How to Make a Water Still
Assemble your materials., Make ice., Assemble a cooling tank., Create a condensing coil., Connect 3 feet of silicone tubing to your heat source., Attach the other end of your silicone tubing to the top of the condenser coil., Create a spout for your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Assemble your materials.
Some of these materials will likely already be in your home.
Other materials might need to be purchased at a hardware store or a home-brewing supply company.
Do not try to buy cheap alternatives to these products: if you want your distilled water to be safe, you will have to use food-safe, heat-resistant materials.
Your supplies should include: 20ft (6 m) of 3/4 copper coil 6 feet of heat-proof silicone tubing A two-gallon bucket Tea kettle or pressure cooker Ice Sealer A large water bottle to collect the distilled water -
Step 2: Make ice.
Fill your ice cube trays or some water bottles with water and then place them in your freezer.
You will want to have a lot of ice on hand during the distillation process.
Keep in mind that distilling water involves boiling the water into steam and then quickly cooling it down into purified water droplets.
If you plan to distill a lot of water, you will require many, many trays worth of ice., Your water still will require a cool environment where the steam can re-condense into pure water droplets.
The heated water will travel through waterproof, heat-proof copper tubing that is coiled inside your cooling tank, allowing the steam to cool into purified water inside the tubes.
Your cooling tank can be very simple: a two-gallon plastic bucket will do.
Alternatively, you could use a large milk jug that has been cut in half and filled with ice.
If you are using a two-gallon bucket, be sure that there is a 3/4-inch hole at the top of the bucket and the bottom of the bucket.
The copper tubing will need to be fed through both holes in order to collect the steam (at the top) and emit the water (at the bottom)., Your water still will involve collecting the water from your heat source (the tea kettle or pressure cooker), sending it through coiled tubing inside the cooling tank to let the water condense, and then finally into your storage container for the distilled water.
The most efficient way to cool the water will be to have it travel through a coiled tube that is immersed in ice water or that surrounds a very cold object (like a frozen milk jug).
Coil the copper tubing about 7 or 8 times.
You will have a spiral once coiled.
Simply place your coiled copper tubing inside the bucket or jug, leaving a 1-inch gap in between the tubing and the sides of the bucket.Remember to feed the top and bottom of the copper coil through the holes you've drilled in the bucket.
If the tube seems too loose, you can use epoxy or sealant to ensure that the tubing fits snugly in the holes., Heatproof silicone tubing can be used to connect the source of your heated water (either your pressure cooker or tea kettle) to the top of your condenser coil.
Cut the 6-ft. tubing in half to leave you with two 3-ft. tubes.
If you are using a tea kettle, simply affix one end of the tubing to the spout of the kettle.
If you are using a pressure cooker, affix one end of the tubing to the open pressure valve on the lid of the pressure cooker.If the pressure valve on the pressure cooker is too small, you can use a brass fitting of the same diameter as the tube to allow the silicone tubing to fit tightly.If the spout on your tea kettle is too large, simply drill a hole in a rubber stopper that is the same diameter as your tubing.
Place this stopper in the kettle spout and insert your tubing. , At this point, you can connect the water source to your condenser tubing with the silicone tubing.
Take the other end of the tube that you've connected to your water heater, and fit it over the copper tubing at the top of your condenser coil.
Be sure you have a tight fit. , At this point, you should have a hot water source that is well connected to a condenser coil that is affixed to a cooling system.
However, you will still need a way to collect the purified water that forms inside your condensing coils.
Use the other 3-ft. piece of silicone tubing to create a spout.
The bottom of your condensing coil should at this point be sticking out of the bottom of your cooling tank.
Attach silicone tubing to this outlet, and then place the other end over a clean water bottle.
This will complete your water distillation system. , Fill your kettle or pressure cooker with water and place it on your stove.
Turn the stove up high and wait for the water to boil.
The steam will travel through your silicone tubing, into the copper tubing, and through the cooling system.
There, the steam will turn into water droplets through the process of condensation, and finally travel out through your water spout and into your purified water container.
All impurities such as salt, minerals, or dirt will be left behind, leaving you with pure, clean water in the final collecting bottle. , If you plan to store your distilled water for long periods of time, be sure that your storage container has been thoroughly sanitized.
Dilute one teaspoon of bleach in one gallon of water.
Use this solution to thoroughly coat the inside of your storage container.
After about 30 seconds, pour out the bleach solution.
Let your container air-dry or rinse it with clean water. -
Step 3: Assemble a cooling tank.
-
Step 4: Create a condensing coil.
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Step 5: Connect 3 feet of silicone tubing to your heat source.
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Step 6: Attach the other end of your silicone tubing to the top of the condenser coil.
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Step 7: Create a spout for your condenser coil.
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Step 8: Boil your water to distill it.
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Step 9: Sanitize water containers for long-term storage.
Detailed Guide
Some of these materials will likely already be in your home.
Other materials might need to be purchased at a hardware store or a home-brewing supply company.
Do not try to buy cheap alternatives to these products: if you want your distilled water to be safe, you will have to use food-safe, heat-resistant materials.
Your supplies should include: 20ft (6 m) of 3/4 copper coil 6 feet of heat-proof silicone tubing A two-gallon bucket Tea kettle or pressure cooker Ice Sealer A large water bottle to collect the distilled water
Fill your ice cube trays or some water bottles with water and then place them in your freezer.
You will want to have a lot of ice on hand during the distillation process.
Keep in mind that distilling water involves boiling the water into steam and then quickly cooling it down into purified water droplets.
If you plan to distill a lot of water, you will require many, many trays worth of ice., Your water still will require a cool environment where the steam can re-condense into pure water droplets.
The heated water will travel through waterproof, heat-proof copper tubing that is coiled inside your cooling tank, allowing the steam to cool into purified water inside the tubes.
Your cooling tank can be very simple: a two-gallon plastic bucket will do.
Alternatively, you could use a large milk jug that has been cut in half and filled with ice.
If you are using a two-gallon bucket, be sure that there is a 3/4-inch hole at the top of the bucket and the bottom of the bucket.
The copper tubing will need to be fed through both holes in order to collect the steam (at the top) and emit the water (at the bottom)., Your water still will involve collecting the water from your heat source (the tea kettle or pressure cooker), sending it through coiled tubing inside the cooling tank to let the water condense, and then finally into your storage container for the distilled water.
The most efficient way to cool the water will be to have it travel through a coiled tube that is immersed in ice water or that surrounds a very cold object (like a frozen milk jug).
Coil the copper tubing about 7 or 8 times.
You will have a spiral once coiled.
Simply place your coiled copper tubing inside the bucket or jug, leaving a 1-inch gap in between the tubing and the sides of the bucket.Remember to feed the top and bottom of the copper coil through the holes you've drilled in the bucket.
If the tube seems too loose, you can use epoxy or sealant to ensure that the tubing fits snugly in the holes., Heatproof silicone tubing can be used to connect the source of your heated water (either your pressure cooker or tea kettle) to the top of your condenser coil.
Cut the 6-ft. tubing in half to leave you with two 3-ft. tubes.
If you are using a tea kettle, simply affix one end of the tubing to the spout of the kettle.
If you are using a pressure cooker, affix one end of the tubing to the open pressure valve on the lid of the pressure cooker.If the pressure valve on the pressure cooker is too small, you can use a brass fitting of the same diameter as the tube to allow the silicone tubing to fit tightly.If the spout on your tea kettle is too large, simply drill a hole in a rubber stopper that is the same diameter as your tubing.
Place this stopper in the kettle spout and insert your tubing. , At this point, you can connect the water source to your condenser tubing with the silicone tubing.
Take the other end of the tube that you've connected to your water heater, and fit it over the copper tubing at the top of your condenser coil.
Be sure you have a tight fit. , At this point, you should have a hot water source that is well connected to a condenser coil that is affixed to a cooling system.
However, you will still need a way to collect the purified water that forms inside your condensing coils.
Use the other 3-ft. piece of silicone tubing to create a spout.
The bottom of your condensing coil should at this point be sticking out of the bottom of your cooling tank.
Attach silicone tubing to this outlet, and then place the other end over a clean water bottle.
This will complete your water distillation system. , Fill your kettle or pressure cooker with water and place it on your stove.
Turn the stove up high and wait for the water to boil.
The steam will travel through your silicone tubing, into the copper tubing, and through the cooling system.
There, the steam will turn into water droplets through the process of condensation, and finally travel out through your water spout and into your purified water container.
All impurities such as salt, minerals, or dirt will be left behind, leaving you with pure, clean water in the final collecting bottle. , If you plan to store your distilled water for long periods of time, be sure that your storage container has been thoroughly sanitized.
Dilute one teaspoon of bleach in one gallon of water.
Use this solution to thoroughly coat the inside of your storage container.
After about 30 seconds, pour out the bleach solution.
Let your container air-dry or rinse it with clean water.
About the Author
Ryan Burns
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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