From the manual:
I have no desire to drink water condensed from our portable a/c, and the cats’ water bowl is always at least half-full. I’m curious, though, what contaminants are in the water? Depending on how long we run it, it pulls three to five gallons of water out of the air each day. ISTM contaminants would be flushed quickly.
Microbial contamination.
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=242795
Isn’t that where Legionnaire’s Disease was first discovered?
Thanks.
Per the link above, yes.
Mrs. L.A. occasionally berates me for leaving my cup of water out overnight. She says one of these days she’s going to have an analysis done on it to show me what falls into it. It hasn’t killed me yet.
Strictly speaking, Legionnaire’s Disease was not caused by the bacteria in AC condensate, but rather the warm, stagnant water in a cooling tower.
Not to say that it couldn’t be in condensate, though.
Yes, water from AC condensation could in theory be pure and distilled; steam/condensing distillation is a common process. But it’s all in the ass end of a machine not built to food standards, so the water that condenses on the, um, condenser and then drips into the pan and out can have all kinds of metallic and other nastiness in it. And, if it stands for any length of time, nasty microbes.
dirt microbes Freon or what ever they use for coolant now days… occasional bugs cold resistant germs …, , pretty much the same things that’s in your car water
Not too mention everything in the air that will be in the water that condenses over the coils or is absorbed by the condensed water before it drips off. Most of the air in the room will pass through that thing several times as the water builds up. Aside from contaminants in the machine it’s still probably better than some water I’ve had to drink, but I prefer something cleaner.
Also the plastics used in machines such as air conditioners or dehumidifiers aren’t food-safe. So may leach out chemicals that aren’t allowed for human consumption. I suppose, with some expense, the machines could be built to food grade standards, but why? SO you could have an opportunistic sip? Such water is generally fine for plants. Keep it away from pets – they generally have a smaller mass than humans,so would get a bigger dose of whatever chemical contaminant.
The coolant gas does not come in contact with AC condensate. That’s not how heat exchangers work.
In the summer moonson months, our bucket can generate five gallons per day. We pour it on the landscaping. Usually the vine in a giant planter, or an ornamental cherry tree. That’s pretty neat in the Sonoran Desert.
We just like to “reuse” that water. Nowadays it is building code for new dwellings to put it down the sewer, but we have no such restriction.
Car water? What the heck is car water?
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It’s refrigerant, not coolant.
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You know, for the car that runs on water that the government has been keeping secret. In the summertime you don’t even need to add water, just turn on the A/C.
I hated monsoon season in the Antelope Valley. We only had a swamp cooler, and they don’t work well when it’s humid.
Madronna marsh which is right next to a large mall in Torrance ca was thinking of using condensed a/c water from the mall to keep the marsh wet in the summer months. I doubt there would be any danger there to the marsh.
That sounds like an excellent idea. Do you have a citation for it? I’d like to share.
AC condensate is regularly used as a “gray water” source, like rainwater. It’s perfectly fine for watering the plants and stuff. But don’t drink it.
I just saw that in a local newspaper more than 10 years ago, not sure whatever came of it.
like about week before last … 2 things ive never understood about the older houses here …swamp coolers and no built in lighting…
What I meant about car water was like radiators ect …