Reverse osmosis is an absolute joke. It totally wastes 3 gallons of water
for every one gallon of only second rate purified water (not distilled) and
the waste of water is immoral. Yet the R/O sales force has convinced the
buyer that this is a viable alternative. One day R/O water will be illegal
when ordinary water will be a premium and wasting 3 gallons down the drain
will not be allowed. People with R/O systems do not even recycle the wasted
water into their garden or other uses.

A distilled water system costs less in the long run. We have one in our home
and it saves us way more than buying water from those vendor machines.

Had I known that distilled water was ideal for coolant for my vanagon I
would have used distilled water but I suppose just filtered water will not
be that bad.

William Polowniak
1989 Vanagon GL
1988 Mercedes 300 SE

----- Original Message -----
From: "John McLean" <jaymac@INTERNETCDS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: distilled water & wbx reliabilty

> >
> >
> > >
> > > << What is the rationale for distilled water. >>
> > >
> > > The cooling system requires deionized water.
> > >
> > > Also, deionized H2O is offered by antifreeze manufacturers at inflated
prices.
> > >
> >
> > Distilled, deionized, and demineralized water will all work about the
> > same for our purposes.  Water can be deionized or demineralized with a
> > filter.  The ones I use to purify the water for my H. S. chemistry
> > classes cost about $60 and are good for about 80 gallons.(Chicago water,
> > YMMV)  Less trouble than operating and cleaning a still.  Distilling is
> > better at removing organic impurities like benzene, gasoline, etc. but
> > I'm mainly concerned about the calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminum, etc.
> > compounds.
> >
>
> Around my area there are several stores large and small that have RO
(reverse
> osmosis) dispensers out front that dispense
> pure water into your own containers for  .25 per gallon.  Is this a west
coast
> phenomenon?
>
> John McLean   87  Vanagon  GL