What water do you use?

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siclick33

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Simple question and maybe I'm overthinking it.

One manufacturer I have looked at recommends distilled water and specifically not de-ionized. Another recommends de-ionized with 3-5% tap water to prevent dezincification.

What type of water do you use, and have you ever had any problems? Is any particular type of water theoretically better than any other?

Does it really matter?
 
Endless discussions, Perhaps read all the other threads on this first?

Regner Else - discussion starts about post #6

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New Dora Owner needs help!

Evening all, I hope you are well. I've just fulfilled a dream I've had since I was about six and taken delivery of my first live steam engine. An Accucraft Dora. I have some questions, I have tried to search, but the search keeps coming back saying the word "oil" is too short and is left off...
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Purified Di-Hydrogen Oxide.....

I know that most of you chaps who are heavily into Live Steam have your own established ways of getting suitable "free" water for your locos, such as the run-off from dehumidifiers, cunning filtration systems from garden water butts (hurhurhur - "butts".... :D ) and so on...... but I still...
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(Hint: using the search function for a FAQ (frequently asked question) will be more fruitful than starting yet another one, and still only have a small fraction of what has already been posted.
 
I searched 'water' before posting but nothing came up. :think:

But thanks anyway.
 
Indeed we have had endless discussions on this matter. My choice for years has been to use water from a dehumidifier if you have one. But rain water from a water butt sieved through a water filter where the filter is new and not used for hard water would work as well. My view is that you could have spent 2-3000 pounds/dollars/euro’s or more on a live steamer, so why risk trashing it by not spending a modest extra to get a good safe supply of water for your little Dragon.
 
Like Jon, I use rain water collected in a plastic washing up bowl, filtered through a couple of coffee filters. I don't use stuff from my water butt's as I'm never sure what else has got into it. This was recommended by Accucraft who actually suggested a tea strainer
 
My reason for asking actually cropped up in one of the other threads but I’m still at a loss for an answer.

I have an RO/DI system for a marine fish tank and was hoping that I might be able to use the water from that (it’s the gold standard for pure water for the fish!), but now I’m not so sure.

Maybe mixing that with a bit of tap water will work?

Otherwise I’ll just try to get some bottled distilled water or try to collect some rain water.
 
siclick33 said:
My reason for asking actually cropped up in one of the other threads but I’m still at a loss for an answer.

I have an RO/DI system for a marine fish tank and was hoping that I might be able to use the water from that (it’s the gold standard for pure water for the fish!), but now I’m not so sure.

Maybe mixing that with a bit of tap water will work?

Otherwise I’ll just try to get some bottled distilled water or try to collect some rain water.
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Tap water can be hard with lots of lime in it. You do not want this, does your kettle or any taps have green or white crunchy scale on? If so do not use tap water at any time. Re read my comments about costs verses access to suitable water. A dehumidifier is a good investment at less than 5% of the cost of most live steam engines and will give you free water for your loco.
 
dunnyrail said:
Indeed we have had endless discussions on this matter. My choice for years has been to use water from a dehumidifier if you have one. But rain water from a water butt sieved through a water filter where the filter is new and not used for hard water would work as well. My view is that you could have spent 2-3000 pounds/dollars/euro’s or more on a live steamer, so why risk trashing it by not spending a modest extra to get a good safe supply of water for your little Dragon.
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I use pretty much the same, I use coffee filter papers, and always filter the water whatever the source before going into my top up bottle.
 
I have used water from a condensing tumble drier, but it tends to smell of washing powder! I now use filtered rainwater from a butt.
 
dunnyrail said:
Tap water can be hard with lots of lime in it. You do not want this, does your kettle or any taps have green or white crunchy scale on? If so do not use tap water at any time. Re read my comments about costs verses access to suitable water. A dehumidifier is a good investment at less than 5% of the cost of most live steam engines and will give you free water for your loco.
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RO/DI is about as ‘pure’ as you can get (too pure!). The problem is that, as it is de-ionized, I believe that it could cause dezincification of the brass. The addition of 5% of tap water, which is a tiny amount, is supposed to reduce this from what I’ve read.

I could always use the water after the RO (before the DI) but don’t know if this is better or worse.

It’s not about the cost; I already have a RODI system and I’m just trying to avoid having yet another appliance in my apartment that I don’t really need.
 
Interesting RO/DI is new to me, a USA thing? Think we need expert knowledge from your side of the pond. Have you tried the 16mm Association, there are quite a few your side?
 
It' not a USA thing.

RO is reverse osmosis, DI is de-ionized.

I have a filter system for my fish tank that runs tap water through a sediment filter, 2 carbon filters, a reverse osmosis membrane and a DI resin. The water at the end is very pure, but maybe too pure!
 
siclick33 said:
It' not a USA thing.

RO is reverse osmosis, DI is de-ionized.

I have a filter system for my fish tank that runs tap water through a sediment filter, 2 carbon filters, a reverse osmosis membrane and a DI resin. The water at the end is very pure, but maybe too pure!
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Ok I never heard it before.
 
Thames River Desalizination Plant uses reverse osmosis to filter drinking water.

I heard that the Thames River was famous, most people have heard of it???

Thames Water Desalination Plant, London - Water Technology

www.water-technology.net www.water-technology.net

The plant receives the brackish saltwater of the Thames Estuary, which is stored in a 175,000m³ reservoir. The water is then treated with a chemical conditioning process. After this process, the treated water undergoes rapid mixing, coagulation, flocculation and lamellar settling.

The filtration of the treated water is carried out through three lines of reverse osmosis, and is mineralised and disinfected before being supplied to the consumers.

So, they add minerals to the RO water even though they are not running live steam ha ha!!!


Greg
 
They say that in London, every glass of water you drink has already been through a couple of dozen people.
 
Having spent the first 44 years of my life living near or overlooking the Thames. Never mind many summer holidays with my grandparents (maternal) beside its estuary mouth at Southend-on-sea. I have to say learning about the desalination plant was news to me. Then I googled it Thames Water Desalination Plant, London - Water Technology. Ah, it only came on line in 2010 and was the first of its kind in the UK. News of such momentous and significant developments do not make the headlines in this part of the wilds of North Bucks/Northants/Oxon boarder country where I have resided these past 22 years. But we have got the steam driven Hook Norton brewery here.

If anybody is interested in some good old, and sometimes positively weird, retro tech could I point you in the direction of The Douglas Self Site It made me aware of a hydraulic pumping network that powered the lift in the mansion block I grew up in, just off the Vauxhall Bridge Rd (it crosses the Thames)

Now, I did have a lot of dealings with various, then still functioning, bank side power stations and refineries in my days as a sales rep for Xerox and Canon. Max
 
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maxi-model said:
Having spent the first 44 years of my life living near or overlooking the Thames. Never mind many summer holidays with my grandparents (maternal) beside its estuary mouth at Southend-on-sea. I have to say learning about the desalination plant was news to me. Then I googled it Thames Water Desalination Plant, London - Water Technology. Ah, it only came on line in 2010 and was the first of its kind in the UK. News of such momentous and significant developments do not make the headlines in this part of the wilds of North Bucks/Northants/Oxon boarder country where I have resided these past 22 years. But we have got the steam driven Hook Norton brewery here.

If anybody is interested in some good old, and sometimes positively weird, retro tech could I point you in the direction of The Douglas Self Site It made me aware of a hydraulic pumping network that powered the lift in the mansion block I grew up in, just off the Vauxhall Bridge Rd (it crosses the Thames)

Now, I did have a lot of dealings with various, then still functioning, bank side power stations and refineries in my days as a sales rep for Xerox and Canon. Max
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The worse thing about rowing other Thames was seeing the contraceptive sheaths, or worse, growing on the trees up at Mortlake
 
Paul M said:
The worse thing about rowing other Thames was seeing the contraceptive sheaths, or worse, growing on the trees up at Mortlake
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A problem that appears to be a national disgrace judging by recent news. No doubt caused by uncontrolled building with no or few upgrades to infrastructure.
 
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