Appendix K
DIY Water Distiller
What This Project is About
This project is all about creating a Water Distiller that doesn’t require electricity to run, and something that is easy to carry around with you, even in a backpack or something like that. This is of course very useful because it means you can have clean water wherever you might be.
The main design idea behind this project comes from several different places that all have a similar design to them. These designs can be seen in these links below:
https://www.amazon.com/Roots-Branches-VKP1208-Little-Distiller/dp/B07WSJ2H8C
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnurBpKnZmE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRzojcGhuC0
https://waterdistillers.com/collections/emergency-non-electric-survival-water-distillers/products/survival-non-electric-compact-water-distiller-with-metal-drip-tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uuM18TLPQs
https://www.amazon.com/Waterwise-WW1600-Non-Electric-Water-Distiller/dp/B005XO5FQ2
You can also see another DIY set up using this same design here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7u-rFndOxw
And the basic idea behind them is just to create a flat piece of metal that can fit on top of any pan you might have, but one that also has a hole in the middle to allow steam to go through it. Once that piece of metal is setting on your pan, you then put a another piece of metal on top of it which becomes a place that the steam can condense back into water. In the designs above, this plate of metal that goes on top is usually another pan full of water because the water will keep all of the metal cooler than just the air and make the water condense faster. But altogether, this gives you distilled water which can then go through a hose into whatever container you are using to collect the water. All of this might sound complicated, but it’s actually a very simple idea when you look at the links above, and is probably best understood by looking at the links above :).
However, even though these are great designs, because of COVID-19 there was a time of about 4 months that you couldn’t buy these anywhere, which is when I had ideas for a Do-It-Yourself version that became this Water Distiller.
Other than that, there isn’t a whole lot more to say about it. It’s a water distiller, and it does indeed work :)
Lastly, as with all the things I build, I just want to give credit to God for all the amazing ideas He gives during the designing and building of these things, because it is so much because of Him that they even work as well as they do :). He really is an amazing person, and it is always such a fun thing and a treasure to get to build these things with Him. The truth is, I never could do it without Him, whether it be through direct ideas He gives, as He talks about doing in Exodus 31:1-6, when He gave people the wisdom and understanding to create the things He wanted them to create:
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:"
or it's just because of His ability to make me in a way that I could create these things, it is always because of Him in the end that they exist, and not because of my own amazingness to do them. With each of us, when we are born and given life, we don't know why or how we are able to do the things we do, or why we are just naturally better at some things versus other things. While it is true that throughout life we can learn new things and become good at things, even this ability to learn and grow is something that none of us know how we do. We just are who we are, and we don't have an explanation for it. But if none of us actually know how we are able to do what we do, how can we then take credit for it? It is only because of God's amazingness to create us in a way to do these things, that we can then do them. So is it not God, the one who made us able to do the things we do, the one who should have the glory for what we do? And in this way, even when He doesn't give ideas for things directly, it is still only because of Him that I can create these things.
The story of Nebuchadnezzar being turned into an animal in Daniel 4 really shows this as well, that without God's ability to make us understand life and how to create things, we never would be able to. Our understanding of things and ability to reason is only as much as what He gives us. I'll just quote a little bit of the chapter here:
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me...Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
So I really do give Him the glory for what He has done, whether it's giving direct ideas, or creating me in a way that makes it possible to think through these things, and I just hope that my expression of Him will be a blessing in your life that shines with the incredible love and goodness that is in His heart. Because this is the real and amazing purpose of why He does give these things. They aren't just for our own use, but to love others with them. This was really what John the Baptist was trying to say in Luke 3:7-14 when he talked about giving your extra things to others that don't have what you have:
"Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?...And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do? So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
As though to say, "Use the things of this earth to bear good fruit and love others with it, because it's all going to be destroyed anyway. Put a purpose to it and do something good with it. Use the things in this life as a tool to store up treasure in heaven instead of here on earth." As Yeshua (Original Hebrew name of Jesus) also says in Matthew 5:16, let your light shine so that others may see your good works, and glorify God, and come to know God, because of them:
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. "
So it is in that love He has given these things, for as He says in Matthew 6, He knows the things that we need in life, and as such a loving Father, is so glad to help, and it is also in that love and in His love that I give them as well, hoping that what He gives out of that love will be a help to you as it has been to us.
Water Distiller Performance and Use
Note: Performance data below is for the second version of the water distiller found in the instructions far down below. Although, the first version had pretty similar performance to this.
Using with a Parabolic Solar Burner
So far, the only way that we have been testing the water distiller is by using a Parabolic Solar Burner like this: https://www.amazon.com/LiFuJunDong-Concentrating-Diameter-Parabolic-Temperature/dp/B082PTPRNM?psc=1. The main reason for this is that water distilling takes a long time no matter what kind of non-electric water distiller you might use. So it’s very nice to have a free source of energy to use when water distilling, which the Solar Burner is.
But to get on with the Performance of this water distiller, there actually isn’t a whole lot to say because the results have been so consistent. During the time we have been using it, during the months of October and November, it seems to stay a pretty consistent 2 cups per hour that we get out of it, even though the temperature outside has been fluctuating between about 50 and 70 degrees. Although, since we are at a latitude of about 40 to 50 degrees, this means that the sun’s highest point in the sky is at an angle of about 20 to 35 degrees during those months, which also means that the amount of the sun’s energy that gets through the atmosphere is considerably less than it might be during the Summer months. Normally this wouldn’t matter much, but since we are using a Parabolic Solar Burner that is using the sun as the heat source, this does have a pretty significant effect on just how much energy is being reflected by the Burner on to the pan, and therefore how much the water boils. And so far, I don’t think the water has ever actually gotten to a rolling boil. More of a simmer instead.
So in the end, if you are at a different latitude, or if you are using a Parabolic Solar Burner as the heat source during the Summer months when the sun is higher, there could be quite a change in how much water you get out of the water distiller, but if you are using it in the conditions mentioned above, you will probably get about 2 cups per hour.
And that’s pretty much all there is to say about using the water distiller in this way. Now that you know how the water distiller performs, here also are a few tips about using it with a Parabolic Solar Burner or Cooker, with images showing how all of it looks set up.
Tip #1
To start off with these tips, I’ll just go ahead and show an overall view of the set up because this also shows the first tip to mention. That being that one thing I found quite important is to always keep the handle, as well as the hose that goes from the water distiller, on the left side of the Parabolic Burner, as seen below. And the reason for this is because of the way that since water distilling takes such a long time, there is no way that you can just sit there the entire day watching it. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem if you were using electricity as the heat source or even a fire. But since we are using the sun as the heat source, this does become a problem because of the way that the sun also moves throughout the day, and therefore the Heat Spot where all of that sunlight is being concentrated also moves throughout the day, because if the sun moves, so does the point where all of it’s light is being reflected to. If you aren’t careful, eventually that Heat Spot will move past the pan and start burning whatever is around the pan, like your pan’s handle or the silicone hose. However, there is hope because one important thing to realize is that because the sun always moves from East to West, this also means the Heat Spot will always move from left to right after being reflected on the mylar that is on the Burner.
So in the end, what all of this means in practical terms is that as long as the handle and silicone hose is on the left side of the Burner, as you see below, it actually becomes impossible for the Heat Spot to ever come in contact with them by accident, because of the way that the Heat Spot will always be moving to the right instead of the left, or rather, will always be moving away from those things. So that’s the first tip, to always keep meltable or flammable things on the left side of the Burner, that way you don’t actually have to sit there and constantly be watching it, since it no longer matters if the Heat Spot moves. You’ll still have to adjust the Burner to get the heat spot on your pan, but at least nothing will melt or burn if the Heat Spot goes too far.
Tip #2
Now for the next tip. I found that on windy days, the Burner becomes fairly unstable and just overall moves and shakes a lot, which also means that the water distiller tends to shake a lot and eventually the pan on top of the water distiller falls off because of all of the shaking. So to solve this problem I found two things help. The first one is to do what you see below and in the picture above, which is to get something heavy like a cinder block and press it up against the dish part of the Solar Burner. This is the main area that moves a lot and doing this really reduces a lot of the shaking going on. Just as a note, I also use cinder blocks on the wheels of the Burner, so you may have to do that as well to get this idea to work. Also, it’s something that may only work during the winter months when the sun is low in the sky and the dish is low to the ground. During the Summer, you will probably have to figure out something with ropes in order to do this, or stack several cinder blocks on top of each other.
In addition to what is mentioned above, one other thing I found really helps keep the pan from falling off is to add some stainless steel wire for the pan to rest on. The reason this helps is because of the way that on this particular Solar Burner, they only added three prongs for the pan to rest on, and because of this, the gap between the prongs is too big and the pan tends to slip down between the prongs quite easily. So adding some wire keeps this from happening. The stainless steel wire I used is the 20 gauge steel wire linked to in the Supplies section below. As a note, I twisted three stands of this wire together to make it strong enough that it won’t break when in the intense heat from the Solar Burner. Instructions for twisting wire can be found in the Explanations section further below.
Tip #3
Now for the last tip. One key difference between this type of water distiller and a normal kind of distiller is that normally water distillers have these large copper coils on them where the steam goes through and condenses as it is traveling through these coils. So the exit hose is actually the condenser as well. However, on this water distiller, the condenser is actually just a piece of flat metal, and instead of the hose being there to act as a condenser, it is actually just there to transfer already distilled water to a container. This difference doesn’t seem like it would mean very much, but I found it actually does change things quite a bit, at least when using the water distiller outside on a Solar Burner like this. And the way that it changes things is that if you have spots where the hose goes down then back up again, water tends to collect in those spots to the point that it will actually create a blockage in your hose, because there isn’t enough steam pressure coming from the distiller to push that water up the hose. So to get around this, I found the best thing to do is make your hose just long enough that the water can go directly into the container you are using to collect the water, without any kind of ups and downs in the hose. This is what the picture below is showing, with the way that the glass jar at the bottom is situated far enough away from the water distiller that the hose is stretched out all the way and the water will go downhill throughout its entire journey to the jar.
Here you can see the way that the hose goes into the jar by drilling a hole in the lid and inserting the hose through it. And that’s all of the tips for using the water distiller with a Parabolic Solar Burner.
Building the Oven
Preview of Instructions and Images of Real Life Build
Since this entire Appendix can already be downloaded for free in the "Downloadable PDFs" section to the left, here is just a preview of the instructions and some images showing what is involved with creating this. All of these images will also be in the PDF along with further explanations for things. In this particular Appendix, all of the links to the supplies used in making the water distiller are included in that PDF. So just to mention, for this particular project, there isn't a separate Excel spreadsheet file that needs to be downloaded in order to know what you need to build it.
Now on to the preview:
