Is currently available in three versions; without lights, with bright white lights and with beautiful cobalt blue lights. The base without lights is designed for situations where elevation of the gravity filter is desired without the need for any auxiliary lighting. Cobalt blue is designed with beauty in mind and is for use in situations where it is desirable to enhance the ambience of the surrounding atmosphere. It is simply beautiful. The white LED version is designed for practical use in situations where emergency or auxiliary lighting may be required. The lights are bright enough to be usefull as a reading-light, night-light, flash-light or room-light. (Rechargeable batteries included) Click here for more info

Base with Bright Blue LED Light (shown) - $79.00

Base with White LED Light - $79.00

Base without LED light - $29.00

Black Berkey® Purification Elements are more powerful than any other gravity filter element currently available. In fact, the Black Berkey® purification elements were tested with more than 10,000 times the concentration of pathogens per liter than is required by standard test protocol. This concentration of pathogens is so great that the post filtered water should be expected to contain 100,000 or more pathogens per liter (99.99% reduction - the requirement for pathogenic removal). Incredibly the purification elements removed 100%. Absolutely no pathogens were cultured from the effluent or were able to be detected, even under an electron microscope, setting a new standard in water purification.

Black Berkey® purification elements are so powerful, they can remove food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs. Virtually no other filtration element can duplicate this performance.

The powerful Black Berkey® purification elements also remove or reduce pathogenic cysts, parasites, harmful or unwanted chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, VOCs, detergents, organic solvents, trihalomethanes, cloudiness, silt, sediment, nitrates, nitrites, heavy metals, foul tastes and odors, yet they leave in the healthful and beneficial minerals that your body need.

Berkey^® Systems are the World’s Most Powerful and Economical Personal Water purification Systems Providing Reliable and User-friendly Water Purification in Both Normal and Hostile Filtration Environments.

Moreover, Berkey^® systems are capable of purifying both treated water and untreated raw water from such sources as remote lakes, streams, stagnant ponds and water supplies in foreign countries, where regulations may be substandard at best. So powerful, this system is able to remove food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs. Perfect for everyday use and a must in hostile environments where electricity, water pressure or treated water may not be available. 

Berkey^® Natural Purification Systems are the ultimate in water purification and the ideal personal protection and traveling companions. Used worldwide for normal, hostile and emergency environments to provide the purest, sparkling clean water possible...For generations, health-conscious people around the world have recognized that the foundation to a healthy life and healthy body is clean, fresh drinking water. This important essential element is the basis for enjoying your longest, healthiest life.  No amount of vitamins or supplements can substitute for the vital life-sustaining properties found in nourishing, healthful drinking water.  It is truly the foundation of life.

Unfortunately, securing your access to good tasting, sparkling, wholesome drinking water can be harder than you might expect.  Water is often laced with chlorine, lead, high levels of harmful bacteria, and other unwanted chemicals and contaminants.  Frequently these produce unpleasant tastes and odors.  Even bottled water can contain these same contaminants, and moreover it is very expensive.  Other filtration systems are inferior. Most do not remove pathogenic bacteria and many remove the beneficial minerals that your body needs.

Perhaps that’s why Berkey^® systems have long been recognized as the world’s ultimate in water purification.  This simple, highly effective method of using gravity was developed almost 200 years ago... yet it still produces some of the finest, most healthful drinking water available.

How Berkey^® Natural Water Purifiers Operate

To use, water is poured into the upper chamber. Gravity draws this water through the exclusive purification elements where contaminates are captured on and within theses micro-porous elements and are separated from the water. The purified water then collects in the lower chamber where it can be drawn through the spigot. What’s more, Berkey^® elements are re-cleanable and can be used over and over again.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS
* HEALTHY – Berkey^® systems are far superior to other filtration systems because they remove harmful pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites as well as unhealthy chemical contaminates and impurities while leaving in the essential minerals your body needs.  Berkey^® systems produce virtually the most healthful, clean and delicious water available.

* CONVENIENT – Berkey^® systems assemble in minutes without tools, electricity, water pressure, or plumbing.  What’s more, they are simple to operate and maintain.

* ECONOMICAL – Berkey^® systems are easily the most economical water purification system you can own.  Their unique design allows you to easily remove and re-clean the purification elements over and over again.

* POWERFUL – Berkey^® systems can easily purify ordinary tap water, yet are so powerful, they efficiently purify raw, untreated water from such sources as remote lakes and streams.  What’s more, Berkey^® systems are the ideal water purification systems to have on hand in the event of natural disasters such as blackouts, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes as well as local or national emergencies when treated tap water may not be available.

* FLEXIBLE – Berkey^® systems are so convenient and easy to use, you can take them anywhere: on vacations, hunting and camping trips, college dorms and they are ideal systems for RVs and pleasure craft.

* ELEGANT – The elegant high-grade polished 304 stainless steel design makes Berkey^® systems an attractive addition to any kitchen or home yet each system is both rugged and durable. 

* PROVEN HISTORY – The same high quality and effectiveness of the gravity filtration process, that is utilized in Berkey^® systems, has stood the test of time. Gravity filtration has been used by relief organizations such as UNICEF, the Peace Corps, Red Cross Societies Internationally, missionaries and relief workers in over 140 countries throughout the world.

Have you ever wondered how Berkey^® purification systems remove pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites while extracting chemicals including herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents, VOCs, detergents, cloudiness, silt, sediment, foul tastes and odors?  Or, how Berkey^® systems are able to reduce heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, aluminum and other dangerous heavy metals, as well as nitrates and nitrites without removing the healthful and beneficial minerals that your body needs?

And finally, how is this system is able to remove food coloring from water without removing the beneficial minerals your body needs?

The unique Berkey^® design combines the age-old process of micro-porous filtration coupled with modern state-of-the-art technology and the highest quality materials to bring you the finest water purification system available anywhere.  The micro-pores within the self-sterilizing and re-cleanable Black Berkey^® purification elements are so small that pathogenic bacteria are simply not able to pass through them.

The media within the elements remove contaminants by a surface phenomenon known as “adsorption” which results from the molecular attraction of substances to the surface of the media. The exclusive purification elements are also impregnated with proprietary “absorbing” media that promote IONIC “absorption” of pollutants within the micro-porous elements.

Another reason Berkey^® systems are so effective in removing contaminants from water is the extremely long “contact period”.  Other filtration systems rely on water pressure that forces water molecules through the filter elements at 60-90 PSI.  These water molecules come into contact with the filter media for a mere fraction of a second.  By comparison water molecules, passing through the “Tortuous Path” structure of the Black Berkey^® purification elements, are drawn gently by gravity and stay in contact with the media for a long period of time.  This allows the filter media to be more efficient in capturing contaminates.  For example, if you were to hurl 100 steel ball bearings at a large magnet, some would stick but most would bounce off.  However, if you were to walk over and gently place the ball bearings on the magnet most, if not all, would adhere to the magnet.  Berkey^® systems fully utilize this principle. 

This advanced technology was developed, refined, and proven through years of diligent, investigative research and testing performed by water purification specialists, researchers and engineers.  The flow rate or time of exposure through the exclusive Black Berkey® purification elements has been calculated to yield the greatest volume removal of toxic chemicals and pathogenic bacteria found in nature and caused by pollution from industry and agriculture. 

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The Sterasyl^™ Ceramic Shell
The Sterasyl^™ grade ceramic is designed to remove suspended solids and pathogenic bacteria (>99.99%).  The filter elements are produced using the latest ceramic techniques to provide a hollow porous ceramic, which is fired at a temperature in excess of 1,000º C.  They are designed to operate with water flow going from the outside to the inside of the element. The ceramic shell exhibits a strictly controlled pore structure, so as to provide efficient sub-micron filtration, a proven defense against hard-shelled parasites such as Cryptosporidium as well as pathogenic bacteria. The ceramic also removes other less harmful, but equally unpleasant particulate debris such as rust and dirt.

Composition of the Sterasyl^™ ceramic contains pure silver.  This silver is a material designed to significantly inhibit bacteriological mitosis or grow through. The result is that bacterial growth is inhibited from occurring within the Sterasyl^™ ceramic element (which is possible with the other ceramic filter elements).  This silver content insures that filtered water contains levels well below those required by international standards.  Because of the silver, Sterasyl^™ filter elements do not require sterilization after cleaning.

The Sterasyl^™ filter, when used in in-line housings, is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) as meeting their Standard No 42 for materials.

The Super Sterasyl^™ Water Filtration Element
The Sterasyl^™ ceramic is the ceramic shell used for the Super Sterasyl^™ filter element. Accordingly, this filter element will have, at a minimum, the filtration benefits of the Sterasyl^™ ceramic.  Additionally, the core of the ceramic shell is filled with granular activated carbon, which enables the filter to reduce chlorine and organic chemicals while improving the color, taste, and odor of the source water.  The re-cleanable Super Sterasyl^™ filter elements remove suspended solids, parasites, cysts and pathogenic bacteria (>99.99%) and reduce organic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, organic solvents, trihalomethanes, SOCs, VOCs and foul tastes and odors. The top of the Super Sterasyl^™ element is closed with a unique ceramic dome.  This prevents the possibility of breeching (leakage), which can occur with filtration elements that are closed with a plastic cap.

PF-2^™ reduction elements are designed for use in conjunction with Black Berkey^® water purification elements to adsorb the following unwanted elements found in drinking water.
• Fluoride
•Lead
• Arsenic V and pre-oxidized Arsenic III
• Other residual heavy metal ions

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
FLUORIDE: Testing for fluoride was based on 20-30ppm of the ion in the influent aqueous solution at a flow rate of no more than 3 gpm (11 lpm) per cubic foot of media. Results of < 1ppm of the fluoride ion in the effluent were typical for the media (>95% reduction). Under optimum conditions, effluent concentrations of less than 50 ppb were readily achieved (>99.75% reduction).

ARSENIC: This product uniquely targets the entire family of arsenic oxide anions as well as the arsenic cations.

REPLACEMENT:
Under normal conditions it is recommended that each set of two PF-2^™ elements be replaced after 1,000 gallons (3,785 liters). The Royal Berkey^® system is about 3.25 gallons (12.3 liters) therefore the PF-2^™ filters should be replaced after 1,000/3.25 (3,785/12.3) or 307 refills. If the system is refilled about one time per day, the PF-2^™'s should be replaced after 10 months, if the system is refilled about twice per day, the PF-2^™'s should be replaced about every five months). Actual capacity is dependent on the presence of other competing contaminants in the source water. High levels of fluoride, arsenic and heavy metals may reduce the capacity and efficiency of the elements.
NOTES:

1) Do not boil this element.
2) PF-2^™ elements reduce filtration flow rate by 15-20%.
3) The media used in the PF-2^™ filter elements contains high-grade activated aluminum oxide, which currently is the most efficient media available for extracting fluoride from water. Below are the results we obtained when testing the PF-2^™ elements (the water was not pre-filtered through the Black Berkey^® elements). The reduction over time is due to additional residual process dust being washed free from the PF-2^™ elements as the system is used. To give a scale for comparison purposes we include test results from a national brand toothpaste and water boiled in an aluminum pan.

• National brand toothpaste 52.878 ppm aluminum
• Water boiled in an aluminum pan for five minutes: 2.791 ppm aluminum
• PF2^™ after conditioning (5 cycles): .178 ppm aluminum
• PF2^™ after 10 Cycles: .037 ppm aluminum
• PF2^™ after 20 Cycles: .029 ppm aluminum

While the above results indicate that the residual process dust adds a minute amount of aluminum to the water, the Black Berkey^® purification elements reduce aluminum from the water. We tested water that naturally contained .320ppm aluminum and filtered it through the combination of the Black Berkey^® and the post conditioned PF-2^™ filtration elements (5 cycles). The results showed a net reduction in aluminum contamination (Raw influent: .320ppm - Effluent after passing through the Black Berkey^® and PF-2^™ elements: .232ppm). In other words the Black Berkey^® elements removed more aluminum from the water than was added by the PF-2^™ elements.

designed for use with Super Sterasyl^™ ceramic filtration elements to adsorb the following four unwanted elements most commonly found in drinking water.

• MTBE (Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether)
• Fluoride
• Lead
• Arsenic

PF-4^™ filters are also designed to adsorb:

• DBCP (Dibromo-chloro-propane)
• THMs (trihalomethanes)
• Herbicides & Pesticides 
• Heavy Metal ions

INSTALLATION:
Assemble the water filter as per the water filter assembly instruction. On the underside of the upper chamber locate the stem of each ceramic filter (do not remove the wing nut holding the ceramic filter in place). With clean hands, remove blue caps and screw a PF-4^™ filter onto each filter stem (the blue arrow should point away from upper chamber) giving five full revolutions. Do not screw more than five revolutions as this may damage the internal media screen. When complete, seat upper chamber on top of the lower chamber. Fill upper reservoir. When the lower reservoir is full, discard the first batch of water, which may contain process dust. (Note: when lower chamber is full of water, the PF-4^™ filters will be immersed).

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
MTBE: The PF-4^™ is manufactured to exceed ANSI/NSF Standard 53 which requires that MTBE be reduced by at least two thirds from an influent rate (water going in) of 15ppb to an effluent rate (water going out) of less than 5ppb (> 95% reduction*). LEAD: Tests have shown that when 2000 gallon (7,600 liters) of influent water at a concentration of lead of 150-200 ppb pass through 200 grams of media at a flow rate of 1 gpm (3.8 lpm), the lead level was reduced to less than 1ppb (>99% reduction). FLUORIDE: Testing for fluoride was based on 20-30ppm of the ion in the influent aqueous solution at a flow rate of no more than 3 gpm (11 lpm) per cubic foot of media. Results of < 1ppm of the fluoride ion in the effluent were typical for the media (>95% reduction). Under optimum conditions, effluent concentrations of less than 50 ppb were readily achieved (>99.75% reduction).

REPLACEMENT:
Under normal conditions it is recommended that PF-4^™ elements be replaced at six-month intervals (Actual capacity is dependent on the presence of other competing contaminants in the source water. High levels of total organic carbons, volatile organic compounds or certain inorganic minerals may reduce the capacity and efficiency of these elements.)*. Note: do not boil this element.

MTBE (Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether) is the most common oxygenated fuel additive used in reformulated gasoline. Contamination of groundwater with MTBE is a rapidly growing problem in 49 U.S. states. In drinking water, even trace amounts of MTBE can cause taste and odor problems, which may lead to nausea and dizziness. The potential long-term health effects of MTBE are not understood at this time, however, initial studies indicate MTBE may cause kidney and liver problems. MTBE removal from water is a challenge because it is very soluble in water and must compete with other organics for binding sites on the filter medium. These other contaminants (BTEX - and TOC - total organic carbons) are adsorbed more readily, and MTBE often slips by standard carbon filters, ending up in the filtered water. The PF-4^™ filter has been specifically designed to remove MTBE from drinking water when used in conjunction with Super Sterasyl^™ ceramic filtration elements. The media within the Super Sterasyl^™ filters, in the upper chamber, capture the more strongly adsorbed BTEX and TOC's. This permits the downstream PF-4^™, secured as a post filter, to more efficiently remove MTBE.

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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. Water tension is higher in certain parts of the country and can change from season to season. The higher the water tension, the more difficult it is fot the water, using gravity pressure, to force the air from the micro-pores of a new element. 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.

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 look 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.

How do I prime the Black Berkey^® Purification Elements, in the field, when water pressure is unavailable?
The micro pores on the Black Berkey^® purification elements are extremely small, in fact they are small enough to filter food coloring out of water. The benefit from having such extremely small pores is greater efficiency at removing pathogenic bacteria and other contaminates. The downside is that too much water tension can require that the purification elements be primed before they will flow properly. When you receive the purification elements, they are dry and air is trapped within the tiny micro fine pores. In certain parts of the world, water has more water tension than in other places and this can change from season to season. The higher the water tension, the more difficult it is for the water to force the air out of the micro fine pores using gravity alone. The pores that have air trapped within them do not allow water to pass through and therefore become an inaccessible passage for the water. This then can cause the system to either filter very slowly or not at all.

Before traveling to the field or using the system in an area without water pressure, we recommend that the purification elements be primed using the priming button method. If water pressure is not available to use the priming button method, the elements can be field primed approximately 50-75% by using the below method. In other words by using this method, the elements will not purify as fast as they will by using the priming button method however they will run significantly faster than if the elements have not been primed at all. The field priming method is as follows:

STEP 1: Fill the lower chamber with water, then place the purification elements into the water in the lower chamber, upside down with the stems facing upward. Put a ceramic coffee cup (or something else that will hold them under the water) on top of each purification element stem to force the element down under the water.

Or, install the elements upside down in the upper chamber so that the elements are on the exterior of the bottom side of the upper chamber facing downward. Then place the upper chamber onto the lower chamber so that the filters are forced into the water within the lower chamber.

Let the purification elements soak in the water for 30 to 60 minutes until they fill up with water. NOTE: Make sure that the opening in the stems of the purification elements are not underwater as the water must be forced through the pores of the element and not allowed to enter the element through the hole in the stem.

STEP 2: When the inside of the purification elements are full of water they will be significantly heavier. Next, assemble the purification elements into the upper chamber while keeping the stems of the elements facing upward. It is important to keep as much water on the inside of the purification elements as is possible. Next, fill the upper chamber with water as quickly as possible. Hint: the fastest way to fill the upper chamber is to pour the water from the lower chamber into the upper chamber. Then place the upper chamber onto the lower chamber.

When the purification elements have water within the bore (inside core), more force is generated to draw water through the purification elements. This is because the water that drips out of the purification element also hydraulically pulls new water into the element as it begins to work like a siphon. Thus, in addition to the "Push" of gravity, there is also a hydraulic "pull" and this drastically improves the ability of the water to force the air from the micro pores. The above method is less efficient than priming the purification elements with the priming button but should be about 50-75% effective in clearing the blocked micro pores.

Let the water from the first purification cycle that is collected in the lower chamber run to waste. Next, refill the upper chamber with water. Your Black Berkey^® elements are now FIELD primed and your Berkey^® system is ready for use.

Note: If the water used to field prime the elements is from a contaminated or suspect source, if possible use a container other than the lower chamber to immerse the elements. If this is not possible then use the water that collects in the lower chamber from the first purification cycle to make a soapy dishwater. Then wash thoroughly the inside of the lower chamber and discard the soapy water. Next, purify more water and use it to rinse any remaining soap from the lower chamber. Your Berkey^® system is now ready for use.
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What is the Micron Rating of the Black Berkey^® purification elements?
With respect to the micron rating, we do not use or publish a micron rating for the Black Berkey^® elements for the following reasons.

There is much confusion with respect to nominal and absolute micron ratings. An absolute micron rating is one that states the maximum pore size expected within an element.  The nominal micron rating is the average pore size within the element. This means that if 90% of the pores are .02 microns and ten percent are 2 microns, one could claim the nominal micron rating as .2 microns, which would imply that pathogenic bacteria and parasites would be totally removed.  But in reality the bulk of the water would channel through the larger 2-micron pores and thereby allow both bacteria and parasites to pass through. Therefore a nominal micron-rating claim can be very misleading.

With respect to the absolute micron rating, there is also confusion because there are two different standards to determine absolute; in the US the standard is 99.9% removal, but the international standard in 99.99% removal or 10 times greater removal. 

Clever marketers of products can use the confusion over the above differences to make product "A" appear to be better than product "B" when product B may be far superior in reality. For example, we used to report an absolute rating using the international standard because we have a large international customer base.  Several years ago we published a rating on our ceramic filters.  A particular company began to publish that our elements were .9 microns whereas theirs were .2 microns. However, our micron rating was based on absolute (international) while theirs was based on a nominal(US)rating.  When tested at Spectrum Labs, it was found that at the .2 to .3 microns range our filter removed more particulate than the other brand. Unfortunately many people make there purchasing decisions based on a micron rating that can be legitimately distorted and to a significant degree.

We soon became weary of trying to explain the above to our customers and so we decided not to participate any longer in publishing a micron rating.  Rather, we think an absolute pathogenic bacteria removal rate is a far better gauge because it is far more difficult to abuse.  Based on that criterion, the Black Berkey^® elements remove greater than 99.9999999% of pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli. To our knowledge, no other personal filtration element can match that capability. In fact, the Black Berkey^® elements are so powerful, they are unique in their ability to mechanically remove food coloring from water.
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I have a water softener installed in our house, can I filter this water through a Berkey system?
We don't recommend it, although some people do. It's better to use water that hasn't gone through a water softener. The excess salt from the softener may shorten the life of the elements.

Can I use my Berkey filters to treat ocean or salt water?
Again, the Berkey filtration elements are not meant to treat salt water and may damage your filter elements.

Theres a lot of information in the news lately about pharmaceutical drugs being found in the water. Do Berkey filters remove pharmaceuticals from the water?
To be specific about drugs in the water is very impractical because there are literally tens to hundreds of thousands of drugs on the market to test for. Since the tests for each drug costs about $1,000.00 dollars per test, the best we can do is talk generalities. Drug compounds typically fall into 3 categories. One is inorganic compounds, such as minerals. One is organic compounds. The last is a combination of the two (inorganic and organic compounds). As you may know, pharmaceutical companies spend inordinate amount of money sending people around the world to collect various plants, which are obviously organic, to test them for their medicinal properties. This would indicate to us that most drugs are organic or combinations of organic and inorganic compounds. The testing of our Black Berkey purification elements indicates that they are very powerful at extracting organic compounds which would give us the expectation that they should be effective at removing or reducing drugs derived from organic compounds. Further we would expect that they would reduce or remove the organic portion of compounds that are composed of both organic and inorganic materials. Since it’s unlikely that anyone has specific testing results on all the drugs that are potentially out there in your water, it seems to us that the best strategy would be to obtain the most powerful water purification system available.  The most powerful systems are typically those that are capable of purifying raw, untreated water like the Berkey Purification Elements.

It is time for me to replace my filter elements but I have a different brand name of gravity filter. Will the Black Berkey^® elements fit my system?
Yes the Black Berkey^® purification elements are interchangeable with other gravity systems and the PF-2 filters can be used as well.

The water in the upper chamber of my Berkey^® system does not drain all the way. Is this normal?
Yes it is normal and not unusual for the last 1/2" to 1" of water to remain in the upper chamber.  By design the water must pass through very fine micro pores within the elements in order to pass from the upper chamber to the lower.  The lower the water level in the upper chamber, the lower the pressure available to force the water through the micro pores.  You might have noticed that the system purifies much faster when full than when half full.  That is because there is more pressure.  The only way to remedy the problem would be to enlarge the pores within the filter elements.  That would of course, reduce the efficiency of the purification elements.  During each cycle the water left from the previous cycle mixes with the water from the current cycle and is then purified.  You should not be concerned about the excess water during normal use however if you discontinue using your filter for a period of time such as during a vacation, it would not hurt to empty the upper chamber before departing.

It appears that there is a slight dimple in one of my Black Berkey^® elements, is this filter flawed?
No, The Black Berkey^® purification elements are about twice as thick as are standard gravity filter elements.  This is a built in redundancy or overkill, if you will.  The minor dimple in the filter should not cause any decrease in the elements efficiency.  However to check its performance, make sure the wing nuts are on tight and do the following:

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 elements are working properly. If not, check to make sure that the wing nuts on your elements are securely tightened then re-run the test.

I have found that when I boil the water or freeze it into ice cubes, I sometimes get little white floating things in the water.  What is this?
With respect to the little white floaters in the water, it is not bacteria but rather a problem that sometimes occurs with hard (heavily mineralized) water. When water is filtered through your system, the Black Berkey^® purification elements actually increase the PH of the water.  This is healthful as Pathogenic bacteria and viruses thrive in acidic environments and conversely have difficulty surviving in alkaline environments.  This is also true inside your body.  When the PH level of the purified water is raised, the acidity of the water goes down and the water is no longer able to hold as many minerals in solution.  When this happens the minerals begin to precipitate out over time and depending on the mineral composition they will either sink to the bottom or float to the top.  This process is known as flocculation and the precipitated minerals are usually referred to as "white floaters".  The bottom line is that this is nothing to be concerned about, the white floaters are minerals that were already in your water; they are now simply visible whereas they were previously invisible due to their suspension in an ionic form.

What are the Black Berkey^® elements made out of and how do they work?
Without getting too complex, several methodologies are utilized by the Black Berkey^® purification elements.  The elements are composed of a formulation of more than a half dozen different media types constructed into a very fine matrix creating millions of micro-fine pores.  The pores are so small that pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, sediment and sedimentary minerals are not able to pass through them. The media formulation both "absorbs" some contaminates and "adsorbs" other contaminates.  Next, heavy metals ions (mineral molecules) are extracted through an Ion exchange process where they are essentially electrically bonded to the media. Finally, our filter elements are designed such that each water molecule can take several minutes to pass through the filter elements whereas these molecules passing through other filtration systems pass through those filters in literally microseconds.  The longer the water molecules are in contact with any media, the greater the removal of the various contaminates.
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I did a TDS reading on the purified water and was surprised to find that the reading was about the same with the purified water as it was with the unpurified water. Is my system working properly?
Yes, a TDS meter measures only Total Dissolved Solids or minerals; dissolved solids are simply dissolved minerals in an ionic form.  A TDS meter does not measure the amount of biological and chemical contaminates.  Black Berkey^® elements are designed to leave in your water the healthful and beneficial minerals and to extract only the unwanted heavy metals such as lead and mercury as well as sedimentary minerals such as iron oxide and aluminum.  Therefore, your TDS reading will not change much unless you have a significant amount of heavy metals or sedimentary minerals in your water.

I just did a food dye test on my filters and now there is food dye coming out in my water. Why is this?
This can occur if 1.) your filters are not tightened properly, or 2.) you didn't prime your filter elements completely. If your filter elements are not completely primed, the food coloring may not get absorbed correctly. Remove your filter elements and prime them again making sure they are completely saturated and primed. Sometimes tension in the water can cause tiny air pockets in the filters micro pores to not get completely saturated. NOTE: Use only red food dye for this test. Also, do not use your post filters when first testing your Berkey system with food dye.

What is the shelf life of the Black Berkey^® purification elements?
The shelf life of the Black Berkey^® elements is indefinite.  In other words they will last until you need them.  We would advise however, if you intend to store them for a long period of time, that you store them in a zip-lock bag.  This is because they are powerful enough to absorb contaminants from the air, which could reduce their expected life if you have a lot of airborne contaminants in the area in which they are being stored.  A zip-lock back will prevent the above from occurring. 

How often do the Black Berkey^® purification elements need to be replaced?
Each element has an expected life of 3,000 gallons or 6,000 gallons for a set of two. This applies to both ceramic and black elements.
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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 ScotchBrite pad or stiff toothbrush. Simply scrub a section of the filter until you see a bit of black on the white pad then move to the next section.  It’s simple to do and takes less than a minute. Then re-prime each element and reinstall them. Your problem should now be fixed.

How do I know when it is time to replace the elements in my system?
The best way to gauge when to replace the filters is to do the following:

1)     Multiply the number of filters in your system by 3,000 gallons to get Total Gallons For All Filters within the system. 2)     Next keep a track of how many times you need to refill the upper chamber in one week.  3)     Then multiply that figure times the capacity in gallons of your particular system (for example the Berkey Light™ system is 2.75 gallons) to determine Total Gallons Used Per Week.  4)     Finally divide the Total Gallons Used Per Week into the Total Gallons For All Filters and that will tell you how many weeks before the filters should be replaced. 5)     Next calculate the future date for replacement (52 weeks per year) and write that date on a sticker and attach it to the bottom of your system for future reference.

By the way, if you have been using your system for some time now, you can still use the above formula to determine when to replace the elements. Just count forward from the date you purchased your system.

Determining what the best size is for your needs:
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.

SYSTEM	TWO ELEMENTS	FULLY 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.

SYSTEM	FLOW per hour	FULLY EXPANDED FLOW
Travel Berkey®	~2.75 GALLONS	N/A
Berkey Light™	~4.25 GALLONS	N/A
Big Berkey®	~3.5 GALLONS	~7.00 GALLONS
Royal Berkey®	~4.0 GALLONS	~8.0 GALLONS
Imperial Berkey®	~5.5 GALLONS	~16.5 GALLONS
Crown Berkey®	~6.5 GALLONS	~26.0 GALLONS

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I will soon be leaving the country. Is there a way to test my Berkey^® system to make sure it is working properly?
Yes, anytime you plan on taking your system out of the country we advise that you always perform the following test prior to leaving. 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.

By the way, always prime new purification elements before leaving the country, as you may not have enough water pressure to be able to prime the elements at your destination.

Inside the Stainless Berkey System

Inside the Berkey Light

Inside the Black Berkey Purification Filters

 

 

PF-2 & PF-4 FAQ's
Instruction PDF

What is the difference between the Black Purification Elements and the Super Sterasyl Ceramic Filters?
We get asked this question every day, it's really comparing apples & oranges.  The white Super Sterasyl ceramic filters are the original filters from British Berkefeld.  They are still the standard for most water filtration systems today.  They have a silver impregnated inner core that acts as an anti bacterial by inhibiting bacterial and microbial growth as well as an activated carbon core.  They filter out most contaminants to undetectable levels, including water borne bacterias (except MTBE's - methyl tertiary butyl ether). This is why we recommend using PF-4's or Post Filters with your cermamic filters..  The Super Sterasyl^™ ceramic filter elements remove suspended solids, parasites, cysts and pathogenic bacteria (>99.99%) and reduce organic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, organic solvents, trihalomethanes, SOCs, VOCs and foul tastes and odors without removing healty beneficial minerals in your water. These filters are cleanable and with care should give you approximately 6,000 gallons of water usage per pair. We ship these systems all over the world, especially to under developed countries where water systems are substandard and clean water is not available for priming the filters. You can read more about these filters here: http://preparedplanet.com/Berkey%20Parts%20and%20Info.html#SSCF

The Black Purification Elements are a newer proprietary technology, that also treat and remove most contaminants to undetectable levels. The elements are composed of a formulation of more than a half dozen different media types constructed into a very fine matrix creating millions of micro-fine pores.  The pores are so small that pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, sediment and other contaminants are not able to pass through them. The media formulation both "absorbs" some contaminates and "adsorbs" other contaminates.  Next, heavy metals ions (mineral molecules) are extracted through an Ion exchange process where they are essentially electrically bonded to the media. Finally, our filter elements are designed such that each water molecule can take several minutes to pass through the filter elements whereas these molecules passing through other filtration systems pass through those filters in literally microseconds.  The longer the water molecules are in contact with any media, the greater the removal of the various contaminates.  The Black Berkey® purification elements also remove or reduce pathogenic cysts, parasites, viruses, harmful or unwanted chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, VOCs, detergents, organic solvents, trihalomethanes, cloudiness, silt, sediment, nitrates, nitrites, heavy metals, MTBE's, foul tastes and odors, yet they leave in the healthful and beneficial minerals that your body need. They have been proven, through strenuous testing, to remove more contaminants than the ceramic filters, spescifically MTBE's & heavy metals, therefore the Black Elements are more powerful at removing contaminants than the ceramic fiters. The Black Purification elements can be cleaned by gently scrubbing with a Scotch Brite pad and will give you approximately 6,000 gallons of water usage per pair. You can read more about the black elements here: http://preparedplanet.com/Berkey%20Parts%20and%20Info.html#BBInfo

Both the Black Berkey Elements and the Super Sterasyl Ceramic Filters can be used with the optional PF-2 & PF-4 post filters.  The PF stands for post filter, and are to be used in conjunction with the main filters for an extra added level of filtration.  They specifically target in removing lead, fluoride, arsenic, heavy metals, chemicals, & MTBE's in the water. The PF-4 work only with the Ceramic Filters, the PF-2 work only with the Black Elements. If you have ceramic filters or are planning on purchasing the ceramic filters, and use them with the PF-4 post filters, you will in essence have the same filtering/treatment capability as the black elements. NOTE: neither the black elements or the ceramic filters remove fluoride, that is why we recommend using the post filters with them.

Filter Storage: Many people don't plan on using their filters immediately, or plan to store them for emergency use only. We strongly suggest they be stored and sealed in an air tight container as they may absorb the surrounding odors and smells where they are stored. Black Berkey elements have an indefinite shelf life.

Which filter system size is right for you? The size of your Berkey water system really depends on how many people per day will be needing water. You can guage the amount of your water usage by multiplying an average days use of water in gallons by 365 days to get an idea of how many gallons per year your usage may be. For example, if you use 3 gallons per day and multiply that by 365 then your approximate water usage would be 1,095 gals/yr. The Crown Berkey is the largest of the Berkey water systems, with an optional eight filter capacity. The next size down is the Imperial Berkey w/ a 6 filter capacity. The mid size is the Royal Berkey w/ a 4 filter capacity, next is the Big Berkey w/ a 4 filter capacity also, but smaller than the Royal, and the smallest is the Travel Berkey which is only a 2 filter capacity.  Extra filters can be purchased for any system and both filters are compatible with any of the Berkey systems.  Depending on how many water filters your system has depends on the flow rate you'll get, the more filters, the faster the flow rate   You can view all of our systems here: http://preparedplanet.com/Berkey-Water-Filters.html All systems are compatible with either filter. In other words, all filters fit any system.
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Can I Filter Rain, Pond, Pool or Stream water with the Berkey Filters?
Yes, the Berkey systems are ideal for various methods of water catchment. You can secure clean safe drinking water from just about any water souce and be assured that your water is safe for drinking. Also, Berkey water systems do not rely on electricity in order to pump your water. In case of a power outage, you will still be able to secure clean drinking water for you and your family.

Different Water Filtration Techniques & Comparison

Which is the healthiest water filter/treatment technique?
There are so many treatments and types of water filters on the market that it can be confusing. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. With that said, we'll narrow it down to some of the drawbacks of more popular methods of water filtration.

Water Distillation
Distillation is probably the oldest method of water purification. Water is first heated to boiling. The water vapor rises to a condenser where cooling water lowers the temperature so the vapor is condensed, collected and stored. Most contaminants remain behind in the liquid phase vessel. However, there can sometimes be what is called carry-overs in the water that is distilled. Organics such as herbicides and pesticides, with boiling points lower than 100 °C cannot be removed efficiently and can actually become concentrated in the product water. Another disadvantage is cost. Distillation requires large amounts of energy and water.

Distilled water can also be very acidic, having a low pH, thus should be contained in glass. Since there is not much left, distilled water is often called "hungry" water. Any time we consume an acid substance our body will pull minerals from our teeth and bones to produce bicarbonate in order to neutralize the acid. This is the type of water that seriously leaches out the minerals from one's body. This is good laboratory water and should not be drunk. It lacks oxygen and minerals and has a flat taste, which is why it is mostly used in industrial processes.

Reverse Osmosis
In America, the most common drinking water is RO (Reverse Osmosis) water. Reverse Osmosis and Distillation were first developed over 40 years ago for the printing and photo processing industries‚ which require mineral free water. Because of the popularity and demand for home water treatment products many companies have marketed these products as "state-of-the-art" drinking water systems‚ which they simply are not. Often these products are marketed by using a demonstration that measures the TDS (total dissolved solids) and implies that this measurement shows the systems effectiveness at removing contaminants. TDS meters measure the dissolved minerals in water‚ primarily calcium and magnesium‚ and have little or nothing to do with contaminant levels.

If you test Reverse Osmosis water you will find that it is acid water, with a 5.5 to 6.4 pH. So it is not surprising that so many of us are too acidic, are prematurely aging, and coming down with too many old age diseases. RO water is totally devoid of minerals and is classified as hungry water, which leaches out the minerals in your body.  In addition, while most waters when left on a shelf will first turn green (growing blue green algae) the RO water when left on a shelf will choose to grow black fungus as it's first choice. If you look at an RO system, after the water is fully cleaned and is stored in the reservoir tank, it still has to have a carbon block filter which they call a taste filter to block the black fungus from coming out and to of course improve the water flavor.

Because RO membranes are very restrictive, they yield slow flow rates. Storage tanks are required to produce an adequate volume in a reasonable amount of time. They also may require a hefty price tag and installation procedure for a household system. Your water source would be strictly reliant on your tap faucet.

Distillation and reverse Osmosis are not very effective at removing synthetic chemicals. Distillation removes things based on their relative boiling point. Virtually all synthetic chemicals boil at a lower temperature than water and therefore are vaporized and condensed along with the water in a distillation process. Reverse Osmosis removes things based on molecular size. Virtually all synthetic chemicals are molecularly smaller than water and therefore cannot be effectively removed by reverse osmosis.

Pitcher and carafe style water filters
In recent years these types of filters have emerged as low cost alternatives to tap water and bottled water. Keeping in mind that any filter is better than no filter‚ these products are by far the least effective and the most costly to use. Pitchers and carafe filters are sold on the "Polaroid principal"... sell the camera cheap and make it up on the film sales. The result is the same with these pour through pitcher filters‚ lower quality at a higher price. The average pitcher filter sells for around $25 and includes one 30 gallon filter cartridge. Because of the small size of these cartridges they have a very limited level of effectiveness and a low capacity. While pour-through filters do offer a slightly improved alternative to tap water‚ they by no means can offer the quality‚ convenience and economy of the Berkey filters. Another reason Berkey filters are so effective is their long contact time with the water. Most pitcher and carafe style filters have very little contact time with the water therefore not allowing the filter to work properly.

Beware of the Bogus Precipitator Test
Some unethical water treatment companies use a dramatic demonstration with an "Electronic Precipitator." This machine resembles a coffee pot in which two metallic electrodes (metal rods) are placed in the water. The demonstration produces a dark sludge, which is casued by electricity decomposing the metal rods in the water. The electric precipitator device is a marketing scam meant to use scare tactics as a convincing sales tool so customers will purchase precipitators Even the NSF doesn't recommend the test. Read more

Why can't we get certain Berkey systems shipped to California or Iowa?
Unfortunately, due to California and Iowa state regulations, we are not allowed to ship Berkey systems to these states. We can however, ship to any person, friend or family member you designate outside of your state on your behalf.  If you have further questions, please contact us via email.

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