We've got it good with distilled water

chunkyfrog wrote:Oops, I just revealed how old I am.
Oh, look, was that an eohippus?

Nope, I still have some batteries that benefit from maintenance, and distilled is all they get.

Uncle_Bob wrote:

Goofproof wrote:
As having a master mechanic for 45 working years, I have never seen anyone in the profession use distilled water in a battery. Modern batteries seldom require water, unless they are abused.

Both my cars 2005 & 2007 have the lead acid type. lead-acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte solution of sulfuric acid and water. Each has easily detachable caps so a top-up with distilled water may be required from time to time. The manufacturer recommends the use of demineralized or distilled water.
Here in Arizona i normally check my battery 2 or 3 times a year and top off as required, my batteries are not abused.

The last batteryI replaced was a AutoZone, it only lasted 8 years, on tap water, and ours here had rocks in the pipes. If a battery had one cell that needs water often, it's junked. Too high a charge or a discharge (short) dirty top, cause premature failure, as does discharging to low and sitting discharged.

Our batteries at work weight 100 lbs, each unit uses two, one unit uses 16 of them, they run under very hot conditions 130 degrees. It was hard on them and me. Jim

lullaby wrote:You obviously didn't look hard enough when you were in Woolworths. They stock 10 litre casks of distilled water for $7.99!

Perhaps you are more familiar with the Woolworths stock than the employee I asked. And the other poster is correct, I don't want to lug 10kg of water across town, 4kg was bad enough.

Yes, I know and was prepared to use bottled or tap water. Why use distilled water? Simple, less maintenance. I've never had to use vinegar on my container or put it in the dishwasher? Why? Because there are no minerals for mold and bacteria to feed on.

I always use distilled and rarely wash the chamber out...never any buildup of anything ever. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't listen to his smart wife and has used only tap water. That thing builds up white deposits like you wouldn't believe. If he washed it daily, maybe it wouldn't, but he doesn't, so we have to work with what he'll do and not do. Ended up buying a new humidifier chamber from cpap.com a few days ago because the white deposits are pretty much glued on there. I chipped them off one time before...not doing that again. And through all this I've finally convinced him to use the distilled water!

davelikesbeer wrote:
Perhaps you are more familiar with the Woolworths stock than the employee I asked. And the other poster is correct, I don't want to lug 10kg of water across town, 4kg was bad enough.

Yes, I know and was prepared to use bottled or tap water. Why use distilled water? Simple, less maintenance. I've never had to use vinegar on my container or put it in the dishwasher? Why? Because there are no minerals for mold and bacteria to feed on.

Davelikesbeer

Just in case you make a return visit. This is what I use and it is widely avaiable in a number of supermarkets in varying container sizes from 500 ml to 10 ltr.

http://noblebeverages.com/

With your alias, Australia is clearly a place you should visit often.

chunkyfrog wrote:Odd, you would wonder what they put in their car batteries. (instead of distilled water)

Lead acid car batteries have been sealed for quite a number of years now...no re-filling needed. A battery that old would probably no longer hold a charge anyway...

I haven't filled a battery in about 20 years I think...

Uncle_Bob wrote:Its the same situation in the UK you cant get distilled anywhere.

I never normally have room or weight allowance to take some with me now they only allow one case per person instead of two. And i'm pretty sure you can pack it in your cpap carry on bag.

I had someone try and special order it from Boots (pharamacy) and the store clerk got confused and ordered demineralized, which is all they had.

So i make do with tape water empty and allow to dry every day, while i stay for a couple of weeks.

Hi UB,

When I'm in London I make do with purified water that I can buy either at the pharmacy in Sainsbury's or the local private pharmacy (I stay in the Earls Court neighborhood); both sell the same one which is not cheap (around $5.25 for 1.5 litres) but I figured it would be better than tap water. I have no problem getting it though, they always have it on the shelf. I had checked at Boots but they told me they don't stock it anymore.

Heavylids wrote:

chunkyfrog wrote:Odd, you would wonder what they put in their car batteries. (instead of distilled water)

Lead acid car batteries have been sealed for quite a number of years now...no re-filling needed. A battery that old would probably no longer hold a charge anyway...

I haven't filled a battery in about 20 years I think...

There are still quite a few non-sealed lead acid batteries sold. Even they don't need refilling that often, though. I think the charging systems in modern cars work better and don't boil away the water as much as they used to.

I sort of prefer non-sealed because even the "no maintenance" batteries do sometimes need water, but you can't add water back. You also can't check the battery charge level with a hydrometer.

Gerald? wrote: This is what I use and it is widely avaiable in a number of supermarkets in varying container sizes from 500 ml to 10 ltr.

http://noblebeverages.com/

FWIW, its not distilled water......

Australian Beverage Holdings Pty Ltd wrote:It’s also important to note that Pureau is not distilled water – distillation is not part of the Pureau Process.

http://noblebeverages.com/net/why-purea ... ocess.aspx

Cheers,

Bill