filters screw onto these threaded stems so that the PF-2's hang down into the lower chamber. The water flows from the upper chamber, through the Black Berkey elements, into the PF-2 filters and then into the lower chamber. The “PF” in PF-2 stands for Post Filter. So, in answer to your question, no, they do not replace the black filters but rather work in conjunction with them.

I installed my PF-2 elements but my water is a bit cloudy, and why does it have a funny taste?

The odd taste is from process dust that may not have been washed free from the filter elements during the conditioning process. Please remove the PF-2 elements and re-condition them for 60 seconds on both ends. This should expel any residual process dust and fix the problem.

Which of the three methods of water filtration, Reverse Osmosis, Distillation or Berkey Purification is the healthiest for drinking purposes?

With respect to the healthfulness of the water, most health experts, that are up to date on current research, are no longer recommending drinking RO or distilled water on a long-term basis because these methods strip out all of the beneficial minerals from the water making the water an acidic "hypotonic" solution. A chemist will tell you that any time a hypotonic (de-mineralized) solution comes into contact with a "Hypertonic" (Mineralized) solution, the minerals within the hypertonic solution will transfer out of hypertonic solution and into the hypotonic solution until equilibrium is achieved. What this means is simply that when one drinks hypotonic water, the minerals in the blood and lymphatic system, which are hypertonic, transfer into the hypotonic RO or Distilled water that is consumed and the minerals are flushed out of the body upon urination.

In an effort to re-mineralize, the blood and lymphatic systems then begin to scavenge for minerals from other parts of the body, such as bones and other organs, and this process repeats itself every time de-mineralized hypotonic water is re-consumed. Several studies suggest that people who drink de-mineralized water (hypotonic) over a long period of time tend to be more prone to degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis.

Berkey Purification systems do not remove the beneficial minerals from the water but they do extract harmful heavy metals such as lead and mercury as well as sedimentary minerals such as iron oxide. Therefore, the TDS reading will not typically change much unless there are a lot of heavy metals or sedimentary minerals within the source water.

With respect to maintenance, how does reverse osmosis, distillation and Berkey systems compare?

All Berkey systems are easy to disassemble and clean. The lower chamber should be washed in ordinary dishwater occasionally. The elements may need to be cleaned after 6-12 months of use.

Distillation systems need to be soaked and cleaned with vinegar solution to remove the scale, typically after each gallon or two.

Reverse Osmosis systems can have up to four filter elements, with each needing to be changed at differing intervals from four months up to two years. This requires that the water pressure be shut off and part or all of the system to be disassembled for maintenance. Additionally, the bladder tank should be washed with a chlorine solution at six-month intervals to kill any colonizing bacteria.

What is the pathological removal capability of an reverse osmosis system?

Reverse Osmosis does not remove pathogenic bacteria and that is why it is often necessary to add an additional UV light to the system. However, the UV sometimes does not kill all the bacteria because any turbidity in the water can create shaded spots preventing some bacteria from being exposed. Typically, the UV is installed before the bladder tank, however it is in the bladder tank that bacteria usually colonize. Therefore, if the bladder tank is not sterilized on a regular basis, it becomes a source for bacteriological contamination that is never exposed to UV. Additionally, the carcasses of the dead bacteria remain within the drinking water with an RO system whereas they are removed by the Black Berkey purification elements.

With respect to cost, how does reverse osmosis, distillation and Berkey systems compare?

With respect to upfront cost, RO systems typically are the most expensive due to the cost of the system and the additional expense to have the system plumbed in. Next in cost would be a distillation unit. A Berkey system will typically be the least expensive of the three.

With respect to cost per gallon of water, calculated upon the cost per gallon for replacement filters and energy costs, Distillation systems and RO systems properly maintained typically cost between 35-65 cents per gallon. A Berkey system typically costs about 1.6 cents per gallon.

Customer Feedback view all

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God's Blessing,
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