# Which water is safe?



## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Tap water, distilled water, de-ionised water? Or are they each safe to use?

I have just taken delivery of a Zalman Reserator XT system

It comes with Zalman Anti-corrosion coolant (I guess their brand 'antifreeze') which needs diluting 4:1...

I thought that the best water to dilute it with would be distilled water. I went to our local store and bought some - I had asked for DISTILLED water...They gave me a 5 litre container & when I got home, it was de-ionised water. I have just returned from town searching for distilled water. No one stocks it, only de-ionised stuff. I tried pharmacies, car-parts dealers et al (I even tried to cadge a litre from the local hospital :4-thatsba)

As I am keen to get my water cooling system up & running, I am wondering if the de-ionised is in reality, OK to use?

Advice please


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

tap water here would corode the system in weeks
http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/cdl/2007/0810.html
if you have a laundry or dry cleaners they are usually avenues for distilled water if they have a steam boiler


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Thanks Dai

Thanks for the info Dai. I will also check out the dry cleaners if I fail to make my own distilled water...

At the moment I have mad a crude improvised still and am making it, drip by drip. :grin: 

Small pan boiling water... oversize stainless lid at an angle with computer fan blowing cold air into the outside of the lid and a saucer catching the drips... So far, about 4 fluid ounces....

It would be an interesting project to make a proper water cooled still but what the heck, the pan seems to be doing the job, even if it is slow!...


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

We did that once way back when I was young. My dad had made a batch of crab apple wine that really sucked, full of sediment and undrinkable. So, he borrowed my chemistry set and used a beaker and some tubing attached to it with a stopper. Boiled it in the beaker and the "steam" goes up the tube which had a coiled section in a bowl of ice. Dripped out a tad purified, took 3 runs to make it into acceptable moonshine. Went on to make a boiler from stainless steel and copper tubing to see how it worked on a larger scale. Used a copper sleeve to encase the coils with fittings to run continuous cold water through it. Did an excellent job, though I was too young to try the final product, aside from a capful or so.


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## kodi (Jun 30, 2004)

The supermarkets usually sell distilled water for use in steam irons, it is available in hardware stores as well in Australia


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

OK folks - here is what I have discovered today after visiting almost every shop in town!

Distilled water is relatively difficult to get. It is not generally stocked...Unbelievable!

CAUTIONS:
(IN UK) Go into a car parts store or a garage and ask if they sell distilled water. You will be told yes. Double check with them and as specifically if it is Distilled or De-ionised. They will look blankly and shrug! It is more than likely De-ionised. Look at the bottle closely... 'Battery Top Up Water' IS NOT distilled water, it is de-ionised.

Major computer stores like PCworld do not sell distilled water. Nor do Halfords, Currys, Maplins, B&Q, Homebase, etc (Some of them offered de-ironised as distilled!)

'Boots' Pharmacy can get it on special order...

Before I read Kodi's suggestion, I did visit a supermarket & sure enough there was a shelf of 'Ironing Water'... Not Suitable. It has perfumes added along with benzines, alcohol and a raft of other chemical stuff. I looked at several brands.. all had additives that I am not happy to try.

*R/O or RO or Reduced/Reversed Osmosis water.*
Has anyone had any experience with this or knows if it is suitable or not?

I have been assured by several folk who are supposed to be in the know that R/O water is as pure as you can get. It is sold by aquarium shops/dealers. Take your own container & it only costs about £2 for 5 litres. 

It is filtered to the Nth degree & purified. It is sterile. (so I am told) It was supplied to me in a sterile container.

Comments invited please

---------------------------------
RO References:
Reference 1 A Patants paper describing RO processes
Reference 2: interesting details on RO...

My conclusion is that RO may well be a satisfactory substitute for distilled water. But this should be confirmed before you use it! (All care but no responsibility.)

Post Script: I have given up on making my own distilled water due to the time involved with the crude method I used. 8 ounces in 3 hours was the 1/8th of what I need... the electricity cost!!!.... conversion factor very low...


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## Hardwarenerd (Sep 24, 2008)

no, reverse osmosis water is NOT safe... IMO dont use water. use a coolant that will not corrode or rot, and there are only 2 that i know of... Fluid XP and another, which i do not know the name of. If you do use water, USE ONLY DISTILLED WATER!!! and do not let the top off the bottle for more than a second, or mold spores will get into your system.
And coming from a person who has had and build multiple water cooling systems, for longevity, do not use water (even though it is called water cooling) use fluid XP, it will not rot or corrode, and will last at least 6 yrs (mine has) has a better thermal transfer than water, and it is non-conductive, and doesnt evaporate nearly as fast as water with additives. if you want a website that sells Fluid xp, i will be glad to share... not trying to be a salesman whatsoever, but i have tried multiple substances (including veg oil) and i find that fluid XP is by far the best.


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## MyKobalt (Feb 15, 2008)

The Kmart by me sells Distilled water by the gallon in the same aisle as all the other bottle waters.


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

the problem is buying it in the uk


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## Hardwarenerd (Sep 24, 2008)

if you are still looking for Distilled water, dont know where to help you on that, but i still suggest Fluid XP, lasts longer and is just all around better for your system... and i think that they will ship internationally...


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## dai (Jul 2, 2004)

to get it sent here is $150 compared to 50c for distilled water


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## DonaldG (Aug 23, 2007)

Thanks to all who have responded...(including the moonshine method :grin

I have it sorted (almost) now.

I did a Google and have found 2 or 3 companies who will post 5 litres distilled water for a 'reasonablish' cost of £10.

I have further researched the 'water' issue. I have had telephone discussions with the Quality Assurance & Certification Manager of a major company pharmaceutical supply company who supply 'Pure Water B.P.' to chemists (pharmacies). Pure water BP is de-ionised.

He assures me that the 'Pure Water BP' cannot cause corrosion. He has sent me the tech sheets and certification papers and has asked me to forward them on to Zalman - which I will do.

That said and noted, I still feel that I want to use what is recommended by the manufacturer; distilled water and the Zalman ZM-G200 Anti-Corrosion Coolant. 

As a point of interest, the ZM-G200 Is the same liquid as the ZM-G300 except the 200 is twice the quantity!


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