Pre-coarse filters for water from wells. What types of coarse water filters are there for apartments and cottages? What is a coarse water filter?

Centralized filtration stations in cities and small towns perform comprehensive water purification, starting with the removal of large inclusions and ending with the deactivation of microorganisms through disinfection. However, the quality of water leaves much to be desired, which is due to the long period of use of water pipes.

A coarse filter installed at the entrance to an apartment or private house will significantly reduce the load on water absorption units and equipment, and ultimately save the family money.

Purpose of the coarse filter

During primary filtration, relatively large particles are separated, which may include rust, grains, pebbles, sand, silt, mineral grains, and residual organic contaminants. Installing a filter for rough water purification in a private low-rise building will protect against breakdowns:

• heating system;
• washing machines and dishwashers;
• filters for thorough fine cleaning;
• plumbing;
• hydraulic accumulators;
• taps;
• heaters.

It is also economically profitable to install a filter at the entrance to an apartment in a multi-storey building because tap water flows into all of the listed devices, except for the heating system. Purification of water coolants in the heating systems of apartment buildings and hot water supply is primarily the task of the heating network, which a centralized company successfully copes with.

Some householders install crude cleaning systems on hot water pipes, which is certainly a useful thing. The main thing is to pay attention to the purpose of the filter and install it correctly, in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations.

Types of devices

At the primary stage, coarse filtration is carried out, which is successfully handled by models with meshes or cartridges. There are devices that carry out cleaning using disks or a filter mass enclosed in a separate tank into which a water flow is supplied under pressure, but they have received less recognition from consumers and are used less often in practice.

Filtration with meshes

A coarse water purification mesh filter effectively copes with primary purification based on the mechanical separation of impurities on an industrial or domestic scale.

Subsequent stages of quality improvement are based on more subtle physical and chemical processes.

The filter mesh with the help of gaskets is hermetically mounted in a metal housing equipped with a pressure gauge for monitoring the pressure in the pipes. Models with two pressure gauges located in front of the mesh and after it are convenient to use, cost more, and make it easier to assess the degree of filter contamination. The most budget mesh devices are produced without pressure gauges, which forces the owner to independently, without additional devices, monitor the condition of the filter, remember the installation time and the timing of the necessary replacement.

Note! Any model must be placed on the pipes to the place where the meter is installed, which will extend the time of safe operation of the device that controls water flow.

The housing has outlet and inlet pipes, between which there is a settling tank, which serves to reduce the flow rate and accumulate settling particles at the bottom of the cylindrical branch.

The device is connected to the pipeline using a coupling or flange connection, which is determined by the size of the pipes. If the diameter exceeds two inches, flanges are used; for smaller diameters, the use of coupling fasteners is justified. In domestic conditions, the units are installed on pipelines using standard threaded connections, which greatly simplifies installation and makes it accessible to home craftsmen.

Installation and washing of mesh filters

The meshes have different cell sizes, which must be taken into account when choosing a filter. The minimum pore diameter is 1 micron, the average is from 20 microns, the maximum is up to 500 microns. It is advisable to choose a filter after conducting a preliminary analysis of the water, having gained an idea of ​​the degree and nature of its contamination.

Devices may have a sump located on the same straight axis with the filter or along an oblique line relative to the housing. Straight models must be installed on strictly horizontal pipelines, with the branch for the sump being directed downwards. Oblique filters for coarse purification of tap water can be installed in both horizontal and vertically oriented areas.

Many devices have screens that need to be cleaned periodically because dirt accumulates on them. In everyday life, such mesh filters are often called mud filters. More advanced and expensive models have a system for flushing and draining dirty drains. To do this, you just need to open the tap located at the bottom of the sump and wait for the contaminated liquid to drain. The settled debris flows into the sewer, after which the rough cleaning device can operate for a long time.

Meshes made of metal materials are the easiest to clean, but they can easily become deformed during self-cleaning. The metal alloys used are brass, bronze compounds or non-oxidizing steel. Mesh fabrics made from ordinary iron threads will not withstand constant exposure to water for long and will quickly rot, so unstable alloys are not used for the manufacture of filters.

A mesh basket made of plastic fibers or fiberglass has increased resistance to deformation, does not tear or break, but it can be much more difficult to wash than a metal one.

Filtration using cartridges

Devices with cartridges are in great demand because they purify water from both large particles and outwardly invisible small grains with a diameter of 1 micron. Units with retained particle sizes exceeding 20 microns are used for coarse filtration of water on highways. Devices for filtering small grains can be used to prepare drinking water for consumption. Sometimes cartridge cleaning is performed after filtering on mesh, ultimately combining both methods of improving water quality.

There are several types of materials for filling cartridges:

• polypropylene;
• cellulose impregnated with synthetics;
• nylon.

Cartridges with polypropylene fibers, which are specially wound on a base, are easy to use. With the correct orientation of the threads, the outer part retains large suspensions, and the inner part filters out other impurities; In general, the entire volume of the cartridge works. Filters made by amateurs are filled in such a way that the outer layer is filled with dirt, blocking access to the internal volume of the cartridge.

If the devices become excessively dirty, the water pressure after filtering decreases noticeably, which additionally reminds you of the need to replace the cartridge.

Note! Cartridges with propylene are adapted to work with cold or heated water up to 52 ℃ (no more).

Hot water can be subjected to rough cleaning using special devices with cartridges filled with threads of impregnated cotton fibers. This material can withstand temperatures of 93 ℃, the presence of microbes and pollutants.

The cartridge in which the cartridges are placed can also be made of different materials, depending on the recommendations for use. The plastic body tolerates cold and warm water well, and a metal container is suitable for hot water supply. Plastic walls are convenient because they allow you to monitor the condition of the cartridge, however, at high temperatures you should neglect convenience and choose a model with a metal body.

Other types of coarse filtration

Good cleaning from particles of any size is ensured by devices in which water with initial pressure is supplied directly into a container onto the fibrous material. The disadvantage of such structures is their large size and the need for frequent replacement of the filler, which, without preliminary settling of the liquid, becomes clogged with dirt very quickly.

Coarse disk filters are often installed on heating central pipelines and irrigation water supply systems, in which dirt settles on polymer media. The disks are fixed on an axis in a branch of the pipeline along the path of the water flow. As water accumulates in the case, it seeps through all the disks, leaving foreign inclusions on them.

Characteristics of popular models

For rough purification of water flowing in large mains, Geyser filters with meshes or cartridges are successfully used. The devices are sold in both metal and plastic versions and are easy to install and maintain.

Aquaphor filters have earned a good reputation among consumers, as they successfully cope with high pressure, remove many impurities, and remove the bad odor of contaminated water.

Imported Honeywell products are expensive and have a wide range of capabilities. The company produces industrial shut-off and control valves, and also makes filters with a reducer that allows you to reduce the inlet pressure, thus improving the degree of purification.

Installation and cleaning rules

There are no universal installation instructions for all filter modifications and cannot exist, but the main advice is to carefully study the instructions and strictly follow them. Practitioners prefer to work with detachable devices, no matter how often they need cleaning.

Note! It is important to remember that filters that perform coarse filtration must be installed immediately at the entrance of the pipeline to a house or apartment, before the location of the meter and distribution to rooms and household appliances.

To clean, you need to turn off the water supply, unscrew the device, removing the working part. The mesh and disk can be washed with water, cleaned with a brush, sponge, brush, and then installed in its original place. You should not try to clean the cartridges yourself; you need to replace the dirty cartridge with a new one and do the assembly correctly.

Of course, installation must ensure absolute tightness of the system; gaskets are used for this. A philosophical attitude towards dripping or leaking joints in this case is completely inappropriate, as well as any improvisation. For example, a filter intended for flange connection should be connected via flanges, and not otherwise.

Located on your site, the water quality in it will still not be ideal. And in order to ensure that the water supply system is not contaminated with all sorts of impurities (from iron to sand and silt), it is important to install a cleaning system that will prevent the entry of dirt.

This will have a beneficial effect both on the taste and quality of drinking water, and on the condition of the equipment (boiler, washing machine, shut-off and control valves, pipeline), which also suffers from contaminated liquid. And the very first step in getting rid of impurities is cleaning the water using a coarse filter.

1 Purpose and features of filters

As the name suggests, a coarse filter is necessary to capture the largest suspended particles that may be contained in the water entering the house (apartment). This is, first of all, sand, silt, and various organic matter. For this reason, the device is installed at the very beginning of the cleaning system - before other types of filters.

Its installation is necessary for the following reasons:

• the filter prevents solid suspensions from entering the plumbing and heating systems;
• The following filters (fine filters, aeration filters, softeners) receive less load - due to the fact that fewer impurities simply reach them.

As a consequence of the first point, dirt is prevented from getting into the equipment:

• inside the washing machine;
• toilet cistern;
• water heater;
• hydraulic accumulator;
• cranes;
• dishwashers

Each of the devices listed above has a specific water quality requirement. For example, the installation of a washing machine (as well as dishwashers and boilers) should be carried out only if available - this item is separately indicated in the instructions.

Otherwise, the operating life of the washing machine is significantly reduced - since its design is quite complex, and solid impurities can damage individual parts.

And a regular water tap in your kitchen is also unlikely to withstand the presence of dirt in the water well - its shut-off and control device (a ball with a hole) may become clogged or begin to open and close worse. This nuance especially applies to expensive devices - the same washing machine from some well-known brand, in the first place.

In addition, poor water quality can also harm meters – the purchase and installation of which are also expensive.

As for filters of other types, their work (if there is a stage of coarse water purification) is significantly simplified, since they will receive fewer impurities. As a result, you will have to change cartridges less often, which means you will save money.

In addition to use in apartments and houses, the use of devices of this type is no less important at production facilities - an industrial coarse filter in this case performs the same function:

2 What types of coarse filters are there?

The filter itself is extremely simple: in fact, it is a metal filter that traps impurities from the water. It is enclosed in a housing (usually metal), which has an inlet and outlet pipe.

Below the pipes there is a part called the settling tank - the department where, in fact, filtration occurs. Initially, the water speed in this part decreases, which allows impurities to settle to the bottom of the body rather than be carried away further. Then the liquid passes through a mesh, which traps dirt.

The design of the coarse filter may differ in a number of parameters, which should be considered separately.

First of all, we should mention the material from which the mesh is made. Most often it is steel, less often bronze or brass. These durable connections are resistant to mechanical damage and withstand pressure changes.

The difference is in the connection method - the filter can be mounted in the system using a coupling or flange connection. This difference is determined by the dimensions - with a diameter of 2 inches or more, a flange is used, if smaller, a coupling is used.

The industrial version is usually mounted using these methods; in other cases, threaded filters are used. Such household models are relevant for pipelines running inside apartments and residential cottages. In this case, the installation can be carried out either directly with the pipe or through the “American” one.

Pore ​​size is, in fact, a key quality parameter that affects how well the filter can clean water. The smaller the size of the mesh cells, the more dirt it can naturally hold. For a coarse filter, this parameter varies from 50 to 400 microns.

Based on the location of the sump tank, products can also be divided into two categories:

1. Straight.
2. Oblique.

In the first case, the sump is located perpendicular to the water flow, forming a T-shaped body with inlet and outlet pipes. Thanks to this solution, this department can be quite large in size. Therefore, a direct settling tank will be able to better purify the water passing through it.

The oblique design of the body is easy to determine visually - in this case, the sump is installed at an angle to the water flow. This reduces efficiency compared to a straight filter. Not by much, of course - household filters of this type will also cope with the task successfully.

However, they are best used where installing a straight model is simply impossible due to lack of free space (for example, when the pipeline runs too close to the floor or to another pipe).

One of the relatively new and very useful nuances is also the method of cleaning the filter itself - after all, sooner or later the sump tank will overflow with accumulated dirt, which will need to be removed from there. In this regard, products are divided into two categories:

1. Sump.
2. Filter with washing system.

The first option is non-flushing. This category includes oblique devices and some straight ones. In this case, the sump is closed with a removable lid - through which you can clean the device from dirt.

Its disadvantage is that cleaning in this case requires disassembling the device - the cover will first have to be unscrewed and then put back.

The second option is more convenient - in this case the body is equipped with a tap. Cleaning is extremely simple: the tap opens and the sediment is drained into a substitute container.

You can find an even more advanced option on sale - a self-cleaning coarse filter. Such a device is equipped with two sensors - one is installed at the input, the second at the output. By measuring pressure, sensors record its difference - if at the outlet (after cleaning) it decreases, it means that the self-cleaning filter is dirty.

It is cleaned through a valve that opens and releases sediment. The good thing about a self-cleaning filter is that you don’t have to monitor the condition of the unit - it will automatically be able to determine the need for cleaning and perform it.

The most famous representative producing such models is Honeywell. Honeywell filters are most often used in industry, but for domestic purposes the company also produces a number of models suitable for water supply.

Of course, Honeywell devices are an order of magnitude more expensive than simpler options - this, in fact, is their only drawback.

3 Installation rules

Correct installation of the filter is a fairly important question (it does not matter which option will be installed - a regular cheap mud filter or an expensive self-cleaning one). Let's look at where and how to install this unit correctly:

1. Installation must be carried out before the meter.
2. The filter should be positioned correctly on a horizontal section (relevant only for straight models - oblique models can also be installed on vertical segments of the pipeline).
3. Installation of the oblique filter is carried out with the sump facing down.
4. To install the unit correctly, pay attention to the direction of the arrow on the body: it must coincide with the direction of fluid flow.

As an option, filters can be installed separately in front of each device. First of all, this is relevant for the washing machine and dishwasher - this equipment is the most demanding on the quality of the water used.

3.1 Filter cleaning steps

If you have a non-self-cleaning filter installed, the unit will require cleaning from time to time. You can clean it properly with your own hands. Moreover, this should be done regularly - otherwise the water pressure into the system will weaken.

The easiest way to clean is for devices that have a tap - in this case, just open it and drain the sediment into a nearby container. For mud collectors, the procedure will be a little more complicated:

1. The water supply before and after the filter should be shut off.
2. You need to unscrew the nuts on the filter cover (using an adjustable wrench).

Be prepared for water to flow out from under the lid when the fasteners are loosened. So before unscrewing the nuts, prepare some container and place it under the filter.

After the water has drained, you can remove the mesh from the filter. It should be cleaned of rust, plaque, and scale - simply by rinsing it under running water. After that, you can rinse the filter itself by slightly opening the water supply tap. Then you can put the mesh in place and screw on the lid.

3.2 How to disassemble the coarse filter? (video)

Water supplied to consumers' apartments and houses through the communications system often does not meet sanitary and hygienic requirements.

The point, sometimes, is not even that it may contain chemical compounds dissolved in it that are not harmless to the human body - this issue is usually monitored at water stations.

The problem is different - solid insoluble particles are suspended in water. Only coarse filters help get rid of them.

For owners of private houses who receive water from natural sources (wells or nearby reservoirs), the picture is quite clear - the water may contain particles of dirt, clay, organic matter, small grains of sand, etc. By definition, they cannot do without a filter.

But residents in city apartments sometimes doubt whether they need to equip their internal network with such a device. Yes, water, of course, goes through various stages of purification, including mechanical, before it is supplied to the consumer.

However, the condition of utility networks, main or intra-house, sometimes leaves much to be desired - the water flow carries along particles of scale, rust, and limescale from the walls of the pipes.

Purifying water intended for cooking or drinking using household filters solves the problem rather one-sidedly.

The trouble is that small particles have a pronounced abrasive effect, leading to rapid wear of the sealing parts of plumbing fixtures. Water meters also suffer from it.

Untreated water poses a particular danger to built-in household appliances – washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters.

And ordinary taps can quickly become clogged with debris and dirt, which often leads to their complete failure.

The only effective way to get rid of this is to install a coarse filter.

The principle of its operation is simple - water passes through a fine-mesh metal mesh or other structure that traps solid particles suspended in it.

The water filtered in this way goes to water collection points or can, if necessary, be subjected to.

Types of filters

While maintaining a single principle of their operation, filters can be different in shape, design, method of insertion into the water supply network, type of filter element, and method of cleaning them from accumulated dirt.

Reticulate

This coarse water filter, as the name suggests, has a metal mesh, usually made of stainless steel, with cells ranging from 50 to 400 microns.

This is the most common type of filter, characterized by long service life without replacing filter elements.

They may differ in the way they are inserted into the system, layout and methods of periodic maintenance and cleaning.

Flange and coupling

This difference is only in the method of connecting the filter to the water pipe. Where the pipe diameter is two inches or more, a flanged coarse filter is installed.

As a rule, these are main water pipes or junctions in the basements of multi-storey buildings.

Bolted or studded connection of the flanges allows, if necessary, to remove the filter without dismantling the remaining elements of the system.

Installation of flanges on pipes in the right place is provided for at the design stage of the water supply system.

Threaded filters are used on small-diameter pipes, including in domestic conditions.

Depending on the specific design, the filter can be screwed directly onto the pipe or connected to it with quick-release union nuts (“American”).

Straight and oblique

All types of filters have inlet and outlet pipes and a reservoir (compartment) where the water is actually filtered.

The location of this settling tank determines the division of products into oblique and straight ones.

In a direct filter, the settling tank is located perpendicular to the flow and directed downward.

It can have quite impressive dimensions, which improves the quality of filtration.

The speed of water flow when passing through a large-volume sump is significantly reduced, large particles of debris settle to the bottom. The water then passes through a mesh that keeps smaller suspended particles out.

The oblique filter is even visually different - its sump is located at an angle to the direction of water flow.

They are used where the use of a direct filter is impossible due to lack of free space, i.e. the pipe is located too close to the floor surface, or on vertical sections of water pipes.

The sump tank is closed with a screw plug or flange cover.

Mud collectors with flushing system

According to the cleaning method, filters can be non-washable - “mud filters”, and equipped with a cleaning system.

• “Mud filters,” which include all oblique filters and some of the straight ones, are equipped with a removable lid. Cleaning in the event of obvious blockage or periodic maintenance involves disassembling the device.
• Direct filters with a washing system are equipped with an outlet tap, through which you can drain the accumulated sediment and clean the device with a direct or reverse flow of water.

Cartridge or cartridge

In domestic conditions, cartridge type filters are often used. They are a wall-mounted structure with an impressive-sized flask made of transparent or opaque material.

Replaceable cartridges are installed inside, some of which act as a coarse filter.

Replacement elements are made of polypropylene extruded fiber or spun yarn, or polyester. Their filtering capacity may vary, but for rough mechanical cleaning, cartridges of 20-30 microns are used.

Clogged elements cannot be washed; they are replaced with new ones as necessary.

There are, however, cartridges on sale that are made of a metal mesh - they can be serviced when clogged.

Most often, such cartridge filters are installed after preliminary rough water purification, making them another stage of mechanical filtration.

Honeywell coarse water filter

One of the recognized leaders among manufacturers of water purification systems is Honeywell. Coarse mechanical filters are presented in a wide range of models.

The layout concept of these filters is the same - it is a metal body with inlet-outlet threaded pipes and a metal or transparent flask.

A stainless mesh with a cell size of 100 microns is installed inside it.

The manufacturer supplies all its products with a set of “American women”, which allows insertion into any type of water supply system.

All Honeywell filters are equipped with a flushing tap. Simpler models work on the principle of direct flushing with a stream of water.

More complex and expensive products have a built-in backwash device that provides deep cleaning of the mesh.

Many filters have a pressure gauge that shows the water pressure in the system.

In addition, there are products equipped with a water reducer, which prevents the phenomenon of water hammer during pressure surges in the main network.

Honeywell filters are distinguished by the highest quality and guaranteed long service life. If you have the opportunity to purchase a product from this particular company, do not hesitate and buy it.

Installation and Maintenance

When installing and servicing filters, certain rules must be followed.

How to install correctly

• It is best to install the primary filter before the meter. As a rule, the space there is very limited, so they resort to installing an oblique filter - it will protect the counter mechanism from damage or clogging with large particles.
• The oblique filter is placed on a horizontal section of the pipe, if possible, with the flask down - this will facilitate the process of washing it. The direction of movement of the water flow must be taken into account - it is always marked with an arrow on the body of any product. An oblique filter can also be placed on a vertical section of water supply, but only on the condition that the water flow is from top to bottom.
• For a direct filter, only a horizontal section is needed. The possibility of removing the flask for routine maintenance must be taken into account.
• When installing a coarse water purification filter with a direct washing system, you can, if desired, organize a reverse one. To do this, install a water supply bypass loop with a tap system capable of switching the water flow in the filter to the counter flow.

How to unscrew

Sooner or later, you have to disassemble the filter to clean it or replace the mesh or cartridge. This applies to a greater extent to “mud trucks” that are not equipped with a flushing system.

Before disassembling the device, it is imperative to relieve the pressure in the system by shutting off the general water supply.

Oblique filters are usually equipped with a plug that has hexagonal slots for a wrench.

Plumbers give advice: immediately replace the paronite gasket with a winding of tow - this will greatly simplify the process of regularly removing the plug for cleaning, without losing the tightness of the connection.

The flasks of vertical straight filters are removed either using wrenches or the included shaped wrench. When reinstalling, it is necessary to check the condition of the rubber seals.

How to clean a coarse water filter

After disassembling the oblique filter, the accumulated dirt is drained from the chamber into a substitute container.

The mesh is removed, cleaned of adhering dirt, washed with a stream of water or blown with a stream of compressed air. If the mesh is damaged, it must be replaced.

In a direct-type settling tank, the flask is removed, from which the sediment is drained. The mesh is also washed or blown, or a new replacement cartridge is installed.

With filters that have a flushing system, everything is much simpler. It is enough to regularly open the tap located at the bottom of the flask and clean the mesh and flask with water pressure, diverting it into a drainage pipe or collecting it in a substitute container.

It’s even better if the owner was not lazy and installed a backwash system - the tap for distributing water after the filter is closed, i.e. it is redirected into the filter housing by reverse flow. In this case, the grid cells are cleaned much better.

So, there is nothing complicated in the design and regular maintenance of a mechanical coarse water filtration system. But the relatively small costs of organizing it will pay off handsomely with the uninterrupted operation of plumbing fixtures and household appliances.

A coarse water filter is an effective filtration system; it can be used when installed on a system with a drainage pipe. Everything works automatically, you do not need to configure them regularly. Sometimes they are called main filters or mud filters; they are easy to use and durable.

There are several types of coarse water filters. Each of them has its own design features. Today, the most popular filters are cartridge filters and high-speed pressure filters. Cartridge filters are equipped with a replaceable cartridge that performs filtration. Such a cartridge delays inclusions with a volume of up to 30 microns. The cartridge is replaced as necessary. The use of this model is advisable in relatively small water supply systems with low flows, where very small inclusions are present in the water.

The high-speed pressure version is a one-piece container with anti-corrosion material and contains filter material. Liquids pass through it and are purified; the material effectively traps particles larger than 30 microns in size. They are installed in the upper part of the block, and the work of rough cleaning and regeneration is automatically monitored.

You can buy a high-quality filter in our store in Moscow at affordable prices. Applications from other regions of Russia are also possible. Check out the offers from our catalog and sort the products using the filter.

There is a wide range of products from different manufacturers, differing in design, technical and operational characteristics.

If you have any questions regarding the purchase process, payment and delivery, please call our consultants or contact us online in electronic form.

We have a number of well-founded claims regarding the quality, chemical composition and purity of water supplied by the central water supply. They are justified by deteriorating health conditions, rapid wear of equipment and eternal problems with water pressure. Both our physical and economic condition deserve attention, don’t you agree?

To combat the listed negative circumstances, there is a proven method - you need a coarse and fine filter. Depending on the tasks being solved, both individual devices and a group of interconnected devices that perform multi-stage processing are installed.

Here you will learn what kind of work a certain type of device does, in what sequence they are placed, and how they ultimately affect the quality characteristics of water. For a complete understanding of the information, we have included visual illustrations and video tutorials.

The first, most important step in water treatment is mechanical purification. Coarse cleaning devices remove particles of 1 micron and above from water. They perform an irreplaceable function in the filtration process, without which further water purification is impossible.

Rust, sand, clay particles, scale from old water pipes - everything is removed to obtain clear water at the output.

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