Deionized water vs distilled water

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zoomzoom
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Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by zoomzoom » Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:09 pm

Anyone know the difference for CPAP purposes between the two?

It is now impossible to find distilled water on store shelves, but my local WF does have a refill station for deionized water, whatever that is.

It also has reverse osmosis water.

Which is the closest to distilled water?

I do experience respiratory issues when using tap water in my CPAP for 3+ nights, so I'm stuck with distilled. Lucky me.

I discovered deionized water from this older thread: viewtopic/t21240/DistilledDeionized-Water.html

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by deerhound » Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:25 pm

I am a retired steam power plant operator. The boilers require extremely pure water at 2400 psi. We used deionized water for boiler makeup because it is so pure. The evaporators at another plant I worked at were 1200 psi boilers and we could use distilled water from evaporators for boiler makeup but it was not pure enough for use in 2400 psi systems. We also reused some very nasty water that was processed by Reverse Osmosis and then passed through a mixed bed deionizer. The RO water was pure enough that it would be a month or more before the mixed bed had to be regenerated so the RO system made very good water out of some really nasty waste water from various systems. I personally have used RO water from an under sink RO system since I started CPAP in 2008 without any problems. I also use tap water in hotels when traveling with no problems, I do however fill my tank an hour or so before I go to bed so that chlorine can evaporate because I don't like the smell.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by palerider » Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:42 pm

zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:09 pm
Anyone know the difference for CPAP purposes between the two?

It is now impossible to find distilled water on store shelves, but my local WF does have a refill station for deionized water, whatever that is.

It also has reverse osmosis water.

Which is the closest to distilled water?

I do experience respiratory issues when using tap water in my CPAP for 3+ nights, so I'm stuck with distilled. Lucky me.

I discovered deionized water from this older thread: viewtopic/t21240/DistilledDeionized-Water.html
Your respiratory issues with tap water are psychosomatic.

The first step in distillation is evaporating water, which is what happens in your cpap humidifier, so you're getting distilled water either way.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by zoomzoom » Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:01 pm

palerider wrote:
Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:42 pm
zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Mar 15, 2020 9:09 pm
Anyone know the difference for CPAP purposes between the two?

It is now impossible to find distilled water on store shelves, but my local WF does have a refill station for deionized water, whatever that is.

It also has reverse osmosis water.

Which is the closest to distilled water?

I do experience respiratory issues when using tap water in my CPAP for 3+ nights, so I'm stuck with distilled. Lucky me.

I discovered deionized water from this older thread: viewtopic/t21240/DistilledDeionized-Water.html
Your respiratory issues with tap water are psychosomatic.

The first step in distillation is evaporating water, which is what happens in your cpap humidifier, so you're getting distilled water either way.
Sure, it definitely may be psychosomatic, but since I've experienced them a couple times, I'd rather not go and get it "treated" :D

Easier just to use distilled!

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by zoomzoom » Sun Feb 26, 2023 8:29 pm

Hate to bring up an old thread but now that distilled water is once again difficult to find, I was hoping if anyone has any confirmation on how deionized water works in CPAP machines.

I am thinking that I may need to go this route if my local Walmart does not have distilled water available. I was fortunate enough last time during peak covid to find distilled water, but with multiple grocery stores not having any in stock for weeks (and some, months) at a time, I figure I need to look at alternatives.

I would like to avoid tap water. I once again tried tap multiple nights in a row and I wake up with a cough. Of course, I was comfortable knowing that I'd be essentially throwing away the water chamber (since it was getting old anyway) in case some of the minerals got caked on.

So anyway, I have read about deionized water, and it does appear to be "more pure" but I am not sure what means in terms of getting rid of all minerals and impurities.

I am specifically referring to the deionized water from Whole Foods.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by palerider » Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:23 pm

zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Feb 26, 2023 8:29 pm
Hate to bring up an old thread but now that distilled water is once again difficult to find, I was hoping if anyone has any confirmation on how deionized water works in CPAP machines.

I am thinking that I may need to go this route if my local Walmart does not have distilled water available. I was fortunate enough last time during peak covid to find distilled water, but with multiple grocery stores not having any in stock for weeks (and some, months) at a time, I figure I need to look at alternatives.

I would like to avoid tap water. I once again tried tap multiple nights in a row and I wake up with a cough. Of course, I was comfortable knowing that I'd be essentially throwing away the water chamber (since it was getting old anyway) in case some of the minerals got caked on.

So anyway, I have read about deionized water, and it does appear to be "more pure" but I am not sure what means in terms of getting rid of all minerals and impurities.

I am specifically referring to the deionized water from Whole Foods.
Just read this:
viewtopic/t171314/Sticky--Distilled-Wat ... 635fc313f7

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by SDBud » Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:01 am

zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Feb 26, 2023 8:29 pm
Hate to bring up an old thread but now that distilled water is once again difficult to find, I was hoping if anyone has any confirmation on how deionized water works in CPAP machines.
I have a Pur filter on my kitchen sick faucet. I use it for cooking, drinking, AND in my CPAP humidifier.
Works great, is always available, and at far lower cost than buying distilled.

I clean the humidifier tank about every 6 months, same one is still good after 2 years.
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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by ChicagoGranny » Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:24 pm

Just use tap water.

Tap water did not cause your cough. Or maybe you got a nervous cough from worrying about using tap water.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by zoomzoom » Sun Mar 05, 2023 3:23 pm

ChicagoGranny wrote:
Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:24 pm
Just use tap water.

Tap water did not cause your cough. Or maybe you got a nervous cough from worrying about using tap water.
I have tried tap water now in three countries and have ended up feeling the same way. Whether it's real or not, I don't like how I wake up with tap water.

We have hard water at home and I can see how much mineral buildup there is in my swamp cooler. I am only interested in distilled or deionized water at this time.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by chunkyfrog » Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:44 pm

Since distilled water is needed for making wine and beer,
home distillers are available through related supply outlets.
The bullfrog bought ours at a very good price.
It paid for itself early and easily.
The weirdness of the last three years did not affect my DW supply for cpap.
The bonus is the home brew--once he gets it right. :lol:

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by palerider » Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:46 pm

zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 3:23 pm
ChicagoGranny wrote:
Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:24 pm
Just use tap water.

Tap water did not cause your cough. Or maybe you got a nervous cough from worrying about using tap water.
I have tried tap water now in three countries and have ended up feeling the same way. Whether it's real or not, I don't like how I wake up with tap water.

We have hard water at home and I can see how much mineral buildup there is in my swamp cooler. I am only interested in distilled or deionized water at this time.
So, you're telling us that no matter where you use tap water, even in different countries, your experiences are all the same.

ooooookay.

Well, whatever you want to do, that's fine.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by chunkyfrog » Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:00 pm

The power of the mind cannot be underestimated.
Note the effectiveness of placebos.
Nonetheless, distilled water is less costly than psychoanalysis.
Do whatever works--even if it should not.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by zoomzoom » Mon Mar 06, 2023 11:31 pm

palerider wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 7:46 pm
zoomzoom wrote:
Sun Mar 05, 2023 3:23 pm
ChicagoGranny wrote:
Mon Feb 27, 2023 1:24 pm
Just use tap water.

Tap water did not cause your cough. Or maybe you got a nervous cough from worrying about using tap water.
I have tried tap water now in three countries and have ended up feeling the same way. Whether it's real or not, I don't like how I wake up with tap water.

We have hard water at home and I can see how much mineral buildup there is in my swamp cooler. I am only interested in distilled or deionized water at this time.
So, you're telling us that no matter where you use tap water, even in different countries, your experiences are all the same.

ooooookay.

Well, whatever you want to do, that's fine.
That is exactly what I'm saying. I don't care what you think, I'm just recounting my experience.

It was much worse at my home, and I quickly changed to bottled/RO water in Europe until I found a pharmacy that carried distilled water.

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by tyrinryan » Tue Mar 07, 2023 7:26 am

Is there a difference between de-ionized water and de-mineralized water?

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Re: Deionized water vs distilled water

Post by ups4 » Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:25 am

Here is some science that may ease your mind about what water to use.

CPAP uses pass-over humidification which produces water vapor. Not aerosolization. The result is a much smaller water vapor molecule that is incapable of transmitting any pathogens that may be in your water.
You're breathing pure water vapor.

While I doubt that even scientific proof will change your phobia, here it is anyway. :wink:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16236866/

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