Koolmist tap (well water) vs distilled water

[Pevehouse]

I also use distilled water when mixing. No problems

 

[GeneT45]

Distilled water is cheap, and the best thing for any of your tools. I use distilled water (with "water wetter") in several cooling applications, only distilled water in my TIG cooler, and distilled water in my coolant. Treatment chemicals, biologicals, and minerals are all bad in most of those applications. I seem to have avoided all the problems that I hear about from folks who do otherwise, so either I'm lucky, or it's the right way to go.

GsT

 

[dabear3428]

Distilled water is cheap, and the best thing for any of your tools. I use distilled water (with "water wetter") in several cooling applications, only distilled water in my TIG cooler, and distilled water in my coolant. Treatment chemicals, biologicals, and minerals are all bad in most of those applications. I seem to have avoided all the problems that I hear about from folks who do otherwise, so either I'm lucky, or it's the right way to go.

GsT

IMO distilled is better than RO, my experience with RO is that it tends to eat coffee pot heating elements, had to install a carbon block after the RO unit to make a commercial Coffee pot last more than 2 months.

 

[ChazzC]

IMO distilled is better than RO, my experience with RO is that it tends to eat coffee pot heating elements, had to install a carbon block after the RO unit to make a commercial Coffee pot last more than 2 months.

RO isn't the solution to hard water:

https://www.watertechonline.com/wat...d-water-on-reverse-osmosis-filtration-systems

 

[ChazzC]

Click & Clack, there's a blast from the past. Used to listen to them religiously on NPR. Can't say that I've seen that to be true on my vehicles. I run a 50/50 blend, and have not seen any corrosion to speak of. I'm not a believer in changing antifreeze. Been running the same mix in my backhoe (used almost daily) for over 30 years with no issues. Two years ago I had to drain the system to repair a leaking radiator (cracked lower hose connection) and saw no evidence of corrosion. Reused the same coolant and topped it off. We are led to believe many things that make a lot of money for other people, but to each there own. Mike

They were referring to using distilled water for the 50% water instead of tap water or deionized water.

 

[ChazzC]

Water collected by a dehumidifier is essentially distilled water.If you are concerned about bacteria in the water, heat it to the boiling point, It takes about 1/3 kwh to heat a gallon of water to the boiling point. Far cheaper than buying distilled water.

Distillation does more than kill bacteria, it removes virtually everything that's not water (can get some carryover with the vapor).

 

[rabler]

Distillation does more than kill bacteria, it removes virtually everything that's not water (can get some carryover with the vapor).

@ChazzC, are you mixing alcohol in with your distilled water? Don't let the ATF hear about that

A dehumidifier would probably be a good source of distilled water if it was in a clean environment, but I know I have to wash mine out yearly and it gets quite nasty. Our soil is fine silt so on dry days things get pretty dusty. That wet radiator (cooling fins) traps a lot of airborne particulate. Maybe if you used a HEPA air filter. But it is easier for me to buy distilled water.

 

[dabear3428]

@ChazzC, are you mixing alcohol in with your distilled water? Don't let the ATF hear about that

A dehumidifier would probably be a good source of distilled water if it was in a clean environment, but I know I have to wash mine out yearly and it gets quite nasty. Our soil is fine silt so on dry days things get pretty dusty. That wet radiator (cooling fins) traps a lot of airborne particulate. Maybe if you used a HEPA air filter. But it is easier for me to buy distilled water.

Dehumidifier water / hvac condensate is considered gray water. in a lot of ways it is worse that well water (but not as hard).

 

[FOMOGO]

Furnace condensate is pretty acidic. Does damage to concrete fairly quickly if untreated. Mike

 

[FOMOGO]

I was aware that was what they were referring to, just not true in my experience, or apparently for others as well. Don't see tap water, especially well water being a good choice either. Mike

They were referring to using distilled water for the 50% water instead of tap water or deionized water.