HOW TO PRIME BERKEY FILTERS | Black Filters and Fluoride Filters

Learn how to properly prime both the black Berkey filters and the Berkey fluoride filters before installing with detailed, step by step instructions.

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Do You Have To Prime Berkey Filters Before Installing?

Priming the Berkey filters, both the black elements and the add on fluoride filters, isn’t difficult but it’s definitely something you have to do before you can filter your water through them. Because of the way the black filter elements are made, they actually won’t hardly filter at all if you don’t properly prime them first.

You’ll notice when you first take your filters out of the box that they’re super light. By priming the filters, you force water into and through all of the micro-pores and completely saturate the filters with water.

What Is A Berkey Water Filter?

If you’re not even sure what the heck a Berkey is and why you’d want it to filter your water in the first place, go check out this post first. It’s my review/pros and cons of a Berkey and why we love it so much in our house. **Spoiler alert: it’s because it filters out more junk than any other filter while still leaving in the beneficial minerals that our bodies need. It’s pretty much the bees knees of water filters.

So let’s get to it. Priming the filters really isn’t hard at all. You may get water everywhere until you get the hang of how to smush the priming button between the faucet and filter and how much water pressure to use but thankfully water is easy to clean up! I’m a visual person so if you’re anything like me, everything is so much easier if you can see it first.

Steps To Prime Your Black Filters:

*Note: You may get a light blue ‘Prime Rite’ primer with your filter. I personally found it much easier to use than the tan or black priming button. My Berkey came with both the Prime Rite and the regular priming button.

Using the light blue Prime Rite:

Slip the large opening of the Prime Rite onto your faucet spout.
Insert the screw/stem on the black purification elements into the small hole at the bottom of the primer.
While supporting the filter element, turn the cold water on low and wait until the water starts beading up on the entire outside of the filter. You may need to hold pressure around the top of the Prime Rite to keep it from squirting water out.
Turn water off, pull filter element off of primer and set aside.
Repeat with second filter.

Using the priming button:

Press the rubber priming button onto the stem of the black filter element.
Press the other end of the priming button against the faucet, squeezing with your fingers to make a seal.
While supporting the filter, turn the cold water on low and wait until the water starts beading up on the entire outside of the filter.
Turn water off, pull filter element off of primer and set aside.
Repeat with second filter.
Berkey recommends that you run the red dye test to ensure your filters are installed and working properly before putting them into use.

**Important: Keep your primer when you’re finished and store where you can find it. You’ll need it to re-prime your filters after cleaning them **

Steps To Prime Your PF2 Fluoride Filters:

Find the hard whitish plastic adapter that came with your priming supplies.
Remove the blue tabs that came in the 2 ends of the filters.
Screw the adapter into the top of your fluoride filter.{the side opposite of the flow arrow}
Proceed as with the black filters by attaching the priming button or placing into the small hole of the Prime Rite.
Covering the bottom hole with your finger, fill the filter with water.
Remove from faucet, cover both holes and shake.
Let the water run out and then put the filter back on the primer.
Run water through the filter until the water coming out of the bottom runs clear.
Install the Fluoride filter by screwing it onto the threaded stem at bottom of the black filter elements. It will be hanging down into the bottom chamber of your Berkey.

**NEVER PERFORM THE RED DYE TEST WITH YOUR FLUORIDE FILTERS ON**