Where did the Scale go?
February 6, 2010 11:10 AM Subscribe
My hot water pot and coffee machine suddenly (over a period of 2 days) simultaneously completely descaled themselves, leaving piles of scale on their bottoms. This despite no use of descaling agents, or any other efforts to do this.
I am thinking something must have changed with our tap water to have done this, but can't imagine what this would be. Any thoughts or other possibilities?
Are you certain that this residue is from the pots, or could you have introduced it in the water? Has there been any work done on your water system where you live, or municipal pipes?
posted by HuronBob at 11:51 AM on February 6, 2010
posted by HuronBob at 11:51 AM on February 6, 2010
Did it actually descale the coffee machine or did it just drop a sediment of calcium carbonate out of the water due to the alkalinity of the bleach versus pure chlorine?
posted by caddis at 12:37 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by caddis at 12:37 PM on February 6, 2010
I can't be sure where you are, but I did find one question that mentioned Hawaii.
Descalers are generally acidic.
The level of volcanic activity there gives Hawaii an unusual level of natural acid rain and therefore, perhaps, the possibility of acid tap water:
In Hawaii, Kilauea volcano puts sulfur into the atmosphere and makes natural acid rain. There is also a small amount of natural hydrochloric acid (HCl) put into the atmosphere this way. Fortunately, our abundant rain and winds dilute the acid in the rain and mostly blow it out to sea, although a large desert area exists in one area of otherwise-lush Kilauea volcano due to acid fallout.
And Kilauea has been erupting lately:
I went on the weekly Kilauea eruption overflight on 7th January. It was definitely up there with my best experience on Hawaii. The volcano is currently erupting in two locations; at the summit and on the East Rift Zone. We took off from the park visitor centre and headed for the Halema'u ma'u crater at the summit then onto the Pu'u O'o vent on the rift zone (above) and over to the flow fields down by the Ocean.
Maybe this could account for the mysterious descaling.
posted by jamjam at 3:03 PM on February 6, 2010
Descalers are generally acidic.
The level of volcanic activity there gives Hawaii an unusual level of natural acid rain and therefore, perhaps, the possibility of acid tap water:
In Hawaii, Kilauea volcano puts sulfur into the atmosphere and makes natural acid rain. There is also a small amount of natural hydrochloric acid (HCl) put into the atmosphere this way. Fortunately, our abundant rain and winds dilute the acid in the rain and mostly blow it out to sea, although a large desert area exists in one area of otherwise-lush Kilauea volcano due to acid fallout.
And Kilauea has been erupting lately:
I went on the weekly Kilauea eruption overflight on 7th January. It was definitely up there with my best experience on Hawaii. The volcano is currently erupting in two locations; at the summit and on the East Rift Zone. We took off from the park visitor centre and headed for the Halema'u ma'u crater at the summit then onto the Pu'u O'o vent on the rift zone (above) and over to the flow fields down by the Ocean.
Maybe this could account for the mysterious descaling.
posted by jamjam at 3:03 PM on February 6, 2010
Response by poster: no change on my part
yes, in hAwaii for anything: both machines heat only water and YEs the machines were DESCALED : NO SCALE LEFT on heating elements and it happened to both of them at the same time!
the volcano idea is interesting, and yes the eruption and secondary VOG is intense BUT the water we drink is supposed to be rainwater from 20 years ago
VERY strange.
posted by dougiedd at 4:36 PM on February 6, 2010
yes, in hAwaii for anything: both machines heat only water and YEs the machines were DESCALED : NO SCALE LEFT on heating elements and it happened to both of them at the same time!
the volcano idea is interesting, and yes the eruption and secondary VOG is intense BUT the water we drink is supposed to be rainwater from 20 years ago
VERY strange.
posted by dougiedd at 4:36 PM on February 6, 2010
Response by poster: that should read: yes in Hawaii.
posted by dougiedd at 4:37 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by dougiedd at 4:37 PM on February 6, 2010
Response by poster: the DC change if conducted locally might explain it: i see they are using sulfuric acid to balance the PH. One hopes they get the balance just right
posted by dougiedd at 4:42 PM on February 6, 2010
posted by dougiedd at 4:42 PM on February 6, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:41 AM on February 6, 2010