Make Distilled Water

[wheelhorse]

Would anyone know how to make a water distiller ?
I will need at least 25 gallons a week for a small green house
thanks for any help

[james dilley]

Do you have A condensing unit on your A/c???? The water from there is distilled. You might try working A tea kttle ,To A pipe And catch the water from the steam!

[wheelhorse]

no ac the kettle idea would work but I need to much water for that

[james dilley]

Try replumbing A hot water heater. And where the Blow valve is Pipe that to A drum!!

[anniew]

Why do you need distilled water for a greenhouse?

[GrannyG]

Distilled water was never used at the greenhouse I worked at..what is it going to be used for ?

[topside1]

Are you trying to avoid additives injected into "city type water"? If so wouldn't it be simpler just to find a stream, pond, lake and fill (5) five gallon buckets? If that's out of the question then just realize that it will take hours upon hours of boiling water to get 25 gallons of distilled water. The most efficient way to produce distilled water is to apply reasonable heat to water that's under a vacuum....Not a vacuum cleaner, a negative pressure vacuum. This method is commonly found aboard ship’s.

[watcher]

Do a google search for solar still. I don't know how big it would have to be but it would give you free distilled water.

[mtman]

Originally Posted by topside1

Are you trying to avoid additives injected into "city type water"? If so wouldn't it be simpler just to find a stream, pond, lake and fill (5) five gallon buckets? If that's out of the question then just realize that it will take hours upon hours of boiling water to get 25 gallons of distilled water. The most efficient way to produce distilled water is to apply reasonable heat to water that's under a vacuum....Not a vacuum cleaner, a negative pressure vacuum. This method is commonly found aboard ship’s.

on a ship thats called reverse osmosis but i think distilled water carries no minerals for plants all youll be doing is making them wet

[suitcase_sally]

Mtman, I agree with you. If using this water as a watering material, the plants will starve.

[WayneR]

The intent may be to remove or minimise chlorene and other artificial additives. Aeration of tap water can remove some of the chemicals.

Depending on your proximity to pollution sources rain and groundwater may be a more workable alternative. The production of that much distilled water each week would be expensive and labour intensive.

[Cabin Fever]

Google the phrase "moonshine still" and you'll find directions on how to make a still. Then, just use tap water in the still instead of sour mash.

[Maura]

If you want to dechlorinate water, you just put it in an open container. The chlorine will dissipate into the air.

[wheelhorse]

Thanks for all the replies I am on well water and the minerals in my water are very high and not good for plants when my water was tested it reads 660 the distilled water reads 0

[the fishkiller]

Suitcase sally said.
Mtman, I agree with you. If using this water as a watering material, the plants will starve.

This is not entirely true. this depends on what type of medium you are using and its cation exchange rate, and frequency of fertilizing. nutrients in soil grown plants get alot of their nutrients from the soil decaying. 660 ppm water is very high, and can cause certain nutrient lock outs depending on whats in the water and their ratios to each other. Thats the problem, you dont know what that 660 ppm reading is made of.

One problem you need to be very care of is that once you do reduce that water to 0 ppms, depending on what type of plants you are growing, you may experience Calcium and Magnesium deficencies. This can be corrected by adding epsom salts back to the water before feeding to plants.

"Granny g said
Distilled water was never used at the greenhouse I worked at..what is it going to be used for"

It just depends on what you are going to be growing. I used to work for an orchid grower and 660 pm water could possibly kill some species in a very short time.

[highlands]

Boil maple sap for syrup. When we do we produce huge amounts of distilled water. It has just a hint of maple flavor to it.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

[TwoAcresAndAGoat]

try this website for a solar still

http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/sstill.htm