Post by null on Sept 13, 2020 14:59:39 GMT -8
I need help with my Katadyn Base Camp with Ultra Flow Filter and wonder if I'm doing something wrong.
I was in the Adirondacks in New York 2 weeks ago with a group of 6 people and 3 brand new ultra flow filters failed on me. I was only able to filter about 50 liters of water using the 3 brand new filters because the flow rapidly trickled to slow drops and then nothing at all after only filtering a single 10L bag of water.
When I put each new filter inside the unit, water rushed out unbelievably fast, but before the first 10 liter bag was empty the first filter’s flow slowed and then stopped altogether. Later, the other 2 filters did slightly better, but both of them stopped on the 2nd 10 liter bag full of water.
I am fastidiously careful to make sure sediment doesn’t get into the bag. I draw water from the clearest sources I can find. Still, the water refuses to be drawn through the filter after about 4-5 liters have been processed.
Instead of throwing the filters away in a fit of frustration as I normally do when they fail so quickly, I thought I’d bring them home and see if I could clean them with bleach to resurrect them, as they can’t be backflushed.
Once at home, I examined the filters and the paper looked very white. Having experience with dirty clogged Katadyn filters from the Hiker and Vario, it looked like these had plenty of life left on them. So I tried the filters again with tap water after letting them dry out overnight. Now all of a sudden, two of the filters work again (one still doesn’t).
What is going on with these things and why do they fail so quickly, only to work again when I’m out of the wilderness? Please give me some hint, any hint as to what’s going on and how to fix it.
Thanks!
I was in the Adirondacks in New York 2 weeks ago with a group of 6 people and 3 brand new ultra flow filters failed on me. I was only able to filter about 50 liters of water using the 3 brand new filters because the flow rapidly trickled to slow drops and then nothing at all after only filtering a single 10L bag of water.
When I put each new filter inside the unit, water rushed out unbelievably fast, but before the first 10 liter bag was empty the first filter’s flow slowed and then stopped altogether. Later, the other 2 filters did slightly better, but both of them stopped on the 2nd 10 liter bag full of water.
I am fastidiously careful to make sure sediment doesn’t get into the bag. I draw water from the clearest sources I can find. Still, the water refuses to be drawn through the filter after about 4-5 liters have been processed.
Instead of throwing the filters away in a fit of frustration as I normally do when they fail so quickly, I thought I’d bring them home and see if I could clean them with bleach to resurrect them, as they can’t be backflushed.
Once at home, I examined the filters and the paper looked very white. Having experience with dirty clogged Katadyn filters from the Hiker and Vario, it looked like these had plenty of life left on them. So I tried the filters again with tap water after letting them dry out overnight. Now all of a sudden, two of the filters work again (one still doesn’t).
What is going on with these things and why do they fail so quickly, only to work again when I’m out of the wilderness? Please give me some hint, any hint as to what’s going on and how to fix it.
Thanks!