Water Filter Setup

[Gremlyn]

Very ignorant on these filters, but I think someone in this thread mentioning installing this under the kitchen sink? Is it as simple as getting the right fittings to place it in line from the cold water source, then to the faucet?

Will this create a bottleneck in the water speed/pressure from cold on our kitchen sink? It would be an elegant solution for some filtered water for beer, but hopefully we could also toss the brita.

I don't have a hole available on my sink on top for a separate faucet, so that's why I'm asking about putting it in-line to the actual kitchen faucet.

It is that simple... couple of fittings and away you go. It shouldn't really slow down your water flow, at least not noticeably.

 

[BigB]

I just built one of these and used it for the first time today. I didn't use the quick connects though. This thing works fantastic! Thanks for the thread.

 

[chrisdb]

i have used an omni filter under a second kitchen sink for cooking/drinking water. I went today to replace the filter and found no omnifilter cartridges anywhere. I picked up a off brand replacement and installed it and now have water leaking from a valve on top of the housing.
Anyway, I decided that OMNIFILTER was probably near defunct and after a bit of research ordered an AQUASAN in line filter.
Aside from my unfortunate day trying to replace my water filter, i'd heartily recommend good water filter for cooking and drinking (brewwing) water. I also keep a whole house filter on my main water supply... they are not expensive to buy or maintain.

 

[ShlouBrew]

how effective are these filters? has anyone run tests on the water before and after the filter? do they remove chloromines? any effect on ph?

i've recently switched to all grain and have been researching water quite a bit. always used spring water before but have been rethinking this as i am now using much more water.

this topic, more than any other, seems to produce more questions the more i look into it The brew strong series on water is pretty informative, and this site is pretty good too:
http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2008/09/i-think-that-water-treatment-has-made.html

 

[mabrungard]

A 10" filter housing with an Activated Carbon cartridge is very effective at removing both chlorine and chloramine...as long as the flow rate through the system is at less than 1 gallon per minute. Most users fail to limit or throttle the flow rate and you will get 'break through' of the undesirable compounds very quickly. If you limit the flow rate, the filters can produce upwards of a 1000 gallons of treated water.

For the typical municipal water system delivery pressure of 60 psi, inserting an orifice plate with a 1/16th inch hole into the filter's supply line will limit the flow to about 1 gpm.

Both chlorine and chloramine treatment are removed by oxidation reactions with the activated carbon. They are time dependent reactions and the low flow rate is important.

For more information on water and its treatment, visit the Bru'n Water site:

https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

 

[ShlouBrew]

thanks, mabrungard. good info. i may consider going this route knowing it will take out both chlorine and chloramine. definitely makes sense efficiency would go up with more exposure time to the carbon.

good site too.

 

[wedge421]

Any concerns for mold or mildew growing in the filter between uses? I only brew once a month so this might be a concern for me. Thoughts? Other then that the design looks super simple.

 

[BigB]

I take mine apart after every use. It drys in about a day.

 

[mabrungard]

As a side note, if you're not keeping your activated carbon filter unit connected to a disinfected water supply line, you should consider the water that comes out of the filter non-potable until its been boiled.

Even if the filter is always hooked up to a disinfected line, there have been cases where hazardous infections have occurred. Most particularly, there have been cases where activated carbon filters were placed on the supply line for a whole house and the residents evenually become infected with Legionaire's disease from the infected aerosol from the shower heads.

Play it safe and assume that the water out of filters is infected if your connecting and disconnecting in between brews. That water is perfectly fine for brewing, just not for drinking.

 

[Jewrican]

I take mine apart after every use. It drys in about a day.

I do also... if you leave it all closed up i am sure you will have an issue there.

 

[ShlouBrew]

As a side note, if you're not keeping your activated carbon filter unit connected to a disinfected water supply line, you should consider the water that comes out of the filter non-potable until its been boiled.

Even if the filter is always hooked up to a disinfected line, there have been cases where hazardous infections have occurred. Most particularly, there have been cases where activated carbon filters were placed on the supply line for a whole house and the residents evenually become infected with Legionaire's disease from the infected aerosol from the shower heads.

Play it safe and assume that the water out of filters is infected if your connecting and disconnecting in between brews. That water is perfectly fine for brewing, just not for drinking.

is this accurate? what about a fridge with a built in water filter, isn't this an activated carbon filter that's connected full time? perhaps whirlpool will soon be flooded with lawsuits.

 

[Catt22]

As a side note, if you're not keeping your activated carbon filter unit connected to a disinfected water supply line, you should consider the water that comes out of the filter non-potable until its been boiled.

Even if the filter is always hooked up to a disinfected line, there have been cases where hazardous infections have occurred. Most particularly, there have been cases where activated carbon filters were placed on the supply line for a whole house and the residents evenually become infected with Legionaire's disease from the infected aerosol from the shower heads.

Play it safe and assume that the water out of filters is infected if your connecting and disconnecting in between brews. That water is perfectly fine for brewing, just not for drinking.

What is a disinfected water supply line? I would think that city supplied tap water should be potable, so the water coming out of the filter should be as sanitary as the water going in provided the filter is properly maintained.

IIRC, the commonly available store bought bottled drinking water is actually just tap water that's been run through a series of filters. I don't trust those dispensing machines you often find at supermarkets and such, but that's just me. I do remove the solid block carbon cartridge from the filter housing and attempt to air dry it, but I suspect that it never completely dries out between uses.

 

[mabrungard]

Infection is not very likely if the filter is always connected to the supply line. The case of the Legionaire's Disease comes from using an activated carbon to supply all taps including the showers. Legionaire's Disease is easily spread by aerosol mist, like from a shower head. The last time I snorted a dose of water from my fridge was from laughing too hard. I think Whirlpool is pretty safe.

I too disconnect my activated carbon filter from the water line and dry it out. But I don't drink that water directly out of the filter since it "might" have something growing in it. Getting sick is very remote, but its just a good idea not to tempt fate.

The introduction of water disinfection is one of the greatest advances in the world. We brewers curse it because it will screw up our beer, but it is a better world with it. Chlorine and chloramine removal is only a necessary inconvenience.

 

[ShlouBrew]

Since you have quite a bit of experience mabrungard (since we've last talked i've checked out your site and have begun using your spreadsheet) here's a question for you:

Why dry out the filter? a few years back i was pretty heavily into saltwater reef fish tanks. there are a some similar needs between the two hobbies (clean water, temperature control, hydrometer readings), and i used to filter all of my water with an particulate/carbon/RO setup. all of the advise i received then said to never let the filter sit dry or the membrane would become useless. here we're talking carbon filters and the advise is to always dry between use. was i fed bad information?

 

[devildancer]

RichBrewer...

Personally - I also use the same whole house filter between the kettle and the fermenter (5 micron spun fiber) and it keeps everything out of my pump and most of the break material out of the fermenter. I just toss the filter as it is completely clogged.

So you're using that filter on the suction side of the pump. I'm guessing you use an immersion chiller? I like that idea, I'm just trying to figure out how it doesn't restrict the flow too much. Is it difficult to sanitize?

 

[sublimenal]

Just wanted to thank you for this thread, I live in the city with some funky tasting water and this cleaned it right up. Tasted just like bottled water after it went through filtration. I bought the exact same items and it cost me around 85, thank you inflation but well worth the savings of bottled water.


Gilmore water shutoff------------AS1FFMGF----------------$7.98
Watts swivel hose adapter----------A662-------------------$4.12
Gilmore 2 piece QD----------------09QCGF-----------------$6.57
Watts tapped hose adapter---------A665-------------------$3.82
Whirlpool House Filter-----------WHCF-DWH---------------$20.57
Whirlpool Filter .5 micron-------WHCF-DB1----------------$22.32
Lasco 3/4" male pvc adapter----------------------------------$1.45
Lasco 3/4" 90˚ pvc elbow--------------------------------------$.30
Length of 3/4" pvc remant pipe-------------------------------$1.36 (5 ft)


marine grade hose 16.90

 

[Selwa]

Just because a filter removes chlorine, that doesn't automatically mean it reduces chloramine as well. It's all about contact time. Your Brita pitcher will remove chlorine, but it's not going to take chloramines out, even though it uses carbon as the filter media. The good news is, there are several chloramine water filters out there now since municipal treatment plants have started using chloramine as a disinfectant more regularly. If I were you, I'd find out whether your municipal water treatment center uses chlorine or chloramine as its primary disinfectant, and then decide what type of filter to purchase. Making your own seems a bit too time consuming. However, since this is a homebrewing forum, you might be interested in this post on how to make a Randall with a water filter housing!

 

[Scut_Monkey]

Just because a filter removes chlorine, that doesn't automatically mean it reduces chloramine as well. It's all about contact time. Your Brita pitcher will remove chlorine, but it's not going to take chloramines out, even though it uses carbon as the filter media. The good news is, there are several chloramine water filters out there now since municipal treatment plants have started using chloramine as a disinfectant more regularly. If I were you, I'd find out whether your municipal water treatment center uses chlorine or chloramine as its primary disinfectant, and then decide what type of filter to purchase. Making your own seems a bit too time consuming. However, since this is a homebrewing forum, you might be interested in this post on how to make a Randall with a water filter housing!

Or just add a campden tablet when bringing it up to strike temp.

 

[chrislehr]

Built this today... Without the hose nearly 75$ now.

Anyone else's a662 leak badly?

 

[cameronf]

so does this get all the chlorine out and how much did you spend on this set up

 

[BigB]

I think I spent about $35.00 total. And no, my hose adapter does not leak.

 

[bertsbeer]

I have about 14 of these I have built if anyone would like one I can ship them out via ups ground For a total cost of $50 and I will include three filters either 5 or 1 microns. They have ball lock fittings. Just message me if you are interested in getting one.

 

[wedge421]

GOing to build this setup this weekend! Such a great idea and exactly what I was looking for

 

[krenshaw]

i had to use 2 pliers and really tighten some of the pieces, but i wouldn't trade this setup for anything, great to use and easy to store on my rig..

 

[BeerGuy1000]

Is the marine hose necessary or can you use a regular garden hose?

 

[ACESFULL]

Is the marine hose necessary or can you use a regular garden hose?

Well do you want your brew to taste like nasty rubber and have all kinds of nasties in your water then use the garden hose otherwise the RV is the only way to go,.

 

[HitTheTwit]

For those who have built this already;
Why is the Watts swivel adapter necessary when the QD and the flow restrictor each have swivel abilities of their own?

I want to make sure I'm not skipping an important part.

 

[jww9618]

What are the numbers for magnesium, sodium, etc that this will produce? Or is it dependent on what water runs through it?

 

[Catt22]

What are the numbers for magnesium, sodium, etc that this will produce? Or is it dependent on what water runs through it?

Pretty much zero. You will need an RO system to remove dissolved minerals etc. Particulate and carbon filtration won't do it.

Here's an inexpensive RO/filter system that I have been eyeing recently. I may pull the trigger on this fairly soon:

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=167&Sub=166

 

[jww9618]

Ok thanks. So using either of the water spreadsheets I'll have to build the water up from zero? I thought that was basically RO water. What am I missing here?