Haitian villagers carrying yellow jerrycans across a flooded meadow

FAQs

Got questions regarding Icon Lifesaver?

See the FAQs below, and don't hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance.

Carbon Filters
How do I know when I need to change the Activated Carbon Filter?

When the Activated Carbon Filter is no longer effectively removing contaminants, water can still pass through. Try to keep track of roughly how many litres have been purified through your product. Other than keeping track of usage, you may find that water from your LifeSaver product starts to taste a bit off. This is a sign that you should replace or at least remove your Activated Carbon Filter.
How long does the Activated Carbon Filter last?

The Activated Carbon Filters vary in size among each of our products. As such, they each have a different claim for how many litres they are effective up to:
How should I store my unused Activated Carbon Filters?

We recommend storing unused Activated Carbon Filters in an air tight container, until you are ready to use them.
Should I remove my Activated Carbon Filter when it is no longer effective?

Yes. We would recommend removing the Activated Carbon Filter if you have reached the number of litres stated for your product or the water being produced is starting to noticeably taste or smell worse - even if you don't have a replacement to hand. Additionally, if you are putting your LifeSaver product into long term storage we suggest discarding your Activated Carbon Filter at this point. When the time comes to use your product again, you can fit a new Activated Carbon Filter or use it without one.
What do the Activated Carbon Filters remove?

The Activated Carbon Filters improve taste and odour and have been tested to show excellent and consistent heavy metal and chemical reduction for their stated life, over a range of sample contaminants such as chlorine, lead, nickel and cadmium.
Will my LifeSaver product work without the Activated Carbon Filter?

Yes. The Activated Carbon Filter is an optional extra. The LifeSaver ultrafiltration water filter will continue to remove all microbiological contamination with or without the activated carbon filter in place. It is the UF Cartridge which protects you from microbiological contaminants.

Contaminants - What do LifeSaver products remove?
What contaminants do LifeSaver products claim to remove?

LifeSaver products have two stages of filtration. The Ultrafiltration (UF) Cartridge and an optional Activated Carbon Filter. These filters perform different jobs.

  • The UF Cartridge removes physical (insoluble) contaminants above approximately 15 nanometres (0.015 microns) in size. This includes sand, dirt, microplastics and all waterborne microbiological contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and cysts/protozoa
  • The Activated Carbon Filters absorb chemicals and metals such as chlorine, lead, nickel and cadmium, which improves the taste and smell of your water
What water can't LifeSaver Treat?

LifeSaver products will not safely purify:

  • Sea Water
  • Coffee or Wine
  • Grey Water (water from baths, sinks, washing machines etc)
  • Microcystin (a toxin produced by blue-green algae)
  • Urine (due to salt levels)

LifeSaver Technology
Can I use my LifeSaver product to store or carry dirty water?

When out and about using your LifeSaver product, we recommend that you only filter water as you need it.

Even clean water can't be safely stored for more than a few days unless in a sterilised, sealed container. So fill your bottle or jerrycan from a river or lake and then only pump it through the filters when you need the water.

If you plan to store your product in the medium to long term, we recommend cleaning it as described in the Product Manual and then storing it with just a small amount of clean water inside. Change this water every couple of months. This keeps the membranes hydrated. If they dry out, the UF Cartridge will need replacing.
Do your products use Graphene technology to purify water?

Yes. We now offer the LifeSaver Graphene:Ultra Jerrycan and a Graphene:Ultra Jerrycan Replacement Cartridge. Both can be found here
How does LifeSaver technology work?

For LifeSaver products to purify water, the water must pass through our Ultrafiltration Cartridges. Because the pores in our UF Cartridges are so small, pressure is required to force the water through. Our portable water purifiers have a built-in hand pump to generate the required pressure.

Our larger purifiers - the LifeSaver C1 and the LifeSaver C2 - use either the force of gravity to generate the required pressure, by connecting to a water tank stored at least 2 metres above it, or a pressurised municipal water supply.
How long does water take to start flowing from a LifeSaver product?

Before your very first use, you must prime the product, following the instructions in the Product Manual.

Once primed, there are no wait times involved. Simply FILL - PUMP - DRINK
What does FailSafe technology mean?

FailSafe technology is what we call the fact that our products protect their users from ever drinking microbiologically contaminated water, when operated correctly. They do this in 3 ways:

  • Purifying the water (removing viruses, bacteria and cysts/protozoa)
  • Consistent efficacy from first to last drop
  • When the service life of the UF Cartridge has been fulfilled, the pores will be fully blocked by contaminants and the UF Cartridge will completely stop passing water
What size are the pores in a LifeSaver water purifier?

Membrane manufacturers cannot specify an exact, uniform pore size across all of their membranes, due to variance which occurs in membrane production. It is for this reason that LifeSaver can only suggest an approximate size, one that we can safely assume based on the size of the contaminants we effectively remove, demonstrated in independent testing.

LifeSaver can guarantee that the membranes used in our products have a spread of pore sizes that ensure LifeSaver products exceed the microbiological reduction requirements of NSF P231 & EPA guidelines. LifeSaver believes this to be the most important measurement of water purification effectiveness. As such, we believe all our membranes have a pore size of approximately 15 nanometres (0.015 microns).
What’s the difference between a water filter and a water purifier?

We have a detailed explanation of this on our blog, which you can read here. However, to put it simply;

A water filter removes bacteria and cysts/protozoa.

A water purifier removes bacteria, cysts/protozoa AND viruses.

Maintenance
How should I look after my LifeSaver?

Please read the relevant Product Manuals, under each listing. Most importantly, don't let your cartridge membranes dry out, always keep a little clean water in your product between uses, and regularly clean it, as per the Product Manual.
What's the best way to mount my Jerrycan on my 4x4

There are many mounting options available that will keep you Jerrycan secure while on the road, both inside and outside your vehicle - whether that's a 4x4, a campervan, an RV or a Motorhome. We've looked at what's available here.

Shelf Life
What is the shelf life for LifeSaver products?

Shelf life for our standard products is 3 to 5 years from the date of purchase, and at least 10 years for foil-sealed options. The shelf life is quoted as a minimum of 3 years on all our products from the date of purchase from Approved Resellers.

This is based on the product being stored in cool and dry conditions, that the pump has been screwed up tight and the outlet closed off. The filter has therefore been sealed inside the vessel. The products should be kept out of direct sunlight and away from extremes of temperature. In good storage conditions the life of an unused product will be far more.

It is impossible to give a finite life in perfect conditions, but we would say up to 5 years is quite feasible. The only way to know, is to prime the cartridge and perform a membrane integrity check (see relevant Product Manual).

Activated Carbon Filters are very absorbent, so even in their plastic film they are absorbing molecules from the air. Therefore we would not suggest that their useful shelf life will never be much more than quoted. Again, it is dependent on their storage conditions. This guarantee is given from the date the customer purchases from an Approved Reseller, not from the date of manufacture.

Purchases outside of Approved Resellers cannot be warranted, as their storage conditions will not have been approved by LifeSaver and their product stocking turnaround not monitored.

Shipping
How long do online orders take to receive?

Unless stated otherwise, orders are processed daily and despatched from the UK within 5-7 days. (Orders received 8:00am - 4:30pm UTC Monday - Friday) Delivery will then take 3-5 days worldwide from despatch.
Who is responsible for local duty and tax costs?

Any applicable duties, taxes and shipping will be calculated and charged at checkout, we will then dispatch your order using Delivered Duty Paid ‘DDP’ delivery terms (Subject to Incoterms 2020).  

Storage
I haven’t used my LifeSaver product for a period of one month or more, what should I do before re-using it?

Clean your LifeSaver product before re-use, refer to the relevant Product Manual for cleaning instructions. We would recommend fitting a new Activated Carbon Filter before re-use, but this is optional.
I’m not planning to use my LifeSaver product for a period of one month or more, how should I store it?

If you’ve already primed and used your product but now won’t be using it for one month or more, we recommend discarding the Activated Carbon Filter.

Then clean your LifeSaver product as per the cleaning instructions, detailed in the relevant Product Manual. Put a little clean water back in and store in a cool and dry environment away from direct sunlight. Replace the clean water every couple of months.

Testing
How are your purifiers tested and to what standards?the test in order to be claimed safe for use in the back country.

We test our products at independent labs using the protocols created by NSF (National Sanitation Foundation). NSF P231 – Microbiological Water Purifiers & NSF P248 Military Operation Microbiological Water Purifiers.It is important that you check that your purifier has been tested to the full protocol of NSF P231. This is a 10.5 day test that uses multiple sources of water (including imitated sewage), to stress the purifier and check it will work for you in all scenarios.All our test results are displayed on our website for the consumer to view, read them here. Please be aware that products that claim to 'Meet the microbiological reduction requirements of NSF P231 or EPA guide' have likely not done the full test, but claim to meet the standards required after just one day. They need to meet the standards after 10 days of

Troubleshooting
My product is leaking from the pump tube, out of the handle

This means the Dome Valve (rubber bung at the bottom of the pump tube) is not sealing correctly.It normally means it is fouled with some algae or debris and just needs cleaning. In the worst case scenario, the valve may be damaged and might need replacing. To remove the Dome Valve, simply pry underneath the outer edge of the valve and pull directly out of the end of the pump. Now rinse under clean water and scrub clean. Also clean the end of the pump. Check both components for any splits, cracks or sign of wear.To reassemble, simply align the Dome Valve with the centre of the pump and push until fully seated and flat in the bottom of the pump tube.
What pre-filters should I consider for the LifeSaver C1 or C2?

As a minimum you should fit a 50-micron sediment filter. You can also fit wound PP cartridges, which are effective but will require regular maintenance & replacement. You could also fit a carbon filter. This will serve as a pre-filter and remove chemicals/metals and improve taste and odour. This is a system with a cleanable element. It means spares on-site are not required and it can be easily cleaned and re-installed: www.twistiiclean.com
Why does my Jerrycan rock when it is stood or laid down on its side?

It is actually a design intention and forms part of the patent claim for how the Jerrycan is formed to deal with high pressure.Due to the way the Jerrycan is moulded it needs a release angle enabling it to be removed from the tool. Therefore, it is like a very shallow V form meeting in the middle when the can is viewed end on. If it wasn’t like this, the Jerrycans wouldn’t be able to be moulded in the way they are and would not be robust enough.Therefore it has some shallow block-like feet on the bottom to help it stand upright out-of-the-box, which it does in normal use. These are kept to a minimum size to allow moulding. However when a can is highly pressurised and left like this for a period of time, the Jerrycan will start to expand and the v-form straightens, this is more prevalent when pumped hard in warm environments and when left for extended periods (which is advised against in the Manual). Therefore, this deformation is quite normal and avoidable if always de-pressurised.
Why has my filter blocked so quickly?

If you pass very dirty water - that has a lot of mud, silt, algae or sewage - through your product, you could block a filter very quickly.Conversely, if your feed water looks clear, it will last beyond the filter life projections we state. Remember, clear-looking water is not necessarily safe water, as bacteria and viruses are not visible to the naked eye. So even a clear water feed will eventually block your filter.However, if the filter does block, that is a sign that it is doing the job you bought it for and that the FailSafe Technology is working. We recommend only using the cleanest water available. If the only available source is very dirty, try to pre-filter the water by any means before putting it through your product. Protecting your purifier in this way will help preserve both the flow rate and the life of your UF Cartridge.It is also possible that you have inadvertently let the membranes in your filter dry out. If this is the case, your UF Cartridge will need replacing. You must always keep a small amount of clean water inside your product. This water will keep the membranes hydrated, preventing them from drying out.
Why is my water still a tinted colour after purifying?

If the water is coming out green this does not mean that it is not being effectively purified. Our purifiers use hollow fibre membranes with a pore size of approximately 15 nanometres (0.015 microns). The colour you are seeing coming through is probably just dye in the water. Most likely from algae or detritus breaking down. This dye is in solution of the fluid and will be around 1-5 nanometres in size. Therefore, our UF Cartridge could not remove it. It is not dangerous, but may result in bad taste or smell in the water.
Why when I use a TDS meter does the water from a LifeSaver product show an increased TDS?

There are two types of contaminants in aqueous solutions, dissolved and suspended. 1. Suspended contaminants, are things like sticks, leaves, virus, bacteria and cysts (all microbiological contaminants fall into this category). 2. Dissolved contaminants are things like minerals, heavy metals, chemicals and salts. TDS meters measure 'Total dissolved solids' in the solution. So it's measuring (fairly roughly) the amount of minerals, salts chlorine etc. in your water. LifeSaver filters only remove contaminants in suspension of the solution. Hence 99.9999% Bacteria, 99.99% Virus and cyst removal. This is important, as LifeSaver filters do not de-mineralise the water. You need minerals in your water for your body to remain healthy. Otherwise you will leech minerals from other parts of your body to make up for it. You should not drink de-mineralised water on a regular basis! Importantly, that TDS meter does not measure microbiological contamination. So even if there were viruses or bacteria in the samples, you could still get a 0 TDS reading, while the water would actually be microbiologically unsafe. As for the reason the reading is actually higher out of the LifeSaver product. Presumably the LifeSaver UF Cartridge is quite new and therefore recently primed. When LifeSaver products leave the factory, they are glycerine infused (this is a mix of sugar and water). The glycerine holds the tiny pores open and sticks in there to give the product a shelf-life. When you prime the filter you wash ≈90% of this out, to give you the flow rate. However over the first few 100 litres, traces of glycerine (≈10%) will still be being dissolved by the water flowing through. Therefore you may see small increases in TDS during this period.

Ultrafiltration (UF) Cartridges
How do I know when I need to replace the UF Cartridge?

The UF Cartridge uses hollow fibre membrane technology to purify water. These membranes contain microscopic pores which are large enough for water to pass through, but tiny enough to trap contaminants over 15 nanometres (0.015 microns) in size. As you use your LifeSaver product, the pores will gradually block up with contaminants. This means over time the water molecules have fewer and fewer pores available to pass through. This results in a reduction in flow rate. We recommend cleaning your product thoroughly, following the instructions in the Product Manual. This may restore the flow rate for a while. Eventually nearly all the pores will be blocked and the flow rate will slow down to a rate which is  unacceptable to you. At this point you should change your UF Cartridge. The beauty of this technology is that the water which passes through the UF Cartridge is equally safe from the first litre to the last. The fact that water will no longer pass through the product when it's no longer effective is a feature we refer to as FailSafe.
How long does the UF Cartridge last?

The UF Cartridges vary in size among each of our products. They each have a different claim for how many litres they will purify up to. These claims are based on 'best case' scenarios, as everyone will use their products in different ways, using varied types of source water: LifeSaver Wayfarer - 5,000 Litres LifeSaver Liberty - 2,000 Litres LifeSaver Cube - 5,000 Litres LifeSaver Bottle - 6,000 Litres LifeSaver Jerrycan - 20,000 Litres
What does the UF Cartridge remove?

The UF cartridges remove all contaminants larger than approximately 15 nanometres, such as sand, mud and microplastics, as well as, most importantly, all waterborne microbiological organisms (viruses, bacteria and cysts/protozoa), including: Covid Rotavirus Giardia Norovirus E. coli Listeria Cryptosporidium Salmonella Hepatitis A Tuberculosis PolioCampylobacter Flukes Cholera SARS roundworms Typhoid Ebola Flatworms Leptospirosis Microsporidia Entamoeba histolytica Shigella Legionellosis
Will my LifeSaver product work without the UF Cartridge?

No, a UF Cartridge must be fitted whenever a LifeSaver product is used. It is the UF Cartridge which protects the user from microbiological contaminants and purifies the water.

Unauthorised Sellers
There are an array of prices for some of your products online. Is there an issue with unscrupulous dealers?

Are these genuine LifeSaver products or is there a copycat problem?Cheap products, specifically our LifeSaver Bottles, that are appearing online (eBay and Amazon mainly) are ex-NATO stock that is up to 10 years old. These have been bought at auction by wholesalers. Our advice is always to replace the main filter and carbon (if required). They are notoriously badly stored and well-travelled so should not be trusted.To the best of our knowledge, no one is directly copying our products. There are however competitor products that make similar claims, so always investigate their testing protocols to be sure you'll get the protection you are looking for.

Warranty
Do your products come with a warranty?

All our products come with a 2 year manufacturer warranty from new, when purchased from us or an Approved Reseller, for manufacturing defects.
I bought from Amazon who do I contact for repairs, refunds etc.?

If you purchased your LifeSaver product through Amazon or any other 3rd party seller, your enquiry should be directly through them. If you have exhausted these channels, you can contact us on info@iconlifesaver.com and we will try to help if possible.