Everybody knows that Berkey water filters are an excellent way to take contaminants out water and purify it, but not as many people know about how to keep that water fresh.  The Black Berkey water filters in a Berkey are so powerful that they take everything out of the water, including the chemicals that inhibit the grow of mold and other things that can begin to grow in untreated water.

When water is left in the clean water chamber of a Berkey water filter there really isn’t much there to keep the water from becoming a host to mold spores floating around in the air naturally.  When the mold spores find a home in the clean water chamber, and the right temperatures are present, they can create a musty odor and make the taste of the water change.  This most often happens in the winter where homes have high heat and humidity and also happens in climates like the Southern States of the United States where it can become very humid and warm.  But there is a quick and easy solution.

The best way that we have found is to put a couple of drops of Stabilized Oxygen in the clean water chamber.  A couple of drops will last a few weeks from our experience, but your will need to experiment for the right amount for your situation.  Another trick that many people use is to use a pure silver coin.  In the old days, when the pioneers would travel across the plains, it is said that a silver coin placed in a wood water barrel would act like a sterilizing agent, killing whatever may be lurking in the water.

So if you are having trouble with your water smelling or tasting a bit musty after it has been sitting for a few days, give these two ideas a try.  And always remember to clean your Berkey every month or so.  Just spray down the lower chamber with some vinegar or use some soap and water and give the lower chamber a good cleaning.  After cleaning the lower chamber, make sure that you rinse it well.

Enjoy your Berkey water filter.  And don’t forget that you can always find parts in the Berkey water filter replacement parts at DisasterStuff.com.

Years ago people would complain about how difficult it was to see the water level in their Crown Berkey.  Viewing the water level required that you remove or tip the unfiltered water chamber with all of the Black Berkey filters in it, to look inside.  Even doing it this way was difficult because the lower chamber is dark and the upper chamber could be heavy with so much unfiltered water in it.  The problem of viewing the water level was solved using a Berkey Sight Glass water level spigot.

Berkey Sight Glass water level spigot

The sight glass water level spigot replaces the original Crown Berkey spigot.  It is a slightly larger spigot which allows for greater water flow.  The difference between the standard spigot and the sight glass spigot is a metal housing and glass tube that is secured to the top of the spigot with an o-ring and nut.  Water is allowed to flow into the glass tube and it will rise to the level of the water in the clean water chamber where the purified water is stored.

The sight glass spigot has a metal cap at the top of the tube.  This cap has a small hole in it.  The purpose of this hole is to allow air to flow in and out of the tube so the water level can be accurately displayed.  If the air hole on this tube becomes blocked, the sight glass spigot will not show the correct level of water in the Crown Berkey water filter.

Water Level Spigot leaking on Crown Berkey

The Crown Berkey water filter is a gravity filter.  Water in the unfiltered water chamber creates pressure on the Black Berkey filters and this is how water is pushed through the filters and in to the drip tube where the water then settles at the bottom of the clean water chamber.  The water pressure on the filters is not that high.  Because of the low pressure, it is necessary to allow air exchange between the upper and lower chambers of the Crown Berkey.  As water drips from the filters into the lower chamber, it replaces the air in the chamber.  This air must go somewhere, so it goes out between the upper and lower chamber.

Sometimes, if the lower chamber of the Crown Berkey is nearly full, and more water is put in the upper chamber, there will be too much water for the lower chamber to hold.  Because the lower chamber and upper chamber are not sealed, water will begin to flow out between the two chambers when the lower chamber is full.  In addition, because the water level spigot has a air hole on the top of the tube, water may flow from this place as well.

It is important that the lower water chamber not be overfilled to prevent leaking from the water level spigot.

How to install the Crown Berkey Water Level Spigot

It is not difficult to install the water level spigot on a Crown Berkey.  Here are the steps:

1. Reach inside the lower chamber of the Crown Berkey and hold the spigot nut.  With your other hand, hold the spigot and handle on the outside of the lower chamber.  Now rotate the nut counter-clockwise while slightly rotating the spigot counter-clockwise.  Once the spigot nut is loose, remove the nut, washers and spigot from the system.
2. Remove the nut included with the new water level spigot but leave the washer on the spigot.
3. Place the water level spigot through the spigot hole in the lower chamber with the sight glass tube laying down horizontal for now.
4. Thread the nut on to the spigot threads until it is hand tight.
5. While holding the spigot nut with one hand, grasp the spigot with your other hand, being careful not to grab the tube, and rotate the spigot and tube vertically until it is straight up and down. Installing the spigot in this manner should give you the exact amount of pressure on the nut and the washer to prevent leaking while minimizing the chance of stripping any threads.
6. Test your new spigot by filtering enough water to raise the water level in your Crown Berkey to an inch or so from the top.

Replacement parts for Berkey Water Level Spigot

The sight glass in the water view spigot is actually glass, not plastic.  It is possible if hit hard enough, to break the glass, even though it is inside a metal housing.  And although the spigot and handle are made with the highest quality parts, they may break under extreme pressure or misuse.   Common reasons for breakage include the Crown Berkey being knocked over, or a child playing with the handle.  If a part is broken, you can contact DisasterStuff.com for Berkey parts replacement.

Where to buy: DisasterStuff.com Berkey Spigot

It goes without saying that whether you are responsible for yourself, a family, or a large group of people, making sure that you can provide clean, potable water in a disaster or emergency is vital to safety and survival.  A Crown Berkey water filter can be an integral part of being prepared.  The Crown Berkey water filter keeps great company as far as quality water filters go.  But there are a few things thank make it stand out from the crowd.  Crown Berkey is a gravity water filter.  This is an important specification because many filters, such as reverse osmosis, cannot be used in an emergency where the power is out.  Because it is a gravity filter, unsafe water can be obtained from any source, poured in the top chamber and safe water is produced without water pressure or electricity.  It is also large enough to make purified water very fast, at 26 gallons per hour.

Product Specifications

The Crown Berkey is made from high grade stainless steel that has been polished to prevent bacteria and other unsafe biologicals from attaching to it.  This makes it safe to use during disasters.  It can be configured with two Black Berkey water filters or can be upgraded to hold four, six, or eight Black Berkey water filters.  Based on the number of filters installed, the gallons per hour can be determined.

Gallons Per Hour Rating on Crown Berkey

• 2 installed Black Berkey water filters =  6.5 gallons per hour
• 4 installed Black Berkey water filters = 13 gallons per hour
• 6 installed Black Berkey water filters = 19.5 gallons per hour
• 8 installed Black Berkey water filters = 26 gallons per hour

New Millennium Concepts, the maker of Berkey water filters, reports the numbers listed above.  I have found through daily use, that these numbers are accurate for lab settings, but that you can expect to get about 10 to 15 percent less flow in the real world.  This is important to know because if you are planning for a disaster, and need to calculate how much water you can produce for a given number of people, real numbers count.

Keeping this information in mind when planning for a disaster or other emegerncy will insure that you have clean, safe, purified water.  The Crown Berkey can deliver the potable water in a fast and efficient manner.

Unsafe Water after a Disaster

After a disaster, potable water can be in short supply.  Why is clean safe water unavailable?  Most modern day water systems require large amounts of electricity to function.  Electricity powers water pumps and chemical delivery systems.  When water pumps lose power, the water pressure in your home disappears.  In addition, the chemical delivery systems can no longer function.  Electricity is a vital component of our water system.  So when the water goes off, what do you do?  You find water from any source you can, and treat that water with a Crown Berkey.  Water located in a toilet, water heater, ground water near your home, and old wells can be filtered with the Crown Berkey to make it safe.  Drinking water that has been untreated by a Crown Berkey can lead to sickeness, infections, and death.   Simple gravity filtering can save lives in a disaster.

New Millennium Concepts Ltd, the US manufactuer of Berkey water filters and the Crown Berkey has begun shipping a newly designed Black Berkey water filter element in in the Crown Berkey and all of their Berkey products.

Defective Filter

In September of 2010 a problem was discovered with the method in which the filter element is bonded to the base of the Black Berkey. Several attempts to fix the problem lead to an eventual redesign of the base and the type of silicone used to secure the filter to the base. Filters shipped between September of 2010 and June of 2011, if not attached with the right amount of silicone and in the right pattern, may pop out of the base.

The new Black Berkey filter base is clearly a new design. The base is designed to hold the filter and silicone in a tighter pattern, and the base is actually brushed or scored to allow for greater adheasion. The new filters have been shipping with all new Crown Berkey filters as well as all of the other products manufactuered by New Millennium Concepts under the registered trademark of Berkey.

If you have a problem with your filter, you can determine when it was manufactured by looking at the base of the filter stem. The words New Millennium Concepts is printed on the base. After those words, there will be a very small circle with an arrow. There will either be a 10 or 11 at the arrow. In addition, the arrow will point to a number 1 thru 12. Obtain this information and contact your dealer to request replacements under warranty if you are having the problem.

Crown Berkey water filters come in two options for treating contaminated water. The first filters used were Super Sterasyl filters. Later, Black Berkey filters were introduced and have become the new standard for water filtration and purification.

For years the Super Sterasyl white ceramic filter was the most common filter used in the Crown Berkey. Super Sterasyl filters are made by Doulton, a United Kingdom based ceramic filter company with ISO 9000 accreditation that has been in operation since 1827. These filters are a very high quality ceramic and remove 99.99 % of contaminants.

Black Berkey filters were introduced as an alternative to Super Sterasyl filters. This newer technology has the ability remove everything that the Super Sterasyl filters do, but they also remove many common chemicals found in our water. Black Berkey filters are rated for 3000 gallons each.

A typical Crown Berkey ships standard with two Black Berkey filters which will produce a total of 6000 gallons of water and purify the water at a rate of about 6.5 gallons per hour. Crown Berkey water filters can hold up to eight filters. With all eight filters installed it is not uncommon to purify water at a rate of 26 gallons of water per hour.

A family of four people can easily produce enough purified water for all of their needs with a Crown Berkey water filter and two installed Black Berkey water filters. Many families will buy this configuration and then have six more Black Berkey filters on hand if an emergency or disaster strikes and they need to produce more water for friends and neighbors.

Regardless of the choice to use white Super Sterasyl filters or Black Berkey filters, Crown Berkey water filters are an excellent choice for anyone concerned about water quality and providing clean, safe, and healthy drinking water for their family.

Berkey water filters are ideal for purifying water in an emergency.  Churches can be one of the most helpful institutions during emergencies. It only makes sense to be prepared at your church with a way to purify water when only contaminated water can be found.  That is where the Crown Berkey from Berkey water filters shines.

With the ability to hold up to eight Black Berkey water filters, the Crown Berkey can produce nearly 26 gallons of water per hour under normal circumstances.  For a church or other organization that is supporting relief efforts, this means a lot.  This means that over a 24 hour period, the Crown Berkey can provide clean, safe, drinking water for hundreds of people.  To be more specific, the Crown Berkey water filter can produce over 600 gallons of water in 24 hours.  And with eight Black Berkey filters, you can keep producing purified water until you have make 24,000 gallons.  Needless to say, when the Crown Berkey is used, you will not run out of clean water for some time.

A while back, we sent one of these filters to South America with a family who was doing missionary work deep in the jungle.  Their only water source was a small stream that had animals and other sources of contamination higher up.  But his family used the Crown Berkey and never had a problem with their water or health, because the Black Berkey filters purify the water and made it crystal clear.

If you belong to a church, you should consider purchasing some of these fine water purifiers.  The day may come when you can help save lives.  One church that does a lot of emergency preparedness is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They have a whole website dedicated to planning for emergencies.  It is called ProvidentLiving.org

If you want to make filtered water for a large group of people, the Crown Berkey water filter is an excellent choice.  We want to be prepared for an emergency like a natural disaster in our area.  The goal is to be able to produce clean water without electricity for our family and for our close friends.  We also want to be ready to provide help if our church asks for it.  The Crown Berkey is perfect for emergencies because it is a gravity filter.  It doesn’t require electricity to run.  You simply put water in the top chamber from a river, pond, or anywhere you can find it and the water that comes out is purified water.

Berkey water filters come in smaller sizes than the Crown Berkey, which holds eight Black Berkey filters, but if you can afford the extra cost and have the space, it is worth getting.  You can order it with eight water filters and then just install two of them at first.  The rest of the holes can be plugged using blocking plugs that are provided with the Crown Berkey.

We use our Crown Berkey in our kitchen for daily water purification, but also take it with us when we go camping.  You cannot go wrong with a Crown Berkey.