Water Rinse Technical Parameters

Good water quality is fundamental to any aqueous pretreatment system. Excessive water hardness and
TDS limit the effectiveness of chemical stages, leading to greater chemical usage.1 Softened water is not
the answer; the softening process simply replaces sodium for heavier elements in the water. Any sodium
remaining on the metal surface can serve as an initiator for the corrosion process, and a potential cause
of coating de-lamination.

Metal finishers must recognize that dissolved solids in the water will be deposited on metal parts during
rinsing. The same effect occurs even if the final rinse contains an acidified sealer. When the water
evaporates, chlorides, sulfates and calcium salts, along with other chemicals and minerals present in the
water, will remain on the metal substrate. In many instances, the final stage of a spray washer is a water
rinse. De-ionized water produces the best results, but unfiltered municipal water can produce adequate
results if dissolved solids are controlled within acceptable limits.

Rinse Water Purity Standards

Published recommendations for TDS in system source water are <300 ppm. We would recommend that
water with greater than 250 ppm of solids as CaCO3 (moderately hard) not be used as source water for a
final sealer rinse. Additionally, the total of combined chlorides and sulfates should not exceed 100 ppm.
And regarding pH Value, which should be within the range of 6 to 8.

Although these recommended levels of water purity yield satisfactory performance for many
applications, the research that follows will show that superior performance is possible with lower TDS. It
should not be assumed that municipal water districts provide consistent water purity over time. TDS
levels in source water vary significantly as different water sources (well, river, desalination) are used to
meet spikes in demand. TDS levels should be diligently monitored and recorded.

Controlling TDS & pH Levels - Measurement

Systematic measurement of source and rinse water TDS & pH levels is crucial. Inexpensive
battery operated testers are available from a number of suppliers to test TDS levels. PPM (mg/l)
is the most common unit of measure in discussion of TDS. Some testers read in micromhos.
Either will work adequately as relative TDS levels and changes are key. For the pH levels pH
paper can be used for the adequate readings, otherwise for this purpose battery operated
devices are also available in the market.
TDS & pH readings should be logged at regular intervals throughout the production day.
Finishing operators should record pH in the rinse stages. This will provide an early warning of
excessive carry over from chemical stages.