Replacing Cooling System With Distilled Water

[river]

Hi,

I find the water in Melbourne pretty soft.

Why am I not surprised?

If the OP has issues with scaling then after any scaling is removed, and assuming the water is quite hard where he lives, he should add a water softener as well as inhibitor.

seeyuzz
river

[Tham]

Thanks for the good input, everyone.

I'm taking all of it in and considering them.

Yes, I didn't realize that distilled water may actually cause
more corrosion.

I agree that a good coolant/corrosion inhibitor must be added
in if one uses distilled water, or I may just use a premixed coolant.

Prestone's premix is selling here, but not exactly cheap. Nulon's
product seems good, and maybe I will get my friend in Blackbutt
to send me a bottle.

[allencr]

may just use a premixed coolant.
Prestone's premix is selling here, but not exactly cheap. Nulon's
product seems good, ...send me a bottle.

With the premix stuff, you're just paying for the larger package & shipping of the local tap water from wherever it came from.
I don't think you'll find that there is any product that is significantly better that anything you can pickup near home.

[TERRA Operative]

Coolant concentrate (Toyota red is the shizz) and distilled water is the go.

Pure distilled water is corrosive as it leeches from the metal to reach an equilibrium. When you mix the coolant into the distilled water, this is no longer a problem, plus you don't get scale forming.

[Tham]

With the premix stuff, you're just paying for the larger package & shipping of the local tap water from wherever it came from.
I don't think you'll find that there is any product that is significantly better that anything you can pickup near home.

Yes, I agree.

The extra amount of water would incur quite high shipping.

I remember reading on the label though, that the water in
these premixes was deionized.

Then again, I have read too that deionized water was
actually corrosive, as it would attack metals to get
or leach its ions back.

[Tham]

Coolant concentrate (Toyota red is the shizz) and distilled water is the go.

Pure distilled water is corrosive as it leeches from the metal to reach an equilibrium. When you mix the coolant into the distilled water, this is no longer a problem, plus you don't get scale forming.

Thanks.

Will go for coolant concentrate plus distilled water.

I have read though, that it was deionized water which
leeched from metals to get its ions back.

It confirms here that the really pure water is
very corrosive :

" Ultrapure water has a very low conductivity and is a very
aggressive solvent which will attack stainless steels and
even glass. Really pure water is actually difficult to work
with and store--it readily absorbs gasses and requires
Teflon coated containers under inert gases. "

" Also, the dissolved gasses and small amount of ionic load
inherent in distilled water will help to protect your metal
contact surfaces from corrosion by the water. "


http://www.finishing.com/115/09.shtml

[Tham]

This confirms the highly corrosive properties of
deionized water :


" Deionized water is exactly that - water that has
essentially been stripped of all of its ions. Water
likes to be balanced in its natural state, however,
and this means that it adds ions to itself to achieve
that goal. Therefore, DI water grabs ions from
everything it touches that can be dissolved or
absorbed. It is about a close as you can get to a
Universal Solvent. In your case, it will extract metals
from all of the brass fittings you have, and will also
pull carbon dioxide from the air - you get the drift. "


Distilled water appears safer :

" Distilled water is not nearly as aggressive as deionized,
and it is essentially balanced. It still has very little ions
in it, but it is less aggressive than DI and while I would
not recommend drinking it either, is less likely to harm
you. It also is not corrosive to most metallic internal
parts on your welder. "

http://www.finishing.com/138/06.shtml

[TERRA Operative]

You are safe to use distilled or deionised water as long as you mix it with the coolant. Once mixed, the water has it's ions (from the coolant) so won't attack the metals.

[oldcorollas]

you will NOT be able to get/buy deionized water that is so pure it is corrosive.
even if you could, as soon as you open the botle, it starts "degrading"

so don't worry about it.

get water.. distilled water from supermarket if you care that much, and mix with toyota red coolant = all you ever need to inhibit corrosion.

[Tham]

You are safe to use distilled or
deionised water as long as you mix it with the coolant.
Once mixed, the water has it's ions (from the coolant)
so won't attack the metals.

Thanks. Will go ahead and use distilled water plus coolant.

[Tham]

you will NOT be able to get/buy deionized water
that is so pure it is corrosive. even if you could,
as soon as you open the botle, it starts "degrading"

so don't worry about it.

get water.. distilled water from supermarket if you
care that much, and mix with toyota red coolant =
all you ever need to inhibit corrosion.

Thanks.

I've read that red coolant has organic corrosion
inhibitors, is meant for aluminium radiators and
is incompatible with copper/brass radiators, as
it attacks the lead solder used in these older radiators ?