UV Water Filters

[Hogtamer]

+1 on the Berkey. We got one for Christmas, 3 1/2 gal size w/2 filters. Filter our well water for drinking and very well pleased. Yes the filters are expensive but at 4 gal. per day they will last 5 years.

[JimB..]

I’m not sure but ppm is an indication of dissolved solids. Some dissolved solids are definitely bad for you, some are good. Our tap water is 75 ppm, but after going through our refrigerator filter it’s up at 110 ppm! So we don’t used refrigerator water.
Our tap water goes into Berkey, comes out at 20 ppm, then wife puts some in a ‘Zero’ brand filtered pitcher, it comes out of the pitcher at 0 ppm. I’m ok with water from the Berkey.
Our municipality draws water from two wells, then treats it. One of the wells is 70 feet from our home. The service techs that occasionally swap pump motors told me the well is 55 feet.
Back in Michigan well drillers told me sometimes they have to go down a long way to get into aquifer that will provide enough water but the deeper wells usually have higher mineral content water. My dad's well was 340’ and not great tasting water. Our well in Michigan was 50 feet. Water had lots of iron in it, resulting in a rotten egg smell. An iron filter cleaned up the smell and staining.

You do NOT want to drink water with zero dissolved solids, and it’s probably worse for your wife than for you! When you ingest pure water your body, which is mostly water with lots of dissolved solids, the minerals in your body are leeched out to reach an equilibrium and then you pee it away. There is nothing wrong with the mineral content of your your tap water. If you have salt intrusion that’s a different problem.
BTW, your refrigerator is not increasing the mineral content of your water. It’s been a long time since I worked on water quality systems, but my guess is that your probe is temp sensitive. Try setting samples on the counter for an hour before testing them.

[Bmi48219]

BTW,.....my guess is that your probe is temp sensitive. Try setting samples on the counter for an hour before testing them.

Never thought of that.

[B R Shooter]

I'm still weighing the options of various makers. I was reading reviews of one yesterday which stated to put the lamp on a timer and shut it off over night to extend the lamp life to about two years. Makes sense, I do the same thing with my hot water heater. I know some say bulbs last longer being on all the time, but these ballasts look to be about life florescent ballasts, and the bulbs similar. Most all last more than 2 years.

[Mal Paso]

I'm still weighing the options of various makers. I was reading reviews of one yesterday which stated to put the lamp on a timer and shut it off over night to extend the lamp life to about two years. Makes sense, I do the same thing with my hot water heater. I know some say bulbs last longer being on all the time, but these ballasts look to be about life florescent ballasts, and the bulbs similar. Most all last more than 2 years.

Any water that gets past the UV while the tube is off contaminates the system. Flush a toilet or have a leak while it's off and you have bacteria Inside your perimeter. It's not something you want to turn off without sophisticated valving. Always on is less expensive.