discussion

Cobracon · 06-15-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pharaohz

Though if distilled, water no long becomes conductive. Water by nature isnt. Its all the organic/metals material in water that make it bad for your computer :)

Did I understand you correctly?? Are you saying that distilled water isn't electrically conductive?? If that's what you meant, you are wrong as rain. Pour a cup or two of distilled water (or any other 'kind') into your computer, TV, you name it, and it will short out.

listereo · 06-16-2008, 11:11 AM

I'm similarly suspicious of that claim, but as long as I don't plan on using water of any kind in my system, it's not my concern.

**Pharaohz** · 06-16-2008, 05:57 PM

I guess I should be a bit more clear about distilled water not conducting electricity. For electrical purposes there are 3 types of materials, conductors, semi-conductors and insulators. In order for a insulator (ie rubber, wood, ceramic and water) to function its resistance must be greater then the amount of voltage trying to run through it. In normal water and salt water there is enough organic material to make it a conductor. Even (and heres where I shoulda been more clear) distilled water can conduct electricity but at a much much lower current. The longer distilled water is allowed to absorb organic material the more conductive it will become.

Now here are the facts. Pure water, never before seen in the real world, will no other matter within it, would make a perfect insulator. It would conduct no electricity at all at any voltage. Perfect air, also never seen in real life, like that in a perfect vacuum, would also make a perfect insulator. The more impurities in water the better it conducts electricity. By boiling/distilling water you remove a large portion of the impurities.

So yes I did say distilled water can not conduct electricity and I would be correct if it could be distilled to perfect water. Now I didnt mention that cant be done which I should of. But if you recall seeing the commercial with the TV filled with some sort of liquid. Was many years ago. That was infact highly distilled water in a working TV. I have no other facts then it was as it seemed. I dont know how and dont remember why they did it.

But in any event, I hope I cleared this up. I do not suggest you poor water into your comptuer. Though If you have to, use freshly, highly distilled water :)

listereo · 06-16-2008, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pharaohz

Perfect air... like that in a perfect vacuum, would also make a perfect insulator...

There's no air in a vacuum. There's nothing in a vacuum. That's what makes it a vacuum. And then, it's not a perfect insulator. There's nothing to conduct, so the electricity has no where to go but along it's circuit.

Can't say I meant my thread to be a discussion of conductors and insulators...

**Pharaohz** · 06-16-2008, 10:29 PM

I will only respond with, what I have said is what Ive learned. Im not here posting what I think, its all been tested and logged as scientific fact. But for Christs sakes, dont believe me. The internet is a wonderful tool. One can find information for just about anything. To blindly believe that which you dont understand or believe yourself would be foolish. Thanks for posting your comments so that I might have a chance to post in reply. Peace

sinclair_tm · 06-17-2008, 03:02 PM

Remember, if you pour distilled water on a computer, unless it is perfectly clean, will pick up all the dust and dirt and leftover stuff from manafacturing, thus no longer being distilled water. There is a simple test to show this about distilled water. Take a flashlight apart. Now connect one lead from the battery to the light. cut the other lead in half, one to goto the light to a cup, and the other from the cup to the battery. Now fill it with tap water and the light should glow. Empty and clean the cup with distilled water, and then fill it with unused distilled water, and the light will stay off. I can't tell you how many times I have seen this done in a lab at school.

**Pharaohz** · 06-17-2008, 07:44 PM

Ditto. This is where I first heard about the distilled water thing.

**beefers1** · 06-17-2008, 10:29 PM

completely pure water, which has never been completely achieved in practice, will not conduct electricity. unfortunately we cannot live by theory in many cases.

**EnglishPaul** · 06-18-2008, 12:16 PM

I seem to remember that this also has something to do with the reason that you use de-ionised (distilled) water in battery top-ups.

listereo · 06-19-2008, 11:34 AM

So distillation also de-ionizes water? This is news to me. But I guess that's what I get for taking a media arts degree.

**Pharaohz** · 06-19-2008, 03:46 PM

I dont think it does de-ionizes it. But the steam coming off of boiling saltwater is distilled and very drinkable. Or at least I think this is correct. Not sure in this area.

**Kalim** · 06-20-2008, 05:13 AM

The quoted text in OP is right. Electrons can transfer where you have ionization and ion mobility caused by impurity in water, presented by conductive materials. That's why salt-water can conduct electric currents. In pure water there are none so water cannot carry a charge.

Banscare · 06-20-2008, 05:23 AM

What a great thread to start off my day. Is distilled water used in water cooling for computers?

**Pharaohz** · 06-20-2008, 09:37 AM

nada. I believe its a anti freeze type of liquid. I hear auto anti freeze is great for water cooling a computer. But never had the need to do water cooling.

**sandman55** · 06-21-2008, 07:25 AM

I have spent my working life as an electrician mostly in industry. There is no such thing as the perfect conductor (they will all offer some resistance) and there is no such thing as the perfect insulator, voltage which is electromotive force (think of it as electrical pressure or the force that pushes the current through the conductor) decides on how much current is pushed through a conductor even rubber or plastic, that is why cables have a voltage rating on them. If you get an electrical cable that you would normally use to wire up your house and if you increase the voltage applied to it enough the insulation will break down and will conduct. Air is a very good insulator and yet look at what happens with lightening. Pure distilled water is less of a conductor than mains water but it is still a conductor the voltage determines how much it conducts.

When I was a young bloke I was the Electrician at the local Abattoir and we had in our steam boiler a water level probe that set off a low water alarm if the water level dropped and the probe lost contact with the water. Because we had problems with the solids in the water leaving scale in the boiler we installed a reverse osmosis water treatment plant which made the water more pure (not as pure as distilled water) only our electronics connected to the probe were not sensitive enough and it set off the alarm continuously regardless of the water level. We fixed this by installing new electronic controls that were sensitive enough to detect the new water.

06-16-2008, 11:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
listereo Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11 OS: xp	Re: My mobo is a liar, and so is her sister I'm similarly suspicious of that claim, but as long as I don't plan on using water of any kind in my system, it's not my concern.

06-16-2008, 05:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pharaohz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 611 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: My mobo is a liar, and so is her sister I guess I should be a bit more clear about distilled water not conducting electricity. For electrical purposes there are 3 types of materials, conductors, semi-conductors and insulators. In order for a insulator (ie rubber, wood, ceramic and water) to function its resistance must be greater then the amount of voltage trying to run through it. In normal water and salt water there is enough organic material to make it a conductor. Even (and heres where I shoulda been more clear) distilled water can conduct electricity but at a much much lower current. The longer distilled water is allowed to absorb organic material the more conductive it will become. Now here are the facts. Pure water, never before seen in the real world, will no other matter within it, would make a perfect insulator. It would conduct no electricity at all at any voltage. Perfect air, also never seen in real life, like that in a perfect vacuum, would also make a perfect insulator. The more impurities in water the better it conducts electricity. By boiling/distilling water you remove a large portion of the impurities. So yes I did say distilled water can not conduct electricity and I would be correct if it could be distilled to perfect water. Now I didnt mention that cant be done which I should of. But if you recall seeing the commercial with the TV filled with some sort of liquid. Was many years ago. That was infact highly distilled water in a working TV. I have no other facts then it was as it seemed. I dont know how and dont remember why they did it. But in any event, I hope I cleared this up. I do not suggest you poor water into your comptuer. Though If you have to, use freshly, highly distilled water :) __________________ I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the father, Except through me. John 14:6 Wrench: "When they make an SLI that's not buggy we'll let you know" OMG: "Noooooppeeee! we build pc's.. we don't manufacture mobo's"

06-16-2008, 10:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pharaohz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 611 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: My mobo is a liar, and so is her sister I will only respond with, what I have said is what Ive learned. Im not here posting what I think, its all been tested and logged as scientific fact. But for Christs sakes, dont believe me. The internet is a wonderful tool. One can find information for just about anything. To blindly believe that which you dont understand or believe yourself would be foolish. Thanks for posting your comments so that I might have a chance to post in reply. Peace __________________ I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the father, Except through me. John 14:6 Wrench: "When they make an SLI that's not buggy we'll let you know" OMG: "Noooooppeeee! we build pc's.. we don't manufacture mobo's"

06-17-2008, 07:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Pharaohz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 611 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: discussion Ditto. This is where I first heard about the distilled water thing. __________________ I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the father, Except through me. John 14:6 Wrench: "When they make an SLI that's not buggy we'll let you know" OMG: "Noooooppeeee! we build pc's.. we don't manufacture mobo's"

06-17-2008, 10:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
beefers1 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Surrey, BC, Canada Posts: 2,375 OS: Win XP Pro SP2 My System Blog Entries: 4	Re: discussion completely pure water, which has never been completely achieved in practice, will not conduct electricity. unfortunately we cannot live by theory in many cases. __________________ My blog- feel free to visit

06-18-2008, 12:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
EnglishPaul Still no avatar Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sheffield Posts: 996 OS: XP SP2	Re: discussion I seem to remember that this also has something to do with the reason that you use de-ionised (distilled) water in battery top-ups.

06-19-2008, 11:34 AM	#10 (permalink)
listereo Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 11 OS: xp	Re: discussion So distillation also de-ionizes water? This is news to me. But I guess that's what I get for taking a media arts degree.

06-19-2008, 03:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
Pharaohz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 611 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: discussion I dont think it does de-ionizes it. But the steam coming off of boiling saltwater is distilled and very drinkable. Or at least I think this is correct. Not sure in this area. __________________ I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the father, Except through me. John 14:6 Wrench: "When they make an SLI that's not buggy we'll let you know" OMG: "Noooooppeeee! we build pc's.. we don't manufacture mobo's"

06-20-2008, 05:13 AM	#12 (permalink)
Kalim Roaming To Help Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5,609 OS: Many	Re: discussion The quoted text in OP is right. Electrons can transfer where you have ionization and ion mobility caused by impurity in water, presented by conductive materials. That's why salt-water can conduct electric currents. In pure water there are none so water cannot carry a charge.

06-20-2008, 05:23 AM	#13 (permalink)
Banscare Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: St John's NL Posts: 140 OS: XP Pro 64bit My System	Re: discussion What a great thread to start off my day. Is distilled water used in water cooling for computers? __________________ Ban Computer Support Specialist (MCP, MCSE)

06-20-2008, 09:37 AM	#14 (permalink)
Pharaohz TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 611 OS: Windows XP Home My System	Re: discussion nada. I believe its a anti freeze type of liquid. I hear auto anti freeze is great for water cooling a computer. But never had the need to do water cooling. __________________ I am the way, the truth and the life.No one comes to the father, Except through me. John 14:6 Wrench: "When they make an SLI that's not buggy we'll let you know" OMG: "Noooooppeeee! we build pc's.. we don't manufacture mobo's"

06-21-2008, 07:25 AM	#15 (permalink)
sandman55 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 3,848 OS: WinXP Pro SP2	Re: discussion I have spent my working life as an electrician mostly in industry. There is no such thing as the perfect conductor (they will all offer some resistance) and there is no such thing as the perfect insulator, voltage which is electromotive force (think of it as electrical pressure or the force that pushes the current through the conductor) decides on how much current is pushed through a conductor even rubber or plastic, that is why cables have a voltage rating on them. If you get an electrical cable that you would normally use to wire up your house and if you increase the voltage applied to it enough the insulation will break down and will conduct. Air is a very good insulator and yet look at what happens with lightening. Pure distilled water is less of a conductor than mains water but it is still a conductor the voltage determines how much it conducts. When I was a young bloke I was the Electrician at the local Abattoir and we had in our steam boiler a water level probe that set off a low water alarm if the water level dropped and the probe lost contact with the water. Because we had problems with the solids in the water leaving scale in the boiler we installed a reverse osmosis water treatment plant which made the water more pure (not as pure as distilled water) only our electronics connected to the probe were not sensitive enough and it set off the alarm continuously regardless of the water level. We fixed this by installing new electronic controls that were sensitive enough to detect the new water. __________________ Charlotte at the beach