Durand Stoneware & British Berkefeld "Gravity" Systems
Care, Maintenance
&
Frequently Asked Questions
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Filter Parts |
Fitting the Royal Doulton filter candle to the system:-
- Remove the nut and leave the washer on the plastic threaded nipple.
- Put the plastic nipple through the hole at the bottom of the filter container, with the filter inside the container.
- Place the plastic nut on the threaded nipple, and tighten firmly.
Cleaning your filter -
Filters can be cleaned every two weeks to remove the residue build up on the outside. If you are on tank, spring, creek, or any alternative water supply to town water, you may find you need to clean your filter more often. This will depend on the amount of algae and suspended solids in your water.
Remove the filter, remember to be careful when working with a wet filter, always hold it by the plastic fitting on the bottom. Clean your filter with a brush or a 3M "Scotchbrite" type scouring pad. Never use soap or detergents on the filter candle! After removing the build up of residue, simply fit the filter back to the filter container.
This filter is actually stained by iron from old water pipes, and this is from "town water".
Replacing your filter-
"Royal Doulton" Filters need to be replaced every 2000 litres of water filtered.Warning:- Higher levels of chlorine, chemical contamination, or sediment, in your water supply will shorten the life of the filters.
Here's a quick filter replacement guide.
The filter container of the "Durand Water Filter Systems" holds approximately 3 litres, so if you refill your filter container once a day on average, you will filter just over 1000 litres per year.Cleaning your system-
Your system needs to be cleaned thoroughly every 3 months. Disassemble the whole system and remove the tap. Put the replaceable ceramic filter aside. Remember wet filters are fragile, always remove them by gripping the plastic base at the bottom of the filter. Never use soap or detergents on the filter itself. Take the rest of the parts and wash thoroughly with warm soapy water, rinse and dry (in the sun is best). Then re-assemble your system.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Q1) Why is my new filter a different size than before?
Your new filter cartridge is our new standard size, chosen because being shorter than before, the filter remains completely submerged for longer during the filtration process and thus the filtration rate is (on average) increased.Q2) When does a ceramic filter element need cleaning?Standard :-: Slimline
We recommend cleaning the outside ceramic wall every 2-3 weeks. Once the flow out of the filter becomes noticeably less than normal, it needs to be cleaned. When using alternative water supply (tank, dam etc) the filter may require cleaning more often to remove the suspended solids.Q3) How do I clean a filter candle?Use a scouring pad (similar to 3M "Scotchbrite"). Ensure that the end of the plastic mount does not come into contact with unfiltered water and dirty hands. Rubber gloves are recommended to be used during cleaning and NEVER use soap or detergents! Make sure to pay special attention to the ceramic wall near the bottom or mount as this area collects most of the impurities.Q4) My filter candle blocks up too regularly, what can I do about it?In some water conditions, there is so much particulate or turbidity in the water supply that the filter element becomes blocked much quicker than in normal conditions. You can wipe the filter more regularly with a scouring pad or use a pre-filter upstream of the ceramic candle. This prevents the candle from becoming blocked too quickly, and so extends the life of the ceramic filter.Q5) When does a ceramic filter element need replacing?This depends on the type of candle being used:Q6) What happens if I leave the filter unused for a period of time?
Super Sterasyl™ Doulton2000 Filter.
Height 5" or 12.5 cms by width 2 ½" or 6.7cms
This filter needs to be replaced every 2000 litres.
This is our most popular size filter, supplied with all Original Durand Systems. We had this size made by Doulton to fit our systems. It is slightly shorter and much wider so there is more surface area under water.
The particulate and turbidity concentration in the water supply govern the life of the ceramic. This means that the life of the ceramic might or might not exceed the capacity of the carbon media depending on the water quality. Whichever point is reached first - the 2000litre usage or the ceramic becoming blocked to the extent where cleaning does not restore the flow - governs when the filter element requires replacing.
Super Sterasyl™ Doulton1000 Filter.
Height 5" or 12.5 cms by width 2 "or 4.9cms
This filter needs to be replaced every 1000 litres.
This new size filter is supplied with all Durand Fluoride Reduction Systems. We added this size, to match the capacity of the fluoride elements. This way the Doulton filter life matches the Berkey PF-4 life.
The particulate and turbidity concentration in the water supply govern the life of the ceramic. This means that the life of the ceramic might or might not exceed the capacity of the carbon media depending on the water quality. Whichever point is reached first - the 2000litre usage or the ceramic becoming blocked to the extent where cleaning does not restore the flow - governs when the filter element requires replacing.
Height 10" or 25.5cms.
This filter is designed to work under pressure, and will not work with a gravity system.
The Doulton Ultracarb™ needs to be replaced every 2,244 litres.
This filter has a solid carbon core and ion exchange media to reduce heavy metals. We offer the Doulton Stainless Steel Countertop system for housing of this filter.
The 'life' of the carbon filter elements is determined by the concentration of chlorine and/or volatile organic compounds in the water supply. The particulate and turbidity concentration in the water supply govern the life of the ceramic. Where cleaning does not restore the flow - governs when the filter element requires replacing.
After this amount of water has passed through the filter element, the filter will need to be replaced to guarantee optimum performance.
This filter will not work in a gravity system.
The ATS media used in the Ultracarb filter will adsorb lead, even in the presence of calcium and magnesium ions. This is proven in the NSF certification testing.Chloramine may be removed by passing through a bed of activated carbon, but requires much greater contact time with the carbon than chlorine, so a slow flow rate through the carbon must be ensured. Unfortunately although the Doulton® or British Berkefeld® Super Sterasyl®, Supercarb®, and Ultracarb® filter elements contain activated carbon, they may reduce levels but will not remove chloramine because there is insufficient contact time with the carbon.Q11) Will my Doulton® remove diesel, petroleum or MTBE?The ceramic part of our filter elements will not take out any of these organic materials. The activated carbon in the Supercarb® and Ultracarb® filter elements will have some effect. However, to remove these types of materials requires much greater quantities of activated carbon and much longer contact time than our filters can provide. The Berkey PF-4 element will reduce MTBE. See link here.Q12) Will my Doulton® filter element remove Fluoride?No. The Fluoride salts added to town water, are soluble in water. To remove dissolved fluoride, passage through activated alumina is the best method. The Berkey PF-4 element will reduce Fluoride by >95%. See link here.Q13) Will the pH of my drinking water increase when I use my ceramic filter?There is a slight increase in the pH of water passed through the ceramic filters is due to the presence of the mineral Wollastonite in the ceramic. Wollastonite is slightly soluble and alkaline, so may partly dissolve in the water as it passes through the filter causing a minor pH shift.Q14) What is the difference between temporary and permanent hardness in water?Hardness is caused by the presence of positively charged metal ions. Total hardness is measured as the equivalent of milligrams per litre of calcium carbonate. Temporary hardness only contains metal carbonates and bicarbonates, the most typical being calcium carbonate. Temporary hardness is precipitated from water when heated and is responsible for the furring of heating elements and metal pipes. Permanent hardness consists of non-carbonate based metal salts, and does not precipitate out on heating.Q15) Does FICL manufacture the Berkey filter range including the Black Berkey filter element?British Berkefeld is an FICL trademark. Berkey is not an FICL trademark. FICL manufactures all British Berkefeld branded filter products. FICL manufactures some British Berkefeld branded Super Sterasyl grade ceramic filter candles, which are used inside certain Berkey filter systems. FICL is not involved in the manufacture of Black Berkey filter elements or any other Berkey branded filter products.Q16) How do I make the water colder?The Durand Water Filter will keep your water naturally cool, an ideal temperature for drinking. If you do require chilled water, simply add ice to the filter container. (The ice does not need to be made from filtered water as it will be going through the filter anyway.) The unique design of this system will allow the ice to keep your water very cool, as it sits down inside the storage area. The stoneware material will keep the temperature cool as a thermos would. Important- If you are going to add ice make sure your system is placed on a protective cover on your bench or table, as condensation will occur on the outside.Q17) What if my system or tap is leaking water?If the water appears to be coming from the bottom of the system itself -
- It can be coming from where the tap is fitted to the container. To tighten your tap:
Turn the tap so it is in an upside down position. Then grip the nut on the inside of the container, and hold the tap on the outside, tighten the nut until firm but not to tight. Then hold the nut, and turn the tap to the upright position. The tap should now be secure.- If it is not your tap it may be due to condensation, especially if you have added ice to your system or the weather is getting cool at night. If this is the case, ensure you have your system sitting on a protective cover on your bench or table. note; there should not be much water in this case, just as much as a cold glass would leave on your table.
- If you find it is not the tap or condensation;
Have you just set up your system? The system may have been broken or damaged. A hairline crack can result which is hard to detect. Contact your store, dealer or us immediately.
Have you broken the system yourself? Contact your store, distributor or us for replacement parts.If the water is dripping out of the end of the tap -Simply tighten the cap on the top of the tap in a clockwise direction.
Each tap comes with two washers one fits to the outside of the system and one on the inside of the container. There is a nut on the inside that seals the tap securely.
The black lever on the top of the tap should be pushed down to deliver the water. Directly underneath the black lever is a cap on the tap.
We accept payment via direct deposit, money order,cheque, or credit card.
Purchases can be made over the phone, by fax or email.Please email us at office@durand.com.au or phone us on (07) 55 333 611, or fax (07) 55 600 953.
Our office hours are 8am - 1pm, Monday to Friday.
or
SnailMail us at
Durand Water Filters
32A Jardine Road
Lower Beechmont, QLD, 4211
