> From: Bob Spidell <spidell@hpcc01.corp.hp.com>
> Subject: Re: False legends re: water
> To: GeorgeMurphy_NOAC@ctdvns1.CTD.ORNL.GOV
> Date: Tue, 19 Oct 93 11:17:25 PDT
> Cc: british-cars@autox.team.net (british-cars@autox.team.net)
>
> >cooling systems...in a word - DON'T.
> >
> >Distilled or demineralized water is "ionically unbalanced" - so it goes
> >
> Hmmmmm... I don't think I buy this. I have a (limited) background in
>chemistry
> (AS and 3&1/2 yrs. as a chem. lab tech.) and I have never heard the term
> "ionically imbalanced." In the first place, distilled water is perfectly
> "balanced," having exactly one H+ (hydronium) ion for each OH- (hydroxide)
>ion.
> That is why distilled water has a pH of 7.0, being neither acidic nor basic.
>
> Water only promotes rust when it is electrolyic, i.e. it supports the transfer
> of electrons from iron to oxygen (or sulfur). To be electolytic water must
>have
> some salt(s) dissolved in it. Granted, distilled water will eventually pick
>up
Bob,
I'm glad someone more knowledgeable than myself responded to this. Like
yourself, I found the notion of DI or distilled water being ionically
unbalanced suspect for pretty much the same reasons you stated. I'm
very familiar with what heated water with a high salt content can do to
galvanized steel since I spent a good part of the yesterday evening
laying on my back, in the mud, in the 18" high crawl space beneath my
house making temporary repairs to a burst water pipe.
Another reason I questioned this is because I believe it's common
practice to use distilled water rather than an anti-freeze/water mix in
race and autocross cars. Water alone provides better heat transfer and,
of course, if the coolant is lost on the track, it doesn't leave a slow
drying hard to remove slippery "oil" slick behind. Still, if distilled
water was that hard on the innards of a motor, I would think these
generally well informed (car-wise) people would be aware of it. Having
said that, I have to admit to wondering if there might be valid reasons
for not using water alone. I do add Water Wetter and soluble oil to the
water, but the WW is to improve the water's, well, wetting ability and
the oil is for lubrication, neither prevents rust as far as I know.
Roland
P.S. Can anyone in the San Jose/Santa Clara area recommend a good
plumber. Laying on your back in the mud really sucks!
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