Scoma 1 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Hi. Help please, other than the obvious taste approach, is there any way to determine if it is fresh water or saltwater in my bilge? Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 A simple conductivity pen (small electronic water conductivity tester) can be bought relatively cheaply and can tell you immediately if its fresh or salt (or a mix of). No tasting involved. Conductivity pens can be bought from swimming pool places. Link to post Share on other sites
Scoma 1 Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 Great. thanks for the responding Grinna Link to post Share on other sites
Grinna 2 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Something like this: http://www.tdsmeter.com/products/zt2.html Will test for Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) and should be relatively cheap. Basically for your application, if you stick a meter like this in the water you're testing, push the button and get a huge number then there's salt in it. If the number is low then its mostly fresh water. Pool maintenance places would be your best bet for a simple TDS or electrical conductivity meter. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 You can also do it with a simple Multimeter. Every boat should have one Switch it to Ohms and place the test probes in some fresh water first, so you have a reference. Hold them about 25mm apart. Then place them in the water in your bilge at the same distance apart and see if the reading is similar or higher. Link to post Share on other sites
Scoma 1 Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 Thanks Wheels, I will try that tomorrow. It has got to be better than the taste approach Link to post Share on other sites
Fish 0 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Damn that is a good idea Wheels. We already have a multi meter on board. No more bilge water tasting for me Can you get the multi meter to comment on the softer back notes of silty river water or the slight aromatic bouquet of bird sh*t in the rain water though It would be a shame to waste all this developed experience trying to work out if its the mast letting rain water in or the packing gland needs some grease Link to post Share on other sites
too_tall 15 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Wheels has suggested a good way to do this - but you should also test salt water as well - then you know approximately what the concentration of salt in the water is... Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Hehe, I was thinking that. Thanks TT. Link to post Share on other sites
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