Berkey

Priming the black Berkey element is fast and easy.

The goal is to force all the air out of the micron pores of the element and replace it with water. This insures the element will filter water efficiently and not become airlock ed and unable to filter at its maximum rate.First locate the rubber priming button that shipped with the black Berkey elements.

Be sure not to confuse the priming button with the washer that comes attached to each element. The priming button is a tan or black rubber disc with a hole that is sized so as to prevent it from easily sliding over the stem in the element. Place the priming button onto the stem up the element press the priming button tight against the faucet using only cool water turn the faucet on you can see the water begins filtering through the element near the bottom immediately.
But continue to hold the element tight against the faucet until water is seeping out all the way up the sides  of the element this insures that element has completely filled with water and all the air trapped in the micropores throughout the entire element has been purged.

The element is now primed and ready to use. To reinstall the elements first be sure the rubber sealing washer for each element is on the threaded mount of the element.

Insert the threaded mount through one of the holes in the upper chamber. Then thread the wing nut on to the mount. Ttighten the nut so that the washer on the other side is securely seated between the element in the bottom of the chamber. Now repeat this step for each of the other filters.

Once the Berkey purification system is  reassembled fill the upper chamber full of water. When all the water has filtered through the primed elements discard the water from the lower chamber this insures that any contaminated water used to prime the filters  is removed from the system.