Water filter review

[Bach7210]

I'm thinking about getting a water filter as the constant trips to the grocery store to get bottled water are getting to be a pain.

I've tried using my tap water, but where I live (Parker, CO) my brews end up tasting like, what one friend described as, "burnt paper".

Has anyone used this little guy and to what success?

 

[Catt22]

That one looks to be OK. I've been using one of these with excellent results for a number of years:

http://www.h2odistributors.com/fw4500bl34.asp

with this cartridge:

http://www.h2odistributors.com/matrikx+5.asp

At the rate that we typically use water for home brewing, one of these cartridges should last for a very long time. IMO, for best results, keep the flow rate very low at about 1 gallon per minute or so.

 

[bendavanza]

I have the same filter.
I have also used this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VQBYVW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
That will help the water taste a lot. If your water has chloramines you might try campden tablets, I use them in addition to the filter.

 

[EricCSU]

I use this cheaper one with success.

Eric

 

[FenoMeno]

I bought this filter replacement yesterday:
Dupont 4000 series (1000 gal life)
reduces - Cysts, Aesthetic Chlorine, Odor, Taste Particles
$16

There was a further upgrade that also took out lead and a couple other things (i think creepies-not minerals) however it was $37...more than twice the price. Thought that might be overkill as it is going to end up in the BK anyway.

I read that you only want about a gal/min to let the carbon filter do its job...

 

[Catt22]

FWIW, IMO the solid extruded carbon block cartridges are superior to the granular type. With the solid ones, all of the water must pass through the carbon as there is no bypass. With the granular type, it's sort of a hit or miss thing. The carbon made from coconut shells is also supposed to be superior to the type made from coal, although the reality may be that there is no difference at all. I definitely don't trust the high flow rate claims. The only way to get high performance filtration at higher flow rates is to use a physically much larger filter.

 

[SankePankey]

On Amazon, I bought a Watts whole house filter (much like the one you posted). I think it is superior for 2 reasons. 1) It's base is crystal clear polycarbonate 2) It has not only a shutoff but a bypass.

I am using the same water filter for beer filtering , with much sanitizing of course.

Got a 5 micron solid carbon block filter for the water and a couple 5 micron sediment filters to start for the beer.

 

[FenoMeno]

sankepankey

so you run these filters in series? paper then carbon?

 

[SankePankey]

No. I use the carbon filter for the water and then, after removing the carbon filter for the sediment filter and then sanitizing the whole thing, filter beer into secondary or whatever you go after that. And it is not a paper sediment filter that you use with the 10 inch filters like this, it's a spun polypropylene filter- basically the same as the ones that come in the box with these units (if yours does) except a much finer filtration. The one that came with mine was like 20 micron or so. The carbon filter doesn't usually come with these standard.

Not that I have started with this procedure yet (will do it in a couple weeks) but all the info I've gleamed from others on this site has influenced my purchases. A 3 micron sediment filter is probably the best. Morebeer stocks them. Some guys actually reuse them too by running them in reverse with a sanitizer solution. Not sure about that one yet, but they say it works for them. Seems risky to me in that they are like $3 each and recyclable. Better to just wait to filter a bunch of beer at a time (requiring you to have adequate quantity storage, but..).

I have my filter on 3/4" quick disconnects (mine happen to be tri-clamps, but whatever) so that I can easily remove from my "water in" assembly for filtering beer.

 

[Marsdude]

I have been using an under counter filter system I got from HD with good results. The one I use is a GE GXSV65R. They sell at HD for around $150.

Another good resource for filters and replacement cartridges is the Filter Store - http://www.filterstore.com/default.asp

They also sell a beer filter. I have never tried it but it looks interesting.

 

[Bach7210]

Great advice, guys. Thanks for the recommendations and education.

 

[zymurgy101]

I've been using Spectrapure products for many, many years and have had great success with them.

http://www.spectrapure.com/St_replac_p2.htm