If the water is pure distilled, the only thing that can cause an acid pH is dissolved atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide. Once the water is heated to boiling, the carbon dioxide will be driven out and the water should end up with a neutral pH. -----Original Message----- From: sslivesteam [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 3:01 AM To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam Subject: sslivesteam-Digest - Number 419 sslivesteam-Digest Friday, April 6, 2001 Issue 419 Today's Topics: 1. water treatment 2. Re: water treatment 3. Re: New roster ... 4. Re: water treatment ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message Number: 1 Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 18:45:30 EDT From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: water treatment I talked to the folks at Terlyn Industries yesterday about LSB8000. I bought a "case" to use on The Depot's 7.5" gauge locomotives. They explained in more detail how the product works, and I'm enthused about it for 7.5" loco's. However, I have some reservations about using it for Ga. 1 loco's. If I understood what I heard (or think I heard -- two hearing aids indicate a deficiency here ((hear?)), the product sort of acts as a chelate or maybe like a flocculant. In any event, if you are not able to blow down the boiler, the LSB8000 and the bad things it gobbles up remain in your boiler. Since we are, or should be, using distilled water, very few bad ions should be getting in there. That of course means we believe the vendor when they say the water is really distilled. The one thing that disturbs me about distilled water is it's naturally low pH reading. Low pH means it is highly acidic. Many of the impurities in Cu sheet metal could be dissolved more readily in an acid environment. Should we be trying to adjust the pH of the water? This is just "Drink for thought," since water really isn't food is it? Keep your steam up! Walt Swartz ------------------------------ Message Number: 2 Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 17:03:03 -0700 From: Geoff Spenceley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: water treatment Walt, Thanks, I have a couple of comments: My Merlins are 12 and 16 yrs old--I have used distilled water, never cleaned the boilers--they run just dandy. My local friend has a 3/4" scale 3-1/2" gauge 1954 switch engine I sold him--He uses local water--( very non-corrosive)--no problems with the boiler after all these years! So I am happy! However, in my selling days of compressors and and air cooling systems etc., it was reported to me by some whizz that distilled water is "hungry" and will seek out various metals! Interesting--however, I don't think we have any problems with our little copper boilers. Geoff--Can you HEAR me Walt!! I talked to the folks at Terlyn Industries yesterday about LSB8000. I bought >a "case" to use on The Depot's 7.5" gauge locomotives. They explained in more >detail how the product works, and I'm enthused about it for 7.5" loco's. >However, I have some reservations about using it for Ga. 1 loco's. > If I understood what I heard (or think I heard -- two hearing aids >indicate a deficiency here ((hear?)), the product sort of acts as a chelate >or maybe like a flocculant. In any event, if you are not able to blow down >the boiler, the LSB8000 and the bad things it gobbles up remain in your >boiler. Since we are, or should be, using distilled water, very few bad ions >should be getting in there. That of course means we believe the vendor when >they say the water is really distilled. > The one thing that disturbs me about distilled water is it's naturally >low pH reading. Low pH means it is highly acidic. Many of the impurities in >Cu sheet metal could be dissolved more readily in an acid environment. Should >we be trying to adjust the pH of the water? >This is just "Drink for thought," since water really isn't food is it? >Keep your steam up! >Walt Swartz ------------------------------ Message Number: 3 Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 22:37:19 -0700 From: Anthony Dixon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: New roster ... Hi Dave, I am having problems opening up the roster. Keep getting a message, "Error.File not available'. Any Ideas?. Please advise. Thank You, Tony D. At 06:12 PM 3/29/01 -0800, you wrote: >all hands: > >i was sitting here waiting for some of my minions to turn in work and >decided it would be a good idea to dump out a new roster. > >as always, if you don't like your name there or want you hometown listed >or want to provide a picture of yourself, just holler. > >there are approximately 170 people on the list now, with about 30 of them >preferring anonymity. > >http://45mm.com/sslivsteam/users/ > >\dmc > >-- >*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+ > David M. Cole [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Editor & Publisher: The Cole Papers; NEWSINC. V: (650) 557-9595 > Consultant: The Cole Group <http://colegroup.com/> F: (650) 557-9696 >*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* +*+ > ------------------------------ Message Number: 4 Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2001 23:08:01 -0700 From: Anthony Dixon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: water treatment Hi Guys, Are we getting confused between DI water (De-Ionised Water) as opposed to Distilled water?. While Distilled water may be slightly acid, it is supposed to be Neutral PH. and causes little harm. However DI water is a definate no-no for introducing into our boilers to raise steam. DI water is specifically manufactured to be used as a cleaning or surface washing/polishing agent. Its prime purpose is to attack surface minerals/particles and break them down. Conversly we all know hard water (city water) with higher PHs above 7.0 leaves lime residues etc behind after evaporation which will eventually clog steamlines. Therefore plain distilled water is "still" (oops) the safest option. Tony D. At 05:03 PM 4/5/01 -0700, you wrote: >Walt, > > Thanks, I have a couple of comments: > >My Merlins are 12 and 16 yrs old--I have used distilled water, never >cleaned the boilers--they run just dandy. My local friend has a 3/4" scale >3-1/2" gauge 1954 switch engine I sold him--He uses local water--( very >non-corrosive)--no problems with the boiler after all these years! So I am >happy! > >However, in my selling days of compressors and and air cooling systems >etc., it was reported to me by some whizz that distilled water is >"hungry" and will seek out various metals! > >Interesting--however, I don't think we have any problems with our little >copper boilers. > >Geoff--Can you HEAR me Walt!! > >I talked to the folks at Terlyn Industries yesterday about LSB8000. I bought > >a "case" to use on The Depot's 7.5" gauge locomotives. They explained in > more > >detail how the product works, and I'm enthused about it for 7.5" loco's. > >However, I have some reservations about using it for Ga. 1 loco's. > > If I understood what I heard (or think I heard -- two hearing aids > >indicate a deficiency here ((hear?)), the product sort of acts as a chelate > >or maybe like a flocculant. In any event, if you are not able to blow down > >the boiler, the LSB8000 and the bad things it gobbles up remain in your > >boiler. Since we are, or should be, using distilled water, very few bad ions > >should be getting in there. That of course means we believe the vendor when > >they say the water is really distilled. > > The one thing that disturbs me about distilled water is it's naturally > >low pH reading. Low pH means it is highly acidic. Many of the impurities in > >Cu sheet metal could be dissolved more readily in an acid environment. > Should > >we be trying to adjust the pH of the water? > >This is just "Drink for thought," since water really isn't food is it? > >Keep your steam up! > >Walt Swartz > > > ------------------------------ End of sslivesteam-Digest #419 ************************************ ------------------------------------------------- This digest came from sslivesteam, which is a group discussion list sponsored by David M. Cole. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, send e-mail to <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.
