Hi I was thinking a TDS meter (Total Dissolved Solids) would be good for checking the effectiveness of waterfilters and letting you know when to change filters etc.
Does anybody own one? is there much difference between models or would the cheapest be good enough for prepper requirements?
TDS meter - recommendations?
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maddriver
Re: TDS meter - recommendations?
There are plenty out there at various price levels, from handheld units to ones that can be plumbed in, and even have 2 inputs for before and after the filter. Window cleaners using the reach and wash systems use them to measure the purity of the water in their systems.
One word of caution though: a TDS meter measures the amount of dissolved solids in the water, by passing an electrical current through the liquid which is the compared to pure water. It will not pick up anything that does not affect the electrical conductivity of the water. I'm not an expert here, but AFAIK viruses, and bacteria would not be picked up by these meters.
Although it might give a good idea of the effectiveness of your filter it should not be taken as a guarantee the water is safe to drink.
One word of caution though: a TDS meter measures the amount of dissolved solids in the water, by passing an electrical current through the liquid which is the compared to pure water. It will not pick up anything that does not affect the electrical conductivity of the water. I'm not an expert here, but AFAIK viruses, and bacteria would not be picked up by these meters.
Although it might give a good idea of the effectiveness of your filter it should not be taken as a guarantee the water is safe to drink.