Great deal on deionised water

[smileypete]

What about using the melt water from the fridge ice ? If this is just moisture captured from the atmosphere it should contain very little minerals, but what about them ions ???

 

Peter

 

Probably OK if you strain out the breadcrumbs and odd frozen pea. . Clean rainwater should be fairly good too.

 

A cheap TDS meter for a few pounds via Ebay can be a good way of checking for those pesky ions.

 

ETA: According to US Battery:

 

'Water used to replenish batteries should be distilled or treated not to exceed 200 T.D.S. (Total Dissolved Solids…parts per million). Particular care should be taken to avoid metallic contamination (iron).'

 

http://usbattery.com/info-center/care-and-maintenance/

 

200 seems quite high to me so I guess single figures should be neither here no there... IIRC I read somewhere that mains tap water should be OK in emergencies.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited March 4, 2016 by smileypete

[blackrose]

 

Ok two questions leap to mind:

 

1) Who uses so much deionised water they actually know what it costs? (I use about one litre per lifetime).

 

2) What on earth is it anyway? Back in the day distilled water was order of the day.

 

 

Really? I use at least 4 litres every time I top up my batteries. 3 big domestics, 1 start and 2 BT.

 

I pay about £1.75 for 5 litres from a discount shop in Purewell, Dorset near my mum's place.

 

I used deionised water on my last set of domestic batteries and they lasted 10 years so it can't be that bad. I'm still using the original 11 year old start and BT batteries that came with the boat.

Edited March 4, 2016 by blackrose

[cuthound]

In the early days of my career I worked on power maintenace for BT. They had deionising plant, which had to be regenerated with hydrochloric acid and calcium carbonate (IIRC).

 

The manual states how much DI water you could get per regen. In central London we got nothing like the published figures, so I called in the equipment manufacturer.

 

They measured to total disolved solids (TDS) in the tap water and explained that the higher they were (more impurities) the less DI water was made between regens.

 

They said that the TDS in London tapwatercwas around 580 ppm, and that the world Health Organisation put an arbitrary limit of 600 ppm to denote safe drinking water!

[WotEver]

In the early days of my career I worked on power maintenace for BT. They had deionising plant, which had to be regenerated with hydrochloric acid and calcium carbonate (IIRC).

 

The manual states how much DI water you could get per regen. In central London we got nothing like the published figures, so I called in the equipment manufacturer.

 

They measured to total disolved solids (TDS) in the tap water and explained that the higher they were (more impurities) the less DI water was made between regens.

 

They said that the TDS in London tapwatercwas around 580 ppm, and that the world Health Organisation put an arbitrary limit of 600 ppm to denote safe drinking water!

 

Was that an osmosis plant?

 

Tony

[bizzard]

 

Was that an osmosis plant?

 

Tony

Do they have to water the Osmosis plants with de-ionised water at Kew gardens.

[MtB]

Do they have to water the Osmosis plants with de-ionised water at Kew gardens.

 

I wondered something similar. Tried to google for a picture of one but just got a load of diagrams...

[cuthound]

Was that an osmosis plant?

 

Tony

No it was a "Permitit" twin bed deionised.

 

Similar to these, I believe Veolia have taken over Permutit.

 

http://technomaps.veoliawatertechnologies.com/rapidestrata/en/

 

We had two, a small portable one, and a much larger built in one. The deionised water was then kept in wooden, lead lined tanks until needed. Then decanted into 2 gallon buckets and poured into the top of the open cells.

 

Each 2v cell was a large lead lined wooden box was about 2' wide x 4' high x 4' deep and had a capacity of 15,050ah.

 

Edited to provide more info.

Edited March 4, 2016 by cuthound

[WotEver]

No it was a "Permitit" twin bed deionised.

 

Similar to these, I believe Veoli have taken over Permutit.

 

http://technomaps.veoliawatertechnologies.com/rapidestrata/en/

 

We had two, a small portable one, and a much larger built in one. The deionised water was then kept in wooden, lead lined tanks until needed.

 

Ooohhh... ain't chemistry clever

[bizzard]

 

I wondered something similar. Tried to google for a picture of one but just got a load of diagrams...

They're everso heavy with ions and are grown elswhere too and they can run about like Triffids. You often see the warning signs for them whilst driving along.(Heavy Plant Crossing).

[nigelmercier]

I get mine from my home dehumidifier for nothing.

While this may be OK for batteries or antifreeze dilution, don't even consider using it in a steam iron. The risk from Legionella via aerosol distribution is very high; I know, I've been infected by it.

[DHutch]

Who uses so much deionised water they actually know what it costs? (I use about one litre per lifetime).

Ditto! I acquired a litre bottle when I took over maintenance on the boat, I have used it once in five years, about half a cup full....

I've seen it on car forums where they reckon 'everybody' uses it in their coolant these days. Whether that's true and whether it would make any difference I have absolutely no idea.

I am quite sure I am not in my cars!

 

- Nor my kettle....

 

Daniel

[Mac of Cygnet]

While this may be OK for batteries or antifreeze dilution, don't even consider using it in a steam iron. The risk from Legionella via aerosol distribution is very high; I know, I've been infected by it.

 

I note that you made an identical statement about steam irons 4 years ago on a yachting forum, where you said that you were not in fact infected from a steam iron. In fact, every reference I've found has said that steam irons are not a Legionella risk.

 

Anyway, I hope you've fully recovered now!

[blackrose]

Ditto! I acquired a litre bottle when I took over maintenance on the boat, I have used it once in five years, about half a cup full....

 

They're not sealed, maintenance-free batteries by any chance?

 

Seriously, I suppose it's down to use and charging regimes, but the difference in how much water people use for their batteries is surprising. I top my batteries up about every 4-6 months and they take loads.

Edited March 6, 2016 by blackrose

[nigelmercier]

I note that you made an identical statement about steam irons 4 years ago on a yachting forum, where you said that you were not in fact infected from a steam iron. In fact, every reference I've found has said that steam irons are not a Legionella risk.

 

Anyway, I hope you've fully recovered now!

Steam irons are not a risk from the steam output. However, they are a significant risk from the cold water spray. Edited March 6, 2016 by nigelmercier

[George94]

From the HSE website on Legionella:

 

"Any water system, with the right environmental conditions, could be a source for legionella bacteria growth. There is a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk if your water system:

• has a water temperature between 20–45 °C
• creates and/or spreads breathable droplets, e.g. aerosol created by a cooling tower, or water outlets"

[cuthound]

From the HSE website on Legionella:

 

"Any water system, with the right environmental conditions, could be a source for legionella bacteria growth. There is a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk if your water system:

 

• has a water temperature between 20–45 °C
• creates and/or spreads breathable droplets, e.g. aerosol created by a cooling tower, or water outlets"

Absolutely, this is why domestic hot water should be stored at 65degrees C, so that any legoonella bugs are killed off. They certainly won't survive in steam!

[MtB]

I'd imagine the legionella grew in the luke-warm dehumidifier water prior to decanting into the steam iron.

[George94]

I'd imagine the legionella grew in the luke-warm dehumidifier water prior to decanting into the steam iron.

Indeed. But the point is that the spray from the iron would then provide a means for the iron-man to ingest the Legionella.

[bottle]

They're not sealed, maintenance-free batteries by any chance?

 

Seriously, I suppose it's down to use and charging regimes, but the difference in how much water people use for their batteries is surprising. I top my batteries up about every 4-6 months and they take loads.

 

Do it once a month and they will take approximately one sixth to one quarter less.

 

 

[Loafer]

I get my phone to remind me once a month. I usually have to top up all cells, typically using around 1/3 litre (per month).

Edited March 6, 2016 by Loafer

[ditchcrawler]

I get my phone to remind me once a month. I usually have to top up all cells, typically using around 1/3 litre (per month).

As I only charge by using the engine I top up at the same time as the oil and filter change.

[Loafer]

As I only charge by using the engine I top up at the same time as the oil and filter change.

 

I presume you will always have been ok with that, level-wise.

[ditchcrawler]

 

I presume you will always have been ok with that, level-wise.

I hope so, I did let them get very low a year or so, which is why I now do the oil change top up routine. I also charge at a higher voltage now, they are Trojans so I am pleased that they still work .

[DHutch]

From the HSE website on Legionella:

 

"Any water system, with the right environmental conditions, could be a source for legionella bacteria growth. There is a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk if your water system:

• has a water temperature between 2045 °C
• creates and/or spreads breathable droplets, e.g. aerosol created by a cooling tower, or water outlets"

I understand windscreen washer bottles without screenwash solution are a common source.

 

Daniel