HomeMade Water Distiller/EZ/Cheap!

[PitViper]

Hello All,

Here is a water distiller I made for under 40 bucks. This is meant more for outdoors, camp/ field applications, but there is no reason it wouldn't work in the kitchen - Only the amount of electric or gas you would use may not be cheaper than store bought gallons of distilled water, and the fact that it is bulky. But if you are in the woods, wood is free! water is free!
It is definitely cheaper than any and all models of the Waterwise company, especially their field version. Enjoy!

[fedup100]

Thank you, this is a real find.

[youngbuck]

That's pretty sweet! Thanks for sharing.

[Zeeder]

Why are desalination plants so expensive if all they have to do is make a giant one of these?

Awesome post. Thank you. Would have never thought of this.

[Acala]

Originally Posted by Zeeder

Why are desalination plants so expensive if all they have to do is make a giant one of these?

Awesome post. Thank you. Would have never thought of this.

Hot salt water is very corrosive. Whatever container you boil it in is going to need constant maintenance. Also, it generates toxic brine as a byproduct. There is really no good way to dispose of the brine. It poisons the land if you dump it on land and it kills everything where you dump it in the ocean.

[tmosley]

Originally Posted by Acala

Hot salt water is very corrosive. Whatever container you boil it in is going to need constant maintenance. Also, it generates toxic brine as a byproduct. There is really no good way to dispose of the brine. It poisons the land if you dump it on land and it kills everything where you dump it in the ocean.

You can boil it until dry, then place the remaining solids in a glass container, which can then go into a landfill.

[PitViper]

hi elwar

Ok, I've been studying the distillers for quite a while as I want to use that as part of my method of turning the infinite supply of saltwater (from the Gulf) in my back yard to my home water supply.

The only thing I can critique about your distiller is that it doesn't account for the chemicals that have a lower boiling point than H2O such as chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, buried waste and other chemicals...
When your water is boiling at less than 220 degrees these chemicals will evaporate and gather at the top of your system and mix right back in with the water you end up with.

Please read where it says to boil the water BEFORE you add the lid, and then AGAIN boil the final harvested water. The first stage removes Bulk VOCs the second stage removes the residual ones that accidentally came over.

Hi Watchman

The distiller shown is both clever and functional, but I would suggest using either glass or stainless steel for all components. Cake pans and such are available in both glass and stainless steel, but do cost considerably more.

Aluminum WILL produce potentially harmful toxins, particularly when used to distill "dirty" water of unknown composition, because aluminum, being an oxidizing metal, will attract and adhere to various other metals and chemicals which may be present. In addition, heat distillation of even relatively pure water using aluminum components ALWAYS results in an electrically conductive product which is not suitable for making Collodial silver nor medically safe saline solutions.

True. However: If the Bottom vessel was aluminum, whatever reactions take place, the solids would precipitate out of solution and remain in the bottom vessel. One could only speculate what gasses could be produced and accidentally come over and in what quantity, most likely they would be shed in the final boiling of the harvest water to an acceptable level for human consumption. (especially in armageddon scenario )
Now if the top vessel was aluminum, the hot water collecting in it would be (ideally) very pure and nearly unreactive, again most likely shedding any residuals in the final boiling of the harvest. (except minor aluminum oxide, depending on the grade of metal, which may effect taste, but is considered non-toxic) If in doubt, one could use a bit of the suspect harvest water to thoroughly clean the bottom vessel, and then run the harvest through the whole cycle again, this would most likely remove any residuals (save for the oxide, which happens with any aluminum cookware). But to remove ALL doubt, yes, use steel! I would not recommend glass only because this is supposed to be a rugged end-of-the-world distiller - I'd rather bend and dent it then break it!
Oh and YES, no coatings whatsoever! I will edit that doc, thanks.

hi Acala

Hot salt water is very corrosive. Whatever container you boil it in is going to need constant maintenance. Also, it generates toxic brine as a byproduct. There is really no good way to dispose of the brine. It poisons the land if you dump it on land and it kills everything where you dump it in the ocean.

True for this reason and more is why I wrote not to boil past an inch depth, then dump and refill - by doing this, most likely the molar concentration will be tolerable to the bearing vessel. For even the $300 water wise rip-off isn't made out of brine resistant titanium! Just steel.

Hi all

This device is for people like me who make their own things, it was designed for worst case scenario (no house, electric, civilization, etc) and to be simple, quick and cost effective. My goal was not an elaborate fractional distillation tower, nor an attractive addition to a gourmet kitchen, nor a devise that only quantum physicists can build!


Thanks for posting!!

[tmosley]

Because it takes a LOT of energy to heat that water. It's fine for a single family's drinking water, but it's not practical for watering lawns, industrial uses, etc.

[steve005]

check out this http://www.comforthouse.com/travelfilters.html same concept that'll do 16 gallon a day on campfire ONLY $329, every household should have one

[PitViper]

LOL! That is the exact one I was talking about in the initial post! What a rip off eh??