Katadyne water for Wet Batteries?

[NorthPacific]

Question on keeping wet cell batteries topped up. Can I use water from a Kat for wet cells or do I need "distilled water"

Cheers

[Jentine]

You should use distiller whenever available. RO water contains too much disolved solids for battery use.

[SV THIRD DAY]

RO water has anywhere from 100 to 500 parts per million of total dissolved solids (TDS). Where Distilled water for batteries should be under 5. Your batteries are too expensive to replace to skimp on low TDS distilled water for filling.

[S/V Alchemy]

You can MAKE distilled water, however, by distilling it.

3 Ways to Make Distilled Water - wikiHow

But seriously, you can just keep a 4L jug aboard. It's a multi-year supply.

[Sailormantx]

Read somewhere that you can take your RO water and run it through the watermaker a second time to make water for the batteries. I have never tried it to see what the TDS reading would be. Getting buckets and hoses set up to recycle the output is a lot more work than going to the store for a jug of distilled water. But it may be worth a try if you are in need of battery water away from civilization.

[NorthPacific]

Thanks Guys.

We are heading off in a few weeks. Re going over what I need to squeeze into my shrinking boat:-) WOuld have been nice if possible but not going to mess up my new battery bank.

Thanks again

Steve

[chouliha]

The other option is using rain water which we have been doing here in panama. Checked the PPM's and they showed 4

[sailorboy1]

just get a small bottle of DI resin that makes DI water, or buy a gallon of water, and be done with it

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

just get a small bottle of DI resin that makes DI water, or buy a gallon of water, and be done with it

There are many places where you can't buy it. Most places one anchors don't have it I think (in the tropical cruising grounds I mean). Making it yourself is a good practise. I used rainwater but never from a tropical wave that is passing. Wait for the coastal fronts that build upto thunder squalls for the cleanest rain water.

When at anchor, all our fresh water is RO water so we can just run that through the RO again like when flushing it except with pressure up to 200 psi or so.

[Stu Jackson]

Steve, we have a 34 foot boat and have room for a 2 gallon jug of distilled water. Yikes!!! 2 gallons! Why? 'Cuz that's the only size my local Safeway carries! Normally I get one gallon and it lasts for years. Also use it to fill up the coolant, so 2 gallons works for me. Good luck.

[NorthPacific]

How do you check PPM's? Just asking.

Stu as to space on a 30+ footer, you pack everything you think you need + everything everyone on this forum thinks you need and then what your mrs knows she can not live without and then see how much room you have. O did I mention food for 4 months

Steve of the soon to be First submarine Dufour 35 LOL.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by NorthPacific

How do you check PPM's? Just asking.

You use the conductivity as a proxy with something like this:

HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range, 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy - Amazon.com

[NorthPacific]

Cheers Stu,
Nifty bit of kit. COuld be very useful. Any Snow in your neck of the woods at the moment?

Just envy!:-)

Steve

[svmariane]

Originally Posted by StuM

You use the conductivity as a proxy with something like this:

HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester, 0-9990 ppm Measurement Range, 1 ppm Resolution, +/- 3% Readout Accuracy - Amazon.com

Thanks! That's a great idea!

But please note that with a little research i found out that:

"TDS-EZ does NOT have temperature compensation the TDS-4 has temperature compensation. What temperature compensation means is that the ppm reading will not vary as the temperature of the water varys. The temperature compensation is good from 1 to 50 degrees Celsius... "

Seems to be a 5 USD diff in price to get temp comp. Seems worth it.

Quote stolen from the product reviews

[Tellie]

At a buck a gallon? Really?
Grab two gallons from Piggly Wiggly and repackage the distilled water in a dozen used 16 ounce water bottles and stuff them in the corners. Grab two cheap turkey basters while you're at it, makes topping off hard to get to batteries a bit easier.