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Old 07-06-2017, 15:09   #1
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Rain vs RO vs distilled water

I am out of distilled water and need to replenish FLA battery water. Which is better? Rain or Reverse Osmosis water?
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Old 07-06-2017, 15:12   #2
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

Reverse Osmosis water will be cleaner than rain for sure.
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Old 07-06-2017, 15:44   #3
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

Rain will be the least preferred. R.O. typically varies from 50 to 200 ppm based on the age of the membrane, so not ideal either. If you have dehumidifier or AC condensate, that would be best, it averages 5-10 ppm. Distilled water is 0 but by the time your poor it into the battery it gets to 3-5 ppm picking up stuff from the plastic around it.

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Old 07-06-2017, 15:45   #4
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

or if they aren't truly low (down near the plates) .................wait
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Old 07-06-2017, 19:11   #5
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

PLEASE don't use RO Water made from sea water to fill your batteries....you will kill them over time. RO Water made from sea water is 120-500ppm. Now RO Water made from FRESH water will be sub 10ppm...so that would be ok.
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Old 07-06-2017, 19:27   #6
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

The cheap little meters that tell you how much dissolved solids that are in water will tell the tale.
If you have an RO, I think you likely have one?
Any condensed water is actually distilled water, of course what it has condensed on may add impurities, even ice off of your cold plates ought to be very pure.
Do you know how to knock up a Solar still?
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Old 08-06-2017, 09:40   #7
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

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Originally Posted by rwells36 View Post
I am out of distilled water and need to replenish FLA battery water. Which is better? Rain or Reverse Osmosis water?
According to Trojan Batteries, if your RO water is under 100ppm total solids, you can get by with it [in Trojan batteries at least...] But distilled water is still preferred.

Cheers! Bill
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Old 08-06-2017, 09:52   #8
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

If you google the question you will the answer is rainwater
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Old 08-06-2017, 10:15   #9
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

Rain is theoretically preferable but after picking up contaminants from the collection and storage devices RO would probably be better. For small quantities, say a quart or less, I would rig a still and distill some fresh water. Can also be useful if you run low on hi octane rum.
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Old 08-06-2017, 10:19   #10
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

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Originally Posted by wrwakefield View Post
According to Trojan Batteries, if your RO water is under 100ppm total solids, you can get by with it [in Trojan batteries at least...] But distilled water is still preferred.

Cheers! Bill
And since sea water RO is not below 100ppm....well there you go....but trust me, the rumor/myth/dock talk will live on!
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Old 08-06-2017, 10:19   #11
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

Is there a reason you can't get to the closest store and pay 95 cents for a gallon of distilled water?
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Old 08-06-2017, 10:24   #12
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

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Is there a reason you can't get to the closest store and pay 95 cents for a gallon of distilled water?
Amigo...where would this and 80% of the thread posts be by taking the easy way....ha ah a
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Old 08-06-2017, 10:36   #13
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

As noted above, "RO" doesn't mean anything without more information. Rainwater is the obvious choice for a cruising sailboat. Unless you have easy access to distilled water from a store. Rainwater collected off a clean deck and stored in a tank is going to be in the 5-20 ppm range. Distilled water from the store is going to be 5-10.

Personally, I use "RO Water" for batteries and cooling systems, but I have a eight-stage ASTM Type-1 laboratory system. You don't have one of those, do you?
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Old 08-06-2017, 11:03   #14
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

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Originally Posted by toddster8 View Post
As noted above, "RO" doesn't mean anything without more information. Rainwater is the obvious choice for a cruising sailboat. Unless you have easy access to distilled water from a store. Rainwater collected off a clean deck and stored in a tank is going to be in the 5-20 ppm range. Distilled water from the store is going to be 5-10.

Personally, I use "RO Water" for batteries and cooling systems, but I have a eight-stage ASTM Type-1 laboratory system. You don't have one of those, do you?
"Rainwater collected off a clean deck and stored in a tank is going to be in the 5-20 ppm range."

Honestly, where did you come up with that one? Rainwater combined with deck foot juice and grim being somehow as pure as distilled.
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Old 08-06-2017, 11:05   #15
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Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water

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Originally Posted by Kenomac View Post
"Rainwater collected off a clean deck and stored in a tank is going to be in the 5-20 ppm range."

Honestly, where did you come up with that one? Rainwater combined with deck foot juice and grim being somehow as pure as distilled.
I measure these things for a living. People send me samples from their rooftop collection systems all the time. Rainwater is distilled water.
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