water salt or fresh

[Gina Marie]

Is there a simple way to tell if the water is salt or fresh. Have a little water in the bildge and would like to know. Thanks Gina Marie

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Either the finger test or put a sample on some black or dark construction paper in the sun for a while and check the residue. ws

 

[Fanfare]

I have a pretty good way, but you might not like the taste....

Or you could boil some off in a pan on the stove and check for the amount/granularity of the crystals in the resulting deposit. And if you taste this, at least it is more sanitary! Oh--don't forget to cool it first.

 

[Brian Degulis]

The taste test is best that way you will also know if there is any fuel or oil present.

Brian

 

[REBrueckner]

Boiling off a small amount works well; otherwise, just dab a drop or two on your tongue...or preferably one of a crew member (Being captain DOES have some privilidges!!) then just spit out...One obstacle is that there is often both salt and fresh mixed....
For example ,in heavy rain a bit of rain dribbles down my anchor winch opening right where salt water drips when I retrieve chain after anchoring...Ditoo with cockpit rain versus salt water spray....

 

[Bob Bradley]

I'd have to say, it's the same way you tell the difference between an oral thermometer and a rectal thermometer.

 

[Finalee]

Be certain to sterilize your taste buds after with a shot of your favorite alchohol. And then of course further testing may be required.

 

[Top Shelf]

Yeah, that's a hell of a way to find a holding tank issue........

 

[Nonchalant1]

Yeah... you can just drink bilgewater.... no thanks!

I'd get my handy little digital electrical test meter that most of us have and measure the conductivity compared to a known saltwater sample and a known freshwater sample. Salt makes water much more conductive, which is why we worry about electrolysis in saltwater but not freshwater. You might be able to determine how salty it is based on extraploating between the pure fresh water number and the pure saltwater number.

Doug Shuman

 

[egaito]

Be certain to sterilize your taste buds after with a shot of your favorite alchohol. And then of course further testing may be required.

I'm not sure about further testing, but certainly the sterilization process must be thorough to be effective.

 

[#9Hatteras41]

the simple Taste Test works for me....