[alt-photo] Re: Distilled Water

[etienne garbaux]

Bruce wrote:

>Where do you get distilled water? I presume it is not from the grocery store.

As long as it is marked "distilled water," bottles from the grocery 
store should be OK.  You may want to boil it before use (in a glass 
container) to outgas the dissolved gases (primarily O2 and CO2).  The 
only objection I see to grocery store DW is the cost, which prompts 
people to use it only for what they consider "critical" solutions 
(and to use tap water for the rest).

I long ago bought a number of countertop water stills, and make my 
own.  Sears used to sell them for ~$50 new.  I bought my first one 
new, then collected ten more used from thrift shops and garage sales 
(some were only $1-$5).  Where I live, the cost of electricity to 
produce a gallon of DW is ~$0.25 -- more than $1.00 less than grocery 
store DW.  My stills paid for themselves very, very quickly.

Here is what the ones I have look like:

http://www.sears.com/search=water%20distiller

http://www.amazon.com/Water-Distiller-Countertop-Enamel-Collection/dp/B00026F9F8

http://waterdistiller.com/

There are lots of them on ebay and craigslist.  You can get 4 gallons 
a day from one, if you are diligent about refilling and restarting it 
soon after it finishes.

I use DW for ALL photo solutions, other chemistry uses, drinking 
water, and coffee/tea.  I get ahead on production and store it in 
three, 10-gallon glass carbouys so I never feel I have to scrimp on 
its use.  If it sits a while before I use it for photo or chemistry 
uses, I boil it to degas.

Best regards,

etienne