Anyone else with Sawyer filter frustrations?

[endorice]

Last year I purchased a Sawyer SP122 gravity mode filter. Based on my research on the need to minimize back-flushing, I cut a gold coffee filter to remove major sediment draining from my dirty water bag. Early tests where great; the unit would filter something like 2 liters per minute. Awesome.

I used the setup on several four day trips in the Colorado high country. Water sources were always crystal clear. I used the high pressure back-wash after each of the four trips. At the end of the season, I did the high pressure back-wash, followed by a gravity mode back-wash with tap water and a couple tablespoons of bleach.

This past summer, I made the bad mistake of taking the filter on a scouting weekend without first testing the filter. In the field, it wouldn't work. It was so slow, it took overnight to filter 2 liters of water.

Spoke to a Sawyer CSR, who recommended soaking the filter in a vinegar water solution. I did that overnight, back-wash, soaked overnight again, back-wash, and then the filter would work, but miserably slow. The CSR recommended sending the filter in to them, which I did, and they returned it without any note.

At this point, the filter works, but probably at a rate of 25% of what it did last fall. This is a filter that has probably only filtered less than 10 gallons of water, all with a pre-filter.

Anyone else have a challenging experience? Recommendations?

Here's a video showing my first time back in the field with the filter that had just been returned to me from Sawyer. The filtering rate is little more than a fast drip. Am I expecting too much from this filter? I would understand the filter working slower after filtering glacial till, but not with the water sources I'm using.

[video=youtube;a2y2nznEM9E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2y2nznEM9E&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[Becca]

We sometimes have air inside ours cause a bit of a vapor lock when they haven't been used for awhile. I have found that priming by mouth (sucking the air out, with force) helps some, as does holding the filter horizontally (instead of vertically) and sometimes even flipping it upside down with the dirty bag above it while it filters. You will see a lot of air bubbles come out. Once we get ours primed the flow rate increases considerably. I try to prime the dirty section of hose above the filter with water (as opposed to running a full tube length of air into the filter before the water) to minimize how much air gets in.

Luke and I have used the same inline filters for the majority of our backpack trips for the last 5+ years. We did replace them about once in that time period due to slow flow rates. But considering the amount of water they had filtered in 3 seasons (both in line and in gravity mode to filter larger amounts for group use even) we felt we had gotten our money out of them. Our replacement filters are still going strong with a little maintainence.

 

[endorice]

We sometimes have air inside ours cause a bit of a vapor lock when they haven't been used for awhile. I have found that priming by mouth (sucking the air out, with force) helps some, as does holding the filter horizontally (instead of vertically) and sometimes even flipping it upside down with the dirty bag above it while it filters. You will see a lot of air bubbles come out. Once we get ours primed the flow rate increases considerably. I try to prime the dirty section of hose above the filter with water (as opposed to running a full tube length of air into the filter before the water) to minimize how much air gets in.

Luke and I have used the same inline filters for the majority of our backpack trips for the last 5+ years. We did replace them about once in that time period due to slow flow rates. But considering the amount of water they had filtered in 3 seasons (both in line and in gravity mode to filter larger amounts for group use even) we felt we had gotten our money out of them. Our replacement filters are still going strong with a little maintainence.

Becca - thanks for the tip. I too have experienced the vapor lock issue with the air in the dirty line (inlet) side. After filling the dirty water bladder, I remove the hose from the inlet side of the filter, let the air escape, and then quickly re-attach the hose to the filter as the water starts running. The quick release connects with the filter make this really simple.

Gerald

 

[Mtnboy]

Back flush this, soak that, back flush, blah blah blah

I tried a Sawyer once and didn't see what all the fuss is about.

Get a Katydyn hiker and forget about it. I've got years and years on mine with nothing more than a new filter here and there. It's filtered some dirty dirty water too.

Not the lightest or newest/coolest but it never lets me down.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

Yep. I have had the same filter in my hiker for 16 years, still pumps water plenty fast

 

[MIKEYB]

I know people have had good success with them as Becca stated above and they use them extensively.

I, on the other hand had both the bigger and the mini setup both gravity and inline and had both clog completely within 1 or 2 trips and decided I could not rely on them.

Backflushed with little to no success. Water was clear stream water that I was filtering.

I have been fotunate enough to hunt areas that have clear water so a steripen gets the nod.

I wish I could have them work for me but . . . I'm special.

 

[aclawrence]

I always "pre-wet" my sawyer before I leave on a trip so it is working good when I get ready to use it. I also dont use Tap water with the filter. Seems like I read somewhere about the chemicals in the water causing mineral deposits or build up. Anyway I made a gravity system for mine and it has worked great. I don't really care for messing around with all the bags and stuff that it comes with. Just a big dirty bag filter and bottle or clean bag.

 

[bcbuckhunter]

I have used these filters for many years. I found that after I high pressure back flow to clean it, I then run water back through the filter in the normal flow direction with pressure and the filter then gravity feeds at the normal high rate. If you use the faucet to back flow then you will need to use the faucet to get it flowing again in the right direction. I have an adapter that lets me hook up either end of the filter to my faucet adapter. I can't remember if it came with the filter set up or if I already had it. Hope this helps.

 

[endorice]

I always "pre-wet" my sawyer before I leave on a trip so it is working good when I get ready to use it. I also dont use Tap water with the filter.

Pertaining to the tap water, I believe I may have read the same thing somewhere. The problem is, there isn't an effective way of a high pressure back-wash without using the faucet adapter. Thanks for sharing your technique.

 

[endorice]

I have used these filters for many years. I found that after I high pressure back flow to clean it, I then run water back through the filter in the normal flow direction with pressure and the filter then gravity feeds at the normal high rate. If you use the faucet to back flow then you will need to use the faucet to get it flowing again in the right direction. I have an adapter that lets me hook up either end of the filter to my faucet adapter. I can't remember if it came with the filter set up or if I already had it. Hope this helps.

That's interesting and I had not considered that. Thanks!

 

[dotman]

I've had my sawyer for a few years, I don't do anything special to it, just use it and it has worked flawlessly. I wonder if the bleach did something to it as I've never ran it through mine.

 

[COlineman78]

I also squeeze my dirty bag when I first hang it to try and get some suction in addition to gravity. Once the water is flowing you will also get a bit of siphoning effect to speed things up.

Sent from my D6708 using Tapatalk

 

[Poser]

I have yet to have any problems, but this makes me think I should be checking to make sure my filter works before heading out

 

[endorice]

I wonder if the bleach did something to it as I've never ran it through mine.

Tim (and others for reference) - here is a link to their PDF on cleaning their filters. It states "Sawyer recommends occasionally sanitizing your filter. To do this, backwash the filter with a standard bleach solution (fragrance free and no more than one cap of bleach per quart of water). Let air dry and in a cool dry place before using."

It also talks about how vinegar can clean calcium deposits.

Gerald

 

[Shrek]

First one I had worked great , second was like yours , bought another and it works great. It may just be a bad filter. I froze the first one is the reason I replaced it.

 

[KMBH]

My current Sawyer gravity filter is still working great after 4 years

Sawyer Squeeze still working - no issues

Sawyer Mini is just too slow for me

 

[endorice]

My current Sawyer gravity filter is still working great after 4 years

Do you do anything special for maintenance? Are you doing the high pressure back-flush between trips?

 

[KMBH]

Do you do anything special for maintenance? Are you doing the high pressure back-flush between trips?

I back flush after every trip by hanging and draining my 2L Camelback bladder through it. I usually use tap water. I used to use the faucet adapter to backflush, but I lost it. After flushing I shake it out and stand on end and drain it on towel overnight, bag it until next trip. Averaging 6 trips per year between the gravity and squeeze. I only use mine in streams and lakes. I do not hunt or backpack in the places with nasty sources that the guys in the Southwest have to deal with. The Platypus is getting much better reviews and is lighter over all.

 

[dotman]

Do you do anything special for maintenance? Are you doing the high pressure back-flush between trips?

I only back flush if I'm filtering really dirty water but usually I have natural springs in my area I usually get water from. Yeah I guess I'm a bad example as I do nothing to it and just filter water

 

[aclawrence]

Remember too, just like a gas can with a vent hole compared to a can without, the gas will pour out much faster. I would assume the water would flow through the filters faster in an "open" system compared to a bag that is sealed off.