[RE-wrenches] Distilled water only debate

Mon Sep 8 07:27:53 PDT 2008

Chris - 

A full spectrum water analysis would confirm your experiment. What I have
been told over the years is if you introduce any other chemicals or metals
or minerals you wreck the chemical equation of the fragile battery equation.

PB + H2SO4 -- PbSo2 + H2o + H2So4,  Lead + sulfuric acid -- results -- in
Lead sulfate + water + diluted sulfuric acid.
As you are discharging moving left to right and recharging moving right to
left. Please excuse the formulae if it is off by a 2 or a 4 in the wrong
place it has been years since I looked it up

Thanks -

Dana Orzel

Great Solar Works, Inc
www.solarwork.com
E - dana at solarwork.com
V - 970.626.5253
F - 970.626.4140
C - 970.209.4076

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Chris
Schaefer
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 6:21 AM
To: 'RE-wrenches'
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Followup to Surrette Battery Question

Jamie,
	I suspect that most if not all Off-Grid clients have well water. My
question is what about domestic water systems that use a filtration unit to
get the water to pass potable test in order to get bank financing and a C of
O. Since we are involved in Green Building I make sure that all our clients
also install an RO (reverse osmosis) system for drinking water only. Not
being a water guru I'm unsure how this RO water would affect the batteries.
I can only say that the water tastes awesome. I do know that it does remove
any minerals or hardness and I'm told by more than one water company that it
is similar to distilled water. I have been using RO water in our battery set
here at the Design and Training Center since 2001. I have seen no ill
effects. Love to hear anyone else's 2 cents.

Christopher

Chris Schaefer
Solar and Wind FX Inc.
5115 South Hill Road
Canandaigua(Bristol Center) New York 14424
585.229.2083
Cell 748.1870
chris at solarandwindfx.com
http://www.solarandwindfx.com/
Where Knowledge Equals Power Independence

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________________________________________
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of James
Surrette
Sent: 05 September, 2008 08:36
To: Matt
Cc: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Followup to Surrette Battery Question

Hi Matt et al, 

Sorry for missing my que to respond. 

As mentioned, the big concerns is mineral content in the water which will
adhere to the plate and "take the place" of a possible reaction site - thus
reducing capacity. 

As you can imagine, water quality is a concern from both the input and
output standpoint and we have an outside Environmental Consultant group
review water (and air) quality 1/4ly.  We are very fortunate that even
untreated/ filtered, has negligible mineral content.  I have never been in a
battery plant that uses distilled water but (almost) all, I have seen, use a
form of filtration / dionizing before use. 

Hard water is a definite no no! 

Jamie 

>>> "R. Walters" <walters at taosnet.com> 09/04/08 10:44 PM >>>
Matt; 

I've used the watering systems for years as well, but never the tap connect.

We have hard water here too, good to know that our distilled water mania is
not in vain. 

Ray 

On Sep 4, 2008, at 6:30 PM, Matt wrote: 

Ray, 

We sell plenty of watering systems, but none are fed from an actual
pressurized tap. The "best" one uses a manual water release on top of each
cap; this prevents over-filling when (not if) something sticks. 

I have never used non-distilled water in a battery, but I have replaced a
couple of banks that were wrecked by using well water with a high mineral
content. 

Matt 
---- "R. Walters" <walters at taosnet.com> wrote: 

I never used it, but Battery Watering Systems has used them for 

years. The rep I talked to thought we in the solar biz were quite 

cautious on this. 
I still use distilled H2O, myself BTW. 
Have you actually experienced ruined batteries from ionized or 

filtered H2O? 
Also, if you reread Jamie's previous response, it sounds like they 

aren't even using distilled H2O to build them either. 

Ray 

On Sep 3, 2008, at 7:15 PM, Matt wrote: 

This is a majorly bad idea! Tap water usually contains dissolved 

minerals that will screw up battery plates, reduce or increase 

conductivity and generally void battery warrantees. 

Am I correct about this Jamie? 

Matt 
---- "R. Walters" <walters at taosnet.com> wrote: 
Some of the single point battery watering systems have a pressure 
regulator that plumbs right to the water tap with a small filter. 
Apparently we in the solar business are more anal about using 
distilled water than many other battery users. 

Ray 

On Sep 2, 2008, at 6:46 PM, James Surrette wrote: 

Hi Bruce, 

FYI, Deionized water is commonly used in battery manufacturing and 
large motive power applications; 

http://www.philadelphiascientific.com/deionizer.html 

Regards, 

Jamie 

R. Walters 
Solarray.com 

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