Crown Berkey Water Filter With 2 Black & 2 PF2 Fluoride Filters Review
There’s no compromising quality or health when it comes to water, is there? Luckily, there’s no short supply of water purification solutions, but removing arsenic and fluoride requires
It’s estimated that 65% of US households consume fluoride in their tap water [1]. If you suspect your drinking water has unhealthy levels of fluoride or arsenic, there are few filtration systems on the market as effective as the Crown Berkey Water Filter With 2 Black and 2 PF2 Fluoride Filters.
Whether you’re serving 2 or 20 people, water that’s high in fluoride can be a serious health risk.
The Crown Berkey is a premium-grade water filtration unit designed for high volume environments.
Read our detailed Crown Berkey Water Filter review to find out whether this fluoride filtration system suits your water purification needs.
Crown Berkey Water Filter: Product Overview
Description: Water Filter with PF-2 filters for removing fluoride
Features:
- 6-Gallon Crown Stainless Steel Containers (Upper, Lower & Lid)
- 2 Black Berkey Filters (3000 gallons each)
- 2 PF-2 Fluoride Filters (1000 gallons each)
- 6 Hole Plugs
- 1 Knob
Best Suited For:
- Water purification of any raw and treated water supply
- Designed for Large Groups of 35+ people
- Homes, churches, hospitals, outdoor activities, emergency event
Crown Berkey Water Filter With 2 Black & 2 PF2 Fluoride Filters Review (Full)
Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars by over 1500 Amazon users, the Crown Berkey Water Filter system is specifically engineered for arsenic and fluoride removal, as well as water purification [2]. What makes the ‘Big Berky’ stand out, as it’s called, is its versatility and large capacity.
Lake water, streams, wells, stagnant ponds, and, yes, city water, can all be treated with the Crown Berkey. Live in a remote location where water may be scarce? The Crown Berkey Water Filter is designed to hold up when all else fails, with large capacity filters for making maintenance less costly and routine.
Assembly:
If you’re not exactly handy or experienced with tools, you’re in luck. The Crown Berkey Water Filter is thoughtfully designed for assembly without any tools. All of the filtration components are separately packaged, labeled and sealed to protect against contamination. There’s a user manual with step-by-step instructions, and all the parts are made to screw together.
All in all, it takes about 10 minutes to assemble the Crown Berkey.
Construction & Durability:
The Crown Berkey Water Filter system includes two purification elements, two PF-2 fluoride filters for purifying raw or public water. With an impressive storage capacity of about 6 gallons (22.7 liters), you can serve up to 6.5 gallons of clean drinking water per hour.
Rather than a plastic casing or tank, Berkey has chosen a more resistant material that resists corrosion as well as bacteria. Constructed of highly polished 304 stainless steel, it should last several years with regular use.
Fully assembled, the unit stands 30″ inches in height, but is economical in the use of space. The upper chamber nests neatly inside the lower chamber for easy transport and stands only 20″ in height.
Fluoride And Arsenic Removal: How It Works
The Berkey water filter fluoride reduction elements (PF2) give the unit additional filtration capacity. Once attached to the Black Berkey purification elements (there are 2), the PF2 filters remove Fluoride, Pre-oxidized Arsenic III, Arsenic V, MTBE and other heavy metal ions [3].
If needed, the Crown Berkey system can be expanded to accommodate as many as 8 purification elements.
Toxins Removed:
Useful for general water purification, the Crown Berkey Water Filter can effectively remove up to 99.9% of common water contaminants.
- Fluoride
- Arsenic
- Pathogenic Bacteria
- Cysts
- Parasites
- Herbicides/Pesticides
- VOC’s
- Organic Solvents
- Radon 222
- Trihalomethanes
- Nitrates
- Minerals (e.g. lead, mercury)
Concerned about the level of hardness in your drinking water? You may be interested in reading this year’s best water softener reviews for more information.
What We Like:
- DIY ASSEMBLY: No tools are required to assemble the filter components of the Crown Berkey Water Filter. If you follow the instructions, all the parts are designed to screw together, with all the necessary washers and for a secure, hassle-free job.
- HIGH CAPACITY FILTERS: There are 2 black Berkey filter elements included in the Crown Berkey system. Each element has a lifespan of 3,000 gallons for a total lifespan of 6,000. The manufacturer recommends cleaning them to extend the life of the filters. Each of the PF2 Fluoride Filter also has a lifespan of 1,000 gallons. In a household of 4, that should last 3 – 5 months of use.
- DURABILITY: The filters can be washed up to 100 times using a 3M Scotch-Brite pad.
The Crown Berkey is also made of high-grade 304 stainless steel for better resistance against rust and bacteria build-up inside the tank.
Drawbacks But Not Dealbreakers
- RESIDUAL WATER: Since the filtration tank isn’t pressurized, water can get left behind in the upper chamber of the Crown Berkey. Without pressure to force the water through, about 1 inch of water ends up getting left behind, until it fills again.
- ROUTINE MAINTENANCE: This is not your set-it-and-forget it type of filtration system. To keep the Crown Berkey working at peak performance, you need to prime the PF-2 filters at least once per month. You don’t any tools to remove the filters but it’s still a hassle. If you forget, less and less water will filter through to the bottom of the unit.
How to Assemble the Crown Berkey Water Filter
Resource: Manufacturer’s Instructions
NOTE: To avoid contaminating the Crown Berkey filter components, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before removing them from the packaging.
Be sure to follow the PF-2 priming instructions included with the filters. These filters are designed to hang in the bottom chamber of the unit, and screw directly onto the stems of the Black Berkey elements.
- Remove the Black Berkey filter elements and parts from their protective packaging. Each Crown Berkey Water Filter includes 8 filter elements. Lay them out, checking each item against the diagram included with your filter.
- Fit the knob (1) onto the lid (2) by inserting the screw (3) up through the hole in the lid and screwing on the knob. Hand tighten only.
- After the Black Berkeys have been primed, place the large sealing washer (10) over the threaded part of the filter element (5).
- Place the Black Berkey element (5) into the hole in the base of the upper chamber (4).
- Secure filter elements in the chamber base by screwing on the wing nut (11) onto the threaded mount. Repeat #5 & #6 until all Black Berkey filter elements have been installed. Hand tighten only, no need to over-tighten. You want the filters as snug as possible to create a seal.
- Place one small washer (8) onto the threaded part of the outlet spigot (7).
- Insert thread of spigot (7) through hole in the side of the lower chamber (6). Place the second small washer (8) over the thread within the chamber and secure in place with the nut (9). Tighten securely by hand only.
- Put the upper chamber (4) on top of the lower chamber (6) and place lid (2) in position.
Your Crown Berkey Water Filter should now be ready to start treating the water in your home.
How To Prime & Install The Crown Berkey Water Filter
Troubleshooting Tips For Your Crown Berkey Water Filter System
Follow these tips from the manufacturer if you notice any performance issues with your Berky Water Filter. The Crown Berkey, in particular, is a premium quality PF-2 filtration system but it requires proper maintenance to perform at optimum efficiency.
Under ideal conditions and slight to moderate levels of contamination, the Crown Berkey Water Filter removes 99.9% of fluoride for up to 100 gallons. Replace the filters after that for the best results, which you can order directly from the manufacturer’s website.
Residual Water In The Upper Chamber:
Many reviews noted as much as 1 – 4 inches of water left behind in the upper chamber after the filtration process. After some research, it appears there are 2 possible causes.
A lack of pressure inside the upper chamber prevents some of the water from filtering through, since there’s nothing to actually force it through. With time, however, the pores in the filters will also become clogged. Monthly priming of the filters is probably the best solution
Water Filters Slowly:
Some users have noted that the Crown Berkey can become increasingly slower at filtering water after several months of use. If the flow rate appears to have decreased, re-priming the filters will help open the pores in the filters again. Opening the pores allows more water to filter through, increasing the flow rate.
Weird Taste to Water:
Before drinking any of the treated water, it’s important to flush any manufacturing dust thoroughly from the PF-2’s. If you notice a cloudy or oily texture to the filtered water, or a metallic taste, flush the PF-2’s for one hour again to ensure no manufacturing residue remains.
Leaking Spigot:
If you notice leaking around the washers of the spigot, try tightening the washers on both sides of the stainless steel. Leave the spigot about 90 degrees out of phase. Then, using a wrench, grip the nut in place and turn the spigot another quarter turn.
Another option, according to the manufacturer, is to soak the washers in olive oil for approximately 1 hour. The washers can, apparently dry out after repeated use, but the oil restores some moisture.
If water leaks through the hole of the spigot, you should contact the manufacturer for a replacement.
References
[2] Simultaneous arsenic and fluoride removal from synthetic and real groundwater by electrocoagulation process: Parametric and cost evaluation. (NCBI.gov)
[3] What Is Heavy Metal Poisoning? (WebMD)
