Making distilled water

[Twill413]

In order to get the water to condense in such a way that it doesn't end up wasting a lot due to simply escaping in the air, you would need an efficient way to chill the steam so it can condense on something. The best thing I can come up with is to use a smallish pot and put a pan bigger than the diamieter of the pot upside down over it instead of a lid, with some ice on top of the overturned pan to make it condense on the overturned pan, and then some kind of catch for the runoff. It sounds really stupid typing it, but I swear it works in my head. If you don't get it I can try and set it up for you and take a pic if you don't get what you need. Shoot me a PM if you are interested.

[str8edg]

Originally Posted by My371

My apologies...
I thought perhaps...it was a "bead issue".

No worries... hell if I can make enough I would love to get some beads on the go... I got Boveda 65% packs right now but beads would be MUCH cheaper in the long run... especially when I get a cooler!!! (which I can not buy in town either... why do I live here again??)

Originally Posted by zipper

I think he has a point. Both methods are pretty simple, and will do the trick. I think the tea kettle would be much quicker though and much less labor intensive.

Though...You do work in the school...and I only remembered this method because I did a science project with my mom, a science teacher...Cheap labor?

You got a smart mom, my mom taught grade 3, lets just say science is not her strength! I do see your point, if I had the gear in the lab I would make it a project for sure... have all the kids making me distilled water!! Fun days! But I looked and we are not exactly set up at all.

[str8edg]

Originally Posted by wayner123

The best method for you would to be the way zipper described. Just boil and collect the steam.

As to another point, I don't see how your science lab doesn't have the necessary equipment for doing this. It's chemistry 101. All you would need are flasks, a distiller tube and heat source. You really don't even need the distiller tube if you have a cork and some tubing.

Also, try googling distilling. A TON of links will pop up some with videos even. It's all pretty simple.

Maybe when I said science lab I was a little misleading... I should call it the room we go it when we talk about science!! We do mostly biology around here and earth science stuff. You know dissecting seals, polar bear eye balls and organs, stuff like that. So the only apparatus we have in there really is just a few beakers and some test tubes

Originally Posted by Twill413

In order to get the water to condense in such a way that it doesn't end up wasting a lot due to simply escaping in the air, you would need an efficient way to chill the steam so it can condense on something. The best thing I can come up with is to use a smallish pot and put a pan bigger than the diamieter of the pot upside down over it instead of a lid, with some ice on top of the overturned pan to make it condense on the overturned pan, and then some kind of catch for the runoff. It sounds really stupid typing it, but I swear it works in my head. If you don't get it I can try and set it up for you and take a pic if you don't get what you need. Shoot me a PM if you are interested.

I know what you are saying... I don't have to worry about the temp issue to be honest, I think I will use the kettle and the tin foil idea and I will do it in my porch... so I figure if the surrounding air is -30C or so... it will condense I just hope it does not freeze right away!

[pbrennan10]

bunsen burner -> beaker -> cork/hose -> receptacle

amirite?

[Mark C]

I did this in my dorm room a few years back (though not with water...). Here's a rundown of my method (very similar to others, with a slight twist), adapt with the materials you have as necessary.

I had no heat source, so I bought a 'fry daddy' deep fryer. Heat source and pot all in one. Then I put a small cereal bowl on a shelf inside the fryer. I used an electric stove burner insert (the cheap aluminum dome) as the shelf. That kept the cereal bowl out of the boiling liquid and off the hot surface of the pan. Next was a large metal mixing bowl on top of the fryer, as a lid. And the trick, I filled it with ice. The ice will increase your efficiency, cooling the steamer much faster and reducing the amount that escapes through the cracks.

This works a little better than the 'lid' method because you're collecting the distillate inside the pot. You won't have to open the lid every few minutes and will waste less heat and steam.

The real question is what exactly are you distilling? I'm no expert, but I'd imagine freshly fallen snow ought to be pretty pure. Distilling tap water makes sense at least to get rid of the chlorine, but I'm not sure what you gain by distilling more pure water. Is there a high mineral content or some other impurity in melted snow? And if so, are you worried about it screwing up the beads, or somehow finding its way into a cigar? I'm not trying to be an ass or anything, I'm just a little skeptical of the magical properties of distilled water vs. anything other than tap when it comes to humidors.

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by Twill413

It sounds really stupid typing it, but I swear it works in my head.

Trust me, it works Not very efficient by any means, but you've definitely got the right idea.

[taltos]

Try this one in the lab:
Parts: test tube
rubber stopper with hole
glass tubing to fit hole in stopper
beaker to collect distilled water
bunsen or alcohol burner
tap water
test tube stand and clamp

procedure: 1. Clean test tube and half fill with water.
2. Over heat source, bend tube into a "U" shape.
3. Insert 1 end of tubing into stopper, making sure that it goes through stopper but does not contact water.
4. Clamp test tube into stand.
5. Place clean beaker under other end of tubing.
6. Heat water with the heat source.

The water that collects in the beaker will be steam distilled and will have most minerals removed. This procedure can be repeated as often as needed and can be stored in a clean test tube that is plugged with a solid stopper. The reason for the bend in the tubing is to make the steam condense back into liquid water. Hope this helps.

[Mark C]

I'd be wary about using lab equipment. Can you REALLY be sure it's clean? I've worked in a lot of labs, with 'clean' glassware, but there's no way in hell I'd drink from any of them. Even the ones I personally cleaned, just not a good idea in my opinion.

[hotreds]

Originally Posted by str8edg

And you know for sure it will be frozen when it gets to me!! lol

Good point! I can imagine a plastic jug of water exploding in those temps! Boy, what a different set of circumsatnces you have to look out for! I guess, tho, that no beetles would survive the trip to y'all up 'ere!

[galaga]

Originally Posted by str8edg

I was just about to post that... my problem as some of you know is that I live in the high (very high) arctic and we have only one store... people around here have no use for any water in bottles. In fact the elders still go out on the ice and get chunks of ice from icebergs for drinking water. I will have you know, nothing is like a cup of tea made from iceberg water.

CEC_Tech I do plan on using brita water... if I am going to put it in my humidor I want pure water!

zipper I never though about using the lid trick... that would work for sure.

NCRadioMan I was worried about using foil... would there be any aluminum transfer??

nosaj02 no worries brother, I live in a town of 230 we only have one store here and we are a fly in community!

Marginal Al transfer but why not use iceberg water. It tastes so good b/c its pretty pure. Try this link
That's pretty pure stuff, less that 10 ppm TDS (parts per million total dissolved solids) YMMV

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

The easiest way I know is to use a tin foil tent above a pot of boiling water and put cups at the corners to collect the run-off.

Why do I think you may have some practical experience in this department? Checking mash?!

[gvarsity]

I googled your location on google maps and you aren't kidding you are remote. I don't even want to know how much a cigar costs by the time it gets to you. Yikes. Best of luck. Found this link which says what everone else has been saying but it has a nice drawring.
http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/distill.htm

[Blueface]

A bit more costly and don't know if covered already but you can make the equivalent of distilled water for your smokes and for drinking.
You use deionized water that works just as well via an R.O. (reverse osmosis) unit.
At the same time, you have great quality drinking water.

[smokinpoke]

If your using humi pucks or beads I will give you the simplest solution.


PM me and I will send you a couple of pints.

[duhman]

Originally Posted by Blueface

A bit more costly and don't know if covered already but you can make the equivalent of distilled water for your smokes and for drinking.
You use deionized water that works just as well via an R.O. (reverse osmosis) unit.
At the same time, you have great quality drinking water.

I have an R.O./D.I. plant for making (extremely) pure water for my aquariums but the equipment is expensive. I like all of the still ideas coming out here.

[str8edg]

Originally Posted by smokinpoke

If your using humi pucks or beads I will give you the simplest solution.


PM me and I will send you a couple of pints.

I thank you for your offer sir, but really I don't know if they would make it here intact and unfrozen.. and the cost would be ridiculous. But thank you sir