Gravity & Siphon Filter Instructions

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

For Un-vesselled Candle Siphons:
SK101, SK102, SK103, SK105

Before operation, soak the ceramic candle thoroughly.

The operation is very simple. Get some water to be filtered in a container—a flat container big enough for the filter cartridge to lie horizontally in works best—drop the filter cartridge into the water, let it soak until it won’t float, then suck on the end of the tubing. When you get water in your mouth, drop the tube into another container a few inches lower than the first and clean water will flow from the end of the tube into your container. The rate of flow is pretty spectacular. Three gallons per hour is a reasonable expectation, and these filters have done more than that in our tests. It’s faster than a stainless steel four-candle gravity filter and it will run on nature’s energy as long as you keep water in the top container. And, get this, the ceramic candle filter acts like a lamp wick. It will suck every drop of water from the top container, then start working again without priming if you pour more water into the container.

Adding the GAC Inline Carbon Filter

Start the Candle Filter Siphon without the inline filter attached, as above, then simply plug its outlet tube into the Omnipure inline filter once the newly filtered water has started flowing. This will add high quality carbon filtration to the ceramic’s bacterial filtration.

For Vessel Style Siphon Filters – Model 77 Siphons

Before, operation, soak the ceramic candle thoroughly, as described above. Then install the cartridge in the vessel. Then stand the filter unit next to the dirty water container and drop the “In” tube (black) into the water. Suck on the “Out” tube (white) until you get water in your mouth, then place the “Out” tube into a second vessel that is lower than the first. Water will continue to flow through the filter until the top container is empty. I won’t pretend that I’ve run exhaustive tests on the two models, but the production rate seems to be about the same. This surprised me a little. I expected un-vesseled candle filter to be the faster performer. All things considered, however, the less expensive, un-vesselled models are simpler to use and easier to get going.

Convert a Model 77 Countertop Filter for siphon/gravity

If you own one of our Model 77 Countertop Filters, you can convert it for emergency or camping use by buying a ceramic cartridge for it! We’ll throw in the tubing and fittings needed to convert it free of charge, plus our secret high-tech instructions on how to suck effectively. (There really are a couple of tricks you need to know.) Or, if you’d like to just buy a Model 77, we’ll equip it with the ceramic cartridge at no extra charge and throw in the instructions and conversion kit. What a deal! $77 for a first class countertop filter and an emergency filter capable of producing dozens of gallons of water daily from the rankest of water.

The last Model 77 style pictured, the slimline, or candle style, is the one we recommend for conversion to emergency use, but all styles will work. If you plan to use the countertop for city tap water, we strongly recommend that you buy a second cartridge, a carbon block, from the cartridge menu. The standard cartridge for the unit, the MatriKX +1, is a much better city water cartridge than the ceramic. The cartridges are as easy to change as a light bulb, so it’s easy to switch from one to the other according to need.