By Byron Murray
Jul 9, 2008
| I've just returned from a around the world trip using the SteriPEN Classic. The SteriPEN worked great with the Energizer Lithium Disposables batteries. The SteriPEN did not work so well with Alkaline batteries. I was only able to get 10 liters of water purified using some Slovenian Alkaline batteries. The Lithium batteries were hard to find and or very expensive outside of the USA. The SteriPEN is the most sensitive device that I own in regards to batteries. My Back Country Access avalanche transceiver being the 2nd most sensitive. For more information on batteries check out the SteriPEN web site.
http://www.steripen.com/batterytesting.html#classic_batterie>>>>>
One last note: Whenever we had the opportunity we washed the inside and outside of our Nalgene bottles with soap and city purified water. The SteriPEN only purifies the water inside of the bottle. |  |
By Walter Macalma
From Oceanside, CA
Sep 10, 2008
| Does the SteriPEN work in Sigg or Klean bottles? | |
By Kyle Douglass
From Golden, Co
Sep 23, 2008
| Walter Macalma wrote: Does the SteriPEN work in Sigg or Klean bottles?
If you look at the pen it has a little metal oval below the light. There is another on the other side of the pen too. These have to be submerged in the water for the light to stay on. You can hold the metal safety ovals and the light will turn on, but that would be a pain and probably wouldn't work properly. So if you want to use narrow mouthed bottles, the steripen probably wont work for you.
Another thing i found about the steripen is if you stir the water too harshly (making bubbles and such at the top of the water) the pen makes the water taste bad. As long as you keep a smooth 'whirlpool' like stir with minimal bubbles the water will taste fine. I believe the pre filter allows for a 'smooth' stir everytime, getting rid of this problem. | |
By Mark Cushman
From Erie, CO
Sep 23, 2008
| Kyle Douglass wrote: So if you want to use narrow mouthed bottles, the steripen probably wont work for you.
The newer version of the SteriPen (the one with the LCD) is round and has a rubber grommet around the base of the light which will seal in a Sigg/Nalgene smallmouth bottle. The instructions are to wedge the SteriPen in the mouth of the bottle and then turn the bottle upside down and stir.
Having said that, I have to give you my experience with the SteriPen. I bought one at REI and took it on a trip to Glacier Gorge. Before my trip I filtered tap water several times with the SteriPen to make sure I could do it correctly. I tried to filter water from Frozen Lake with it and it would not work, it would only give me the frowny face on the LCD. This usually indicates that the contacts were not in contact with the water, but I was sure that they were, even holding the pen still and not stirring. The water was very, very clear. I then tested the pen with my friend's water bottle that he hiked in - it worked. Back to the Frozen Lake water, no worky.
I exchanged it after the trip for a new one, then tried to filter water from Sky Pond with it. Again, it would not work correctly and kept frowning at me. I treated my friend's water with it again, it worked. Back to Sky Pond, it didn't work. At this point I was pretty upset and ended up drinking raw Sky Pond on our climb. I ended up taking it back to REI and getting a refund, I'll use that money to buy the MSR droplets from now on. At least they don't have a LCD display that will frown at me. | |
By Mo.
From Burlington, VT
Oct 8, 2008
| Mark - what do you think it was that made the pen not work in the alpine water? I'd love to know, and I'm sure the folks at steripen would too! | |
By Mark Cushman
From Erie, CO
Oct 8, 2008
| Mo. wrote: Mark - what do you think it was that made the pen not work in the alpine water? I'd love to know, and I'm sure the folks at steripen would too!
Well, it wasn't the altitude since I could filter water we carried with us successfully. It had to be either the water temperature (doubtful) or something in the water that maybe reduced the conductive nature of the water?? I really don't know. Whatever it was it was repeatable, though. Unless I got two defective pens that both worked on tap water but not alpine lake water. | |
By Fat Paul
Nov 15, 2008
| As already mentioned in this post, the SteriPEN uses UV light to inactivate E. coli bacteria, virus, but has been found to be less effective on the larger protozoa (i.e. Giardia & Cryptosporidium). The intensity of the UV lamp needs to emit around 240-280 nm of UV radiation to effectively treat water. Treatment is not occurring if the lamp is not emitting in the noted range and can be further diminished if the water is turbid and/or the glass enclosing the lamp is dirty. Suspended matter in turbid waters will shield crypto/giardia oocycts by absorbing and/or reflecting the UV radiation. For this reason, I would personally use the SteriPEN in combination with chlorine dioxide tablet as secondary treatment to ensure all microorganisms have been inactivated. It is the only way to ensure all pathogens have been eliminated from the water. This is the principal used to treat surface water supplies in the US. It only takes one of these micoorganisms to ruin your day. | |
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