Distilled White Vinager should help to break up mineral deposits But as a coffee nut I can atest to the cleaning ability of the Citric Acid the Darlene mentioned. I use it in my coffee machines and travel cups and it really does pull out all the gunk. Also it has a lemon flavor so after rinsing the filter out if that taste is gone you know it is clean.
On amazon I bought a sediment filter that slides over the BeFree filter and used that on the missouri river which is super silty and never have any slow downs.
So this is weird.. i simply called katadyne and asked the girl to watch the video with me on the phone and she said your 10 second bottle has a broken filter & that it should not flow that fast and you might be getting contaminates in your water still. she also said the distilled water thing is bs and does nothing different than attempting to clean your filter with any other clean water (duh tho)... and she said you shouldnt use vinegar or other acids..but when i mentioned ethyl alcohol, she said using solvents are not recommended but the theory is you want a THINNER more viscous liquid than water but not solvents or acids like citric acid or acetic acid, she suggested to use warm or moderately hot water for it thinner than cold or room temp water. She seemed to be very concerned with all the "use vinegar" advice which she keeps saying is a horrible idea... So when i asked how do they fix this issue, she said "it shouldnt clog, if it does, they are using it incorrectly, or its time to replace the filter." and when i asked again how to resolve a slow filter, she said attempt to flush the filter the opposite way. She also went on to explain how the filter is not a ceramic or glass filter, yet a fabric filter with a charcoal center. Fabric filters can NOT be cleaned. I asked how long shes been with the company.. she said over 15 years...so i mean. we can all pretend like we know whats up, but im going to take the advice of an experienced employee. also, if you ask other professionals that just so happen to use fabric filters in their profession, that also agree to stop trying to clean fabric filters. and to use ceramic or a higher quality filter than just a silt remover. lol
I’ve soaked mine in hot water for about 20 minutes. That also seemed to break up the calcification (or whatever is clogging it). Thanks for the tip on blowing back to check the integrity of the filter, that’s good to know.
I had my katadyn completely clogged and wouldn’t let anything through. I think it was from using tap water. After soaking in vinegar for the night it was working as good as new again. Try vinegar.
I continue to be concerned that the only metric that is used with water filters is speed. I wish I could find data on water QUALITY over time. Obviously a more difficult test to run without a lab. Secondly, backpacking with well over a thousand dollars of gear on my back, it seems a little foolish to resent spending $20 on a new filter occasionally.
From a sustainability standpoint, it would be good if there were a filter that could last and not require to be replaced every year or whatever time frame is involved.
Corrosion inhibitors in tap water ruin water filters says so in the instructions on most of them. You shouldn’t put tap water through them when you clean them or back flush them.
There is nothing in distilled (pure) water that would dissolve minerals once they have solidified / crystallized out of solution. In addition to vinegar, try back flushing them like a Sawyer. (I don’t know what kind of adapter you could use to back-flush them - maybe a female/female coupler).
I was looking at mine with the sports cap off and noticed a light film looking layer over the hollow fibers. I wonder if that would get damaged with a back flush like the Sawyer?
@@RyanSchell I wonder if what you’re seeing is the glue they use to pot the fibers in place? Anyone willing to back flush a BeFree filter to see if it works? If I still had mine I would, but I hated it so much I got rid of it (it clogged easily).
@@bihlygoat So I looked at mine again and it might be a glue, than a film. It is interesting looking. When I put it in the light you can see the tiny holes of the fibers, but there is a section where no fibers are and it was solid. So it seems more durable than I thought. On another channel someone just cut open a bunch of these filters in the name of science, that might help to see too in understanding the flush process.
Do you use a millbank bag when out in the bush? You will find your filters getting clogged up much less often and your water tasting much better when only dirty water sources are available. Pro tip.
I used 1 drop of dish soap then rinsed and dried well itade the dirt just float off.i just shook it drained it then flushed it out with clean tap water. It broke alot ofnthe stuff on the surface of the filter up so it wouldn't go through it
Just saw on a different post a discussion about using paper coffee filters or even a sock filter sold on Anzon as a way to block laarger particules from glogging up the BeFree, Not a way to clear a clogged filter, but perhaps something to try to prevent one. Futer videos on some of the suggestkons here will be very intersting and perhaps even enlightening. Great topic and thanks for presenting it
Interesting comparison. I'm currently on the fence about switching to the Katadyn Be-Free set up due to limitations of bottles/reservoirs that will fit the filter threads.
I don’t understand why nobody has tried to backflush this thing with a Sawyer water bottle coupler, I’m gonna try that and see if it helps( after presoaking it like the manual says to)
I find that letting the filter fully dry before shaking again in water/vinegar helps to break those hard deposits off the filter. Shake, Soak, Dry, repeat. Always soak in a new, clean solution.
Beware of mixing boiling water & plastic. I have a SS Contigo flask and I tried to 'clean-out' the (plastic) lid using boiling water once. It destroyed the (hard) plastic top/lid, to the point it was no longer usable.
I have the BeFree. I have used it on about 3 trips, filtering clear stream water. On the last trip, it totally crapped out. I could only get water to come through by sucking it. Squeezing only got a few drops at a time to come out. I rinsed it in the field with no luck. When I got home i rinsed it and it worked ok with tap water, but I can't stick with a filter that is that unreliable. Fortunately I had a spare HydroBlu Versa Flow (like a Sawyer) that I was able to use. Had tablets too. I always have a backup. Disappointed in the BeFree.
@@aikirunner distilled water won't dissolve minerals. also, it didn't fail at the tap, it failed with clear stream water. I think maybe the weak vinegar solution could help but generally i consider it to be unreliable.
As with the Swayer filter, can the Katadyn Beefree filter be backflushed? Maybe a backflush will improve the flow. Turn off the background music! It is beyond me why RUclips content creators think playing background music, or background thump-thump, over the presenter's voice is somehow enhancing their videos. We came to hear you, not to fight background music which quickly becomes extremely annoying, distracting, and intrusive. Many folks have hearing difficulties, thus while concentrating on your voice they must also concentrate on tuning out the music; it is very frustrating. Your background music ruins an otherwise exceptionally good and important presentation.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Distilled White Vinager should help to break up mineral deposits But as a coffee nut I can atest to the cleaning ability of the Citric Acid the Darlene mentioned. I use it in my coffee machines and travel cups and it really does pull out all the gunk. Also it has a lemon flavor so after rinsing the filter out if that taste is gone you know it is clean.
On amazon I bought a sediment filter that slides over the BeFree filter and used that on the missouri river which is super silty and never have any slow downs.
So this is weird.. i simply called katadyne and asked the girl to watch the video with me on the phone and she said your 10 second bottle has a broken filter & that it should not flow that fast and you might be getting contaminates in your water still.
she also said the distilled water thing is bs and does nothing different than attempting to clean your filter with any other clean water (duh tho)...
and she said you shouldnt use vinegar or other acids..but when i mentioned ethyl alcohol, she said using solvents are not recommended but the theory is you want a THINNER more viscous liquid than water but not solvents or acids like citric acid or acetic acid, she suggested to use warm or moderately hot water for it thinner than cold or room temp water.
She seemed to be very concerned with all the "use vinegar" advice which she keeps saying is a horrible idea...
So when i asked how do they fix this issue, she said "it shouldnt clog, if it does, they are using it incorrectly, or its time to replace the filter."
and when i asked again how to resolve a slow filter, she said attempt to flush the filter the opposite way.
She also went on to explain how the filter is not a ceramic or glass filter, yet a fabric filter with a charcoal center.
Fabric filters can NOT be cleaned. I asked how long shes been with the company.. she said over 15 years...so i mean. we can all pretend like we know whats up, but im going to take the advice of an experienced employee. also, if you ask other professionals that just so happen to use fabric filters in their profession, that also agree to stop trying to clean fabric filters. and to use ceramic or a higher quality filter than just a silt remover. lol
I’ve soaked mine in hot water for about 20 minutes. That also seemed to break up the calcification (or whatever is clogging it). Thanks for the tip on blowing back to check the integrity of the filter, that’s good to know.
Thanks for watching and the tip! I'll have to try it!
White vinegar worked great with my Sawyer Squeeze which was totally blocked up. Good Luck
I back flush with bleach the same way you do with the Sawyer squeeze works for me
I had my katadyn completely clogged and wouldn’t let anything through. I think it was from using tap water. After soaking in vinegar for the night it was working as good as new again. Try vinegar.
Great tip!
Can you turn down the background music just a tad?
Vinegar removes hard water deposits....If that doesn't work, try citric acid (the stuff to descale coffee machines)...Let us know if either works!
What about using some distilled water and white vinegar and using an ultrasonic cleaner
I continue to be concerned that the only metric that is used with water filters is speed. I wish I could find data on water QUALITY over time. Obviously a more difficult test to run without a lab. Secondly, backpacking with well over a thousand dollars of gear on my back, it seems a little foolish to resent spending $20 on a new filter occasionally.
Darn good point.
From a sustainability standpoint, it would be good if there were a filter that could last and not require to be replaced every year or whatever time frame is involved.
@@praktika1082 Sawyer does that, but you also spend like 1/4 of your life filtering water because it's so damn slow
@@higler. Sawyer squeeze with sp150 coupler and a CNOC Vecto bag and some cordage to make a gravity filter set up.
@@praktika1082 Not for me, but if that works for you, cool!
Maybe add vinegar to break the minerals down
Corrosion inhibitors in tap water ruin water filters says so in the instructions on most of them. You shouldn’t put tap water through them when you clean them or back flush them.
Thanks for sharing!
There is nothing in distilled (pure) water that would dissolve minerals once they have solidified / crystallized out of solution.
In addition to vinegar, try back flushing them like a Sawyer. (I don’t know what kind of adapter you could use to back-flush them - maybe a female/female coupler).
According to the Katadyn site, you cannot backflush the BeFree filter.
@@sk-wx1cf you can, they just don’t provide a way to do it. You just have to force water backwards through it.
I was looking at mine with the sports cap off and noticed a light film looking layer over the hollow fibers. I wonder if that would get damaged with a back flush like the Sawyer?
@@RyanSchell I wonder if what you’re seeing is the glue they use to pot the fibers in place? Anyone willing to back flush a BeFree filter to see if it works? If I still had mine I would, but I hated it so much I got rid of it (it clogged easily).
@@bihlygoat So I looked at mine again and it might be a glue, than a film. It is interesting looking. When I put it in the light you can see the tiny holes of the fibers, but there is a section where no fibers are and it was solid. So it seems more durable than I thought.
On another channel someone just cut open a bunch of these filters in the name of science, that might help to see too in understanding the flush process.
Do you use a millbank bag when out in the bush? You will find your filters getting clogged up much less often and your water tasting much better when only dirty water sources are available. Pro tip.
try vinegar, it's a mild acid, used to clean showerheads.
I used 1 drop of dish soap then rinsed and dried well itade the dirt just float off.i just shook it drained it then flushed it out with clean tap water. It broke alot ofnthe stuff on the surface of the filter up so it wouldn't go through it
Just saw on a different post a discussion about using paper coffee filters or even a sock filter sold on Anzon as a way to block laarger particules from glogging up the BeFree, Not a way to clear a clogged filter, but perhaps something to try to prevent one. Futer videos on some of the suggestkons here will be very intersting and perhaps even enlightening. Great topic and thanks for presenting it
Distilled white vinegar will work wonders! 👍🏻
Interesting comparison. I'm currently on the fence about switching to the Katadyn Be-Free set up due to limitations of bottles/reservoirs that will fit the filter threads.
I believe that water that you are using has some minerals added to it after it has been distilled. Check the label.
Exactly Right ! It's Infant water. Distilled with the minerals put back in. NOT the same as distilled.
I don’t understand why nobody has tried to backflush this thing with a Sawyer water bottle coupler, I’m gonna try that and see if it helps( after presoaking it like the manual says to)
I find that letting the filter fully dry before shaking again in water/vinegar helps to break those hard deposits off the filter. Shake, Soak, Dry, repeat. Always soak in a new, clean solution.
Great tip!
I prefer a filter that can be back flushed like the Sawyer Squeeze.....JMHO. Thanks for sharing.
Ive heard both white vinegar and sitting them in boiling water...havent tried either but if it saves me $20 ill try just about anything
Great tip! We'll have to try it.
Beware of mixing boiling water & plastic. I have a SS Contigo flask and I tried to 'clean-out' the (plastic) lid using boiling water once. It destroyed the (hard) plastic top/lid, to the point it was no longer usable.
@@ADWade-mf9mm thats why ive always wondered how it would "clean it" withoit melting it
What about back flushing them?
CLR made my BeFree like new!
You could try iron out
They use it to clean watersoftners just clean it out really good when you're done.
Works better than clr
Thanks for the tip!
If only there's a way to backflush that filter the way the Sawyer squeeze can be backfushed. Hrm.
Time to switch to the platypus quick draw
Thanks!
Also besides the vinegar, maybe some bleach.
I have the BeFree. I have used it on about 3 trips, filtering clear stream water. On the last trip, it totally crapped out. I could only get water to come through by sucking it. Squeezing only got a few drops at a time to come out. I rinsed it in the field with no luck. When I got home i rinsed it and it worked ok with tap water, but I can't stick with a filter that is that unreliable. Fortunately I had a spare HydroBlu Versa Flow (like a Sawyer) that I was able to use. Had tablets too. I always have a backup. Disappointed in the BeFree.
Don’t use tap water. Too much minerals in tap water. Try soaking it in distilled water.
That's a bummer. I just purchased one at REI. I'll see how it works. Grateful for the REI 1 year return policy
@@aikirunner distilled water won't dissolve minerals. also, it didn't fail at the tap, it failed with clear stream water. I think maybe the weak vinegar solution could help but generally i consider it to be unreliable.
Hell yeah!
Good stuff.
Glad you enjoyed it
It's Infant water. Distilled with the minerals put back in. NOT the same as distilled.
Thanks for pointing that out!
As with the Swayer filter, can the Katadyn Beefree filter be backflushed? Maybe a backflush will improve the flow.
Turn off the background music! It is beyond me why RUclips content creators think playing background music, or background thump-thump, over the presenter's voice is somehow enhancing their videos. We came to hear you, not to fight background music which quickly becomes extremely annoying, distracting, and intrusive. Many folks have hearing difficulties, thus while concentrating on your voice they must also concentrate on tuning out the music; it is very frustrating. Your background music ruins an otherwise exceptionally good and important presentation.
Just Use vinegar, works like a dream
Yes you can ........almost
TLDW: Soaking filter in distilled water does NOT work.
Thanks for sharing!