Ghetto Carbon Water Filtration

[reVoxAHB]

I'll preface this thread by stating the commercial equivalent can be purchased at Bunnings and the like in the AUD$50-$80 range. As I wasn't able to brew today, I thought I'd nut out a project that's been on my mind for the past few months:

Ghetto Carbon (pre-boil) Water Filtration ala Brita/Food Grade Bucket:

I started by measuring the (underlip) width of a standard supermarket variety Brita carbon filter (5 cm approx):

Using to size, whatever I could find around the house and tracing (as shown on paper- forgot to photograph on bucket) and cutting using a stanley knife (drill+jig saw, etc. would also work well):

Smoothing/rounding of hole for snug-sizing using sandpaper. I initially tried to install the filter to the bucket itself and it leaked terribly due to the flat nature of the bucket (bottom) and bevelled underside of filter. I realised a housing for the filter was in order, not unlike a Brita jug itself. Rummaging around the cupboards I found a small plastic juice cup that fit the filter, surprisingly perfect. Quickly ripped a few holes in the bottom (the flow from housing is far greater than that of the filter):

Installed (very snug/no leaks between housing/bucket):

Next, needed to adhere the filter to housing (leak-free).. Tried a rubber-washer (no go, but OK) eventually settling on plumber's tape only, wrapped a few times around the head of the filter itself, with the filter being push-screwed lightly into the housing:

In action:

Underside, potential application, and filter sealed air-tight in fridge between use (as per Brita website):

She's ugly but functional and cost was negligible (cost of filter $5).
Brewing on Wednesday.. I'll report pre-boil filtration time> i reckon 1 hour to 30L is in order.

reVox

 

[Sammus]

I've often thought about that. Not wanting to bust your bubble (or even sure if I am...) but I'm pretty sure those filter cartridges also soften the water via some ion exchange nonsense - and apparently artificially softened water like that isnt all that great for brewing with...

 

[reVoxAHB]

I've often thought about that. Not wanting to bust your bubble (or even sure if I am...) but I'm pretty sure those filter cartridges also soften the water via some ion exchange nonsense - and apparently soft water isnt all that great for brewing with...

edit: I don't mean soft water like Pilsen soft, but soft as in zero calcium.

Yea, I'll be adjusting the ph post-filter forsure.

reVox

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Haha, ReVox, this takes the cake. I love it!!!!

I do have to be honest and say I use the Brita system for drinking water, and, to top up if I'm short on brewing water.

You've truly invented the po' mans filtering system and every hat I own is off to you! Still will need a boil mate and possibly some water treatment (as you've recently delved into), but you've worked a good and cheap way to get rid of that crap in our water.

I love the "curry powder" cut.

Keep up the fantastic work and posts. As they say in Australia...You're a bloody legend mate!

BB

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

I'll report pre-boil filtration time> i reckon 1 hour to 30L is in order.

reVox

I'd start the day before, you may find it takes a bit longer than an hour for 30L. The best thing about it is you can let it go.

 

[warrenlw63]

Hey Revox... Love the DIY ingenuity. :super: That being said you can pretty much set up an inline carbon job for around $50 these days.

There's a place called "Plastic Plumbing and Irrigation Supplies" in Airport West that have budget filter housings for around $30 each at the moment. A standard carbon pleated filter cartridge is around $20. Couple of connections and you're on the way. Cartridge is good for around 6 months. :beerbang:

Plastic Plumbing and Irrigation Supplies

NAYY its just that they're around the corner and their replacement cartridges are the cheapest I've encountered.

Warren -

 

[mika]

You think that's ugly, you should see my wife !

The version I've got is a bunnings 80c bucket with three large holes in the bottom of it. But a lot of thought went into it, took a while to find the bucket which would sit in the top of my old fermentor and didn't have some weird shape or embossed mark in the centre that would get in the way of the holes. The three holes were carefully sized to the range of holesaws I have, so now the little tapered jug filters (basically same as you're using) sit in the holes and a little push seems them seat against the plastic bucket. There is some leakage around the edge of the filters, but it's negligble. So now we have 3 filter housings flowing the water from the bucket and into the fermentor which I bottle from to fill the HLT.
Advantage of having 3 filters being that it greatly increases the flowrate without upsetting the retention time in any of the filters. Inspired by a similar post on AHB ages ago, think it might have been JasonY who developed it ?
Only issue I've found is the bucket can't be a perfect seal with the fermentor (I use a spoon down the side to let air in) otherwise as you drain water from the fermentor it creates a vacuum inside and you filter water very quickly, but not so effectively.

The filters are just de-activated carbon from what I understand, I've only checked my Ph once and it was a few points off but nothing to get too worried about. Personally I think you'd be fine filtering this way and never have to worry about Ph.

 

[Wrenny]

Hey guys,

Would this kinda thing work for filtering out yeast before kegging / bottling?


Cheers,
Wrenny

 

[sstacey]

Yea, I'll be adjusting the ph post-filter forsure.

reVox

I use filtered water through my puratap and it's great. I've had no need to adjust pH. Just remember though, you need to adjust the pH of the mash, not the pH of the water. The pH of the water means diddly squat.

 

[reVoxAHB]

Thanks all for the positive feedback.

This project is like the little retarded boy living in the shed behind the corn field, compared to something like the star-quarterback that's Zizzle's brew bot .

So I got water into the rig this morning with a brand new filter. 22L filter time was right on 35 minutes. I noticed the first ten minutes of filtration was a good deal faster than the last ten, for example. I reckon the added volume (at full 22L) might be too much pressure for a standard brita filter with it not providing (I would guess) optimal filtration. Next time around I'll filter in 10-12L batches (which means I could presumably move this into a 12L bucket).

Cheers SPS on the ph mash note. Yeah, that's what I meant.. just didn't finish my train of thought or sentence.

Now to brew!
reVox