What would you recommend getting along with a big berkey?

I'm thinking an extra set of black filters and a stainless spigot.

Thanks for any help or info.

I went with the spigot that has a glass tube to see the water level in the lower chamber and a stand for it so I can fit glasses under the spigot.

^^^THIS^^^

I then filled up my Big Berkey with 2.25 gallons of water and waited for it to filter. Next, I drained 1 gallon out and placed a thin piece of red electrical tape at the water line. Now there’s no guessing. Water line hits the red tape? Add exactly 1 gallon.

That's pretty smart

Do you guys stock an extra set of filters?

Are black filters the best?

I don't have any spare filters. I probably should pick some up. When I purchased our BB, I was under the impression that the black filters were the best available.

Royal berkey here. The sight glass for sure. An extra set of filters just cause.

And a stand.

I built mine but there are pre made ones.

Regarding filling it, you want to be sure you're filling it in the upper chamber basically full to the top of the filters each time so that the filters stay wetted. If you're only adding a gallon here and there the top half of the filters never really get wet.

I think the filters wick upwards. I always add a gallon as needed and the filters are always damp. I’ve been doing it this way for at least 9 months. Have you personally witnessed the top of the filters drying out?

I personally haven't because I try to completely fill it each time. This is the manufacturers advice.

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Always filling to the top will help but not by much.   Within the first few minutes of filling to the top, the top of the filters will be exposed to air and stop contributing to the effort while bottom of the filters will continue to filter.   The bottom of the filters won't be exposed to air until nearly all of the water is gone from the top chamber which is probably a couple of hours of filtering.   So the bottom of the filter will filter the entire time but the top only for a few minutes.  I have noticed that after only a few months the bottoms of my filters appear to be plugged and a couple of inches of water sits in the top chamber pretty much all of the time.   I am not complaining.   The water coming out of these things is great and I have no problem replacing plugged filters.   When I do place my next order, I will buy an extra set.  

2Hut8

The black filters can put up with a lot more than you think. THey are easy to clean as well.

Attached File

I read that when I first was setting mine up. I also watched every video I could find on BB water filters.

I'm just reporting what I am seeing with my unit.

I do clean my filters every month.    They look almost as bad as the filters in the video that you linked to.   One thing that I don’t do is prime the filters the way that he primed his.    I just told re-assemble and fill with water.    

2Hut8

If the filters crack, they must be replaced.  A wet filter, if it freezes, is very likely to crack.

Spare filters is a wise precaution.

At minimum the stand. I got the stand and the stairs less spigot. The level glass may be helpful.

My sight tube spigot leaked like crazy. Had to go back to a regular.