[pct-l] Water Filters

[Owen Kittredge <owenk@quiknet.com>]

I have been reading all  the comments on filters and how they plug-up
but no one has mention  the use of a pre filters.  I have been using a
First Need since 1991 and only on my 3rd replacement cartridge.  The
first cartridge failed on the first trip because it plugged with
sediment the second day. My fault for not reading directions.  I went
home and purchased a plastic 2" diameter funnel, and 4 feet of tubing.
In the funnel I placed fish aquarium filter element and  covered the
large end of the funnel with panty hose (not mine)  and attached 3 feet
of the tubing to the small end of the funnel and than attached it to the
pump inlet. This made the second filter last 6 of the last 7 years which
was about 75 camping days being used by myself 4 to 5 Boy Scouts each
camping day.  The long tubing allowed me to sit comfortably by the
source and pump.  The pre-filter is field cleanable because the panty
hose are attached with a rubber band.  The 3 cartridge has about 25
camping day on it in the same conditions. The only change was in
December when I left for the Grand Canyon I replaced the aquarium filter
element with an element out of a HEPA filter.  A HEPA filter is used in
a respirator to filter out ". . . certain dusts, fumes, mists, radio
nuclides, and asbestos containing dusts and mists".  I found this work
much better with finer particles and was still field cleanable. During
the GC trip I noticed that it out performed the MSR pre filters because
in the MSR pre-filter allowed the fines to pass through to the
cartridge.

my 2cents

Owen K

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