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Date:         Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:15:01 -0500
Reply-To:     Ryan Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ryan Shawley <easywind1975@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Distilled Water
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

I was wondering the same thing... Available at any grocery or drug store.

> In my neighborhood, distilled water is $0.99 / gallon. > Considering how much money we all pour into these vans, is there any > reason not to pour in a few dollars worth of pure water with our > coolant??? > > John Rodgers wrote: >> In my area I am supplied by the city water supply. It is nasty! Smells >> bad, tastes bad. So much so that I won't drink it unfiltered. There is >> so much grunge in the water that my little filters I have to replace >> every month because they have cleaned out so much sludge in theater. >> They literally plug up with the garbage about every thirty days of use, >> and the water stops glowing. This is with a city water supply running >> through it. These filters have activated charcoal in them and I don't >> know what else. Would this filtered water work for the cooling system in >> lieu of distilled water? >> >> John Rodgers >> 88 GL Driver >> >> Ben Cichowski wrote: >>> Hi Jake and All, >>> >>> Question: "Where would I find out >>> if the Vancouver BC water supply has these polyphosphates? I think >>> they use chloramine as an anti-bacterial...." >>> >>> You should be able to just put in a call to your city works and ask >>> them if they are using any polyphosphates (zinc orthophosphate is one >>> of the more common ones and may be a more familiar term to whatever >>> city worker you happen to get on the phone). Also, Canada follows >>> suit with EPA on just about everything, so I would bet that each >>> year, every customer is shown a "consumer confidence report" either >>> as a mailing or on the web. This CCR will give you all the >>> information about the water coming in through the tap (test results, >>> what chemicals they use, etc.) >>> >>> Again, I'm not sure if Canada does these CCRs, but I would bet that >>> they do. If you're in the US, you get one for sure (but may not >>> notice it). >>> >>> As for chlorine, I don't think it should be a problem for anything. >>> By the time it reaches your tap, it is so unbelievably low in >>> concentration (and continues to be used up over time). >>> If you're worried about it, set it out in an open container for a day >>> and it'll probably be gone. >>> >>> -Ben >>> >>> Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:14:18 -0800 >>> From: crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com >>> To: aquasheck@hotmail.com >>> Subject: Re: Distilled Water >>> CC: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com >>> >>> Thanks Ben, that's good to know. Where would I find out if the >>> Vancouver BC water supply has these polyphosphates? I think they use >>> chloramine as an anti-bacterial.... >>> >>> >>> On Jan 31, 2008 7:59 AM, Ben Cichowski <aquasheck@hotmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> I'm only a shade-tree mechanic, but my full time profession is as a >>> water quality engineer. I personally used distilled. If your tap is >>> supplied by a municipal system in a town larger than 3,300 people, >>> chances are your tap water will be sufficiently free of minerals that >>> may precipitate out in your system (but also read my last line). >>> >>> >>> The big 4 to worry about are Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Manganese. >>> When you used to see a lot of antifreezes containing phosphates, >>> these were put in for corrosion control, as well as to sequester >>> minerals like Iron (surround the molecule so it doesn't precipitate >>> out). But, then they started to find that phosphates destabilize >>> under high temps and actually precipitate out of solution >>> themselves...thus adding to the problem. >>> >>> >>> One thing to keep in mind is that, even if you are using tap water, >>> your municipal system may be using polyphosphates to sequester iron >>> (if your area has high iron concentrations), or for corrosion control >>> of distribution lines. If you use tap water in this situation, it is >>> essentially like using an antifreeze that contains phosphates - not >>> good. >>> >>> >>> In short, go with distilled and live on the safe side. >>> >>> -Ben >>> >>> >>>> Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:31:53 -0500 >>>> From: d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM >>>> Subject: Re: Distilled Water >>>> >>> >>> >>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >>>> >>>> Yes, arouand that time as many new coolant formulations were being >>>> introduced,many cooling system issues were found to be related to >>>> minerals, >>>> >>> >>> >>>> ions and other stuff in tap water that reduced the effectiveness of >>>> coolant >>>> and cuase precipatation, (deposits that clogged) and abrasion of >>>> cooling >>>> system parts. Most large diesel engines reqiure distilled water fill >>>> and >>>> >>> >>> >>>> many antifreeze suppiers now sell pre mixed with distilled or deionized >>>> water. If you have hard water, you want to use distilled. If you >>>> think there >>>> is a lot of confusion with automotive antfreezes, try the truck and >>>> >>> >>> >>>> industrial engine world. >>>> >>>> Dennis >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> From: Vdub Guy <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET> >>>>> Reply-To: Vdub Guy <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET> >>>>> >>> >>> >>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >>>>> Subject: Distilled Water >>>>> Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:26:04 +0000 >>>>> >>>>> OK, I knew I wasn't dreaming, a search of the archives brought up >>>>> many >>>>> >>> >>> >>>>> hits about how distilled water should be used with coolant. I only >>>>> went >>>>> back as far as 2003, and don't have time to sort through them all, >>>>> but has >>>>> opinion on this changed? Jeff >>>>> >>> >>> >>> _________________________________________________________________ >>> Shed those extra pounds with MSN and The Biggest Loser! >>> http://biggestloser.msn.com/ >>> >>> >>> >> >


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