Distilled Water

In the course of my business, I get calls from across the Nation from both mechanics and non-mechanics struggling with the effects of electrolysis. Most of these folks are trying to wrap their brains around the concept that it is (usually) a chemistry problem, not a grounding problem, and so like a broken record, I explain over and over how to test and attempt to explain how this "just suddenly" happened on a 10 year old vehicle.

I also gets calls from mechanics who understand the dynamic of the voltage potential in differing noble metals, and I listen as they go into a long painful detail about how they have tried every product on the market (tho usually not mine) and they still can't keep that new aluminum radiator from developing a leak after a few months. I find this to be quite interesting since my own track record is with electrolysis is rather good by comparison.  I don't hold back any secrets: I share my techniques and know how with anyone who asks.

And so this has got me thinking more deeply about a couple of things . .

1) Many of the folks who have the worst problems go on and on about how they have used distilled water, some even repeatedly flushing of the engine using distilled water.

2) I don't know how many times I have heard the phrase : and I use Water Wetter too ..."

After doing more research and reading, and carefully thinking on this a bit, I have concluded that distilled water is actually THE WORST water we can use in our coolant mix (when we are fighting electrolysis). It seems that Water Wetter acts to amplify any harmful effects.

Here's why:

Without any dissolved minerals content, distilled water is "empty" .  It is hollow and is able to be pushed in any direction by any force, whether it is pH, or dissolved solids, or absorbing stuff from the sediment in the water jackets in the engine block. I call it Hungry Water.  If water is called the Universal Solvent, then distilled water is the Ultimate Universal Solvent, hippily absorbing and dissolving most anything that comes its way.  Tap water has minerals like calcium and magnesium that keep the water from going buck wild  on the fresh aluminum, giving us a buffer against galvanic corrosion. Sediments in the engine block (like spent coolant inhibitors) are much less likley to rejoin and circulate if the water has its own calcium and magnesium.

Water Wetter reduces surface tension right?  Yep, and what a great job it does! So when we feed our galvanic cell (cooling system) some fresh new aluminum, and some Hungry Water, and some Water Wetter,, we now have made sure the new aluminum has no chance of plating up, and we can start moving those aluminum electron right away!.

Wait! It gets better! Lets add some heat to the process. Adding heat just adds additional energy to our galvanic cell. As you know, heat energy is almost always a good thing, and surly will speed up the process of electron transfer.  Getting heat is as easy as starting the engine.

We are not done yet. We need some agitation to ensure that our electrolyte has thourouly circulated in our cell. By circulating the electrolyte completely from the anodic parts to the cathodic parts, we can greatly improve the efficiency of our galvanic cell. Fortunately, it is also very easy. Just start the engine.

Conclusion

I have never been a big fan of using distilled water in a cooling system. I probably have always had a good source of water, so I never needed to go buy water. I am by no means suggesting that it is wrong to use distilled water in new cars. Clearly distilled water has its place. Also I have never used Water Wetter in a car.  I have never needed it. If you need additional cooling, increase the surface area of the radiator. Works every time.

So the lingering questions in my mind are ... why do I have better success removing the sources of electrolysis?

Some folks who insist that a cooling system is clean and proudly tell me that they are using distilled water are the ones having a hardest time getting electrolysis under control.

To me, there is a connection between using distilled water, and a surfactant (Water Wetter) in a system that continues to have galvanic corrosion.

I am suggesting that

1) In a cooling system suffering from electrolysis, that distilled water nor be used for flushing, and for adding to coolant.  Distilled Water is jist not the proper choice for our coolant mix. Distilled Water is too willing to be influenced by its surroundings, and in the electrolysis infected vehicle this is a disaster.

2) We need more minerals in the water, not less. Magnesium and Calcium are quite commonly found in tap water and drinking water, and increase our chances of a cooling system to plate up. Why not stack the odds in out favor? By the way, calcium has an even lower Noble Metal rating than either magnesium or aluminum. which has a desired effect of moving out aluminum up the nobility  ladder.

3) Keeping the Water Wetter out of the cooling system would be a wise choice as well since surfactants are well known to promote enhanced electron transfer in the industrial metal plating industry.

A conventional battery uses distilled water in the cells for a reason.

It is that same reason we should not be using it while fighting electrolysis.