Newsday Tuesday – Spun or String? The Cartridge Debate Continues
Newsday Tuesday - Filter Cartridges for days.
Hey, have we ever mentioned that we have a lot of filter cartridges in stock? I think it’s come up once or twice in previous posts. Well, guess what?
We’ve got a lot of filter cartridges in stock.
Hypothetical situation for you… one day the roof of the warehouse spontaneously blows off thanks to some of the crazy weather we’ve been getting; probably down to some of that global warming, eh? (Topical joke for you there.) And then it dumps a huge amount of rain; like, if every time a politician told a lie it were a droplet of water and then it all got dumped in one downpour. That much rain.
I’m fairly certain – and this is a very scientific analysis I’m making here – that the entire contents of our warehouse would get filtered out and vanish thanks to the frankly ludicrous amount of water filters we have in stock. Honestly, there’s a very real chance we’d be straining bits of Adam, the warehouse supervisor, out of the carbon blocks for days.
Take a wild stab at just how many filter cartridges we have? Got an answer in your head? Right, let’s count them.
One string filter cartridge. Two string filter cartridges. Three string filter cartridges… This might take a while… four string filter cartridges.
To maintain sanity and so I can avoid repetitive strain injury in all my typing fingers, there’s 2,000 string filters in stock. Here’s the running total for you;
2,000 string filters
5,000 spun filters
1,000 pleated filters
That’s a grand total of 8,000 filters (he said, patronisingly doing simple maths for you). Oh, it doesn’t end there of course. We also have;
2,000 carbon blocks
2,000 “other” cartridges
That’s an overall total of 12,000 filter cartridges (more condescending maths, you lucky ducks!)
“Other” cartridges include fluoride removal, nitrate removal, chlorine, taste and odour, phosphate removal, and just about anything else you could want to get out of water. Honestly, we have a filter for everything.
Do you have dirt in your water? We have a filter for that.
Does your water smell like it has half a dozen eggs in it? We have a filter for that.
Has a small child fallen into your water supply? We have a filter for that.
Are you weird and want to wee into a bucket and then recycle it? We have a… Actually, you know what; seek help.
Spun or String Catridges?
Listen up. I’m expecting responses on this one, because you lot all seem to think that this is a super important subject, whereas we’re all a little bit stumped here in the office.
What is the difference between Spun and String cartridges?
Yes, structurally they are different (barely) but when it comes down to their function, don’t they basically do the same thing? They filter sediment out of your water. They do it at pretty much the same level as well. If you’ve got particularly dirty water, you’ll move up to a pleated cartridge, so that’s fine; a pleated filter has it’s place. But honestly, spun and string have very little separating them.
And yet, I know that there’s a whole bunch of you water industry guys and gals out there who are currently going red in the face, spitting all over their screen, yelling things like;
“They are not the same at all!”
“How dare you say they are the same thing?!”
“I wouldn’t be caught dead using a spun filter cartridge; evil little things!”
“String filter cartridges are the worst and I hate you, your family and all your pets for even reminding me they exist.”
Who knew that spun or string filters would be the dividing line in the water treatment industry? Do you know how they are made? Here’s a description of a spun filter cartridge;
A Spun filter cartridge is spun in a controlled environment to create a varying density gradient. The density of the fibres are higher at the core, and lighter on the outside. The result is that heavier particulates are removed in the outer layer, whilst the higher density of fibres removes smaller particulates that passes through the outer layer.
Right now I’m sure some of you are whooping and cheering for the heroic spun filter and it’s sheer genius design.
Now here’s the description for the string filter cartridge;
A string filter cartridge is woven in such a fashion as to create a gradient of density; tighter at the core, and lighter on the outside. Initially, larger sediment is filtered out at the onset. As the water passes through the filter, the density increases and finer sediment is filtered out along it’s path.
Again, I’m sure all you people in “Camp String Filter” are all nodding confidently, proudly wiping away tears from your eyes at just how magnificent they are.
Um…
That’s basically the same thing, right?
Right?
I fully suspect I shall now be bombed with irate emails explaining the difference and why one is far superior to the other. I’m also fully expecting to find the head of a spun filter in my bed to serve as a warning.
Anyway, have we mentioned that we’ve got quite a lot of both spun and string filters? There’s enough to please both factions. Call up, place an order for your favourite, and we’ll keep a running tally and see which is the most popular.
