Aircon condensate water

[pipeman]

Out of interest I collected the water runoff from an airconditioner in a bucket to see how pure it was. I dipped in the truncheon, and got no reading at all. I thought it was broken, but no, I tested it on some tap water and got a reading. So does this mean my A/C water runoff has an ec of 0.0 making it ideal to use in a hydro grow? Can anyone see a problem with this? I reckon I could collect more than enough water to keep my small grow running.

[Luke Skywalker]

Yes, I found this too... But just because it isn't reading any dissolved salts which conduct electricity in solution doesn't mean there aren't a whole pile of other things in there.

 

In theory, it's sound, but I've baulked at using it as when it was collected, it appears to froth... I've not tested ph, but I'm fairly sure that will be out too...

 

Could be all kinds of heavy metals and other non-conductive substances in there that wouldn't read on a truncheon....

 

I dunno man, perhaps you'd better ask a water corp or something. Send a sample to someone like that and you should be able to get an analysis of the water done, just to be safe.

 

Now, this is all just my opinion, I've thought about it tho and I'm not keen on the idea. You could test it, but I'd lay off smoking anything until you know more about it eh?

[Spurious]

If you've got a refrigerative type aircon, then yes, the water runoff should be near on distilled.

[Luke Skywalker]

Should be isn't always is mate. I'd wait for a test. A truncheon cannot measure all things.

 

Then again I'm a psycho health nut on these matters, I triple witholding periods and refuse to use most pesticides point-blank.....

 

I'm just urging caution. It does makes me wonder tho, why I haven't heard of it before.... using this water for growing plants that is.

[pipeman]

I'm just urging caution. It does makes me wonder tho, why I haven't heard of it before.... using this water for growing plants that is.

because Luke, I am a genius Also because you would need a large airconditioner to go with a small grow to make it work. A combination that wouldn't be all that common I imagine.

 

nah point taken. I will do some research into the inner workings of an airconditioner and how the condensation is produced. But if its just collected off copper coils as I suspect and passed out a plastic tube, then it should be safe. Copper pipes are commonly used for water supply last time I checked

[gunjaponic]

if its just collected off copper coils as I suspect and passed out a plastic tube,

 

You are correct. That is exactly how it works.

 

The water that drips out of the drain is collected from the evaporator which is the coil of an indoor unit on a split system, or room coil of an RAC (window rattler). This water is just `run off' (condensation) from the action of drawing air over a very cold metal coil. The air used over the coil is recirculated air drawn from inside the room you are trying to heat or cool. This air passes through a filter, which you are supposed to clean every few weeks - but no one does. The only contaminants that you should get in that water is what ever makes it through the filter, or is in the plastic pipe, or drain of the air conditioner.

 

Copper pipes are commonly used for water supply last time I checked

 

Yep, your right, and as we all know water from `town water' has all sorts of chlorines and stuff, but consider `rain water' for a minute. The water running into a `rain water tank' has already picked up all the dust, pollution, bird shit, dead frogs, bird nests, tennis balls, gutter rust and lead from flashings that has been collecting on your roof since last time it rained. I grew up with rain water tanks, and after seeing the shit that the water has got in it, I often wonder why I like it more than town water...............