When assembling, handling and shipping the filter elements, they may become loaded with a small amount of dust or harmless fine particles. For this reason, we recommend priming the Berkey® PF-2™ filter elements at both ends to remove the dust and before installing them in your Berkey® system. If this is not done properly, turbidity may occur during the first few water cycles.

The filter elements should be primed for approximately 30 seconds at both ends. It may be necessary to repeat this process up to ten times to remove all dust. An analysis was conducted to determine how turbidity decreases with the number of washings. A summary of the results is available below:

- One wash: turbidity reduced by > 94%.
- Two washes: Turbidity reduced by > 96%
- Three washes: turbidity reduction of a value > 98%

You can read the complete result of this test here

Turbidity will continue to decrease with each filling cycle of your Berkey® system. Although turbidity can be unsightly, it has no adverse health effects.

Berkey® PF-2™ water filters reduce fluoride and arsenic from water using aluminum oxide (activated alumina). What is important to know is that pure aluminum and aluminum oxide have very different characteristics. Pure aluminum is water soluble, highly reactive and has adverse health effects. On the other hand, aluminum oxide is not soluble in water, is inert, very stable and has no adverse health effects.

It should also be noted that aluminum oxide is not treated with cyanuric acid.

Learn more about aluminum oxide.

If the filters have already been used:

Berkey® PF-2™ elements can be stored in a refrigerator, within a short period of maximum 10 days (but not in a freezer). Remove the filters from the system, place them in a sealed plastic bag, and place them in the least cold part of the refrigerator so they do not freeze.

If you store them in the refrigerator, we recommend priming them for at least one minute, running water in both directions, before using them again.

Berkey PF-2™ elements should not be left in the open air to prevent the possible growth of certain bacteria in the holder.

If you have never used your filters:

If the elements are still in their original packaging and have not been opened, be sure to store them in an area that does not have strong odors, such as a laundry room or garage. Among other things, the elements contain carbon that could absorb odors from the room in which they are stored, such as soap or laundry detergent.

The life span is either 3,800 litres of water or one year, whichever comes first.
Knowing when the filters need to be replaced is a simple calculation, explained in more detail below:

- Let's say you are using a Big Berkey® model with 2 Black Berkey® filters + 2 PF-2 filters,
which are filled once a day, the calculation is as follows: 3800 / 7.3 / 365 = 1.42 years. In this case, you should replace the PF-2 filters after one year.

- For two filterings per day, adapt the above calculation: 3800 / 7.3x2 / 365 = 0.71 years or 8 months. In this case, you should replace your PF-2 filters after eight and a half months.

This calculation must be adapted according to the model used and the frequency of filling.