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Introducing the Doulton and British Berkefeld Model SS (Stainless Steel).
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The main purpose of this filter is to remove bacteria from water, and it has been doing this for more than 150 years. The Doulton/Berkefeld
filter is manufactured under both the British Berkefeld and Doulton labels. Aside from the labels and slightly different
spout, the units are identical. Each unit can be configured with either 2 or 4 ceramic candles. A four filter
unit simply produces water twice as fast as a two filter unit. The quality of the water is the same.
Doulton Berkefeld is a world-class filter. It costs more than some of the paper filter units, but
the filters last much longer. While a paper filter may only be good for a hundred gallons or so of filtered
water, Doulton Berkefeld filters are good for thousands of gallons of water. For example, a Model SS
with 4 9" filters will produce between 13,000 and 60,000 gallons of water, depending on how dirty
your water is. If you use two gallons of water a day, your original set of ceramic candles could last 82 years!
Most people replace them every couple years, but as long as the ceramic has not been worn down from dozens and dozens of cleanings, and
as long as there are no cracks, the filters will continue to remove bacteria from the water.
The AquaCera (available around May 30, 2008) uses the same ceramic filters (read about them below) as the stainless steel model above. The main difference
between he two filters is that the AquaCera's
container is made from food-grade plastic instead of stainless steel. The AquaCera will give you the same quality water as Doulton's stainless steel model, but the cost is
about $50 less.
Another difference is that the AquaCera has 7 holes in the upper chamber (the stainless steel model has 4 holes), so you can mount from 2 to 7 Doulton ceramic filters. More filters equates to faster water production.
For your ordering convenience, St. Paul Mercantile offers the AquaCera in three configurations - 2 filters, 4 filters and 7 filters. The AquaCera comes with rubber plugs for the
unused holes.
The ceramic candles are impregnated with silver which
inhibits the growth of bacteria. After the ceramic candle traps the bacteria, the silver makes them unable to
reproduce. Ceramic candles can be cleaned and reused about 100 times. As the candles get clogged up, the water production
slows. When it slows to the point that the water production rate no longer meets you family's needs, you simply
remove the candles, clean them with a brush or 3M pad, rinse and reinstall them. This process removes a tiny fraction of the
clogged ceramic particles, thereby exposing a new, clean ceramic surface. The cleaning process can typically be
performed more than 100 times before replacement candles need to be purchased. If you are filtering well water or municipal water, you may go
a year or more between cleanings. If your water is murky and contains bacteria, you might need to clean the filter weekly.
Made of polished stainless steel, this filter is easy to clean and it will last a lifetime.
NEW - the AquaCera Plastic Water Filter with genuine Doulton/Berkefeld Ceramic Filters
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Why use Ceramic Filters?
Each ceramic filter, or candle, is made of diatomaceous earth (crushed fossils) that has been ground, then liquified, then baked in a ceramic kiln. They are called
"candles" because they resemble a fat, wax candle.
Water molecules are small enough to work their way through the ceramic candles, but water-bourn organisms and bacteria are too large, so they get trapped on the
outside of the filter. Only clean, filtered water drips into the freshwater holding tank at the bottom of the filter.
A Note about Candle Sizes - 7" or 9"
The ceramic candles are available in 7" and 9" lengths. All Doulton and Berkefeld gravity filters can be equipped with 7", 9" or even a combination
of 7" and 9" candles. The 9" candles filter the water a little bit faster, but cost more. The 7" candles are usually the better choice because the cost is lower and the
water production rate is only about 15% slower than with the 9" candles.
There is no difference in the quality of the filtered water - only the speed at which the water is filtered.
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Stainless Steel Filter with 2 9-inch Ceramic Candles
about 2.5 Quarts per Hour
$245
$12
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Stainless Steel Filter with 4 9-inch Ceramic Candles
about 5 Quarts per Hour
$299
$12
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Stainless Steel Filter with 2 7-inch Ceramic Candles - "Best Buy!"
about 2 Quarts per Hour
$199
$12
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Stainless Steel Filter with 4 7-inch Ceramic Candles - "Best Buy!"
about 4 Quarts per Hour
$249
$12
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Stainless Steel Filter with 4 7-inch Ceramic Candles plus 4 7" Replacement Ceramic Candles
about 4 Quarts per Hour
$339
$12
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AquaCera Plastic Filter with 2 7-inch Ceramic Candles NEW - Plastic Housing - Lower Price!
about 2 Quarts per Hour
$149
12
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AquaCera Plastic Filter with 4 7-inch Ceramic Candles NEW - Plastic Housing - Lower Price!
about 4 Quarts per Hour
$199
12
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AquaCera Plastic Filter with 7 7-inch Ceramic Candles NEW - Plastic Housing - Lower Price!
about 6 Quarts per Hour
$269
12
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AquaCera Plastic Filter with 4 7-inch Ceramic Candles plus 4 7" Replacement Ceramic Candles
about 4 Quarts per Hour
$289
12
Replacement 9" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Two
$89
$8
Replacement 9" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Four
$169
$8
. Replacement 9" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Eight
$319
$10
Replacement 7" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Two
$59
$7
Replacement 7" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Four
$110
$8
. Replacement 7" Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Eight
$209
$10
9" Imperial Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Two
$100
$8
9" Imperial Super Sterasyl Ceramic Candles
Pack of Four
$190
$10
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Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)