How Hot Is The Water From A Water Dispenser
If you’ve ever used a water dispenser, you probably never gave much thought to how it works. The design is quite simple, but it’s also quite fascinating. If you’ve ever wondered how a water dispenser works, read on.
How Does A Hot Water Dispenser Work?
Hot water dispensers are plumbed in, this means they are permanently connected to the mains water supply. When you turn on the hot water dispenser, the water travels from the mains water pipe and passes through the filtration system. The filtration system comprising of 2 carbon filters removes any impurities including chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and any other organic or toxic materials known as “volatile organic compounds” and any odours too.
That’s why the water from a hot water dispenser tastes so fresh and pure. Once filtered, the water passes through the heating element. This heats the water as it passes through to just below boiling point, which is hot enough to kill off any waterborne parasites and protozoa like cryptosporidium.
How Does A Cold Water Dispenser Work?
Coldwater dispensers fall into 2 categories, bottled water dispensers and mains-fed water dispensers. The bottle water dispensers are the ones with a large bottle on the top (usually 5 gallons) that have to be refilled/replaced once emptied. The mains-fed cold water dispensers have a constant supply of water.
Bottled water dispensers are portable, in that they can be placed anywhere and moved elsewhere as required. Mains-fed dispensers are plumbed in and due to the connecting pipework cannot be moved.
Bottled water dispensers use filtered water that’s supplied in the bottle so they need no extra filtration, mains-fed do have a filtration system. The cold water supplied from the water mains is passed through 2 carbon filters, the same as the hot water dispenser, but because it’s not going to be heated to kill any bacteria or bugs, it is then passed through an Ultra-Violet light chamber to deal with those bugs.
The water then passes through a refrigeration process comprising of a water tank surrounded by coiled pipes which the refrigerant gas is pumped around. This cools the water to the desired temperature and all this happens as soon as you depress the lever to fill your glass.
How Does A Hot And Cold Water Dispenser Work?
A hot and cold water dispenser works by using both of the mains-fed systems mentioned above and combining them in one unit. The water from the mains supply enters the system and passes through the 2 carbon filters. As it leaves the second carbon filter it is split 2 ways, one provides the hot water feed, and the other provides the cold water supply.
Some of these machines have a sparkling water option. This is achieved by feeding CO2 gas into the supply to provide the bubbles.
Saving Water And Energy
The way these plumbed in water dispensers work cuts down on water wastage and energy usage. There are 2 reasons for this, firstly, as the water is drawn directly from the mains supply and heated as it is required, only the required amount is heated.
Secondly, unlike a kettle that no matter how accurate you try to be with the amount you use, you always overfill by a small amount, hot water dispensers dispense the set amount every time at the correct temperature.
With the cold water systems, the greenest option is the mains-fed system as the bottled dispensers have a lot more travelling to get refilled and replaced etc. Than the mains-fed which is constant.
How Hot Is The Water From A Water Dispenser?
Depending on the make and model of water dispenser you choose, the hot water is usually heated to anywhere between 90 to 95 degrees C (194 to 203 F) Most models have the option to increase or decrease the temperature slightly. This involves fiddling with a screw control at the back of the machine and is probably better in the hands of an expert.
Remember in the making of the perfect hot beverage the water should not be boiling, using boiling water especially in teas, oxidises the tea leaves. Giving the drink that stewed, unpleasant, bitter taste.
How Cold Is The Water From A Water Dispenser?
This is dependent on the make and model of your water dispenser, but the temperature of water dispensed from a cold water dispenser is somewhere in the region of 4 to 10 degrees C (39 to 50 F). As with the hot water dispensers, some models have the ability to lower or higher those temperatures slightly but it’s best to leave it in the hands of an expert.
