Dehumidifier as water source

[fsusoldier]

As I emptied my dehumidifier this morning I had an idea and wasn't sure if anyone here had thought about it or even done it.

I was thinking about getting a 55 gallon drum for water storage and running the hose from my dehumidifier right into it. Once thats full on to the next and so on. Obviously I would have to filter it/treat it before consumption, but not a bad idea of free water without draining the well to fill it up. Right now I empty it once a day and I believe it holds a gallon or so. Any thoughts?

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[todd c]

good idea, condensed water is supposed to be pure but i would still boil it just to make sure. mine finds water in the air even in winter when i wouldn't think there's any.

 

[squatch413]

Its potable.

 

[Fixxah]

Its potable.

Only if in a non-contaminated sterile environment. I would still filter it at minimum.

-Proud to be dad every day, a licensed plumber most days, and wish I was a shoemaker on others.

 

[DemonChronicles]

I'm pulling about 2.5 gallons a day with my dehumidifier currently which is the tank capacity. It's usually less during winter.

I've been using the water to water plants and refill my fish tank as water evaporates from it.

I agree with the others and you, I'd filter it before I consumed it.

 

[coastie]

I would just fill the drum from the tap and be done with it. Why let it fill just a couple gallons a day? Use the dehumidifier water on plants or to flush the toilet.

 

[whatluck]

Def boil it unless you want salmonella.

 

[JayMcB]

they pick up the crap in the air, dust, bacteria, etc, so tap water is a better source IMO

 

[DehydratedCorn]

people who keep aquariums hardcore talk about using the water because it is super pure, but they cant get over the fact that the condenser coils are not coated with anything, thus possible metallic contamination, which you cant boil out.

 

[BattleSnail]

Def boil it unless you want salmonella.

or Naegleria fowleri

- - - Updated - - -

people who keep aquariums hardcore talk about using the water because it is super pure, but they cant get over the fact that the condenser coils are not coated with anything, thus possible metallic contamination, which you cant boil out.

you could distill it out. But if you're gonna distill anything you might as well add yeast and sugar to it.

 

[JayMcB]

people who keep aquariums hardcore talk about using the water because it is super pure, but they cant get over the fact that the condenser coils are not coated with anything, thus possible metallic contamination, which you cant boil out.

people who keep coral reef aquariums hard core use a 4 or 5 stage RODI unit including the last stage as Deionizing Resin to get down to 0ppm TDS.

with freshwater, ymmv

if you keep a saltwater tank, the possibility of copper off the coils is a coral killer. no one would use it.

 

[saltydude]

The only thing I ever used it for was to fill the cells of non sealed car batteries. Now I've been dumping it out on my VERY dry lawn daily.

Here's an interesting site I quickly came across. It suggests you shouldn't consume it.

http://agoodidea.blog.com/2012/05/10-practical-uses-for-dehumidifier-water/

 

[BattleSnail]

The only thing I ever used it for was to fill the cells of non sealed car batteries. Now I've been dumping it out on my VERY dry lawn daily.

Here's an interesting site I quickly came across. It suggests you shouldn't consume it.

http://agoodidea.blog.com/2012/05/10-practical-uses-for-dehumidifier-water/

Good article, but this is the dumbest statement I've come across lately:

These appliances cool the air, forcing the air molecules to shrink and force any moisture out

WTF is an "air molecule"

 

[mclina]

We used to dump ours into the clothes washer so it wouldn't go to waste. It got run almost every day anyway.

 

[Rider]

I'd suggest either a) a rain barrel, or b) using your sump pit water.

I also run a dehumidifier, but it costs abo $10/month in electricity, so if SHTF, you wont want to waste that kind of electricity on dehumidifying your basement/house.

A rain barrel will collect more water than you can use. Depending n how much ground water you have, your sump pit might be good enough as well.

Definitely purify any water you collect before drinking.

 

[Rider]

Good article, but this is the dumbest statement I've come across lately: WTF is an "air molecule"

That is way easier than expecting your audience to be educated well enough to understand the relationship between temperature and absorbent capacity.

"Air molecules! Yeah, man, right!"

 

[jjm403]

I run a reef tank and never heard of using dehumidifier water for it. Only use water from my 5 stage RoDi system.

But with that said I don't think it's a bad idea to save and use to flush toilets. Water plants. Wash cars. Etc.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

Mmmm water passed through lead solder. Drool.

 

[CockedAndLocked]

I don't need a dehumidifier currently, but in previous basement had two for many years. Had to put drops of bleach in the water weekly to kill disgusting white stuff that would grow even though they were emptied every day or two.

Yuk!


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[enbloc]

.

 

[Skylineracer329]

an interesting idea until you run out of electricity

 

[beaker]

The condenser coils are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, especially when it isn't operating. Open one up and look at the condenser. I just cleaned a bunch of black gunk from my dehumidifier. You would want to boil it at a minimum, and probably use a good .2 micron filter.

 

[squatch413]

Mmmm water passed through lead solder. Drool.

What do you think you drink out of?

 

[MrsStrangeNH]

Google EcoloBlue for an idea of what it takes to make dehumidifier water potable.

I'd use it for utility - watering plants, washing the car, toilet flushing, etc. Not for consumption.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

What do you think you drink out of?

pretty clean water in my town...

I know what you mean, but these aren't made for consumption. If not boiling it, you're in for a world of hurt

 

[squatch413]

pretty clean water in my town...

I know what you mean, but these aren't made for consumption. If not boiling it, you're in for a world of hurt

Your pipes likely have lead solder unless you live in a newish house or newish remodeled house. I've drank water from.a dehumidifier as a kid when our town water was shut off due to construction. No quickstep as a result either.

 

[stumpg26]

I use the water from mine to water the lawn and garden. I also add it to the rain barrel if it's not full. Drinking it is not an option unless I'm in a desert and about to die anyway. I wonder if distilling it would clean it up for consumption? Have to check it out.

 

[Kevin_NH]

The lead solder is just part of it. The pipes in your house are intended for potable water, the copper coils and lead solder in your dehumidifier were made in china from the cheapest available alloys; were never intended to come into contact with anything for human consumption.

If you're saving water for when power goes out, just take it from your well. If your well recovers slowly, maybe fill your storage tanks during low-use periods? Get an automatic sprinkler valve and set it to run at 4AM?

 

[dcmdon]

The only time I'd ever use it for drinking water is if I found myself in an emergency situation with no water but plenty of fuel for my generator

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[Chet0729]

It would cost more to make this de-humidifier water drinkable than to just fill the drums with tap water and make sure they are sealed. It hardly seem worth any effort to capture a couple gallons of water a week.