Garden Hose water - is it so bad?

[Malted]

Man after my own mind, been looking at filters for the last couple of months... just cant seem to make up my mind... whats your flow rate like Brendo?

I purchased this product and am very happy with it: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Twin-CARAVAN-Water-Filter-Kit-Heavy-Construction-White-Bracket-Filters-1-4GWC-/230911371843?pt=AU_SmallKitchenAppliances&hash=item35c363ea43
There are cheaper ones available but i would highly reccommend this brand, it is very strong and robust. UV rated so good for outdoor use. Pressure rated up to 120psi.

With this particular unit: it can flow to 45L/min but it is reccommended to run them at 15L/min "to maximise the efficiency of the carbon filter".

It has 3/4" female threads in it and I got some adaptor things from the green shed that present a garden hose click-on nipple. Some food grade hose and click on fittings and it is all good. The thing is big enough that it can be free standing on my pavers between the tap and the brewery. To my mind it is just as easy as an 'inline' unit (since it will free stand) but I can replace/clean the filters in it.

Edit: It is a big unit (just like me).

 

[kahlerisms]

So the water passes through both filters? Fill rate looks good and I don't mind that up front cost if the maintenance is low.

Where can I get replacement filters? How often do I need to clean/replace the filters?

 

[brendo]

I purchased this product and am very happy with it: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Twin-CARAVAN-Water-Filter-Kit-Heavy-Construction-White-Bracket-Filters-1-4GWC-/230911371843?pt=AU_SmallKitchenAppliances&hash=item35c363ea43
There are cheaper ones available but i would highly reccommend this brand, it is very strong and robust. UV rated so good for outdoor use. Pressure rated up to 120psi.

With this particular unit: it can flow to 45L/min but it is reccommended to run them at 15L/min "to maximise the efficiency of the carbon filter".

It has 3/4" female threads in it and I got some adaptor things from the green shed that present a garden hose click-on nipple. Some food grade hose and click on fittings and it is all good. The thing is big enough that it can be free standing on my pavers between the tap and the brewery. To my mind it is just as easy as an 'inline' unit (since it will free stand) but I can replace/clean the filters in it.

Edit: It is a big unit (just like me).

very similar to what is mounted to my brew stand - however mine are white. just replaced the filters last brew day.

 

[brendo]

So the water passes through both filters? Fill rate looks good and I don't mind that up front cost if the maintenance is low.

Where can I get replacement filters? How often do I need to clean/replace the filters?

pretty much universal - Bunnings stock filters, plumbing supplies, irragation, etc

 

[sp0rk]

galvanised pipes with lead solder were used well into the 80's
I'm pretty sure a large number of us brewers live in houses that were built in the 80's or earlier
just because lead has been removed from pipes being installed now, doesn't mean that it's not there in older houses
Even brand new brass taps can still have upto 5% lead in them

I'm happy enough to wait another 15 minutes or so for my water to come up to strike temp

 

[TidalPete]

I've been using a pale blue food-grade hose for years which works well for me in conjunction with a carbon filter but is a PITA to coil/uncoil. Another brewer has a green (IIRC) food-grade hose from Bunnings which is more flexible by far. Just saying.

 

[Batz]

I've been using a pale blue food-grade hose for years which works well for me in conjunction with a carbon filter but is a PITA to coil/uncoil. Another brewer has a green (IIRC) food-grade hose from Bunnings which is more flexible by far. Just saying.

I bought a cheap garden hose reeler for mine, seems to work well and makes storage much easier.

Batz

 

[Camo6]

I purchased this product and am very happy with it: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Twin-CARAVAN-Water-Filter-Kit-Heavy-Construction-White-Bracket-Filters-1-4GWC-/230911371843?pt=AU_SmallKitchenAppliances&hash=item35c363ea43
There are cheaper ones available but i would highly reccommend this brand, it is very strong and robust. UV rated so good for outdoor use. Pressure rated up to 120psi.

With this particular unit: it can flow to 45L/min but it is reccommended to run them at 15L/min "to maximise the efficiency of the carbon filter".

It has 3/4" female threads in it and I got some adaptor things from the green shed that present a garden hose click-on nipple. Some food grade hose and click on fittings and it is all good. The thing is big enough that it can be free standing on my pavers between the tap and the brewery. To my mind it is just as easy as an 'inline' unit (since it will free stand) but I can replace/clean the filters in it.

Edit: It is a big unit (just like me).

Thinking about something like this for my new rig. Looking at their products they seem to do a reasonably priced RO system (3stage wallmount $128). Is it worth the extra cost? Does anyone use anything similar? I live in Melbourne so water is pretty soft but figure it can only add reliability to water additions and batch consistency. Appreciate any advice.
Cam

 

[TidalPete]

Looking at their products they seem to do a reasonably priced RO system (3stage wallmount $128). Is it worth the extra cost?

Absolutely!
Hoping to do the same ASAP.

 

[Camo6]

Absolutely!
Hoping to do the same ASAP.

Thanks mate, appreciate your advice. My wife however does not. ;-)

 

[eamonnfoley]

+1 on camping food grade hose. Food grade hoses should be used for all brewing applications. Anything hot side should be silicon or commerical brewery style hosing otherwise you are risking off-flavours.

 

[Nedasaurus1]

ok ive been meaning to ask this one...all i have is rainwater tanks...two huge tanks actually......anyprobs there do you guys think?

 

[hsb]

I've been using a pale blue food-grade hose for years which works well for me in conjunction with a carbon filter but is a PITA to coil/uncoil. Another brewer has a green (IIRC) food-grade hose from Bunnings which is more flexible by far. Just saying.

You've just got to coil it properly and it'll always coil/uncoil naturally.
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=how+to+coil+a+cable

 

[Yob]

Naa Ned, plenty of people use Tank water for their brewing... mostly these guys are AG nutters and are boiling their water liquor as a part of the process.. if you have had no problems till now, no need to change anything, if you start to notice problems then have a look at doing something about it then.

You also wont have the chlorine that has been discussed as you are getting it from the sky not the town supply.

:icon_cheers:

 

[bcp]

Arvo all,
I'm interested to see where all of this lead is meant to be coming from and the source for this comment. All plumbing fittings connected to a mains supply needs to be potable ie pass AS4020 and therefore can't impart a taste to the water. There are also very low limits on the lead content in brass and the structure doesn't allow the lead if any (zinc is the main issue) to leach out if it's compliant. I agree with the food grade comments with regards a hose if you're planning on leaving the water sitting in it, but a quick flush will address this as the only contaminants will probably be plasticisers which leach slowly over time. If they leaked quickly you would find your hose extremely brittle very quickly.
I'm happy to be corrected on the above, but I've been working in the plastics/plumbing industry for 15 years and have never heard the lead issue with modern plumbing.

@ Jurt - the water comes in through a copper coil is heated and leaves the copper coil, therefore no issues. You may get some scaling coming through, but that is normally just a mineral build up on the inside of the pipes that flakes off due to the application of heat.

I have heard of people recommending not to drink the water directly from a hot water storage unit as it's not at a hot enough temp to sterilise all bugs, but the water supply should be clean on entry and therefore nothing should grow in there. Whether there is any fact in this or not I'm not too sure.


Cheers,
BB

The lead comes from PVC - it's added as a stabiliser.
http://www.pvc.org/en/p/lead-stabilisers

Yes, letting the hose run would reduce this significantly. But when I brew I use 34 litres or so and boil it down, then pass the remaining 24 litres through my body as a filter. The exposure may be small, but I think there is sufficient toxic exposure in my life without adding lead, BPA pthalates to the mix if I can easily use food grade plastics.
http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/lead-in-your-garden-hose-study-finds-high-levels-of-toxic-

Good article on plastics here:
http://www.choice.com.au/reviews-and-tests/food-and-health/food-and-drink/safety/plastic-food-containers.aspx

 

[manticle]

Not as fast as mains, but pretty good really and worth the effort I think.



My water generally stands overnight as well as I generally prep the night before, set a timer with an OTS element and wake up to hot water ready to mash in. Standing water overnight is fine for chlorine - it is not an overly stable product and does tend to drive off standing water.

HOWEVER, my unstanding is that because of this, water companies use chloramines instead as they are more stable and stay in solution longer. Leaving the water overnight will not drive off the chloramines. That's why I go to the trouble of filtering and with an inline system it really isn't an issue. I also filter my drinking water inside.

I am no expert in this space, but's it is what I do and am happy with the results.

Not Melbourne water Brendo, at least not last time I checked (some time last year). Should be on the melbourne Water website.

Heating water to strike temp is more than enough to drive off chlorine, which starts coming out of solution at 20 degrees.

I use water from my hot tap which comes out at 70 degrees in my new place. Saves a lot of energy and time on brewday.

 

[breakbeer]

I also use hot water straight from the tap, might look into this food grade hose though.

edit: just realised the hose I use IS food grade, it's just not Blue

 

[Batz]

ok ive been meaning to ask this one...all i have is rainwater tanks...two huge tanks actually......anyprobs there do you guys think?

That's the only water we have, it's great for brewing.
I adjust the water for my ales.

 

[slash22000]

How exactly do these giant caravan carbon filters effect water chemistry? I mean, if you know the chemistry of your local water, how will it change once it leaves the filter?

Incidentally, does anybody have any tips on getting water chemistry information in Australia? Pretty sure it's Power & Water who operate in Darwin but asking them about a water report I may as well be asking them to translate an ancient Egyptian tablet.

 

[manticle]

You should be able to find or request a typical water analysis. I think they are legally bound to provide that information.