BajaNomad

Water purification

bajagrouper - 9-24-2007 at 07:29 PM

A few months ago I read on this board a post about ultra violet light water filter/purification systems used on yatchs, it also had a link to a supplier...can anybody help me find it again, thanks in advance, Rick :?:

Grouper

bajaguy - 9-24-2007 at 07:31 PM

Check your u2u for an e-mail address

bajagrouper - 9-25-2007 at 01:29 PM

Thank you Bajaguy and Ron, information recieved...Rick

Mulegena - 6-24-2012 at 08:50 AM

Reviving this old thread 'cause we're interested in a house-size uv water purification system.

Several Nomads probably have them, and with years' experience could give an educated critique, like and dislikes, brand names and such.

Thanks so much.

Whole House UV system

bajaguy - 6-24-2012 at 09:03 AM

We use this as a whole house system:

http://www.waterfixercompany.com/model1000.html

Works great, no problems.

Mulegena - 6-24-2012 at 09:19 AM

Thanks, Bajaguy, your whole-house system, wow! I've seen these and thought they were a point-of-use under-kitchen counter unit.

So, couple questions.
In Baja Sur most everybody has a tinaco to store their house water. Would this system be attached after the water leaves the tinaco and before it enters the house? Would the water then be cleansed and delivered to every tap in the house? Could you estimate the operating costs (replacement filters...) for year-round normal usage? Anything else?

Bob and Susan - 6-24-2012 at 10:16 AM

mulegena...if that thing worked on our water i would already have it
dont waste your money

our water is clean...a friend tested it...no bugs
our water does have ALOT of minerals...i mean ALOT

the minerals and dirt is what makes you sick if you are not "normalized" to it...many locals drink it with no problems

the only thing you might think of getting would be a gravel filter to remove sand and metal from the delivery pipes...thats just a filter attached to the pipe just before it goes into the house

these filters units run about $50usa and the replacement filters about $10 usa each...they need servicing once a month

actually ...i'd like to see a desal unit in operation at someones home...one that worked

Mulegena - 6-24-2012 at 10:37 AM

Good points, thanks, but why drink chlorine and such if you don't have to.

The simple sand filter would be good coming into the tinaco/holding tank, but what about the build-up of bacteria inside the tank itself that's going to leach into the water as it enters the house?

Tanks need to be cleaned at least once a year and sometimes the valves and gaskets are replaced. This is why a uv system or perhaps a reverse osmosis unit would be useful, too.

So we don't spend money needlessly I'd really like to know how cost-effective and necessary these filter systems are, how they actually work and their operating costs.

bajaguy - 6-24-2012 at 10:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Thanks, Bajaguy, your whole-house system, wow! I've seen these and thought they were a point-of-use under-kitchen counter unit.

So, couple questions.
In Baja Sur most everybody has a tinaco to store their house water. Would this system be attached after the water leaves the tinaco and before it enters the house? Would the water then be cleansed and delivered to every tap in the house? Could you estimate the operating costs (replacement filters...) for year-round normal usage? Anything else?





Thanks, Bajaguy, your whole-house system, wow! I've seen these and thought they were a point-of-use under-kitchen counter unit.

............nope, the 1000 is a whole house system. Works great for us in a 3bdrm, 2 1/2 bath house.

In Baja Sur most everybody has a tinaco to store their house water. Would this system be attached after the water leaves the tinaco and before it enters the house?

...............yes

Would the water then be cleansed and delivered to every tap in the house?

............yes, that is the way we do it. Or, you could get the model 500 and use it as a point of delivery for one or a couple of faucets/outlets. Just have to replumb for purified outlets.

Could you estimate the operating costs (replacement filters...) for year-round normal usage?

........there are two filters with the unit. A pleated sediment filter ($5.00 more or less) and a charcoal filter ($8.00 more or less). I shop on line for the filters and look for deals.

We also have a GE whole house sediment filter in line before the WaterFixer unit, helps to filter out the big chunks. The GE filter unit was about $30 and the cartridges are $9.00 or so for two. I change the GE filter once a month, and the other two filters every other month. The heart of the system is a UV tube which I replace every year, cost on a replacement tube is about $30.00.

It's been working like a champ for 6 years now, no problems. I highly recommend.




[Edited on 6-24-2012 by bajaguy]

Mulegena - 6-24-2012 at 11:21 AM

"Like" button pushed, Bajaguy, big thanks.

I take this as a 5-star recommendation.

We might put the big sediment filter before the city water enters the tinaco, however. Whaddya think about that?

Bob and Susan - 6-24-2012 at 12:02 PM

...but how do you know the water is cleaner...do you test it?

we had one of these at an office in california...we paid a monthly rental fee...i asked the service guy about it...

he said he would rather drink tap water...go figure

these service guys dont test the water either

so...how do you know its actually clean?

wessongroup - 6-24-2012 at 12:26 PM

Something a bit different .. not sure about the cost per gallon, but then when one doesn't have water... what ya got ...

Developed by a small start up company in Israel .. which is getting a lot of attention from around the world.. it's a done deal with the IDF

after, methinks

bajaguy - 6-24-2012 at 12:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
"Like" button pushed, Bajaguy, big thanks.

I take this as a 5-star recommendation.

We might put the big sediment filter before the city water enters the tinaco, however. Whaddya think about that?





Or you could do both, although I would want to keep the big chunks out of the WaterFixer system.

Ummmmmmm, maybe a 6 star rating!!!!

vgabndo - 6-24-2012 at 02:12 PM

I wouldn't overlook a semi-passive solar still as a good option for purification, and removal of mineral tastes. They've come a long way since a sloping piece of glass over a shallow black tray of water. The fun part is that state of the art is still do-able by the enthusiastic.

I'm proud to say I have 20 year old sketches which are now the "way to go". (I've been "hooked" on this for a while) The idea is to make steam from water in the sun. A damp beach towel hanging on the fence in the bright sun on a cool day is a good illustration of why they don't do pools of water any more.

Also, a damp wicking material can be supported in a way to allow the collector face to be tilted for maximum insolation.

The steam will condense on the cool (single glazed) clean inner collector face and drain down into a catch trough. Some types are making enough steam to take it off the top into a condenser box on the back of the collector.

Even a much less effective previous system could provide about 2 gal. of distilled water for each 15 sq. ft. of collector, per 6 hours full sun.

Burlap makes a good cheap wicking material and comes in large sizes.

Here's a primer for anyone interested. and Figure 4 is the idea that has worked pretty well.

http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooking/SOLRSTIL.HTM

[Edited on 6-24-2012 by vgabndo]

Bob and Susan - 6-24-2012 at 02:33 PM

i loved that...a water generator that makes water from the air from a company called "dreams and magic"...and it was a CARTOON!!!

astrobaja - 6-24-2012 at 02:48 PM

Mulegena: Like Bajaguy we have also had our 1000 model water fixer for 4 years now. Works like a charm replacement filters and lightbulb are a cinch to change. We just have ours under our kitchen sink. We have one tap dedicated to it for drinking water and have the light on a switch as its not really to have the light on all the time.

hope another 6 star recommendation helps!

cheers

Mike

[Edited on 6-24-2012 by astrobaja]

astrobaja - 6-24-2012 at 02:55 PM

Read the thread some more, yes you should have a rough sediment filter before the water enters the house. We have one on our solar pump in our arroyo before it gets pumped into a 5000 L Rotoplas tank. Its the type which has stacked orange disks, you have to play with the micron size to get it right, too small and you will have to clean it every other day too large and you might get too large a sediment entering the house system. Cleaning is easy for these filters just loosen and spray the dirt off with a garden hose!!
If you like I can lookup the brand we use!

cheers

Mike

Mike

Bob and Susan - 6-24-2012 at 03:31 PM

...yes mike...but have you tested the water...

how do you know its any different than what you get out of the ground...

wessongroup - 6-24-2012 at 05:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
i loved that...a water generator that makes water from the air from a company called "dreams and magic"...and it was a CARTOON!!!


This outfit is from FL .. there unit cost, $1,500 .. 8 gallons per day

Hope it is acceptable .. .it's from Fox News.. OMG ... :biggrin:


dtbushpilot - 6-24-2012 at 05:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wessongroup
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
i loved that...a water generator that makes water from the air from a company called "dreams and magic"...and it was a CARTOON!!!


This outfit is from FL .. there unit cost, $1,500 .. 8 gallons per day

Hope it is acceptable .. .it's from Fox News.. OMG ... :biggrin:





The video was from 2009, I wonder how they are doing with it. I also wonder what it uses for power and how much of that it uses....I guess I could google it and find out

astrobaja - 6-24-2012 at 07:11 PM

Bob, I have not tested the water, but killing bacteria via a UV light source is a tried and true technology. Plus it came recommended to us by one of the best solar installers in San Diego county-- Mike Symons! He not only installed the units but he used them for many years!! The only real microbial threat in our supply is the slight possibility of giardia. Leaving any drinking water in a clear container out in the sun will do the same thing!

Mulegena - 6-25-2012 at 08:32 AM

How about reverse osmosis, used alone or in combination with a crude sand filter and/or ultra-violet combi-unit?

vgabndo - 6-25-2012 at 04:07 PM

Cost to make water from humid air?

400 watts at 230 volts single phase for the smallest one from this Indian company.

http://www.watermakerindia.com/product.php

Udo - 6-25-2012 at 05:36 PM

NO prices, vgabndo.

vgabndo - 6-25-2012 at 06:51 PM

Udo, there is an Alibaba conspiracy to avoid any pricing it seems. I just thought that the KWH's to run it would be interesting:lol: