Berkey Light

Questions on Berkey Light

• From Jen at 8/3/12 3:10 PM
  • Do any of the the LED light bases help in any way with filtering or purifying the water?
  • Hi Jen - No the LED lights are for aesthetic purposes only and provide no filtration or UV benefits.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Will at 9/10/12 3:10 PM
  • Do I need to boil this water after I filter it if it comes from a free flowing countryside creek?
  • Hi Will -
    
    Boiling the water would kill the bacteria, however the black berkeys that come standard with the berkey light are designed to remove any bacteria to a log 7 degree which is 99.99999%. This is why they are rated as purifiers because they purify the water of bacteria that may be in a creek like you mention. So no, you would not need to boil the water.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From kev at 10/11/12 11:20 AM
  • will these filters remove lead from my water?
  • Hi Kev -
    
    Yes, the standard black berkey will remove the lead to 95% and greater.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From eric at 10/18/12 1:09 PM
  • how long can the black filters be stored fore,
  • Hi Eric -
    
    The shelf life is indefinite as long as they are not exposed to high heat (over 120 degrees), or freezing temperatures.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From mirna at 10/27/12 9:10 PM
  • Hello,
    
    I may have missed this info if it's listed but, how often is it recommended to change the black filters?
  • Hi Mirna -
    
    They must be replaced approximately 6000 gallons per set of 2 filters.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Sandra at 10/28/12 2:08 PM
  • If I am using this at home (where there is no fluoride) and travelling in my RV (where I am guessing there IS flouride), can I use the flouride filters on the road and then store them until I am travelling again? Or must they be used continuously once they have been used?
  • Hi Sandra -
    
    Yes you can, but please bear in mind that once the filters touch water, the clock starts ticking on their 2 year lifetime whether they are being used or not.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Harold at 12/1/12 11:31 AM
  • My city water has very bad, Smells of chlorine and tastes like a swimming pool how long would my big berkey go before changing filters
  • Hi Harold -
    
    That's a difficult question to answer as we would just be guessing. For chlorine though, the best way to know that the filters have exhausted (other than a red food coloring test) is by simply paying attention to see when the smell/taste of that chlorine is found in the filtered water.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Ski at 12/9/12 4:55 PM
  • How many gallon can be prospected before filter need Changed
  • Hi Ski -
    
    The black berkeys are good for approx 6000 gallons per set of 2 before replacement is required.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Angela Mercado at 12/16/12 3:15 PM
  • Is there an indicator for changing the filter or do I have to keep track of hos much water I've used?
  • Hi Angela -
    
    No, there is no indicator. You would need to keep track, and/or also perform a red food coloring test on the filters at any time to verify that they are working to design specs.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Mike m at 1/19/13 2:12 PM
  • I know water cleanliness can be measured by the parts per million of particles in the water, including elements like fluoride or lead. How well does the black filter purify and filter the water? Distilled water has 0 ppm(parts per million) I know other filter can make the water 0 ppm. What does your filter measure the filtered water at? And I'm talking about filtering tap/sink water, not pond water.
  • Hi Mike -
    
    What you are in most part referring to is a TDS meter. 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. Distillation removes all beneficial minerals, as well as filters like Zerowater, and this is why their reading is zero. Again, for every other contaminant, bacteria, atc, a separate test would be required and every system can perform deifferently. The berkeys are rated as purifiers because they remove bacteria to such high degrees. For more details on specific contaminant removal levels, some comparison tests can be found here:
    
    http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/helpful-resources/compare
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From ben at 1/21/13 3:03 PM
  • I was wondering, when and how often, would the system need to be cleaned? In regards to the plastic tank. Or does it even need to be cleaned at all?
  • Hi Ben -
    
    We recommend the lower chamber be washed with soap and water approx once per month. Even though this is not required, it's considered good sanitary practice in our opinion.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Wes at 2/9/13 4:26 AM
  • Does the upper chamber of the Berkey Light nest into the lower chamber to take up less space during transport (the same way the Big Berkey does)?
  • Hi Wes -
    
    No, sorry it does not.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Tanya at 2/12/13 11:59 AM
  • I like the Berkey Light, but algae will grow in the presence of light. How do you deal with this?
  • Hi Tanya -
    
    This is not something we typically hear of, but you would want to wash the chambers out with soap and water more often to combat this. When we do hear of this, it's most often happening in the upper chamber, not the purified water lower chamber.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Jess at 3/8/13 11:49 PM
  • Are the fluoride/arsenic filters included when purchasing the berkey with 2 black berkey elements? Or is that something I buy separate?
  • Hi Jess -
    
    The PF-2's are something you would buy extra if you need to remove fluoride and/or arsenic. They are offered as a discounted item with the purchase of the system.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Tom H. at 3/21/13 1:28 AM
  • could you add a small amout of bleach to the top part instead of adding the bottom to filter
  • Hi Tom -
    
    Yes, you could add a small amount of bleach if you would like to pre-treat the water. This would not replace the lower PF-2 filters though if you are interested in removing fluoride and/or arsenic.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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• From Maya at 4/20/13 12:20 AM
  • What is the difference between the light and the dark bekerly? Also, is the light bekerly made out of plastic? what is the name of the smallest size of these filters?
    
    Thank you.
  • Hi Maya -
    
    The only difference is the in the type of housing. All systems come standard with the same black berkey filters.
    
    Thanks
    Dan
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