On 30 July 2024 at 15:53 David Deaville Said:

We definitely have Hard Water but the only way I can see around that is to use distilled water but that’s not really practical.

Rainwater, but keep the collecting system clean!

And a third alternative if you get your windows cleaned by a man with a pumped brush system. They use demin water to leave a streak free finish, he could be worth cultivating for a 5 litre container full after a visit. My wife has used it for years for ironing.

Brian

Another source of suitable water is from a dehumidifier, often used in workshops to keep condensation at bay.

Andy

Can you arrange a threaded bush in the tank right under the suction valve, then you could poke a bit of wire in to dislodge the ball. As others have said, the delivery ball is likely to be lifted once the pump had got hold of some water.

It is said that demineralised water leaches metal out of the system as the calcium carbonate is converted rather than removed.

+1 for the dehumidifier.

We used to have a water collection system that pumped water from a series of butts fed off the clubhouse roof. Nobody cleaned out the autumn leaves so I guess it was well laced with tannin (a water treatment used in full size steam locos)

On 2 August 2024 at 09:29 Charles Lamont Said:

+2 for the dehumidifier. The one in my shop also supplies water for the ironing.

-1 for the dehumidifier, unless you already have such a damp workshop that it has to run a lot anyway.  Otherwise a dehumidifier is an expensive way of making clean water, they only make sense when the need to control condensation happens to make reasonable quantities of cleanish water as a by-product.

De-ionised water is cheaper than burning electricity in a dehumidifier, but avoid that sold for ironing because it’s pricey and often perfumed.  Look for the stuff sold for topping up car-batteries etc.

Word of warning, don’t expect freezer or dehumidifier water to be particularly clean, certainly not safe to drink.   Freezer ice tends to be contaminated with packaging and bits of food, whilst dehumidifier water picks up whatever muck is in the air –  such as black mould spores!   The water is plenty good enough for steam boilers though.

Another way of reducing hardness is boil the water.  Too expensive for my taste, and how well it works depends on the type of hardness in your tap water.

Dave