Solar Stills...How effective?

[Doglover]

I am thinking about building a solar still just for practice and I am wondering if any of you have used one.

How effective are they are purifying water? For example can you really just scoop up some pond water and use this method? Why doesn't the bacteria move along the surfaces? Someone told me at work that solar stills can even be used to distill gray water (eg Shower water...yuk :o ).

Does it really work that well?

[wy0mn]

The solar stills I'm familiar with are mostly to catch evaporative moisture from mildly moist soils or plant material. It condenses the water vapor & collects it in a recepticle. So far as I know they DO NOT sterilize the collected water.
A google search might clarify this, as I'm no true expert.
I still use purification tabs or even boiling for safety.
Even human urine can be used as the moisture base (I've not done this) most of the impurities will remain in the evaporative chamber.
A black 5gal pail fitted with plastic sheeting and a collection 'cup' suspended over the drip point will work. The size is not optimum, bigger is better, but it does work.

[Duncan_Idaho]

IMHO the effort is not worth the return

[FN64]

It's a process of distillation. YES the water is drinkable regardless the source. It will be as clean & uncontaminated as the catchment cup.
It will however lack the minerals associated with common potable water.
To gain a sufficient quantity you may need more than one still set up. Another means is to wrap a leafy branch with a clear plastic bag.. It will collect water from the leaves in the same manner.

By all means set one up to try.. & let us know your results.

FN

[JeffMaston]

There is a relatively new way to get safe water. It uses only the sun and number 1 plastic bottles that you can find anywhere (even washed up on shore on a remote island). It is called <a href=http://www.survivaltopics.com/water/solar-water-disinfection>SODIS</a>

[230gr]

ran into Solar Water Pasteurization (SODIS) when I was researching Solar Ovens. I dismissed them as very boarder line in effectiveness in our climate and, with little more work, an effective solar oven could be made to do the job. However the concept should be familiar to survivalists and it may work in places like the South West. SODIS requires high intensity sun radiation and warm temperatures. The container needs to be exposed to the sun for 6 hours if the sky is bright or up to 50% cloudy or 2 consecutive days if the sky is 100% lightly cloudy. A water temperature of at least 122°F must be reached for 1 hour. The most favorable region for SODIS are semi-arid regions that lie between latitudes 15°N/ S and 35°N/ S and the second most favorable region lies between the equator and latitude 15°N/ S (South of a Flagstaff, ARIZONA to Memphis, TENNESSEE line).

[clawhammerdan]

I have built them before and they do work, and yes, you can put gray water in them but I used plant matter. The reason it's still safe to drink is because only pure water evaporates and condenses on the underside of the plastic. Impurities don't evaporate. There is a chance of cross contamination, however, and to be on the safe side, if it was available to you, I'd still boil...add bleach...or run it through a ceramic filter. Works best on hot days.

[clawhammerdan]

IMHO the effort is not worth the return



I'll bet if you hadn't had anything to drink for 12 hours you'd change your tune!

[MeLonghunter]

I agree.......if however their is any other option it would seem wise to use it.The art of survival is to get the most return for the least effort.Solar stills can be difficult to dig etc,to maintain and the return is small.Still ,given no other option I would use one,or preferbly 2 or more........

[RangerRick]

Honestly, they only time a still is practicable is if you will remain in a fixed location and then as a minimum numerous stills are necessary in order to pay dividends. Seep sumps/seepage basins might be a better alternative to consider for mobility.

Rick

[MeLonghunter]

:DHey R.R. How R ya?

[Wise_Tioga]

I have dug and set-up several solar stills in various artea of the SW Desert region (AZ, CA, NM) purely as a test over the last several years.

1. Yes they do work
2. They are very slow depending on the water content of the surrounding soil
3. The water collected is safe to drint, provided you have a clean plastic sheet and collection container to start with
4. They only work well on hot sunny days in full sun
5. They are not worth the time or effort unless it's your only chance for water.

Regards,
J.W.S. (aka: Wise Tioga)

[Cumberland]

Ive seen solar water heaters effective in maine?but damn neear useless in the blue ridge hoew many hours of sun and what expectation ?

[RangerRick]

:DHey R.R. How R ya?

Doin good, be doin better if this snow and ice would go elsewhere. Plannin on a run down your way next month for a week or 2 to do little Crappy fishin and maybe run the trout lines for some Flatheads. What's doin with you and yours?

Rick

[MeLonghunter]

Still doin chemo for this tumor....able to trap and hunt some....workin on the inside of the house as its to cold out....Gettin ready for church.....later,
MLH