WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
Results 21 to 39 of 39
  1. #21
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-18-2014
    Location
    Massanutten, Virginia
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Here is my Sawyer Mini gravity filter. I made special caps with quick connects that are valved https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...dy-14-npt.aspxIMG_6335.jpg
    These replace all the caps on all my bottles. the silicone tubing is https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...16-od-x-1.aspx The 3/16 ID works better than the larger sizes others are using.
    The system is almost a copy of the platypus system about 1 foot of tubing to the filter dirty side and about 4 feet of tubing with a hose clamp on the clean end.
    IMG_6384.jpg


    One last thing to add is a small attachment that is used to shower with when clicked into a water bag.
    IMG_6338.jpgIMG_6389.jpg


    If you go the bidet route it will click into a bottle
    IMG_6382.jpgTPsliuceCOLOR.jpg
    The whole kit it a little heavier than just using a mini, but a total weight of 8oz to have 4+liters of water carrying capacity, shower and a filter i'm ok with that.

    The clean bag can be a hydration bladder which is what I actually do. I have a 1.5 liter Evernew bag with a DIY quick connect pickup straw. https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...ud-14-ptf.aspx with refrigerator ice maker water line connected to it. I locate it in a side pocket of my pack for easy access.
    IMG_6380.jpg

  2. #22
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
    Join Date
    12-12-2002
    Location
    Marlboro, MA
    Posts
    7,145
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by krshome View Post


    One last thing to add is a small attachment that is used to shower with when clicked into a water bag.
    IMG_6338.jpgIMG_6389.jpg

    Very nice!

    Two questions:

    Where did you source the shower head attachment?

    Any experience with plugs for the custom caps? So that you could carry dirty water to your campsite in your pack without replacing the custom cap with a regular one.

  3. #23
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-18-2014
    Location
    Massanutten, Virginia
    Posts
    62

    Default

    The shower head is from the old MSR shower kit no longer available but sure the new version should work. The caps have valves in them so no plugs are needed. When you click the hose on the cap water flows when unplugged water shuts off. Nice thing is no need for extra caps to loose.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #24

    Default

    Sorry,but I am at a loss as to how you attached the plumbing fitting to the AGG bag?Thanks!

  5. #25

    Default

    What worked really well for me was to buy a platypus dirty water bag (you can buy just the bag). It has a zip top that makes it easy to collect water along with a nylon strap that makes it easy to hang. It uses a quick release fitting that's about a half inch from the bottom so sediment won't clog your filter as easily.

    From there, I just bought some tubing and quick release fittings that allows me to refill my bladder in my pack or a bottle. I can use gravity in camp, or squeeze the dirty bag for a quick fill up. Everything packs nicely inside the dirty bag.

  6. #26

    Default

    Yep,I also have the Platypus dirty bag and can use either Sawyer filter with it to fill my Hydrapak reversible clean water bag or any other bag or bottle.I would like to be able to plumb a bucket style bag or buy one already plumbed since they are so easy to fill.Gives another option.Any ideas?

  7. #27
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-17-2007
    Location
    Michigan
    Age
    64
    Posts
    5,126

    Default

    I posted earlier about my gravity system with a sylnylon bag and quick disconnect fitting. I used that this summer with mixed results. The bag tended to leak and was not as easy to fill as I had hoped. I appreciated being able to get a gallon of water and carry it back to camp, especially since I was filtering for two people. But for my solo trip last weekend, I opted for a much easier system.

    I have two Evernew Water Carry bladders (900 mL/30 oz each). One I use for dirty water the other for clean. I got the Sawyer adapter for connecting the a bladder to a hose (same as Rickb above). I cut a 1" piece of the grey hose/straw that came with the filter to connect the adapter to clean side of the filter. So when you piece it all together it is: dirty bladder - filter - 1" tube - adapter - clean bladder. I also punched two holes in the perimeter of the dirty bladder near the bottom (not to puncture the bladder) and tied a short loop of string through it so I can hang it from a branch for gravity filtering. This also helps me keep track of which bladder is which (string=dirty / no string=clean). Using a bladder for clean water allows for a convenient gravity system and provides a backup in case the dirty bladder breaks. I also I also carry a very thin water bottle with the top cut off as a scoop to fill the bladder. I also carry two 20 oz Gatorade bottles for drinking from while hiking (they attach to the pack straps). This gives me 100 oz of total capacity if I hit a dry stretch of trail.

    Last Saturday, I was going to camp on a bluff with no water source, so I filled my dirty bladder at a stream crossing using the scoop. Then when I got to camp, I take out the filter, attach the clean bladder (rolled up so there is no air in it), attach the dirty bladder full of water, hang from a branch by the string, and go set up camp. By the time camp chores were done, all the water had flowed into the clean bladder - enough for dinner, evening tea, and morning coffee. A longer hose gives faster filtering, but for this application, speed was not an issue for me as it filters while I'm doing camp chores. It is a closed system so there is no need to monitor. When I stopped during the day to refill my Gatorade bottles, I just used it in squeeze mode and it only took a minute to fill the bottles.

    I can also use the same set up for back flushing. Just disconnect the dirty bladder and squeeze the clean bladder to force water backwards through the filter (I have not used the syringe). I will make sure the clean bladder is just partly filled when back flushing. When all the water is through, I keep squeezing to see if air will go through the filter. You should find that even with extra pressure, air will not go through the filter. I have used 0.2 micron filters in the lab for filter sterilization. I know from this experience that you easily force liquids through a wet filter but not air. We would use this test to make sure the filter was intact and the sterilization was successful. The Sawyer filter (also 0.2 micron) seems to behave the same way. I can not guarantee that this test is 100% reliable for an intact filter, but if I could force air through it when wet, I would definitely replace the filter. BTW, if you are not getting good flow through your filter, make sure you don't have air bubbles in the system.

    There are some on-line reviews of Sawyer filter becoming clogged or having poor flow rates. I suspect this may be due to hard water scale building up when the filter dries out. I'm not sure this is the case, but it would make sense based on the way a Sawyer filter works. Since I am using my filter every day it shouldn't dry out while hiking. At home I prevent this possibility by back flushing with distilled water as soon as I get home. After several trips, my filter seems to still be flowing like new. Some people report they don't like the Sawyer Mini because it is too slow. I wonder if their filter isn't working correctly due to air bubbles or scale buildup, since with this care, mine flows plenty fast (at least for my needs).

  8. #28
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-05-2017
    Location
    Stuarts Draft, VA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    66

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by krshome View Post
    Here is my Sawyer Mini gravity filter. I made special caps with quick connects that are valved https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...dy-14-npt.aspxIMG_6335.jpg
    These replace all the caps on all my bottles. the silicone tubing is https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...16-od-x-1.aspx The 3/16 ID works better than the larger sizes others are using.
    The system is almost a copy of the platypus system about 1 foot of tubing to the filter dirty side and about 4 feet of tubing with a hose clamp on the clean end.
    IMG_6384.jpg


    One last thing to add is a small attachment that is used to shower with when clicked into a water bag.
    IMG_6338.jpgIMG_6389.jpg


    If you go the bidet route it will click into a bottle
    IMG_6382.jpgTPsliuceCOLOR.jpg
    The whole kit it a little heavier than just using a mini, but a total weight of 8oz to have 4+liters of water carrying capacity, shower and a filter i'm ok with that.

    The clean bag can be a hydration bladder which is what I actually do. I have a 1.5 liter Evernew bag with a DIY quick connect pickup straw. https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-...ud-14-ptf.aspx with refrigerator ice maker water line connected to it. I locate it in a side pocket of my pack for easy access.
    IMG_6380.jpg
    Love this setup.

    Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  9. #29
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-18-2014
    Location
    Massanutten, Virginia
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Thanks DM, I have some extra caps with the quick connects you can have if we ever hang out again


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #30
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-05-2017
    Location
    Stuarts Draft, VA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    66

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by krshome View Post
    Thanks DM, I have some extra caps with the quick connects you can have if we ever hang out again


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Awesome! You and I should just go somewhere.

    Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  11. #31
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-18-2014
    Location
    Massanutten, Virginia
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Starting to plan trip now most local but a Mount Rogers trip is in the works too. As per my water set up I have made my favorite now and think I'm done playing around with trying to make it better. It's simple and cheap. If your interested let me know I'll go into more detail


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #32
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-05-2017
    Location
    Stuarts Draft, VA
    Age
    43
    Posts
    66

    Default

    That sounds good

    Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

  13. #33
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-01-2016
    Location
    Chattanooga, Tennessee
    Posts
    1,054

    Default Follow up Q

    I decided to experiment a bit here at home with a gravity feed water filtration system using my Sawyer Mini. I'm not terribly concerned with flow rate, as the plan would be to set it up and let it run while doing other camp chores. As long as it worked ... which is the catch.

    I had hoped to set up a system whereby one of my 1L soda bottles would be the dirty water reservoir. I figured out a way to hang that upside down, with the mini screwed on in place of the cap, and for completeness I affixed the gray tube to the outflow side, and let it drain into another 1L soda bottle standing upright. Except - nothing.

    At first, I thought, well, the mini was totally dry, it'll take some time for water to soak through the layers of filter. After 5 min, I gave the "dirty" bottle a little squeeze to help things along. As I squeezed, couple bubbles went up, a little water dripped down, and I thought I was on my way. But then, nothing more.

    It occurred to me that the lack of pressure equalization in the dirty water bottle was keeping it from flowing out. It made sense to me as the only other time I used the mini (as a filtering cap to a soda bottle), the bottle collapsed as I sucked untreated water out of the bottle through the Mini, and I had to unscrew the Mini periodically to let the bottle pop back into shape and resume a good flow.

    So, short of punching holes in the (top) of the dirty water bottle, it's not really going to work this way? How is this not an issue with a water reservoir/bag? Just because the sides are more flexible and more collapsible? Is it the case that the same forces are at play with the soft-sided bag, but just not as noticeable because of the greater ability to collapse? That is, theoretically: if you poked a hole in the top of a dirty water bag halfway through its emptying through filtration, the flow would likely increase due to pressure equalization? (forgive me if that's not the right physics term)

    Anyway, I had hoped to have a bottle-to-bottle filtration system, but, short of finding a bottle with a cap at both ends, I don't think it's going to work, so I'll probably need to get something like an Evernew bag instead.

    Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

  14. #34

    Default Sawyer Mini Gravity Feed Help

    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    I decided to experiment a bit here at home with a gravity feed water filtration system using my Sawyer Mini. I'm not terribly concerned with flow rate, as the plan would be to set it up and let it run while doing other camp chores. As long as it worked ... which is the catch.

    I had hoped to set up a system whereby one of my 1L soda bottles would be the dirty water reservoir. I figured out a way to hang that upside down, with the mini screwed on in place of the cap, and for completeness I affixed the gray tube to the outflow side, and let it drain into another 1L soda bottle standing upright. Except - nothing.

    At first, I thought, well, the mini was totally dry, it'll take some time for water to soak through the layers of filter. After 5 min, I gave the "dirty" bottle a little squeeze to help things along. As I squeezed, couple bubbles went up, a little water dripped down, and I thought I was on my way. But then, nothing more.

    It occurred to me that the lack of pressure equalization in the dirty water bottle was keeping it from flowing out. It made sense to me as the only other time I used the mini (as a filtering cap to a soda bottle), the bottle collapsed as I sucked untreated water out of the bottle through the Mini, and I had to unscrew the Mini periodically to let the bottle pop back into shape and resume a good flow.

    So, short of punching holes in the (top) of the dirty water bottle, it's not really going to work this way? How is this not an issue with a water reservoir/bag? Just because the sides are more flexible and more collapsible? Is it the case that the same forces are at play with the soft-sided bag, but just not as noticeable because of the greater ability to collapse? That is, theoretically: if you poked a hole in the top of a dirty water bag halfway through its emptying through filtration, the flow would likely increase due to pressure equalization? (forgive me if that's not the right physics term)

    Anyway, I had hoped to have a bottle-to-bottle filtration system, but, short of finding a bottle with a cap at both ends, I don't think it's going to work, so I'll probably need to get something like an Evernew bag instead.

    Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.
    I just weighed the sawyer sp131 filter that came with my big zip (never used it so the filter is dry), and weighs 2.75 oz. That’s just 0.75 oz. more than a mini.

    It is a little larger than the standard squeeze, but for an additional 0.75 oz, you would have a gravity system with good flow.




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Last edited by Deacon; 10-08-2017 at 13:26.

  15. #35
    GSMNP 900 Miler
    Join Date
    02-25-2007
    Location
    Birmingham, AL
    Age
    57
    Posts
    4,861
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    I decided to experiment a bit here at home with a gravity feed water filtration system using my Sawyer Mini. I'm not terribly concerned with flow rate, as the plan would be to set it up and let it run while doing other camp chores. As long as it worked ... which is the catch.

    I had hoped to set up a system whereby one of my 1L soda bottles would be the dirty water reservoir. I figured out a way to hang that upside down, with the mini screwed on in place of the cap, and for completeness I affixed the gray tube to the outflow side, and let it drain into another 1L soda bottle standing upright. Except - nothing.

    At first, I thought, well, the mini was totally dry, it'll take some time for water to soak through the layers of filter. After 5 min, I gave the "dirty" bottle a little squeeze to help things along. As I squeezed, couple bubbles went up, a little water dripped down, and I thought I was on my way. But then, nothing more.

    It occurred to me that the lack of pressure equalization in the dirty water bottle was keeping it from flowing out. It made sense to me as the only other time I used the mini (as a filtering cap to a soda bottle), the bottle collapsed as I sucked untreated water out of the bottle through the Mini, and I had to unscrew the Mini periodically to let the bottle pop back into shape and resume a good flow.

    So, short of punching holes in the (top) of the dirty water bottle, it's not really going to work this way? How is this not an issue with a water reservoir/bag? Just because the sides are more flexible and more collapsible? Is it the case that the same forces are at play with the soft-sided bag, but just not as noticeable because of the greater ability to collapse? That is, theoretically: if you poked a hole in the top of a dirty water bag halfway through its emptying through filtration, the flow would likely increase due to pressure equalization? (forgive me if that's not the right physics term)

    Anyway, I had hoped to have a bottle-to-bottle filtration system, but, short of finding a bottle with a cap at both ends, I don't think it's going to work, so I'll probably need to get something like an Evernew bag instead.

    Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.
    The bottle's resistance to collapsing creates a force in opposition to gravity... effectively air pressure is helping to hold the water in the bottle.
    Use a soft sided bottle and that force is removed.
    I've never had an issue using a 2L Evernew bladder screwed directly on the mini. The alone is enough to allow water to trickle out. But I also add a 3' hose to connect the Mini to a Playtypus hozer (note that I replaced the thick stiff hose that came with the Platypus hozer with the tubing from my old SweetWater filter). When fully extended such that the hose is nearly vertical and filled with water, the water pressure from the hose helps to suck the water out of the filter increasing the flow rate. A 10' column of water produces about 4psi of pressure, so my 3' hose regularly creates about 1psi of suction.
    If you see my test setup from earlier in this thread, my system of a 2L Evernew screwed directly to a mini, and the hose from the Platypus pushed directly on the nozzle of the mini will filter 2L in 4 minutes with a brand new filter with no priming.

  16. #36
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
    Join Date
    12-12-2002
    Location
    Marlboro, MA
    Posts
    7,145
    Journal Entries
    1
    Images
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    I had hoped to set up a system whereby one of my 1L soda bottles would be the dirty water reservoir. I figured out a way to hang that upside down, with the mini screwed on in place of the cap, and for completeness I affixed the gray tube to the outflow side, and let it drain into another 1L soda bottle standing upright. Except - nothing
    .
    In addition to using a collapsing bag, the grey tube on the outlet side is very short

    If you increase the length of the tube — even though it is on the outlet side — to say about 3 feet, the pressure through the filter will increase substantially.

    This makes no logical sense, I know. God bless the engineers who built our world.

  17. #37

    Default

    I use a 10 liter sea to summit pocket shower and medical grade silicone tubing. The cheapest option being replacment enema tubing. It connects by way of a 90 degree stop cock taken from an old platypus. I use a first need or a sawyer mini depending on trip length.

  18. #38
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-23-2015
    Location
    Roseburg, Oregon
    Age
    54
    Posts
    32

    Default

    Mine is pretty simple. Used a hole punch in 2L sawyer bag and tie 10ft of string. Just above where the string attaches to the 2L I have another string with a bowline on the free end and a prussik around the 10ft string line. I drilled a tiny hole in the drinking part of a flip top smart water bottle. I attach the drilled cap to a 1L bottle and loop the bowline through the string to make a running bowline. I shove the sawyer into the drilled cap and adjust the prussik up so the weight is on the line. Took an hour to build. No parts needed other than a smart water bottle flip top and some string.

  19. #39
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-17-2007
    Location
    Michigan
    Age
    64
    Posts
    5,126

    Default

    I recently picked up a Versa Flow filter from Hydroblu and although I haven't had a chance to use it in the field yet, I'm really liking the tests I have done at home. I have not seen this filter discussed much but for me it has a number of advantages over some of the better known filters, including the Sawyer Mini which is what it replaced in my kit. The Versa Flow's overall construction is similar to a Sawyer Mini or Squeeze. All have female threads on the dirty side you can attach a water bladder or bottle to the dirty side and squeeze water through. But unlike the the Sawyer filters, the Versa Flow has female threads on the clean side (vs a hose connection on the Mini and male threads on the Squeeze) so you can attach a water bladder directly to the clean side for a closed system that can filter unattended with no adapters or tubing necessary. In my experience, the tubes used in gravity systems to get a more hydrostatic pressure (and thus increase flow rates) are unnecessary. If I want to filter faster, I squeeze the dirty water bladder to increase pressure. I gravity filter when I am off doing camp chores so much about flow rates. The filtering has always been done by the time I come back. I wanted a system that doesn't need adapters and tubing as they seemed to be more trouble than they were worth.

    The Versa Flow looks to be about the size of a Squeeze, but shaped like a Mini (photo below). I do believe the flow rate of the Versa Flow (like the Squeeze) is substantially faster than the Mini, although I can't do a side by side comparison as my Mini has bought the farm after several years of use. I a simple flow test of the Versa Flow, I found it took 2 min and 45 sec to fill a 700 mL Smartwater Bottle by gravity flow from a filled 900 mL Evernew bladder and 2 min 10 sec from a filled 2 L CNOC bladder. On my crappy kitchen scale, the Versa Flow weighs 70 g (wet, but drained) vs 50 g for the Mini. But without the need for adaptors and hoses, the system weight of the Versa Flow is probably about the same or less. Also, when I hung a clean water bladder to the Mini with a hose and adapter, I have occasionally had the hose pull off the filter due to the weight of the water in the clean side bladder. This can't happen when the clean water bladder is threaded directly to the filter.

    With any new filter there is always the issue of thread compatibility. I have seen mixed reports online about which filters fit on which bottles. The Versa Flow is has the same standard threads as the Mini, soda and Smartwater bottles, and some bladders (Sawyer, Evernew, and CNOC). I know there are others with compatible threads, but these are the only ones I have experience with. However I did see one difference between my Versa Flow and the Mini. The Mini did not seal with my new CNOC bladder. The fact that both filters were compatible with all other threads lead me to think there was some other issue. What I concluded is that the threads on the CNOC bladder were shallower and made of a flexible plastic (vs the more rigid plastic on all the other bottles). Also the Versa Flow had deeper threads and had a different style gasket at the base of the threads with a rim to seal against the mouth of the bottle like the lids of a soda or Smartwater bottle. The Mini seems to have shallower threads and a flat rubber gasket to make the seal. The fact that the Versa Flow worked with all bottles leads me to conclude that its connections are more compatible with various bottles and bladders.

    The Versa Flow also had rubber caps tethered to both sides for capping the filter on both sides which is handy. My Mini only had a cap on one side. The Versa Flow caps can be easily taken on and off in case a gram weenie does not want them. The only down side I see with my new system is that with the same threads on both sides of the filter, you have to take care not to attach your dirty side bladder to the clean side of the filter and filter backwards (thus backflushing all the gunk from yesterday into your clean water bottle). The flow direction if marked on the side of the filter and the caps are color coded (grey=dirty, blue-clean). However being able to thread a bladder on the clean side does make it easy to backflush with a bladder or soda bottle. For those who backflush by attaching the drinking spout of a 700 mL Smartwater bottle on the hose connector of your Sawyer, that also works on the Versa Flow.

    http://hydroblu.com/versa-flow-light...-water-filter/

    Filter.jpg

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •