Water filters

[Becca]

Something I have discovered with our use of Sawyer in line filters, is that they can be very prone to vapor locks after back flushing/ and or storage. When I find them flowing slowly or barely at all either when gravity filtering or trying to drink thru the straw, I have had excellent success at inverting the filter both 90 and 180 degrees so that the bubbles come out. This usually helps dramatically with the flow issues we have had.

I also backflush using the sink adaptor with the quick connects, and flush them with water back flowing for at least 20-30 seconds. Not sure if that makes a difference vs using a syringe (haven't tried that method).

We use the sawyer in line filters almost exclusively for our needs, and have few complaints. Flow definitely slows down in siltier water situations, but we have gotten 10+ days use easily filtering clear water with pretty minimal slow down. Getting the vapor lock issue figured out helped dramatically, at least for us.

 

[COlineman78]

Becca, I'd like to know more about this sink quick connect adapter. Did you guys make it yourselves or buy it? I have to pop my hose off to use the plunger and find it very annoying.

 

[bbrown]

Becca, I'd like to know more about this sink quick connect adapter. Did you guys make it yourselves or buy it? I have to pop my hose off to use the plunger and find it very annoying.

Not Becca but that adapter comes with the inline filter from Sawyer. I might have an extra one floating around somewhere if you need one and I can find it.

 

[COlineman78]

Not Becca but that adapter comes with the inline filter from Sawyer. I might have an extra one floating around somewhere if you need one and I can find it.

Aw, I see. Yeah, I've only used the Sawyer Mini. That thing looks great, but I'd need to switch it out to a make adapter for my system. If you could find an extra that you'd be willing to part with that's be great! Shoot me a PM if you find it and we can work out the details.

Also, one other comment to make on the Sawyer Mini. I just got my new one and they have switched to a MUCH cheaper straw included in the package. It is now more along the lines of a thicker fast food straw instead of the nice rubber one that came with my last one.

 

[bbrown]

Aw, I see. Yeah, I've only used the Sawyer Mini. That thing looks great, but I'd need to switch it out to a make adapter for my system. If you could find an extra that you'd be willing to part with that's be great! Shoot me a PM if you find it and we can work out the details.

Well looks like I tossed it or its lost in the abyss that is my gear closet - sorry. Maybe someone else has an extra they can hook you up with.

 

[endorice]

Something I have discovered with our use of Sawyer in line filters, is that they can be very prone to vapor locks after back flushing/ and or storage. When I find them flowing slowly or barely at all either when gravity filtering or trying to drink thru the straw, I have had excellent success at inverting the filter both 90 and 180 degrees so that the bubbles come out. This usually helps dramatically with the flow issues we have had.

Becca - thanks for this tip, I sure hope this is my problem. I set up a Sawyer drip system last summer, took 2 different trips, worked like a champ and I back-flushed between each trip. The third trip (one week backpack hunt), it simply wouldn't filter more than a trickle rate. Really hard to back-flush without a syringe (I also have the sink flush adapter, no syringe). I was pretty frustrated and haven't used it since then.