Been fooling around with this thing all morning. Interesting when I use tap water, it stays clean ( or appears to). Why use tap water? Well, I changed the filter just slightly. I took out some small rocks and put in more sand. So, that filter now has several sand layers ( 3 I think if you count the separate activated charcoal device).
To make matters even more interesting, I made a new activated charcoal filter and now there are two of these on the same filtration device. It slows down the drainage significantly. I'm using tea bags for the charcoal filter. Take out the tea and then add the charcoal. Staple it back together and instead of a tea bag, you've got an activated charcoal bag. Not only those changes, but I remembered that using a paper towel actually helped with filtration. So now the water drains first into the first charcoal filter, into the second charcoal filter which passes through the paper filter first. It then proceeds through the filter as before, which as mentioned, contains two layers of sand. The final hurdle to pass through is a cotton ball. The cotton doesn't help much, but it does stop sand. That sand is pretty pesky stuff. Even with all the rocks, it still makes its way down.
I hope to obtain 12 ounces of filtered water and use it in the humidifier/ condenser setup.
The greywater will be some rather dirty clothes, which I washed in the sink. It may be more realistic than using a washing machine water, because out there, I won't be using a washing machine. Too much electricity, too much water.
Nope, this will be more realistic and the water is going to be rather dirty. If this gets clean, that will be something.
The greywater has been produced and disinfected. Yeah, I don't want disease laden stuff going through this filter and humidifier.
The first few ounces have been pored, and I took some time to write this post while it drains.
I'll update on the progress...
Update ( about 1 hr later ):
About half way there... The water looks great. It seems rather slow in getting there, but if the water really is as good as it looks, it may come out the dehumidifier in worse shape than what it was when it came in!
I'm cleaning up all of the equipment for that part of the test while this part finishes up.
Update ( about 2 hrs later ):
Disaster. While cleaning up, I tipped over the top part of the filtering apparatus. ( They are loosely fit together plastic beverage bottles.) I lost some of the water, maybe as much as two ounces. The thing stop draining, because the top most filter looks to be damaged in some way. Just now, I sped things up a bit so this won't take all day. Water quality might have suffered a bit. Don't know if the mishap may be the cause. Water quality at first was very, very clear looking. Now, it might have a slight tint to it.
My laboratory methods leave something to be desired. However, not all is lost. I can still run the experiment to completion, only with a little less water.
Update ( 5 pm ):
Final results of the filtration:
Duration: 1 hr.
Beginning water: 10 oz.
Ending water : 6 oz.
Water lost to atmosphere ( and other places ): 4 ozs.
Water collected: From humidifier : 4 ozs.
Ozarka: 0!
container: 2 ozs.
total water collected: 6 ozs.
unaccounted for: 4 ozs.
total amount of water 10 ozs.
Discussion:
Nearly identical performance from the last test
Water quality: Does not appear different. Went in good, came out good. With one exception. At the hose that attached to the container from the Ozarka bottles, there was a dripping that I collected. That water quality was definitely poor.
Have not done any water stain tests. It's likely to have stains. I'll get to that later. Perhaps I'll report on it.
Conclusion:
This Ozarka setup doesn't work at all. Can't explain the difference from before other than it was tilted before and is standing straight up now. Water is probably condensing and going back into the humidifier.
Without a much better performance than this, this idea is stuck in reverse.
Water stain test setup, will review it first thing in am.
Update ( first thing in the am ):
I screwed up again. The Ozarka water isn't distilled water. It may have affected the water stain test. Not only that, but I don't have any distilled water so that I can make a comparison. Didn't use tap water as a comparison, either. However, even with tap water, there's some chemicals, yet the water is potable.
Anyway, the tests show stains both before and after the dehumidifier/condenser activity.
At the end of the day, so to speak, I am going to keep believing that the last step of dehumidifier/ condenser does improve the water slightly even if there's no definite proof of that. Secondly, I'm going to have to construct a new condenser because this current system doesn't work worth a poop.
Perhaps a new condenser can work on existing designs. No need to reinvent the wheel here. I'll study existing designs and see if I can come up with something I can use.
That wraps this up for another week, at least.
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