Water Butt water contaminated by conifer?

L

LittleRedTrain

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Hi All,
Am looking to finally steam my new loco soon, but have a question about suitable water.
I've seen mentions on the forum that filtered rainwater is fine for steam locos, and I've got a nice big water butt (fed from my downpipes) that is kept well topped up by the British weather.

The only downside is that there's a conifer tree right next to it, that likes to drop bits into the butt.
Is there a risk of this affecting the pH of the water such that it's not safe to use, or would it be fine as long as I filter out any 'bits'?

Thanks
Daniel
 
Interesting question!

I guess the stuff to be aware of is the sticky sap, which might gum up the works? I guess you can buy a kit to check for ph from a garden centre if you need to be certain. I recall a value of 7.0 is neutral.

I have lids on all my butts which stop detritus getting in, but I only use them for the garden or pond anyway....
 
might not be any help but down in Cornwall the rain is so acid that it is disolving the stainless steel fittings and pumps in our rainwater harvesting systems so badly that we have had to go back to potable water just to save money on plumbers bills,, also the rainwater is disolving the zinc in brass fittings to the extent the pipework is leaking at major pressure joints, for the cost of a model and the cost of de ionised water, I would not cut corners, ​
 
I don't think the tree will affect the quality of the water, I would always filter it though. All rainwater is going to be slightly acidic due to dissolved carbon dioxide but this is perfectly fine. It might be worth checking the pH if you live near a city or industrial area however.

Dave
 
Thanks, I'll try filtering it and pH test it to see if it's suitable, if not I'll go for the distilled water option.
It's just a pain to carry home when you don't drive.

Stupid thing is, we had some massive dehumidifers at work recently that would've kept me in water for years.
(The sprinklers in the office upstairs were set off by accident, meaning free cold showers for all of our computer equipment!)
Unfortunately, carrying the water home on the tube would've been impractical.
 
I'm sorry but I have to say that there is nothing worse than Conifer bit's in your butt........................................

Hat Coat Door............................................................
 
Tannin!
 
I think to make sure the rain water is fresh is important; any that has been sitting in the butt for while will get contaminated by rotting leaves and other organic debris. It might be an idea to fit a tap over half way up so that you can drain water off with less crud in it or use the overflow connection to fill bottles with fresh rainwater.

I use water from our condenser tumble dryer which works fine for me since we don't use fabric condition which some people have said causes problems. We also use it in the steam iron which gets a lot more use that my steamies and that is crud and corrosion free after 5 years use with it. It also takes a lot longer to go green than rainwater if kept in a bottle for a while.
 
Thanks for all the replies.
I've decided to play it safe and have ordered some distilled water. Fingers crossed, I'll be able to get steaming up by the end of the week!
 
LittleRedTrain said:
Thanks for all the replies.
I've decided to play it safe and have ordered some distilled water. Fingers crossed, I'll be able to get steaming up by the end of the week!
Click to expand...

Probably the wisest decision.
 
Hmmmm, I don't seem to have any problem making my own water........ it's an age thing.

No seriously, the sunlight powered distilling unit I made last year is still (intended pun) working fine. Makes way more than I can use.
 
Ah yes , but what are you actually distilling? ;) :party:
 
ntpntpntp said:
Ah yes , but what are you actually distilling? ;) :party:
Click to expand...

I suspect I'd need to take it north of the border to get it to make my favourite tipple!:bigsmile::bigsmile::bigsmile:
 
bigjack said:
Do you have, or know anyone who has a dehumidifier. The water from them is perfect
Click to expand...

If you keep your collection in a garage or shed it is a wise move to have a dehumidifier to protect it from corrosion and mold.
 
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