|
|
07-06-2017, 15:09
|
#1
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Aboard, Florida
Boat: Novatec, Isalnder 55'
Posts: 133
|
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?
|
|
|
07-06-2017, 15:12
|
#2
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2007
Boat: Mahe 36, Helia 44 Evo, MY 37
Posts: 5,731
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Reverse Osmosis water will be cleaner than rain for sure.
|
|
|
07-06-2017, 15:44
|
#3
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sozopol
Boat: Riva 48
Posts: 1,382
|
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.
Pizzazz
|
|
|
07-06-2017, 15:45
|
#4
|
CLOD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,365
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
or if they aren't truly low (down near the plates) .................wait
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
|
|
|
07-06-2017, 19:11
|
#5
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: La Paz, Mexico
Boat: 1978 Hudson Force 50 Ketch
Posts: 3,920
|
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.
__________________
Rich Boren
Cruise RO & Schenker Water Makers
Technautics CoolBlue Refrigeration
|
|
|
07-06-2017, 19:27
|
#6
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
|
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?
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 09:40
|
#7
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Meandering about the Gulf of Alaska coast [NNE Pacific]— where the internet doesn't always shine... [Even Elon's...] Homeport: Wrangell Island
Boat: Nauticat 43 [S&S Staysail Ketch]
Posts: 1,671
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Quote:
Originally Posted by rwells36
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
__________________
SV Denali Rose
Learning every day- and sharing if I can.
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 09:52
|
#8
|
CLOD
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: being planted in Jacksonville Fl
Boat: none
Posts: 20,365
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
If you google the question you will the answer is rainwater
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 10:15
|
#9
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: fl- various marinas
Boat: morgan O/I 33' sloop
Posts: 1,447
|
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.
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 10:19
|
#10
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: La Paz, Mexico
Boat: 1978 Hudson Force 50 Ketch
Posts: 3,920
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrwakefield
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!
__________________
Rich Boren
Cruise RO & Schenker Water Makers
Technautics CoolBlue Refrigeration
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 10:19
|
#11
|
cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
|
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?
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 10:24
|
#12
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: La Paz, Mexico
Boat: 1978 Hudson Force 50 Ketch
Posts: 3,920
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
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
__________________
Rich Boren
Cruise RO & Schenker Water Makers
Technautics CoolBlue Refrigeration
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 10:36
|
#13
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: PNW
Boat: J/42
Posts: 938
|
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?
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 11:03
|
#14
|
cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 10,856
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Quote:
Originally Posted by toddster8
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.
|
|
|
08-06-2017, 11:05
|
#15
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: PNW
Boat: J/42
Posts: 938
|
Re: Rain vs RO vs distilled water
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenomac
"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.
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|
|
|