How I made a water filter jug from a regular plastic bottle in 5 minutes
Water purification is necessary in everyday life - boiled water does not contain bacteria, but harmful impurities and contaminants remain in it. You can make a water filter with your own hands; it works no worse than store-bought devices. A little effort and free time will help you save on an expensive purchase.
Which container to choose
The basis for the water jug will be an ordinary plastic bottle. The size of the container depends on the needs of the family. A liter container is also suitable for one person. The water in it will quickly filter, but it will last for about a couple of glasses. For this purpose, you can take a bottle of lemonade or mineral water.
If you need a larger capacity, you should pay attention to a 5-liter container for drinking water. It is also suitable for country premises and cottages. The simple design is easy to make even in camping conditions, so as not to take a large supply of drinking water with you.
What are the differences between filtration cartridges?
For reliable filtration, you will have to purchase a special cartridge designed for plastic jugs. Craftsmen make a natural block from pebbles, ash, sand and non-woven material. But such purification is quite crude, and the resulting water is not suitable for drinking. In addition, you will have to wait a long time for the result.
To make a filter for clean water, free of impurities and foreign odors, you need to choose the right filter cartridge.All you need to do is read the manufacturer’s recommendations and check the type of water in your region.
The element is selected according to the following characteristics:
- hardness of water;
- presence of impurities (chlorine, fluorine, iron);
- cartridge size;
- size of filtered particles.
The smaller the last parameter, the better the water will be purified.
Some elements come with a mineralizer included. This is a puck-shaped attachment containing useful substances and minerals.
Filter elements have their own lifespan; they should be changed as they wear out. On average, this is 300 liters or 2 months of active use. If you continue to use the replacement cassette, harmful substances will accumulate in it. This will reduce the filtration speed and the module will not cope with its task.
What you will need
To make a homemade jug you will need 5-10 minutes of free time.
Materials to be prepared:
- plastic bottle of the desired volume;
- filter cartridge;
- sharp scissors (stationery knife);
- black marker or felt-tip pen.
It is easier to work with a sharp knife; before starting work, it is worth treating the cutting edge with a sharpening stone.
Cutting plastic is a dangerous task. The knife may slip right over your fingers. This work should not be entrusted to children.
Making a water jug
First you need to cut out a block for the cartridge from a plastic bottle. Its diameter should coincide with the bottom of the cassette. Remove the label, plastic rim and handle (if any), do not throw away the neck and lid, they will come in handy.
Without a neck, the bottle will look like a long plastic flask with a closed bottom. You should mark two dotted lines on it with a marker. They must divide the workpiece into three equal parts.
Draw a circle along the line above the bottom third. It should be the same diameter as the neck of the bottle. Then you should cut out a circle, this will be a homemade nose.
To carefully pierce the convex wall, you can lightly heat the tip of the knife over a gas burner or lighter. Hot metal will easily pass through plastic, and then ordinary scissors will do the job.
Insert the neck (without cutting off the edges from the top of the bottle), close the lid on the back side. You will need it to easily open the spout. And if it gets lost, you can always find a replacement.
Along the second dotted line, cut off the top of the bottle. Turn it over and place the cartridge inside. If the module sits loosely, this edge should be sealed with fum tape. Otherwise, water will leak into the storage tank, bypassing the filter.
The lower part with the spout will serve as a storage unit. The upper part with a filter is inserted into it, into which water is poured. If desired, you can choose a suitable lid for the jar to cover the top. A properly assembled filter will perfectly purify tap water.
Questions and answers
How to easily cut a plastic bottle?
Lightly squeeze the designated area of the bottle with your fingers to form a small fold. Then use a sharp knife to cut it using sawing movements. Then you can continue cutting with a knife or take scissors for convenience. The risk of injury from this method is minimized.
How to make a cut with perfectly smooth edges?
Unwind a strip of masking tape around the circumference of the bottle. Draw a line exactly in the center using a marker and ruler. Carefully stick around the bottle in the place where the cut is planned. Cut along the marker line with scissors.
How to smooth out rough edges of cut plastic?
Turn off the steam mode on the iron and set the thermostat to maximum. Take baking parchment and place the iron on its side. Press the plastic tightly through the paper in a circular motion and rub it on the sole. The edges will become smooth, and there will be no traces of soot left on the metal.
To always have clean drinking water on hand, you don’t need to spend money on branded water jugs. A simple plastic bottle will turn into a useful device in 5 minutes. In terms of its characteristics, it is in no way inferior to store-bought products. But it is convenient because its volume is determined by the user himself.