As far as I understand it, the thinking behind using distilled (or deionized) water in coolant mixes is to prevent furring up of waterways with calcium deposits. Presumably it also raises the boiling point slightly (the salts in the water would presumably lower the boiling point).

If so, would it be reasonable to use boiled water (once cooled) to fill the radiator with. From my homebrewing I've got the equipment to boil large amounts of water quickly. That would get rid of the temporary hardness. By definition any permanent hardness would remain in solution even when @ 100 in the radiator. I'm not sure whether it's impact on lowering the boiling point would be significant...

Previously I've used the water that comes out of dehumidifiers (contains mould spores but that'll get killed by the glycol if not the boiling!!) but our flat is rather unhumid at the moment so the dehumidifiers not doing much!!

Otherwise is there an alternative source for distilled water? Sainsburies sell "ironing water" for 80p/Litre but they'll all perfumed and I'm not sure the perfumes would necessarily mix with antifreeze!!! Also I'm not sure I want a Rose + Pomegranate smelling cooling system!

TIA!!!

I assume it would do no harm to use it. However regarding the boiling point it would make no difference. The water would still boil at 100 deg C regardless.

Pretty sure I've bought it from halfrauds in the past...

when I was doing forklift parts we sold it for 56p a litre.

The filters were bought from the guy who done up the chargers for the elecy trucks and then just tap water passed through it and into a barrel

Just buy pre-mixed coolant it is made with de-ionized water.

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Originally posted by mr_pr
The water would still boil at 100 deg C regardless.

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I get it from Halfords in 5l bottles. Its kept next to the batteries.

your local school/college willhave the plant to produce masses of the stuff - nip in and see the guy in the white lab coat with your 5 gallon drum and a couple of cans

One of the best you can get is AGIP if not for a EVANS gel one

May be being extra thick but isn't rain water the same as distilled, i have always used it from the water butt to top up my batteries, and never had a problem. Cheers Ray

Good point re ready mix but I expect most ready mixes are car strength whereas us BECers use hard core 50:50 mix

Looks like yet another trip to Halfrauds might be in order then. If I get desperate I'll use boiled... Good tip re the school, my wife's a teacher so might be able to wangle something. Then again, considering the greef I'd get for trying to get her to lug 5L of water home from work it'd be easier to just go get some!!!!

Hi

I don't think that boiled water is any different to unboiled.

To get distilled water you would have to, err, distill it, that is turn it into steam then condense it back to water.
I think that for batteries it then needs to be deionized, i.e. pass a current through it.



Cheers
Paul G

My kettle says boiled water is very different to unboiled water.

You can even use this calculator

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/water/water.html

to work out how it's different after boiling

Good idea re rain water, might leave a bucket outside overnight!! Nice idea!!!! Very locost. And finally a car related advantage of our glorious weather!!!

I would have thought that boiling it makes the impuritys stronger, the reason the limescale is left in a kettle is because the water in contact with the element is evaporated leaving some of the solids on the surface .The rest of the impuritys are left in solution but at a higher concentration because the water has been partially evaporated.
In other words if you collected the steam and condensed it, it would be pure distilled water but the water left in the kettle would contain more dissolved solids.
The local motor factors sell distilled water in 5 gallon drums.
Paul.

quote:

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Originally posted by 907
Hi

I don't think that boiled water is any different to unboiled.

To get distilled water you would have to, err, distill it, that is turn it into steam then condense it back to water.
I think that for batteries it then needs to be deionized, i.e. pass a current through it.



Cheers
Paul G

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What about a Brita (or generic) water filter?

Many of them just swap calcium carbonate for sodium chloride

bolied water is unboiled water but at a higher tempeature - I don't think all the dissolved minerals suddenly dissappear when it is boiled but good good making tea. In general the higher temperature encourages stuff to dissolve.

rain water is a good substitute as it is evporated water falled from the sky so should not have disolved minerals like you would get in mains water that is collected mostly from water that has flowed through rocks.

I use de-ionised water - cheapest place in Wilkinson; cheaper than Halfords.

quote:

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Originally posted by paulf
I would have thought that boiling it makes the impuritys stronger

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