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+--- Thread: Where to find distilled water? (/Thread-Where-to-find-distilled-water)
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Melman - 03-23-2020
I can't see how tap water could hurt the machine itself. The flow is away from the machine, The only issue should be mineral deposits in the reservoir which are easily removed with vinegar. Do you have a reference for the research you mentioned?
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Nightynite - 03-23-2020
I wish I could use tap water. Our city water system has a high iron rating according to out yearly town water report. 2.5 times above acceptable standards for iron. That means distilled water for me.
I would encourage people to really look at there tap water after approved testing methods before assuming all tap water is 100% safe to put into your lungs. You can also look online for places that will test your water with a mailed in sample and send you a report.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - mesenteria - 03-23-2020
I don't know why people don't understand, don't see when the words are printed, or don't WANT TO believe that tap water is perfectly safe for your and my machines. It's not like the machines process it, or digest it, or have a purification mechanism to make them 'safe', or don't have one that the engineers didn't know enough to build into them to make water safe.
They evaporate water. They don't mist it, they don't spray it, they don't dribble it over cute rocks, they don't use ultrasonic devices to aerosolize it, they don't heat it to the point where you see vapours coming off of the surfaces or out of your nostrils. All they do is to pass air over the surface of whatever fluid you put in your reservoir. Period. That's it! They do have a heating pan to help to encourage more evaporation, but still no misting or ultrasonic vibrator to help to aerosolize it. It merely evaporates like the water in your glass at beside does...all night long, and all day if you forget it.
Folks, honestly, in a pinch you could use vinegar, apple juice, milk, even beer. Seriously. They all have that common ingredient which is H2O. It evaporates over time. Let a glass of orange juice stand for two weeks and, apart from bacteria or mold because it's no longer refrigerated and air passes over it, the stuff will dry to a sticky mess.
What we at apnea board are saying is that tap water, while not very palatable in places like the prairies, is safe to drink for the huge majority of citizens, and if it's safe to drink, it's safe to put in your machine. What we do suggest is that if your water isn't treated for minerals, you might want to adopt a regimen of emptying the dregs each day and filling the reservoir with a freshly drawn supply....from the tap. That way, minerals won't accumulate and dry onto the surfaces inside your reservoir.
You can't get sick this way. There's nothing in your home already that isn't making you sick, certainly not your municipal water supply. That's what you should put into your machine. You can't catch a cold from water unless someone coughs or sneezes into or over the glass you are about to use. That would mean that whatever is in the glass will pass it on to you, no matter if it is 'sterile' when poured or out of the tap. Water out of your tap is as close to sterile as can be, and is safe. If it's safe to drink, it's safe to breathe aerosolized.
Save your hard-earned money, and discard your anxiety. Tap water in the modern non-third world is safe routinely, predictably, and demonstrably. Use it!
But, I do agree...it's your money and your time to do with as you please.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Big Guy - 03-23-2020
^^^^^^^^
RE: Where to find distilled water? - SarcasticDave94 - 03-23-2020
What I'd like to know is where to get the ResMed humidifier tub with cute rocks.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Sheepish - 03-24-2020
(03-23-2020, 07:29 PM)SarcasticDave94 Wrote: What I'd like to know is where to get the ResMed humidifier tub with cute rocks.
Why, at a Japanese onsen, of course.
![[Image: GettyImages-575331241.jpg?fit=2048%2C2048px&ssl=1]](https://i0.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/GettyImages-575331241.jpg?fit=2048%2C2048px&ssl=1)
But after that pleasant distraction, back on topic: Tap water is fine. You just need to periodically clean the tub with vinegar.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - SarcasticDave94 - 03-24-2020
Thanks Sheepish, that's a nice image. Unfortunately, I can't fit that into my ResMed water tub.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - lacro - 03-25-2020
(03-23-2020, 12:38 PM)Melman Wrote: I can't see how tap water could hurt the machine itself. The flow is away from the machine, The only issue should be mineral deposits in the reservoir which are easily removed with vinegar. Do you have a reference for the research you mentioned?
I agree, it doesn't seem possible that tap water can do any damage to the machine other than the mineral deposits in the tub and hose which are easily removable. The one thing I think is more important is to remove the humidifier tub immediately after the machines low pressure dry down phase is complete so any water left in the tub does not create a high humidity environment for the internals of the machine which could possibly cause premature damage to the motor, and if high mineral content water is used (tap water) the high humidity could over time cause mineral deposits to accumulate on the fan blades decreasing blower efficiency, and eventual motor bearing failure.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Gary Mussar - 03-25-2020
I distill my own water. You can get a water distiller many places for less than $200. You don't need a large one since you won't be going through a lot of water. I have been using mine for close to 20 years so it has more than paid for itself.
A distiller works by boiling the water and then condensing the stream. They do not boil away all the water but stop before it is all gone. What is left is water with all of the minerals much more concentrated. This needs to be flushed out before you use it again.
The same is true for using tap water in the CPAP. If you don't use all of the water then what is left will have most of the minerals. Just be sure to dump that left over water out and rinse well before filling with more tap water. It will reduce (but not completely eliminate) the mineral build up.
RE: Where to find distilled water? - Big Guy - 03-25-2020
I'm using tap water and my reservoir gets dumped and then wiped dry each & every morning. Once in a while, I'll use some white vinegar to get rid of what small amount of mineral build-up has occurred.
The vinegar works great. It leaves a shiny and slick surface in the reservoir.