Countertop Water Distiller

[AngThong]

Hi,

I did a search and only found an old, archived thread which provided no resolution.

So... Anybody know where I can buy a countertop water distiller in Thailand? I had this back in the UK, did a good job (and you wouldn't believe the residue left in the boiling chamber after distilling... Gross!):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0041GYFL4/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hopefully something cheaper than £170 x 45 ~7650 baht, though good quality is my top priority. I'd also need a good quality ~2 liter metal water bottle (or three) to keep the distilled water in, something like this which I had back in the UK:

http://www.kleankanteen.com/products/wide/klean-kanteen-64oz-wide.php

[Sheryl]

Mine is by Pure. They have outlets selling filters in many locations, see http://www.bkwater.com/index.php/en/branch.html

While they sell larger filters as well they do have some table top brands. the one I have is called "Pure Nuvo". Works quite well.

[AngThong]

Thanks. I couldn't make much of their website, but looks like they don't actually distill (boil & collect the condensed water) the water? Just filter it through some kind of filter. That's not what I'm looking for - I want a proper distiller with a boiling chamber, a condensation collector & preferably an active carbon filter, too. Or am I mistaken - do they sell waster distillers as well?

[Sheryl]

Sorry, I didn't catch that. No, they do not sell distillers and I don't know of a place that does.

If your intent is to remove absolutely everything fro mthe water, why not just reverse osmosis? Easy to find devices that fix onto the tap for that.

[AngThong]

I may have to, but distilling is better - it truly removes all chemicals, with RO doesn't do as well. I also have a slight taste preference for distilled water. I doubt I'd get sick from RO water, but I'll definitely go for distilled if I can find a distiller.

Thanks anyway

[lopburi3]

Do you actually like distilled water taste? I found it totally tasteless many decades ago when I had a distiller. It was fine in coffee however. I also have never seen them for sale here.

[AngThong]

Yes, I like it - precisely because it has no taste. I don't like water with a taste, unless it's fresh from a clean spring.

I don't like it freshly distilled when it's warm though, but once cooled in the fridge - yes. If I find a distiller, I should perhaps try distilling bottled water and see if I get any 'interesting' residue... 8-O

And I want to distill it myself rather than buy something someone else (maybe) distilled.

Edited April 11, 2013 by AngThong

[JAS21]

Whilst I'm sure that you have your own opinions, have you googled 'drinking distilled water'. Hard water is reputed to be quite beneficial to drink and contains some of the minerals that your body needs, whereas softened water isn't and of course you know that distilled water shouldn't contain anything.

I see many 'water filters' here in Thailand have a resin column which softens the water ... the last thing that you want if you are going to drink it.

You will use quite a lot of cooling water for the condensation process.

When you have your gear set up, out of interest post a few pics and let us know how many litres of cooling water you use per one litre of distilled water please, I'm quite interested to find out as all my working life was in power stations and we used a 'kin lot of cooling water to condense the steam!!

[Crossy]

Not to mention the energy input required, distilled water has to be the least green of all drinking water.

[Naam]

there's nothing wrong with distilled drinks when they are minimum 40% / 80proof. but that somebody drinks distilled water is way beyond my grasp. but then... chacun à son goût.

[AngThong]

Thanks. I researched this quite extensively three years ago when I bought my distiller in the UK and came to the conclusion that fresh spring water is best, distilled next best. Sure, it doesn't contain anything - it's pretty much pure H2O - but the lack of minerals etc. isn't really a downside as your body doesn't absorb water minerals anyway. You need to get your minerals from your diet.

As for how much water is lost, with the distiller I had in the UK, pretty much none. It's a closed system - you lose so little it doesn't make any real difference. It boils the water in the boiling chamber, condenses it at the top, after which the water flows through an active carbon filter into a glass container, which is closed save a small hole at the top so nothing much evaporates. You put in 4 liters and get 4 liters, give or take a centiliter or two maybe, mostly contained in the residue - a horrible brown-black, stinking mess, at least in the UK... Probably at least as bad here.

As for energy consumption, it's 550W, roughly equivalent to 5-6 light bulbs. It takes about 5 hours to distill 4 liters. I use about 2 liters a day so an average of 2.5 hours/day. Not that much really, and I bet a lot more energy gets used in the making & distribution of the water bottles I'm now relying on. I don't use AC, freezer, cooker or much anything else really - just a fan and my computer, so I'm relatively OK with my electricity consumption.

Of course, I don't know what kind of distiller I might find in Thailand. I want something at least equivalent to what I had in the UK. I hope to be able to order one so I don't have to travel to Bangkok or some other big city... Still looking, too bad my Thai isn't nearly good enough to google it. I'll let you know if I find one and maybe post pics, too

[AngThong]

there's nothing wrong with distilled drinks when they are minimum 40% / 80proof. but that somebody drinks distilled water is way beyond my grasp. but then... chacun à son goût.

Haha! I stick to water, thank you very much. Let others distill other stuff

[JAS21]

You could use the 'Heath Robinson' kit. Basically a kettle with the cut out switch taped down and a length of metal piping ... air conditioning system pipe would do... connected to the spout. The pipe is then run through a bucket of cold water and the condensate collected in a heat proof container. Just don't let the kettle boil dry! If the 1st bucket doesn't condense all the steam then run the pipe through a second bucket and if that isn't enough use a third bucket ... if that doesn't condense all the steam the buy a smaller kettle. Good Luck.

[AngThong]

DIY and my brains don't go well along I'm afraid I tend to be brilliant at breaking stuff without producing anything useful whatsoever. Thanks anyway, maybe I'll give it a go if I can't get hold of a proper distiller

[kriswillems]

Distilled water is not pure H2O. Pure H2O is very reactive/instable. Drinking it could kill you. During distillation process gasses in the air are mixed in to the water and there are chemical reactions between the water and the CO2 gass in the air.

Still, distilled water is cleaner than filtered water, although the difference with RO is very small. Extremely clean water is unhealthy because it takes the minerals/sodium out of your body. It's also an acid. That's why some health expert believe distilled (or RO filtered) water is not very healthy.

Anyway, in the device you describe the distilled water passes an active carbon filter AFTER it is distilled.So, most of the properties of the distilled water are lost and most probably RO filtered water would be more clean than the water from the device you describe.

Edited April 12, 2013 by kriswillems