Hi All. Hot weather and all that. Checked the battery and 2 of the reservoirs need filling up. But what sort of water do I put in? Someone said "distilled water, don't put tap water in cause it will stuff the battery". I don't know what distilled water is - is that water that has been boiled and then captured as steam and condensed?

All help appreciated.

Regards, Tony

Yes, correct about the distilling process and correct you should ONLY use distilled water

Where do I get it from? Supermarket? Never seen it before (never looked either).

Hardware/Super Cheap should definitely have it, supermarket MIGHT.......

hardware shop,Supercheap etc.

You should find it at a supermarket in the "Cleaning" section, with the washing powder and ironing starches. as it is the only water you should put in your iron?? (didn't know this to the wife came along). around $3 for 4 litres but you can get a 2 litre bottle. They are usually on the bottom shelf. Otherwise any auto parts store would have it.
I use it as the mixer in my radiator coolant, as you don't know what is in tap water.

Also in the cleaning section you will find 'Demineralised' or 'Deionised' Water for going into your iron as well. You can use these for your car battery too.

you might be able to get it form a servo as well.
i know that i have once so yeah just have a look, easier then going to a shopping center..

you might be able to get it form a servo as well.
i know that i have once so yeah just have a look, easier then going to a shopping center..

True, but they may have inflated prices, I would stick to supermarked or super cheap

Just use rain water, if you really want it clean get a china bowl outside when it rains and collect. :P It probably won't be as pure as proper distilled water but hey its free and the batteries won't know the difference!

supermarkets should have it.

Tony I have some pure water I bought from Coles to put in my old battery
If you’re coming to this week’s Northern Meet I’ll bring some along for you to top up

Just use rain water, if you really want it clean get a china bowl outside when it rains and collect. :P It probably won't be as pure as proper distilled water but hey its free and the batteries won't know the difference!

With todays cities rain water is worse then tap water, acid rain much?

Distilled is correct.

I've used normal bottled water - never had a problem either.

With todays cities rain water is worse then tap water, acid rain much?
That's true, I forgot about cities. Living out in the country myself I don't have to worry about that, just pure clean rain out here!

Thanks guys, I'll grab some on the weekend.


Tony I have some pure water I bought from Coles to put in my old battery
If you’re coming to this week’s Northern Meet I’ll bring some along for you to top up

Appreciate it but won't be able to make it down this week - too much going on in this recession.

Regards, Tony

Also in the cleaning section you will find 'Demineralised' or 'Deionised' Water for going into your iron as well. You can use these for your car battery too.
I always thought that was the same thing as distilled water..

Bunnings even sell it lol

(in the paint dept from memory)

Distilled water is filtered and treated were as tap water and rain water contain traces of dirt!
Yes! thats right! Dirt!
Thats why your car gets dirty when it rains.
You should use distilled water in your radiator aswell as all the traces of dirt adding up over the months and years can corrode parts of your radiator and i've even seen bases of radiator cores clogged with mud and thats why people bring cars in saying that they are overheating,i wonder why!:badgrin:

Distilled water is filtered and treated were as tap water and rain water contain traces of dirt!
Yes! thats right! Dirt!
Thats why your car gets dirty when it rains.
You should use distilled water in your radiator aswell as all the traces of dirt adding up over the months and years can corrode parts of your radiator and i've even seen bases of radiator cores clogged with mud and thats why people bring cars in saying that they are overheating,i wonder why!:badgrin:

As above for the battery, not so for the radiator

It is not the water that causes corrosion, it is electrolysis that causes the corrosion. You have dis-similar metals ie alloy, copper, cast iron, stainless steel etc etc. I have been using tap water in cooling systems with coolant and corrosion inhibitor for 20 years and have never had an issue

Surprisingly some coolants can be more dangerous than straight water, tectalloy is a great example

You can use tap water, rain water etc etc and the battery may last a while (provided it is not Adelaide water) but if you distilled water it is the perfect thing for the battery.

Well explained!
Seen a commodore that they were using tap water for ages to top it up with and after a whille,you could dig mud out of the top were the rad cap is and also dig it out of the lower hose.
Yuck!

no1 has explained the reason for using distilled water in batteries.

normal tap/rain water contains traces of other elements, particulary metals like copper, zinc, cobalt, cadmium. for the battery to work it relys on the reaction between the lead electrodes and the acid in the battery. if the level gets too low for too long the reverse current the alternator provides can't reverse the reaction because it gets... well all dried and manky. if you add normal water (not distilled or de-mineralised (obviously, had the minerals removed)) these minerals will electroplate to the lead electrode before the lead particles in the acid. if this happens too much the electrodes get covered and the normal lead/acid reaction can't occur.

Dry cell battery!

Demin water uses chemicals to strip the minerals so there is chemical residue and its not fit for drinking and would be suss in batteries.

I've used rain water for over 30 years in cooling systems in bikes, cars and trucks as well as batteries and never had a problem, and I keep my cars and utes for typically 3-400k kms.

I don't think I've had a battery fail at less than 6 years and and I have had some go over 10. My record is my road bike, admittedly a gel cell which doesn't count, that lasted from new in 1994 to needing replacement in 2007, 13 years.

Country rainwater is fine, but if you are in the city, distilled is the go.

Steve

I live in the country and when it rains its rains mud...... wish it was green enough to rain drinkable water here.

There is no point in using dirty rain water when you can go down to repco and get a bottle of distilled water for $2.50....

I've always used tap water...... It's only a car battery, it's not going to last forever anyway.