Boiled water or distilled
Submitted: Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 18:30
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Member - Kroozer (WA)
Hi again folks, i remember reading an article a few weeks ago but cant find it anywhere, about just topping up batteries with boiled tap water. I just checked battery level, and yes i need a top up, but wanna know if i have been doing my batteries damage all these years by using tap water. Article said that boiling doesnt take out the minerals or something like that and it does the battery no good. Never brought distilled water before ever, so how much is it worth for piece of mind? Or is tap water fine to keep using as long as its boiled?
Cheers
Reply By: tim_c - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 18:42
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 18:42
As long as you don't live in
Adelaide the tap water should be fine. I've heard (from reliable sources) that many of the battery manufacturers just use tap water for the initial fill so it makes it a bit of a joke 'topping them up' with distilled!
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Reply By: Member - Phil B (WA) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 18:59
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 18:59
Hi Kroozer
Sorry to contradict you Tim C but I would not use boiled water because the minerals are still present and if you boil the water long it with be even more concentrated.
I would also strongly suggest you don't use tap water. Distilled/ de mineralised water doesn't cost much especially if you buy it in Coles or Woolies - 4 litres for about $3 or $4. I use it in my radiator as
well.
Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Ian H (NSW) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:17
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:17
Yep, wot he said.
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Follow Up By: Member - Timbo - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:40
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:40
No prob Phil (I don't pretend to have the final undisputable word!) but I agree, boiling won't remove the minerals. Usually tap water doesn't have too much in the way of minerals anyway though (it's safe to drink in Oz) - I certainly would recommend using
bore water tho'
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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:57
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:57
Bore water would be the worst to use, depending on its make up Timbo!! Michael
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Follow Up By: Member - Timbo - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 20:30
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 20:30
Oops, I meant to say "I certainly wouldN'T recommend using
bore water tho'", as Michael pointed out, it would be the worst to use!
What a slip up...
FollowupID:
637504
Follow Up By: Serendipity of Mandurah (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 09:06
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 09:06
I would not use tap water around
Perth as most of it is
bore water. I have heard from water authority workers the water is near black with minerals when it comes to the surface and then they filter it a bit. Still tastes like it has too much minerals. Many people in the northern suburbs are installing house under sink filter systems as the water is just too hard to drink.
There is no way I would put this in my battery. I would not even put it in my radiator. I would not even put it in my coffee. Dogs and cats probably develop calcium kidney stones from it.
David
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Kroozer (WA) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:52
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:52
Okie dokie, looks like its distilled water then. Havent had a non maintenance free battery for a while so wasnt sure if it was considered the norm to use tap water still. Oh
well, i always got good lives out of my batteries, but probably without a doubt would of gotten more by looking after them better.
Cheers
AnswerID:
370169
Reply By: Member - Toyocrusa (NSW) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:56
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 19:56
Hi all. Just wondering,would filtered tap water be suitable after going through the two stage unit type filter.Thanks,Bob.
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 21:54
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 21:54
Hi Bob,
Filtering only removes the particulates, it does not remove the dissolved solids. The main solid of concern is calcium as it reacts with the sulphuric acid to form calcium sulphate (gypsum). Once this is formed and coats the plates, your batteries are cactus!
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 01:46
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 01:46
Truly CACTUS.
Bite the bullet and get a reputable gel.
Yea. I know they cost.
In the long run they are better off road
Tony7
FollowupID:
637541
Reply By: Roughasguts - Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 20:29
Monday, Jun 15, 2009 at 20:29
I guess if your really desperate, you could catch the condensation water from your Airconditioning and use that.
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Follow Up By: Shaver - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 08:04
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 08:04
Just curious, but wouldn't water condensing over the evaporator be contaminated with a metal ?
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Follow Up By: Roughasguts - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 17:07
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 17:07
Yeah I see your point! but then distilling water or boiling through a copper pipe would do the same. Unless they distill the water in glass.
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Reply By: TerraFirma - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 11:31
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 11:31
I have topped up
mine with rain water before as I didn't have distilled. The real issue is and I'm guilty as
well, is that if you
check your batteries before you travel and do the topping up with distilled then, there would be no issue.
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Reply By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 12:32
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 12:32
Rainwater is fine. Best de-mineralised water you can get.
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Follow Up By: austastar - Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 13:58
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009 at 13:58
Yep! Rain water every time - keep a couple of juice bottles of it in the garage, and the wife collects and uses it in the steam iron.
cheers
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