Cleaning a Water Filter.

[headchange4u]

I have been experimenting with a DIY gravity filter using the filter cartridge from my PUR hiker. The gravity filter works well but I have noticed that my filtered water has a musty taste and it seems to be coming from the filter cartridge. I clean the filter every time that I use it, and recently took it on a 3 day outing and I did not get the musty taste in my water.

I used the instructions on BPL (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/8994/index.html?skip_to_post=65095#65095) to make my gravity filter and Captain Jac says:


After a trip I remove the cartridge from the bag and wash the bag with clean water. The tubing and cartridge are washed in a 10% bleach solution and allowed to sit in the mixture about 30 minutes.

Doesn't bleach effect the activated carbon inside the filter cartridge?

What's the best way to sanitized and clean the filter cartridge?

[Doughnut]

try air dry, leave it out in the sun for a few hours, and try it again,

Dough Nut

[Tobit]

I thought the hiker cartridge did not have carbon?

[Alligator]

I use a little bleach in water to sanitize mine after every trip.

[Critterman]

........What's the best way to sanitized and clean the filter cartridge?

The 10% bleach solution will kill just about any organism that could be living in the tubing and filter.

[headchange4u]

The hiker filter does use activated carbon. Will the beach do anything to make the carbon less effective?

[Alligator]

The hiker filter does use activated carbon. Will the beach do anything to make the carbon less effective?I emailed Katadyn regarding using a bleach solution in my hiker.
Message:
Hello,

I have a Katadyn Hiker. After each trip, I run a bleach solution
through my filter. It is approximately one capful of household bleach
to about one liter of water. How would this affect the activated carbon
in the filter?

Reply:
You are supposed to run a bleach-water solution through the filter
before putting it into storage and then also unscrew the cartridge and
allow it to dry out.
The bleach is fine...it is a matter of time, not bleach, that uses up
the carbon.

Sincerely,
Sarah

[karo]

I have had this problem in the past also, i.e. musty smell after storage for my Pur Hiker filter. After contacting the company and getting a replacement filter and it doing the same thing, this is what I have discovered. You should follow the manufacturers instructions to clean the filter. Esp. removing the pump handle and allowing the entire unit to air dry. After it appears to be dry (even after a few days) you will still be able to shake out some water from the bottom of the filter. That said if you put the cartridge back in the filter body, you will get some mold develop resulting in the musty smell and taste. Don't fret, after you clean and dry the Pur hiker, just leave the cartridge out of the filter in a mesh bag until your next use. In the field, you can leave the filter together, as long as you give it a thorough cleaning on your next stop.

[karo]

The Pur HIker is still a great filter, just use this method to store it after a hike and it will perform just fine.

[headchange4u]

Thanks for the info. I will put mine in a bleach solution tonight and see if it helps the taste.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I know this thread is somewhat dated, but thanks for the info. I had been wondering if cleaning the filter cartridge in bleach solution affected the carbon, glad to hear that they claim it doesn't.

I wanted to add that a mistake I just found out I made when storing my Katadyn hiker pro was that I disassembled the filter for storage but forget to pull the surgical tubing off of the assembly, which prevented the tubes from drying. Two months later the tubes still have residual water in them (along with whatever else has been growing in them :eek: ).

I hope this helps someone else avoid doing the same.

[Jonnycat]

I just run the bleach solution (2 teaspoons/liter) through the filter, pump it dry, then take it apart and let it dry out for a week or so. When I put it back together, what little water might be lurking is sterile and doesn't cause any problems.