Cooling system + soft well water??

[sw99]

I have always used plain old city tap water in my cooling systems and never bought into using distilled. I have never had a radiator or cooling system issue. I am pretty sure most of the places that flush cooling systems out there use tap water also.

My question is in regards to using the well water on my property. Our well water is soft due to the higher levels of sodium bicarbonate.

Thoughts?

 

[Padawan]

I know you stated you "never bought into" distiller water, but at approximately $1 per gallon and readily available at any local grocery store, pharmacy, Walmart, etc., I have always used it exclusively when replacing or topping off coolant.

I personally wouldn't use our well water except to flush (which I have).

 

[bepperb]

My two thoughts are the most coolants come premixed these days and that 89 cents for distilled isn't a lot of money if there are any questions about the quality if the water available.

I'm sure for the flush it's moot. For the fill I use distilled even though our water is OK.

Though, not sure if a flush is really necessary if you've kept up on it. I remember installing a tee when I was younger. Since the 90's I haven't gotten much to warrant a flush.

 

[eljefino]

Soft = bad. If you can taste it, it's too much.

My well water is on par with Poland Spring so I go with that.

 

[Bluestream]

If you don't use distilled water, you want water with as few minerals as possible. Soft water has less minerals than hard water.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Soft = bad. If you can taste it, it's too much.

My well water is on par with Poland Spring so I go with that.

Years ago some P.S. water was pumped from a well in Hollis ME, so that is entirely reasonable lol.

 

[SHOZ]

I save my water from the dehumidifier. I would guess all pre mix uses RO water.

When I do a flush I use the mineral free water too. It's only a couple gallons.

Soft water from a softener has salt in it.

 

[daman]

Distilled or RO water is what should be used.

 

[JHZR2]

At less than $1/gal, I'd use distilled from the store.

 

[Chris142]

Most city waters are filtered and are fine for cooling systems. My well water has 250ppm of calcium which won't work well in a cooling system.

 

[zpinch]

DO NOT use well water, don't even use RO water, use De-ionized distilled water. Better yet, Amsoil Propylene Glycol based coolant is best, stops cooling system corrosion in it's tracks. Or, add their Coolant Boost to standard 50/50 coolant mix, not quite as good, but better than every other corrosive coolant on the shelves.

 

[SHOZ]

RO water is very low in mineral content. Somewhere around 15 ppm.

 

[zpinch]

RO is OKAY, but just spend the extra dollar and get the purest water... people are too cheap where it doesn't count.

 

[Gokhan]

Always use distilled water in your cooling system except in an emergency. Minerals in regular water will reduce the service life of the coolant.

In fact, I recommend that you use distilled water even when flushing the system, as some water will remain in the system after flushing.

 

[aa1986]

What about deionized RO water?

Also, I didn't think you could get deionized distilled water. Is there a difference between it and just distilled water?

 

[SHOZ]

RO water hardly has any mineral content. Most cheap non spring water drinking water is straight RO. The premiums water has minerals added for taste. There is little difference between RO and distilled water.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: aa1986
What about deionized RO water?

Also, I didn't think you could get deionized distilled water. Is there a difference between it and just distilled water?


I wouldn't. I know that many here will struggle to believe this, but I learned the hard way, that ultra pure water is very corrosive. Distilled water? Ok. DI water? Ok. RO water? OK. But I would avoid a combination.

In the test lab I used to run, we had a water purification system, for the water that was used in the salt fog corrosion chamber. The water first went through a carbon filter, then through two sediment filters. Next was a water softener. Then the water went through a set of DI tanks. After the DI tanks, there was another sediment filter, and lastly, an RO system.

Well, we decided that since this water was pure, it would be a good choice to use in the environmental humidity chamber. Pure water = less mineral buildup in the humidity generator, right?

What we ended up with is constant blown heater elements, and leaks in the system. The pure water was so corrosive that it would eat through the heater elements, and corrode the water lines.

The fix was to tap into the water before the RO. Problem fixed. No more blown heater elements. No more leaks. Environmental chamber ran like a champ after that.

So, count me as one to choose the simple, distilled water for mixing with coolant. But, if the choice were DI/RO treated water, or tap water, I'd go with the tap water.

 

[Gokhan]

Distilled water is neither hard to find nor expensive. Just check your local grocery stores. I am also more comfortable with non-laboratory-grade distilled water than other types of non-laboratory-grade purified water such as deionized water, reverse-osmosis-treated water, etc.

 

[SHOZ]

Almost all the non spring bottled water is RO water. Many homes have it too. It is far from pure water under the normal treatment conditions.

 

[Boss302fan]

Distilled water would be better but most filtered well water in the USA is fine. Overseas the water seems to be much harder and is not appropriate for a clean coolant system.