Home Water Purifiers

[guava]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

cheap and a pain in the butt to lug around especially if you cook you got to rinse off fruit veges etc. There is however a huge upside and that is now I can carry 12 bottles of beer from villa which is also very cheap

In Bangkok and probably most places apart from really rural areas you can get water delivered very cheaply. I've used Sprinkle for years. Also search Yellow Pages or google for other suppliers.

Buy a sheet of vouchers and you normally get a free battery pump if you don't wave a water dispenser/cooler. Works out 40-50THB a bottle I think. If I'm not going to be home I just leave the empties out with vouchers stuck to them.

I rinse vegetables etc, clean teeth, and usually make coffee and boil/cook/make soup etc using straight tap water.

[Beardog]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

I second that & they are probably more on top of replacing filters often. I think over a lifetime bottled water is cheaper. My Pur

system in Hawaii was way more costly to replace filters & you really don't know(unless you run tests often) how filtered the water is. Might be the same with bottled water. I'll take my chances.

[lopburi3]

Over 25 years ago the US Embassy Medical Unit ran extended texts on the qualify of bottled water and Bangkok tap water in the central area of Bangkok. The tap water was consistently better than the best bottled water.

I understand on any given day tap water could be contaminated but in general water distribution has improved a great deal in recent years (as I suspect has bottled water - at least from the majors).

[zorro1]

That's what I also believe however the reports of heavy rain flushing sewer water in cracked pipes that contain drinking water sort of put me off. I don't know if there is any truth in that though. Also quality control with water bottling is questionable? not sure about how true that is either. If you own your condo its worth investing in a simple 3 or 4 stage filter just for the convenience

[lopburi3]

Water pipes have pressure inside - the water goes out if cracked. There used to be a problem near end of lines where pressure would be low and homes would directly pump from line - but believe those days are mostly gone and most people have a mains tank and then pump from that for home/business water pressure. That said most Thai are skeptical and do use some form of filtration for drinking water.

[wpcoe]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

I second that & they are probably more on top of replacing filters often. I think over a lifetime bottled water is cheaper. My Pur

system in Hawaii was way more costly to replace filters & you really don't know(unless you run tests often) how filtered the water is. Might be the same with bottled water. I'll take my chances.

Keep shaking those heads fellas, as I watch you wash the dishes with bottles of water. I wouldn't wash my dishes in unfiltered water in polluted trucked-in or well water.

[guava]

Keep shaking those heads fellas, as I watch you wash the dishes with bottles of water. I wouldn't wash my dishes in unfiltered water in polluted trucked-in or well water.

When I said I "rinse vegetables etc, clean teeth, and usually make coffee and boil/cook/make soup etc using straight tap water", I didn't think it necessary to further specify that I also wash dishes in tap water also. Even shower in the stuff!

If this isn't a troll, and you do really insist on washing dishes in filtered water, then ummm... all the best with that. Move over Howard Hughes!

BTW, it freaks me out a little knowing you're watching me wash dishes like that.

*backs slowly away*

[zorro1]

Keep shaking those heads fellas, as I watch you wash the dishes with bottles of water. I wouldn't wash my dishes in unfiltered water in polluted trucked-in or well water.

When I said I "rinse vegetables etc, clean teeth, and usually make coffee and boil/cook/make soup etc using straight tap water", I didn't think it necessary to further specify that I also wash dishes in tap water also. Even shower in the stuff!

If this isn't a troll, and you do really insist on washing dishes in filtered water, then ummm... all the best with that. Move over Howard Hughes!

BTW, it freaks me out a little knowing you're watching me wash dishes like that.

*backs slowly away*

Perhaps your dishes are plastic but mine are made from L'Antica handpainted Italian server ware . Non filtered water will leave mineral and calcium deposits which is ..ummm simply unacceptable. I wash my dishes in distilled water when available. Also done away with the bum gun and now used filtered water. Hope this helps

[Fun2Fun]

here are some of the current offerings from Homepro

[zorro1]

I bought the Fujika on that brochure a 4 filter system . Works well and tastes great. It has a micro pore filter that filters to 1 in ten billion or something ridiculous that should keep any nasties away

[wpcoe]

Keep shaking those heads fellas, as I watch you wash the dishes with bottles of water. I wouldn't wash my dishes in unfiltered water in polluted trucked-in or well water.

When I said I "rinse vegetables etc, clean teeth, and usually make coffee and boil/cook/make soup etc using straight tap water", I didn't think it necessary to further specify that I also wash dishes in tap water also. Even shower in the stuff!

If this isn't a troll, and you do really insist on washing dishes in filtered water, then ummm... all the best with that. Move over Howard Hughes!

BTW, it freaks me out a little knowing you're watching me wash dishes like that.

*backs slowly away*

Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not a troll, and was dead serious.

I lived for over two years in a condo where the water supply was unfiltered swamp water delivered by tanker truck. The smell while taking a shower was sometimes enough to make you gag. I used to see the water tanker truck at a roadside pond up the street filling up. Are you going to tell me that you'd take your dishes to a polluted roadside pond and wash them and feel it was sanitary enough?

The water was so raw and dirty that a ceramic filter cartridge would sometimes not even last a month, even if I would brush it off once a week. There were times when I had to clean the screen filters in the kitchen and bathroom taps daily to get rid of the particle contaminants so the water would flow again. Still want to eat off of dishes washed in that water?

[zorro1]

where was that

[Gary A]

We are lucky to live out in the boonies. I bought a 1,500 liter fiberglass tank for our drinking water. My wife refused to use the rain water from the house or garage roof and instead put a galvanized roof over her cooking area. She believes rain water off any other roof is not safe. (?). We run that rain water through a charcoal, resin and ceramic filter set. No problems in the three years we have been doing this. We have never run out of drinking water. She fills plastic liter bottles every day. We have a refrigerator especially for this water.

Added - I forgot to mention that there is a small water pump for this system. The biggest problem is rust from that pump. If I ever find a decent sand filter, I will put that filter ahead of the other filter set.

Edited May 3, 2008 by Gary A

[dotcom]

Here's mine. Can get em at Home Pro. Stage 1 is activated charcoal, this gets back washed to clean. Stage 2 is resin - salt water soak to reactivate & Stage 3 is a ceramic fliter 5 micron.

Gives very tasty water. In Bangkok the water supply is very good anyway. This removes the chloramine & any solids.

As mentioned I think they start at around 3500 baht.

[troy04]

Sheryl: yes, ordinary table salt. don't know how many spoons sorry.

just recently i get to know that the ceramic element in my filter doesn't need to be repalced as i thought every year, only when it breaks.

i rather would buy now the plastic filter version which is available right now at big C foer as low as 690 baht, 2 filters. its much less work to replace than the resin and coal powder which comes in bags. might be slightely more expensive do.

maintanance: resin needs to be cleaned every 2nd month with 900 gramm salt in 1 liter water (fill in) and rinsed through plenty. Carbon rinse through every month with half bucket water (big bucket like used for laundry). Ceramic element need to be cleaned with brush every month and replaced once a year. Cant remember how much i paid, probably 150-200 baht.

Troy: is that ordinary table salt? And how much would 900 gm be in teaspoons, tablespoons or cups? I have only been doping a flush through but the resin clealry does need something more as a great deal of calcium & otheer minerals accumuklate in it.

Thanks

Sheryl

[troy04]

are you serious?

Perhaps your dishes are plastic but mine are made from L'Antica handpainted Italian server ware . Non filtered water will leave mineral and calcium deposits which is ..ummm simply unacceptable. I wash my dishes in distilled water when available. Also done away with the bum gun and now used filtered water. Hope this helps

[kriswillems]

Somebody bought an AMWAY (e-spring) filter for us.

They paid 30000 B for it.

It's a carbon filter with UV, no ceramic filter, no resin.

We've to change the UV lamp and carbon filter every year. The filter measure the volume of water used and the time since the last change of the cartridge. It starts beeping when the filter+UV lamp needs to be changed.

Changing them cost 4000B.

I think the water is clean. We gave it to our newborn baby without cooking. Nobody ever got sick.

But I would advice everyone not to buy it.

There are cheaper filters that are just as good and maybe even better.

4000B/year is pretty expensive (at least we got the filter for free).

How much do you pay for maintenance and changing the cartridges?

I am think about buying a new filter with lower maintenance costs and throwing away that expensive AMWAY filter.

Edited December 14, 2008 by kriswillems

[Tolley]

You want to get a reverse osomosis water filter for best results......this will give you the best purity of water

[Gary A]

I quit buying bottled water when I removed the seal, took the cap off and found mosquito larvae swimming in the bottle. What other kinds of nasty creatures were in that bottle?

[SGDude]

I quit buying bottled water when I removed the seal, took the cap off and found mosquito larvae swimming in the bottle. What other kinds of nasty creatures were in that bottle?

Yikes! This confirms my fears about bottled water. They may not be as clean as we think.

[nokia]

Here's mine. Can get em at Home Pro. Stage 1 is activated charcoal, this gets back washed to clean. Stage 2 is resin - salt water soak to reactivate & Stage 3 is a ceramic fliter 5 micron.

Gives very tasty water. In Bangkok the water supply is very good anyway. This removes the chloramine & any solids.

As mentioned I think they start at around 3500 baht.

In CM, I have a simple 3 stage filter with the same order charcoal-resin-ceramic,

but i asked a local salesman who said the order should be ceramic-resin-charcoal.

Does it make a difference? Is it easier to maintain/clean by putting the ceramic filter at the 1st stage?

Any water experts care to voice their opinions?

Cheers!

[wpcoe]

In CM, I have a simple 3 stage filter with the same order charcoal-resin-ceramic,

but i asked a local salesman who said the order should be ceramic-resin-charcoal.

Does it make a difference? Is it easier to maintain/clean by putting the ceramic filter at the 1st stage?

Any water experts care to voice their opinions?

I would think that having the charcoal filter first would make it clog up much faster. Having the ceramic filter first would make sense since it is scrubbable, whereas a charcoal filter is not.

[nokia]

In CM, I have a simple 3 stage filter with the same order charcoal-resin-ceramic,

but i asked a local salesman who said the order should be ceramic-resin-charcoal.

Does it make a difference? Is it easier to maintain/clean by putting the ceramic filter at the 1st stage?

Any water experts care to voice their opinions?

I would think that having the charcoal filter first would make it clog up much faster. Having the ceramic filter first would make sense since it is scrubbable, whereas a charcoal filter is not.

I guess it makes sense provided the ceramic filter is not over-clogged by bigger particles, depending on the water source.

btw, i understand the recommended lifespan for a ceramic is 1 yr, and six months for resin or charcoal.

Does scrubbing the ceramic, or adding salt to the resin extends the lifespan?

THanks.

Cheers!

[Somnambulist]

We are lucky to live out in the boonies. I bought a 1,500 liter fiberglass tank for our drinking water. My wife refused to use the rain water from the house or garage roof and instead put a galvanized roof over her cooking area. She believes rain water off any other roof is not safe. (?). We run that rain water through a charcoal, resin and ceramic filter set. No problems in the three years we have been doing this. We have never run out of drinking water. She fills plastic liter bottles every day. We have a refrigerator especially for this water.

Added - I forgot to mention that there is a small water pump for this system. The biggest problem is rust from that pump. If I ever find a decent sand filter, I will put that filter ahead of the other filter set.

That sounds like a good setup, no worries about human added "helpers" such as chlorine and flouride. Coupl'a questions.

Does fiberglass leach anything into the water?

How often do you need to drain and clean the inside, if ever? Do you ever add hydrogen pyroxide drops to "freshen" up the water? I just read that somewhere.