Which water to use with your humidifier?

[Snoredog]

Not too difficult for me to figure out, but I promised I'd post my next batch of homemade distilled water.

Below is from my Sears Kenmore 1 gallon water distiller. You put tap water in the heating unit container, push the button it distills it going through a coil with a fan cooling the coil and into the plastic capture container with the distilled water, a few hours later you have pure distilled water from any water source.

I live in a small town in central Calif., where they have city water and most of it (depending on the time of the year) comes from either the Delta or well water, it is all tested and chlorinated to meet EPA standards before going in my distiller. Our water department boasts at the quality of our water even sending out bi-annual reports in the water bill.

Below is the discharge water from my water distiller from a single gallon of that city tap water, the distiller container in the background is white the counter top tile is off white sort of a bisque appliance color. The discharge water has a petrochemical smell to it, my guess from MTBE.

and we are supposed to drink this stuff. Distilled water tastes really bad if you try to drink it, but if you run it through a Brita Charcoal filter pitcher it is not bad.

Nope that is not ice tea in that glass, that is the discharge from a single gallon of tap water:


Here is that same water in a 1oz. shot glass:


I wonder what effect that amount has on your health over say 50 years.

[capt]

Snoredog, the residue looks like it is iron to me. MBTE is supposed to be clear and unfortunately it is completely water soluble and that is what makes it so bad as a water polluting agent. I find it hard to believe the state Air Quality people wanted to use it as a clean air agent in gasoline, without thinking about all the underground fuel tanks that gasoline is stored knowing full well that underground tanks have been leaking for decades and there was a great chance that the ground water would be contaminated. It was bad enough when the contamination was from gasoline, but to have a completely water soluble agent involved is just terrible. In Southern California they are dealing with dumped rocket fuel from the 60's along with MBTE.

[Ric]

For the sake of science, I would suggest that you run a series of tests, alternating between tap water, then distilled water as the source, back and forth a few times. That my sound redundant, but it would be useful to rule out something that might be introduced by the new equipment itself. (Did some charcoal get loose in there? did a mouse die in there somewhere? Was there some tape or packaging material that was overlooked?) If they ALL look equally bad, I would suspect the equipment. If the tap water residue stays bad, and the distilled water residue appears squeaky clean, then yes, it's the tap water.

Assuming it really IS something about the tap water, you might take your sample to the water department and get a second opinion. From the looks of it, it could be iron as capt suggested. I've seen a lot of that in the well water from Northern Calif where we used to live. That wouldn't explain the "petrochemical smell".

If the water company balks, or appears to not care especially what it is, then the next stop would be the local news. (Mod Bee?) That will probably get the whole town wondering what it is, and get you a QUICK answer, and the correct one. And maybe a visit from the mayor. That stuff looks deadly. (Did you try that on your neighbor's cat just to see if it really IS compatible with life?)

If it's not the water, but something goofy about the Kenmore distiller, PLEASE REPORT BACK TO US !!! I was thinking of upgrading my older model:



-Ric

[Offerocker]

<snip>...almost forgot myslf and asked a question!

[Snoredog]

[quote="Ric"]For the sake of science, I would suggest that you run a series of tests, alternating between tap water, then distilled water as the source, back and forth a few times. That my sound redundant, but it would be useful to rule out something that might be introduced by the new equipment itself. (Did some charcoal get loose in there? did a mouse die in there somewhere? Was there some tape or packaging material that was overlooked?) If they ALL look equally bad, I would suspect the equipment. If the tap water residue stays bad, and the distilled water residue appears squeaky clean, then yes, it's the tap water.

Assuming it really IS something about the tap water, you might take your sample to the water department and get a second opinion. From the looks of it, it could be iron as capt suggested. I've seen a lot of that in the well water from Northern Calif where we used to live. That wouldn't explain the "petrochemical smell".

If the water company balks, or appears to not care especially what it is, then the next stop would be the local news. (Mod Bee?) That will probably get the whole town wondering what it is, and get you a QUICK answer, and the correct one. And maybe a visit from the mayor. That stuff looks deadly. (Did you try that on your neighbor's cat just to see if it really IS compatible with life?)

If it's not the water, but something goofy about the Kenmore distiller, PLEASE REPORT BACK TO US !!! I was thinking of upgrading my older model:



-Ric

[Offerocker]

Snoredog:

How long does it take to distill one batch?

Thanks for all the info!

[nosbig-nosbig]

I use distilled water!

However, what difference does it really make?

You end up with the gunky stuff in the bottom of your distiller or in the bottom of your water chamber. And water vapor up your nose.

[Guest]

you might Try not using the humidifier, I have had cpap 18 mo. and never used the humidifier,, get on fine, little dry feeling in nose in really cold weather, messing around with that water has not been necessisary for me cant see any need for it

[Snoredog]

Snoredog:

How much water will the distiller handle during one cycle?
And how long does it take?

Thanks for all the info!

The one I have is the smaller model think it holds about 5 quarts, they have a larger model which takes less time. I make a batch about once a month it takes it a good 2-3 hours to make a batch. I have it out in the laundry room and let it run over night it automatically shuts off when complete.

I know you can buy it already distilled by the gallon cheap, but it is a convenience item, when you are out of distilled water you have to drive somewhere to purchase it, with your own distiller you fill the container and push the button. If this one broke, I'd go buy another one. Think the one I have cost $130 and I got it on sale for $99. I've had it several years, also use the water in the steam iron.

You have to remember that water vapor can make its way on to your lungs while the turbinates trap a lot of it.

[Offerocker]

Snoredog:

How much water will the distiller handle during one cycle?
And how long does it take?

Thanks for all the info!

The one I have is the smaller model think it holds about 5 quarts, they have a larger model which takes less time. I make a batch about once a month it takes it a good 2-3 hours to make a batch. I have it out in the laundry room and let it run over night it automatically shuts off when complete.

I know you can buy it already distilled by the gallon cheap, but it is a convenience item, when you are out of distilled water you have to drive somewhere to purchase it, with your own distiller you fill the container and push the button. If this one broke, I'd go buy another one. Think the one I have cost $130 and I got it on sale for $99. I've had it several years, also use the water in the steam iron.

You have to remember that water vapor can make its way on to your lungs while the turbinates trap a lot of it.

WOW, to be honest, I didn't even know such a thing was manufactured, let alone by Kenmore (I think you stated).

I have a steam generator iron, and go through distilled water like crazy! This would be well worth the investment over the long run - especially the convenience! Seems that I don't have enough dw when I need it most, then have to store the gallon containers, etc. And of course they seem to be 'out' of it when I need it most.

I was so surprised at the COLOR of what was extracted by your 'distiller'. Minerals I suppose. Do you know if you may have 'hard water', causing that, or do you think that most public water would have same results?

OK to "assume" there's no filters or such that need to be changed regularly? ($$).

I'm glad that you brought up this. Am curious if you've ever looked at the sediment under microscope or had it analyzed. Makes me wonder what the mass-production water distilleries DO with all of that residue. And I'm sure that some areas have more content in their water.

Most interesting topic; am glad you posted it.

Kathleen

[mattman]

It definately is an interesting idea.

I would be extremely interested in seeing the results of going through the same process with store-bought distilled water, tap water, the outputted distilled water and then also some store-bought "brand name" water like dasani or aquafina.

It's so hard to know just what that is coming out and going through several sources like that would be an exellent way to figure out what is introducing the coloration.

Please keep us posted!

mattman

[nomad]

I just don't get the whole "use distilled water only" in your humidifier thing.

We have a tap on on our sink that's hooked up to a reverse osmosis drinking water system. Before the RO filter, it runs through 4 other filters and a water softener.

My take on the distilled water only situation is this... if the RO water I get from the drinking water tap is good enough for me to put into my body without harming me in any way (yes, we cook with it as well), then what's wrong with using it in a humidifier as long as you do your regular periodic cleaning of the humidifier? If anything, it seems that the humidifier water would be even cleaner (if that's even possible) seeing as how any remaining impurities would be left behind in the chamber.

Is my logic on this totally flawed? Again... to me, good enough to drink = good enough to breath. I would dare guess that the air in the average home has more harmful pollutants than anything you could take in from RO water. Distilled seems to be overkill. I see zero advantage to it.

[tomjax]

Nomad, your body is capable of assimilating the dissolved minerals in tap or RO water, a humidifier is not.

When water is removed, the salts and minerals will precipitate out and leave the deposit.

When I was a kid, my father owned an ice plant and we made ice in 300 pound blocks. a metal tube connected to an air compressor was in the center and extended about a foot from the bottom. As the ice formed from the outside, the undisolved minerals would concentrate as the core got smaller,'We would have to suck the core out and replace with fresh water.
If this was not done there would be a layer of grainy minerals in the middle. There was always a small amt left anyway.

The same principle is at work here, but I cannot understand the color of his remaining water.
I wish some one could explain this color. I have never seen it in the ice plant. It was always white and grainy.

[nomad]

Nomad, your body is capable of assimilating the dissolved minerals in tap or RO water, a humidifier is not.

When water is removed, the salts and minerals will precipitate out and leave the deposit.

That's my point. The "stuff" is left in the humidifier and accumulates in the container as the water evaporates (so you clean it on a regular basis). Isn't a CPAP humidifier doing basically the same thing as a distiller? Isn't the moisture that leaves the humidifier "pure?" The only difference is it doesn't condense and form back into water (unless of course you're dealing with rain out.

If I'm missing something, I still can't see it.

[tomjax]

You are correct that the principle of the humidifier and distiller is similar.

The water leaves as vapor or molecular water and leaves behind the minerals.

These will precipitate out and coat the chamber that can be removed with clr or vinegar in some cases.


This minor incovenience is why many prefer distilled water and avoid the problem.

Your choice. I suppose