ASSEMBLING a Bucket Drip System using a RapidPure filter Element
Assembling a filter begins by drilling a 1/2″ hole in the bottom center of the top bucket and another 1/2″ hole through the lid of the bottom bucket. The holes should be directly in line with one another. Ignore the drilling procedure if the holes are already there.
This next step may vary depending on the space that needs to be filled between the lid and the bucket. Some buckets have a raised rim underneath the bottom center of each bucket that will leave a gap for the water to leak through. It may be necessary to use both flat washers between the lid and the bottom of the top bucket to fill the gap, so water does not leak into the clean water through the lid of the bottom bucket.
The filter comes with two 1/2″ flat washers. Assuming your bucket isn’t like the one described above leave just one flat washer on the stem of the filter and lower the filter assembly carefully down into the top bucket. As you lower the filter gently align the shaft so it fits through the base of the bucket. If the hole is too tight you can take a pocket knife and lightly scrape the hole to ease the assembly of the shaft.
Take the second 1/2″ flat washer and install it onto the shaft after you assemble the lid of the bottom bucket to the bottom of the top bucket. In other words, the second washer goes on just before the wing nut and it is meant to provide a seal if water accidentally settles into the lid of the bottom bucket.
Once the lid, the filter, and the wing nut are fitted together, gently tighten the wing nut to prevent contamination or leakage. Be cautious and do not over-tighten the nut so much that it stresses and cracks the filter or its stem.
Now let’s do a leak test as follows…take a cup of water and pour a thin layer of water into the top bucket but be careful not to add so much that it begins to run through the filter element. Also, take a cup and pour a little water into the top of the lid where it attaches to the top bucket. Let the water sit in both places for 20 to 30 minutes and then carefully raise the bucket and inspect to make sure no water has leaked around the wing nut where the shaft goes through the lid. If there is a leak, it needs to be fixed to prevent unfiltered water from entering the bottom bucket where the clean water is supposed to be. The fix may be as simple as switching the flat washers to a different position as described above.
It will also be necessary to install a 3/4″ spigot to the bottom bucket. The hole is drilled deep into the sidewall of the bucket, but not so far down it makes it impossible to screw the nut onto the shaft of the spigot. When installed the nut fits on the inside wall near the floor of the bucket. If the hole is drilled too low in the side of the bucket the nut will interfere with the floor of the bucket making it impossible to install the spigot. If the holes are too high you won’t be able to get all the water out of the bucket. It’s best to use the nut to determine the positioning so you’ll know exactly where to put the spigot hole.
For anyone who’s not good with details, we provide a complete ready-made pre-drilled kit that is all ready to use in case of emergency. Filter life can be extended if you take a piece of dishcloth and wrap it around the filter element. Securing the cloth with a rubber band is particularly good where extremely turbid water and contaminants are noticeable such as fish scales, fecal matter, etc. When you put water in the top bucket it slowly passes through the filtering element and trickles down through the filter shaft on into the bottom bucket. If the water flow becomes too slow you may have to rinse the filter or clean the screening cloth.
For a small to mid-size family, it is recommended you have at least two filter kits on hand so you can say “I have a year’s supply”.
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