steripen purifier

[Garside66]

Hi, does anybody have any experience using a steripen uv purifier,in a variety of outdoor situations,as their primary source of water purification?

Many thanks!

Lee.

 

[Graveworm]

I use it all the time if I am not boiling water. It's been all around the world and in some pretty nasty water sources. Most of my colleagues now use them as well.

I use it with the pre filter thingy I have never had any problems either with the water or the Steripen but I do know there was a dodgy batch a while back. It has a space in the pouch for a few tablets as a backup. Quickest and lightest out there that is good for all bacteria and viruses.

 

[Garside66]

Thanks for the info!

Lee.

 

[calgarychef]

I used mine in Australia with some very suspect water. We were bow hunting buffalo and hiked way back into the swamps, well they used to be swamps but it was the dry season. Finally when I was down to a swallow of water left I broke out the steripen, scooped the floating stuff away from the surface of a decent sized puddle and plunged my water bottle into the bottom. Then I treated it twice with the pen and crossed my fingers, the water tasted a bit unpleasant but I seem to have survived it.

 

[Becky72]

My ex-husband and i used one of these once and dont know if he did it properly but the water did not taste good and we both ended up with bad tummy`s

 

[British Red]

The important to remember with UV treatment is that even tiny particles in the water render it wholly ineffective. You must filter water that is not completely crystal clear or you may as well simply not bother. When you think about it, whatever water you scoop up has been bombarded by UV from the sun already - for weeks most likely.

 

[Graveworm]

UV light is actually a wide band of wavelengths – about as wide as the entire visible spectrum. It includes UV-A, UV-B, UV-C and Vacuum-UV. UV-C and Vacuum UV – the highest energy UV – does not make it through the ozone layer. UV-A and UV-B do make it to the surface of the planet. While there is a germicidal effect associated with UV-A and UV-B it is very weak and therefore not very effective as a treatment method.

UV purification systems use UV-C to destroy microbes – and it is actually only a narrow band within the UV-C range that is highly germicidal. It is this narrow energy band that interacts with bases within the DNA of a microbe – thereby disabling the microbe's capacity to replicate. The sun's UV-A and UV-B do not work this way – so whilst the sun may have some germicidal effect it is by no means equivalent to treatment with UV-C. As for even tiny particles the Steripen was tested to and passed in fact exceeded NSF P248 Military Water Purifier protocol which involves testing in "challenging " water samples that are not only heavily spiked with microbial contaminant but also highly turbid and discolored. It works by stirring, it's the standard kit now for many UK and Nato agencies. It does require pre filtration with heavy deposits or sediment as with any purification or filtration.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

 

[British Red]

You make a fair point on the shorter term efficacy for UVC, but I personally cannot see how effective even UVC can be in turbid water. If the turbidity is due to particulates, microbes can be contained within the particles which act as a shield to the UV light. This particulates can be broken down in the gut and release the microbes. This is particularly likely with faecal matter.

As I said, as long as you filter first, no problem, but without filtering, its a crap shoot.

 

[General Strike]

This is particularly likely with faecal matter.

...Without filtering, its a crap shoot.

Pun intended, I trust.

 

[British Red]

Well spotted than man