Build a homewaterdistiller, how?

[Tjabo]

Hi.
Looking alittle into building a homewaterdistiller for the humidifer, could it be so simple as just taking a stainless steel pot, drill a hole in the lid and put in a piece of silicone-tubing where the steam can condensate and drop down into a container ?

I know its far from the most efficient design but i only need 0.3L or so a day.

Buying distilled water may not be an option, still looking into it.
Buying a waterdistiller is not an option, building one would not have been an option either if i were a law abiding citizen

Regards

[Snoredog]

Hi.
Looking alittle into building a homewaterdistiller for the humidifer, could it be so simple as just taking a stainless steel pot, drill a hole in the lid and put in a piece of silicone-tubing where the steam can condensate and drop down into a container ?

I know its far from the most efficient design but i only need 0.3L or so a day.

Buying distilled water may not be an option, still looking into it.
Buying a waterdistiller is not an option, building one would not have been an option either if i were a law abiding citizen

Regards

Yep, but you need lots of coils to cool the steam to turn it back into water. I'd go get some 1/4" aluminum ice maker line and wrap it around a round object to make a coil, you can probably get a fitting to attach it to a hole in a lid. Then if you put a fan blowing against the coil to cool it faster it will condense back into water faster and not so much steam would be wasted.

I have a Sears unit it makes about 1.5gal at a time it has a pressure pot with internal heating element and the steam goes into a thermal finned tube with a fan blowing on it, water travels over to the 2nd plastic pitcher where the distilled water is collected.

I fire it up about once a month, the water is used for everything, CPAP, iron, bottles of vinegar window cleaner, car batteries etc..

I paid $99 for this one, have had it several years and it works good. Sears still sells it last time I was there, they are found in the air cleaner department where they keep the HEPA air Filters.

[feeling_better]

Try this very simple solar one, probably enough for the hh.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/723941/so ... distiller/

[Bearded_One]

building one would not have been an option either if i were a law abiding citizen

Where is it illegal to build a water distiller? Is it because of a fear people will use it to make distilled spirits?

[Snoredog]

Try this very simple solar one, probably enough for the hh.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/723941/so ... distiller/

Note: Stupid CAT NOT required

[ww]

You should consider deionized water which is produced by the reverse osmosis process as it will not leave impurities in the humidifier. It will be purer than most home distillers you can make. If you have any concern about the bacterial properties, you can boil it. Home distillers purchased from a mail order company normally use all stainless steel parts to prevent metal ion transfer to the distilled water.

[Tjabo]

Yep, but you need lots of coils to cool the steam to turn it back into water.

Have atleast 5meters of tubing which could be cooled in a bucket of water.

How sensitive is it to use copper-pipes?

I paid $99 for this one, have had it several years and it works good. Sears still sells it last time I was there, they are found in the air cleaner department where they keep the HEPA air Filters.

Would not be so cheap after traveling 5000miles one way

Where is it illegal to build a water distiller? Is it because of a fear people will use it to make distilled spirits?

Sweden.
Yes, the laws are EXTREMLY ridicoulous on this matter and does not give any flexibility for any other areas of use, but in the end its the prosecuter that decides if it will go to court and i doubt it would even go that far because i can motivate the use of such a device so its nothing i worry about.

Try this very simple solar one, probably enough for the hh.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/723941/so ... distiller/

Like the idea with simplicity but summer this year have been something like 3weeks and its already autumn.

[tomjax]

The subject of water for HH always amaze and amuse moi.

One answer should do.

Buy distilled water and use it.

Why would ANYONE even consider the hassle of setting up a distillery?
Any posting on water always bring out pages of postings when one should do.

Buy distilled water and use it.

too simple.

[Tjabo]

too simple.

If its so easy then tell me WHERE can i find distilled water????

[Bearded_One]

Have at least 5 meters of tubing which could be cooled in a bucket of water.

How sensitive is it to use copper-pipes?

I am assuming that is 5 meters of silicone tubing; silicone tubing doesn't transfer heat very well, I doubt that it would make a useful condenser. You could always try it, it might work OK.

I think that copper tubing used as a condenser would work much better than silicone tubing.

Copper pipe and solder have been used for a long time in home plumbing without a problem, the other factor is that you are not consuming the water, any metals in the water would be left behind in the humidifier.

[Bearded_One]

In North America and much of Europe, distilled or demineralized water is sold in pharmacies and supermarkets.

[Volcanomom]

too simple.

If its so easy then tell me WHERE can i find distilled water????

In my grocery store it's on the aisle with the bottled drinking water. They sell it for use in steam irons and things like that, and when I had hermit crabs, I used it for them. It comes in gallon jugs.

[echo]

too simple.

If its so easy then tell me WHERE can i find distilled water????

As I noted in your other thread, the "deinoized" water you referred to is probably demineralized water, which is what I'm using.

Look for suitable water for: Car Batteries, Irons, and Humidifiers. All require DISTILLED water.

Therefore I assume demineralized water is also distilled water, since my demineralized water bottle indicates that it can be used for all three.

It is 1 euro or so for 5 L.

I am sure you can find something similar in Sweden. I am in Belgium.

Check the grocery store in the cleaning section or the pharmacies.

[feeling_better]

Some stores have changed from distilled water to deionized water. The latter is not necessarily bacteria free. It is fine for car batteries and steam irons, since the minerals have been removed. So if you are the careful type, you can remove the bacteria by boiling deionized water first. Distilled water is still available in some drug stores, and it will be labeled so. But the deionized water may also say 'suitable for most distilled water use'.

BTW, some stores like Safeway in California, also sell a form of deionized water for drinking purposes. This one had some minerals added back to make it tasteful. Pure distilled/deionized water (especially if all air is removed, such as after boiling and cooling), does not taste good at all to most people.

I thought the reason people were looking into a home still was for the fun of it. I thought that was what this forum was all about, turning cpap therapy into a hobby! Well that is what I have been doing ever since I started on this, and it has been a fun ride for me.

[RiverDave]

The only difference between distilled and deionized water is its method of production.

Deionized or demineralized water has been run through a reverse osmosis system or passed through a series of columns with specially charged beads to attract and capture ions in the water. Distilled water made by boiling the water and collecting the condensate (cooled off steam).

Both of these processes purify the water to the point of it not leaving residue in your humidifier as the water evaporates. Neither affords absolute protection from bacteria. Unless you buy STERILE water (think of IV bags in the hospital), there is no guarantee that it will be bacteria-free. Even then, as soon as you break the seal on the container and expose it to air (or fill your humidifier), hello bacteria.

Point is, it doesn't matter which of these you use.

Just my two cents worth