Finding ultra-pure water locally...

Tbg : I have been actively searching out water sources for steam cleaning for years.

In theory, I believe that most any material thing can be purchased for a reasonable cost , provided one is willing to search off the beaten path. Aquiring water products is no different than other objects , just a tad more challenging.

What I have been attempting to do is to locate some national resource available to all interested parties at the lowest price. My reasoning has always been that the more obsecure the manufacturer the greater the control of pricing ,particularity, when ascribed as "medical or Lab" grade. Understandably, they do have greater requirements and specifications that support the cost(s) out-lay(s). Nevertheless, what I have discovered is that certian manufactures require , say demand, huge quanities of reagent grade ++ water products for production purposes at the lowest outlay of money.

The most significant are certian car battery manufactures ; the others, the Water, Soda and Food Industries. All of these industries are under the onslaught of foreign competition that could cause some to go out of business but not today.

This returns me to my earlier recommendation for Peak Battery Water ; this product has been distilled, RO'ed , de-mineralized ,de-ionized and filtered product for $4.00 Gal @ Pep Boys Auto.

Whether the Peak Product is as pure as other products I can not confirm but it does appear to be superior to most , low cost and nationally available. For now that's my personal contribution to the search.

Markd51 and Crem1, as we really don't know what the benefits of purity are, I do think we have to go by what we personally judge to be pure enough. I have found, as I noted, that Walker's water sounds better as a final rinse than either store bought distilled water, which should be a pure as the steam that it comes from, and reverse osmosis water. Given what I use I will continue with Walker's water. I do wish some scientist would evaluate the benefits of greater purity for various purposes.

The Prestone Water, while might be good, and good enough for many users, (and very possibly better than single step distilled), without any data to be had, and what type container such water is then placed in, still leaves me with some doubt?

I remember one of our very good agon posters, some time back with the Water Thread, with the very thorough, and extremely long post? Was very well done I thought, and the best lowdown I've ever read about water quality.

The links provided here in this thread of the gallons of water for a very reasonable price, seem like a very good cost effective alternative.

And if I had in my possession 10,000-15,000 LPs like maybe Michael Fremer perhaps has, I'd probably jump at the opportunity to buy it, but four gallons of water is a whole lot of water to buy, and for a "little guy" like me, I'd probably be collecting social security by the time I used all this water!? lol

As time passes, then one might also wonder, is this water still as pure as when I first bought it, or has chemicals from the holding vessle, and conditions it was perhaps stored in, now has leached contaminants-plasticizers into the water, now making it actually worse than the standard Wally World .69 cents a gallon stuff?

Ahh, many thoughts to ponder, but do enjoy the topic with you folks. We once delved into this topic a couple months ago on AKarma, lots of opinion of course, as there always is, one fella remarked he was a degreed chemist, but then offered nothing to the thread about cleaners, or rinse waters.

No scientific data, or common logical sense was offered from others in this thread on Karma, to back any argument in why we all shouldn't just be using chopped down Paint Brushes, and Paint Brush Pads to scrub, Distilled Water mixed with Dawn, Photoflow, and 99% Walgreens Iso Alcohol, forget the Enzymes, who needs them, and of course just whip out the ole Micro-Fiber cloths for the final wipe down, and rack em in the kitchen sink? Mark

As I said, do what you need to do, as there is no real information on which to judge the needed purity of water you need. I probably would have continued to use RO water as I had been using had I not tried the Walker Prelude system.

Markd51: Your point is well taken, kinda like "How many angels can dance on the point of a pin." For my part , I'll give anyone a good run for the money when it comes to a LP Collection, even still , how many records can I clean for today and into tomorrow is up for debate.

The one fact I am sure of is that should one own equipment that discerns the differences all to the good. If not , no problem at least you have a clean recording.

Before I steamed cleaned LPs the differences were less hearable. Now, as I use steam cleaning those differences are quite noticeable , so for me, the "cleaner" the rinse the better. How much better($ vs $$$) has yet to be determined. All the best.