De-Ionized water (DI water) vendors - getting to be an albatross here- (1 Viewer)

[LINUS]

So to preface, I still have jugs of ‘Yota red coolant - and to cut it correct, and according to all my upbringing - that’s D/I water when you can & are doing a correct/planned maint way.

In an emergency - Hell, piss in the the thing or use local tapwater - this thread is for D/I water vendors & doing your coolant swaps on a planned schedule.

I went to 2 local auto chains (Autozone & O’reillys) - and a local fabric vendor (steam irons want D/I water to keep a warranty going FYI) - zip. nada. nothing but odd looks.

Premix coolant (so you’re buying their D/I H2O in jugs) - is the ‘new norm’.
__________________________________________

D/I water vendor I finally found locally:

Ace Hardware - sold by the gallon, $3.99

-Add your location/ZIP so others can benefit - D/I water used to be common, now IDK.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Walmart is where I last bought water for coolant swaps. Less than a buck a gallon...

Nick

 

[PAToyota]

Walmart is where I last bought water for coolant swaps. Less than a buck a gallon...

Likely distilled water and not deionized water.

However, when distilled water is exposed to the air over time, it essentially becomes deionized water. Of the two, distilled water is typically the more expensive of the two and may be more pure. I've always used distilled water.

You can read through things here and make your own decisions: Deionized Water Vs Distilled Water – US Water Systems

 

[1911]

I've always used distilled water.

Me too.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Likely distilled water and not deionized water.

However, when distilled water is exposed to the air over time, it essentially becomes deionized water. Of the two, distilled water is typically the more expensive of the two and may be more pure. I've always used distilled water.

You can read through things here and make your own decisions: Deionized Water Vs Distilled Water – US Water Systems

You are correct - I bought distilled - my mistake. But reading your link it sounds like distilled is also DI as part of the process. Ions being mineral salts are left behind in the distilling process along with the rest of the stuff in "water".

Either way I have had issues using tap water with newer coolant in the past. So I now make the effort to find distilled water when I need to mix up new coolant. Less issues now of course.

Nick

 

[Pin_Head]

Just use RO water or bottled water. The amount of total dissolved solids will be in the range of 10 - 50 PPM (parts per million) and you have way more junk than that just leaching out of your block and cooling system.

 

[PAToyota]

The other issue is that although deionized water has the benefits of eliminating mineral deposits and eliminating the risk of electrical arcing due to static charge build up from the circulating coolant (no ions to transmit charge), it also is highly corrosive and one of the most aggressive solvents known.

Deionized Water - Application Note - Lytron Inc

 

[LINUS]

I’d pulled a brain fart when I called it de-ionized water, I meant distilled.

-So what’s the deal?-

I’d learned from Dad as a kid to use distilled water if you were doing a planned coolant swap (early 80’s - I don’t recall premix around or else he taught me you were “buying water” so it was more cost effective to do it yourself).
Plus you had control of the ratio.

Granted, I live in coastal WA & our water is quite a bit different than say, Texas.
—The joke here is a major brand of bottled water just ‘polishes’ tapwater from a nearby city.
May be true, IDK - I know I drink tapwater & it tastes exactly the same as bottled water.

But is distilled water still the “best way to go” -or am I running on outdated information for coolant swaps in vehicles?

 

[Pin_Head]

I consider using distilled water in a radiator a sign of OCD. I just used tap water when I used to make a living as a mechanic, but our tap water was pretty pure. I have ultra pure water ("10 meg ohm water") coming out of a faucet at work and I wouldn't bother hauling it home for my radiator. Makes great coffee though.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Granted, I live in coastal WA & our water is quite a bit different than say, Texas.
—The joke here is a major brand of bottled water just ‘polishes’ tapwater from a nearby city.
May be true, IDK - I know I drink tapwater & it tastes exactly the same as bottled water.

I used to work for a major soft drink company in the beverage testing lab. What you described is EXACTLY what we did for the bottled water product. We stripped all the minerals and crap out of the city water coming into the building. We would then add back in a mixture of the minerals the parent company wanted in the water so it tasted the same no matter where you bought it. I'm sure not all bottled water companies work this way but since we were already purifying the water for the rest of the beverage lineup it was not an extra step for a bottled water product too.

As for using distilled water in coolant: I didn't worry too much for the old green stuff but the newer coolant products (like Dexcool for my old Camaro Z28) I prefer to use distilled. I have had issues of crap in the Camaro coolant that doesn't happen with distilled water. YMMV of course.

Nick

 

[PAToyota]

But is distilled water still the “best way to go” -or am I running on outdated information for coolant swaps in vehicles?

I've always used distilled water to mix with coolant. With distilled, you're pulling out all the minerals which would form deposits in your cooling system. This is particularly an issue if you have "hard" water. If you have a water softener and filter on your tap water, you'd have less of an issue, though. I pay about 89₵ a gallon for the grocery store brand.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

I got a filter set up from hydrologic with a small RO followed by a Deionizing filter for about 350 bucks. the unit can make about 5000 gallons of DI on the one filter... I use it for the lift truck batteries, the cruiser batteries and radiators...

 

[HomerOz]

G'Day Fella's,

The product we have easiest access to down here, is De-Mineralised water.
It's good for both Lead Acid batteries, and vehicle coolant systems.

Hope that helps

D'oh!
Homer

 

[LINUS]

As an update, I found local grocery stores seem to be more-than-likely a safe bet.

I found a ~2-2.5 gal jug with a slide valve for $3 in my local Haggen’s grocery chain here in W WA - and same with Kroger/Fred Meyer.

Safeway didn’t have any, but I only looked in the one here in Mount Vernon. YMMV.