Active Carbon Filter + Garden hose

Hi All,

I am looking for a bit of advice on the use of a standard garden hose and an active carbon filter in my brewing setup.

My plan is to mount the active carbon filter on my brew rig and run water to it from the garden hose. Water coming OUT of the filter would NOT be run through the garden hose.

My question is will using the filter negate any effects/taste of using the garden hose?

My second option is to mount the filter at the tap and drag water over to my brewing setup in buckets. But this is what I want to avoid if at all possible.

I have been unable to find a garden hose rated safe for drinking or an RV hose where I live, so this is not currently an option.

Sorry if this has already been asked and answered, I have searched the forums, but am struggling to find anything factual. I am not looking to restart the debate about garden hoses leaching lead or other stuff into water.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Zac

(from someone who grew up drinking from a hose in the garden....)

If you do, couple suggestions, run the water from the hose first before hooking up to the filter, then when you're finished, try and drain the water from the hose. That'll help minimize anything that might be leached.

Two of the bigger concerns with drinking from hoses is fertilizers and pesticides (use a dedicated brewing hose) and bacterial load in the water (not a problem since it's boiled)

I do have a RV hose now, but I've used a regular hose in the past and know others that do too. If you can't find one, just take the steps above and you should minimize the impact a regular hose may have.

I have the same problem, but for me the only solution is to fill 5 gallon water bottles and carry them from the tap to the garage, a trip of about 20 meters. I can fill my mash tun from the floor but I have to climb a step ladder to fill the HLT.
I would not use water from a garden hose, filtered or not. Hoses are made with some pretty nasty chemicals and I wouldn't risk getting that stuff in my beer.

I'm doing what you're suggesting - without any noticeable problems with taste, odor, etc.
With that said, I've been lazy and have not had my water tested to see what the quality truly is out of the hose/filter set up. Beers are better with the filter, though, no question.
Remember too, carbon filters are pretty slow - I set mine to about 1 gallon per minute which is fine for me since I'm busy getting everything else set up.

The answer would have to kick up the debate, otherwise it would seem that you are ignoring facts.

If some Garden hoses truly add lead to the water, then you are adding an extra burden to a filter that might not be good enough to get the lead out. IMO the taste issue is secondary to the lead potential. Many carbon filters remove lead, but what percentage?

So I'd be dragging some buckets if it was me.

Thanks, I might stick with the buckets until I can find a suitable hose.

Cheers
Zac

The only concern with lead leeching from a garden hose is from the brass fittings, but you will have the same issue with a drinking water hose, unless it has a zinc plating which is kinda rare. You can perform a simple acid rest on the brass parts prior to using for the first time to avoid this. Activated carbon is not rated at all for lead removal. Basically all you get with carbon is taste, odor, and chlorine reduction. Piece of advice, make sure the carbon filter you're using is a carbon block. Look for "block" and GAC means "granular activated carbon." You will need a minimum of 5 micron sediment filter or a mixed bed de-ionization filter for lead removal. This is typically not necessary but if you want to use one, put it in-line after the carbon. Also, change your carbon filter every 12 months no matter how little you use it. The stuff that's removed stays in the filter and it will get nasty. 6 months is the recommended time actually. Also, if you get a filter that also integrates KDF, it will be even more effective at removing chlorine as well as chloramines which are both bad for beer. A drinking water hose will contribute significantly less hose flavor to the water, but they are only rated for cold or room temp (ground temp) water. For those of you who don't know where to get these, surely you live close to a Wal-Mart and they sell this stuff. If they don't carry it, you can do site-to-store. I am a state licensed class 3 water treatment specialist (not bragging, just saying I know a few things) and here's what I use for my fresh water supply off the garden hose tap.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-25-Fresh-Water-Hose/14504301

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-2-Pack/14504322

I am on city water and I know what's in it so this works perfectly for me but if you're on well water, you will probably need more treatment than this. Good luck!

This article contradicts your brass fittings argument.

millaj92 - how do you connect the filter to the hose? Does it sit inside a container?

Can you post a few photos of your setup?

how do you connect the filter to the hose?

Click to expand...

i threaded two hose barbs into the 1/2" FNPT threaded filter housing. on the "out" side of the filter, i have a piece of hose with a camlock on the end for connecting to the brewery.

on the "in" side of the filter, i have a legnth of hose coming off the barb with a standard female garden hose fitting on the other end of it. i also use a RV/camper hose for brewing. water tastes nice and clean coming out the other end. no complaints.

I run exactly the situation originally mentioned, a carbon filter attached at the end of a garden hose. As mentioned above, running it at a maximum flow rate of about 1 gpm is very important. I inserted a end cap for 1/2" copper tubing into the inlet hose of the filter. I drilled a 1/16" hole in the end cap to create an orifice that admits about 1 gpm. You might have to place a hose clamp on the hose at the end cap location to keep it in place and avoid leaking around it.

No discernable taste or aroma from the filtered water. It works very well.

samc said:

This article contradicts your brass fittings argument.

Click to expand...

Wow, that's crazy! I retract that statement for sure! This is why I don't use a standard garden hose! I guess the important thing to remember here is to just be safe and not use a garden hose at all and remember that (almost) all brass has lead in it.

ultravista said:

millaj92 - how do you connect the filter to the hose? Does it sit inside a container?

Can you post a few photos of your setup?

Click to expand...

I am out of town so no pics but the filters have garden hose threading on both ends and I use a brass garden hose thread-to-1/2" NPT female on the outlet side, which gets split off from there.

millaj92 said:

Wow, that's crazy! I retract that statement for sure! This is why I don't use a standard garden hose! I guess the important thing to remember here is to just be safe and not use a garden hose at all and remember that (almost) all brass has lead in it.

Click to expand...

I think the interesting bit of that is those numbers came with water sitting in it for 20 hrs...