[m.b.s.]

as we have had pleanty of rain latley i was wondering if i wasif i could catch it and put it into my tank in my van then put it through a 10liter di vesil would this be ok for cleaning the windows if so how long will the di last as i know that if you run tap water through it without roing it first it dosent last two minuits thought this would save the ro unit filters and a bit of time what do you guys think

[Ian Rochester]

Rain water is carrying lots of dust particles as well as other debris in with it, I would expect your DI cannister to last approx 1 minute if using rain water.

The test is to catch some rain water in a clean vessel any put a meter on it to see what the PPM is.

[m.b.s.]

have done this in a clean glass and it read 14ppm

[Jeff Brimble]

I collect mine off a row of felt roofed garages tds is  below 10.  I stick some aquarium sponge in a small section of removable pipe followed by some aquarium "wool" then it goes into the IBC I have just installed today. No DI needed. Every 300 litres I remove the section wash the filters and stick it back. I do like rain now 

[m.b.s.]

what sort of pipe have you used

[m.b.s.]

off to bed now as got early start in morning have to be up for 3 as got to do ge money building but will be back tommorow to talk jeff about this subject about 6 oclock but please tell me what pipe you use as will give it a go tomorrow

[Jeff Brimble]

Plastic waste pipe and push fit fiitings without using the glue, from B&Q with a rainwater diverter £8 ish. Use opaque containers to stop algae growth. Black IBC was about £52 used to hold O juice.

[Kev R]

I collect mine from conservatory roofs and from a poly tunnel, TDS is typically from 6-18ppm, Di will last months! You will need a gross particle filter and a carbon filter before van tank to protect your pump, and di after pump for best results.

[Ian Rochester]

Well there you go   I'm very surprised at that, you learn something new every day.

If rain water is so pure then why does it leave your windows filthy when it rains?  If you are getting at TDS of less than 10 this is comparable with a RO system.

[steve k]

look at your windows after it has rained...they are not filthy in the slightest.

Look at your WFP customers windows every 4 weeks and they still need cleaning whether it has rained or not in the last 4 weeks. Its certainly not rain water that is dirty.

[john tomkins]

Rain water does start off pure, it's what it picks up on the way down that contaminates it, any dust in the air will just get caught up in the rain and deposited on the windows. You must have noticed after a long spell of dry weather (remember that?) when it first then rains the state it leaves on cars, windows etc is real bad.

Most windows after it has rained lightly will be ok, any heaver and it could wash down the brickwork, lead flashings etc etc and make them dirty.

[xxmattyxx]

look at your windows after it has rained...they are not filthy in the slightest.

Look at your WFP customers windows every 4 weeks and they still need cleaning whether it has rained or not in the last 4 weeks. Its certainly not rain water that is dirty.

You know what, that is a very valid point. Thankyou, it is a bloody misconception that windows get dirty because of rain isn't it, how can they when rain water round my parts has a TDS reading of 18.

Therefore, convincing the custys, who generally believe the mis-held perception that its the rain that dirtys windows, that rain water isnt the culprit.

Telling half of my custys that, I can see me trying to tell them what theyve held and believed since the year dot to be total crap, with all this spiel coming out, Ill be thinking 'they think Im full of poop, I can just tell, they dont believe a word'.


However, knowing myself it isnt the rain, is a start. I shall begin 

[matt]

in general the " dirty rain " idea comes from

windows covered in dust

rain drops hit window

rain drop pushs dust around edge of drop

thus people see the shape of a rain drop ( round-ish ) and blame dirty rain