Distilled Water

[MLee]

I was curious as to whither or not that I can make my own distilled water by melting snow in a plastic container? being that we have had so much of it this year!!!! I know-- it is cheap from the store less that a $1. 00 per Gallon. But when I change my coolant I use distilled water to mix with, and was just wondering. yes fresh snow today.

Marv.

 

[jponder]

Originally posted by MLee

I was curious as to whither or not that I can make my own distilled water by melting snow in a plastic container? being that we have had so much of it this year!!!! I know-- it is cheap from the store less that a $1. 00 per Gallon. But when I change my coolant I use distilled water to mix with, and was just wondering. yes fresh snow today.

Marv.

I'd think melted snow would be pretty close to distiled water.

 

[nickleinonen]

i collect distilled water from my dehumidifior all summer. since we drink a lot of bottled water at my place [in the nice 1. 5 liter bottles] i put it in those, mark it distilled water and stick it in the cold cellar for when i need it. i think i have a little over 50 liters there right now, and come summer, i will collect some more. .



but the melted snow should be good too, as long as it was a nice long snow fall, so the impurities are in the lower layers [just like rain water, you get acid rain for the first little bit, then just distilled water. . ]

 

[jponder]

Originally posted by nickleinonen

i collect distilled water from my dehumidifior all summer. since we drink a lot of bottled water at my place [in the nice 1. 5 liter bottles] i put it in those, mark it distilled water and stick it in the cold cellar for when i need it. i think i have a little over 50 liters there right now, and come summer, i will collect some more. .



but the melted snow should be good too, as long as it was a nice long snow fall, so the impurities are in the lower layers [just like rain water, you get acid rain for the first little bit, then just distilled water. . ]

You know I was talking to my friend who is in the AC biz about having a device that could collect water off ac's, I mean its distilled water. It might be tricky to keep it clear of algae and other contaminates but the water off an AC is definately distilled

 

[MLee]

What is going to be the best way to keep the algie under control in either situation?? or is it possable>

Marv.

 

[jponder]

Well the best way is probably going to be to have a system that hold no water and bottles it. If you have some place where water sits it will grow algae. There are alot of problems with using an air Conditioner to generate distilled water. for one thing the filtration system on the air coming in will have particulate matter and you could filter that. If you have ever seen a coil that doesent have real good filtering you can see all the junk that gets in the coil.



An AC is nonetheless a powerful producer of distilled water, Once you put air in contact with a surface that is less than the dew point of the air it will produce condensation. I personally think a Dehumidifier is stupid. I like to boil water in the Winter and also run my dryer through a water trap and let the humid air enter my home during the winter. OTOH if you dont have double pane windows you will get alot of water on your windows and it will streak down and get stuff wet.



I can remember taking a Physics final at LSU and one of the questions was, If you have a glass of Iced Tea at X degrees and the relative humidity is Y at L degrees then will you get condensation on the glass. It would have been easier if they had just gave us the dew point.



I have always wanted to go to Death Valley and put a Glass of Ice water on my hood and see it bone dry on the outside. Those guy in the Desert have the Best AC ever made, Swamp Coolers!

Man it must be nice to use the evaroration of water VS The mechanical condensation of water that us in the high humidity areas use

 

[Loren]

When I changed my coolant a few years back I thought I was sooooo smart by using water that I had collected from my air conditioner. After all, it's distilled water, right?



Not so fast... At the last TDR rally in Columbus, IN, the anti-freeze/coolant lecturer told me that my water likely had excessive amounts of aluminum and other impurities in it. These impurities require the anti-freeze additives to work extra hard just to remove the aluminum, etc. , from the water. That uses the additives up faster, and my coolant will need changing sooner.



Now I just pay the money for the store-bought distilled water. It's cheap insurance.



Loren

 

[jponder]

Yeah I wondered if impurities frn the coil would get in there, Coils are aluminum and distiled water is made in glass. Well I geuss that settles it. We need to develop a glass evaporator for our ac's where we can use the distilled water