Chris Newport wrote:

On Sunday 24 October 2004 4:17 pm in rec.boats.cruising John wrote:


Years ago I had the idea of watering my plants with condensate from my
dehumidifier. (At the time I was buying distilled water for that
purpose.)
Someone knowledgeable told me the condensate was toxic. I have no
recollection of why that was (or even why I was watering my plants with
distilled water, for that matter) or if your filters would help at all;
but the idea is so obvious that it would be done if practical.


The condensate contains all of the pollutants which were
in the air. By recycling the condensate you will be
continually concentrating these pollutants into your
drinking water. This is a BAD idea.

Sweaty people + cooking byproducts being concentrated
with each recycling - YUK.


Disitilled water is pure water. If you have a dirty condensor, or
it's soldered with lead (unlikely in an aluminium device) then you
will get dirty condensed water, or water with some lead in it.
Clean it, or use one without lead, etc. In this application there is
no recycling or concentrating of toxic dust, sweat (?), etc that is
any more likely to kill you than your daily life breathing the air
there.

If you boil water until the kettle goes dry, there will be some non
volatile stuff left in the kettle. It is mostly inert, but could
contain some of whatever was in the water before you boiled it, ie
arsenic, etc, but wou would know about the water you put in. The
steam given off and condensed is as pure as the driven rain that
lands on your roof, where it gets contaminated by whatever bird or
squirrel tracks, etc it may encounter on it's way to your downspout.

A little natural dirt is good for your immune system, keeps it
excercised and fit, primed, you might say. An immune system that
gets no work to do eventually atrophies, like any other human
facility unused.

A charcoal filter will remove most toxins.

Otherwise, the condensate is as pure as the rain, and if the rain is
poisonous, we are all doomed.

Terry K