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Big Berkey water filters produce high quality purified water using Black Berkey water filters and gravity. Big Berkey is the best selling table top Berkey and is recommended by experts in the health industry for producing healthy water and experts in survival for emergency water processing when municipal water sources have been contaminated. Built from durable, highly polished 304 stainless steel, Big Berkey filters can be used as a home filtration system or for recreational water filtering while camping. The standard configuration with two Black Berkey filters will process up to 6000 gallons of purified water. How to use a Big BerkeyBig Berkey is a table top gravity filter and does not require power. Two or four Black Berkey filters are installed in the upper chamber where unfiltered water is added. To filter water, pour water into the upper chamber. Water is pulled through the Black Berkey filters by the force of gravity and purified water drips into the clean water chamber. The drip rate is based on two factors, how many filters are installed and how much water is in the top chamber. It is estimated that the gallons of water per hour filtered by Big Berkey are:
Gallons Per Hour by number of Elements Installed:- 2 Elements = 3.5 GPH
- 4 Elements = 7 GPH
When using a Big Berkey, you can increase the flow rate of the water by keeping the upper chamber full. However, you must empty the lower chamber at the same rate or the lower chamber can overflow where the two chambers meet. This is because the following capacity levels must be observed:
Storage Capacity: 2.25 Gallons
One way to avoid overflow of the purified water in the lower chamber is to install a water level view sight glass spigot which reveals the level of the water in the lower chamber.
Big Berkey water filters are commonly used for two to five people. For two or three people a system with 2 Black Berkey filters is sufficent. Groups of three to five people will benefit from four filter configurations. If you expect to provide water for more than five people on a regular basis, a Royal Berkey or Imperal Berkey may be more appropriate. Using Big Berkey on Tables and CountersBecause Big Berkey water filters are used as table top water filters it is important to understand their space requirements. If you are installing your Big Berkey on a table, make sure that the table is stable enough to support the weight of the water filter when in use. With a capacity of 2.25 gallons of water, the Big Berkey can weigh over 24 pounds. The surface where the Big Berkey is placed should be flat and stable, able to support the weight. In addition, the Big Berkey needs to either hang off the edge of a table or counter so that a typical glass or cup can easily slide under the spigot for filling. The other option is to raise the Big Berkey using a stand which will then allow for enough clearance under the spigot to get a glass under it.
Another important space consideration is the overall height of the Big Berkey. With the rubber base on the lower chamber and the lid knob on the top chamber, the Big Berkey's requirements are:
Space Requirements: 20.5" height clearance. 9" width clearance.
The reason the height requirement is important has to with overhead cabinet doors. If the Big Berkey is placed on a counter top and there are cupboards above, consideration has to be given for the cupboard doors. Because the Big Berkey stands 20.5 inches high, the distance between the counter top and the bottom of the cupboard doors must be greater that 21" or the cupboard door will hit the top of the Big Berkey, preventing access to the contents of the cupboards. It is best to take these measurements prior to ordering to avoid returns or damage to your Big Berkey and cupboard doors. Using Big Berkey Water Filters for Recreational Water PurificationBig Berkey uses Black Berkey water filters, which are capable of purifying non municipal water found in rivers, streams, and lakes. Use Big Berkey in your camp site to purify wilderness water sources with confidence. There is no need to pre-treat water from a stream or other outdoor source. Simply draw water from the nearest source and pour it into the Big Berkey for safe water. Common outdoor water threats that are removed include pathogenic bacteria, cysts, and parasites such as:- E. coli
- Klebsiella
- Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
- Giardia
- Cryptosporidium
In addition, Big Berkey will reduce the following heavy metals by up to 95%: -
Lead -
Mercury -
Aluminum -
Cadmium -
Chomium -
Copper Big Berkey water filters are an important part of maintaining health and insuring that water is safe to drink. |
