How To Use TDS Water Testers
How To Use TDS Water Testers | TDS water testers provide you with the tools required to detect the total amount of dissolved solids in water. Dissolved solids can include minerals, salts, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates and other organic matter. TDS testers will not provide you with a reading on what chemicals or contaminants are found in water.
How TDS Water Testers Work
Dissolved solids in water have an electrical charge. When activated a TDS water tester can measure the electrical charge in water and provide you with a reading. The tester does this by emitting an electrical charge through the water which is captured and then converted into a TDS reading.
Total Dissolved Solid Levels
The dissolved solids found in water does not necessarily mean the water is unsafe but it does provided you with an indication of further testing is required or not.
- High Levels of Dissolved Solids: Can be caused by hard water which is caused by high mineral content and this can cause the water to taste or smell off.
- Medium/Low Levels of Dissolved Solids: Typically a result of water purification.
- Extremely Low Levels of Dissolved Solids: Could be problematic as it can be associated with corrosion and impact pH levels making the water acidic and corrosive.
Total dissolved solid levels will vary depending on the type of water being tested, area of the country you are in and source that the water was taken from.
Dissolved Solids In Drinking Water
Dissolved solids that are found in water can come from natural sources such as water seeping through soil and collecting solids along the way. Other dissolved solids can come from plumbing, pipes, rain collection, sewage and chemical run off from farms or industrial areas.
Using TDS Water Testers
TDS Water Testers can be used to test almost any type of liquid including drinking water, dam, well and pond water, aquariums, swimming pools, spas, saunas and hydroponics.
The TDS water tester is a small battery operated pen looking device that has several metal probes which are dipped into a water sample. To perform your test simply prepare water to be tested at room temperature. Remove the cap from the TDS meter, turn it on and dip the metal probes in water for a few seconds and note down the results. When done dry the metal probes and replace the cap.
If testing many sources of water, ensure that you clean the probes before testing other sources, once done and you have noted down the results compare with the chart below.
| Total Dissolved Solids Results Chart |
Rating |
| 0 - 50 | Pure |
| 10-100 | Good |
| 100-300 | Fair |
| 300-600 | Poor |
| 600-1000 | Unacceptable |
TDS levels will vary from one source to the next. If you feel that the rest results are not accurate due to getting an excellent reading but find that the water is discouraged or tastes bad, test your water several times a day for a few weeks as the water quality can vary depending on the conditions of your water source.
What Can You Do About Fair to Unacceptable TDS Results
High TDS results means that there may be contaminants in your water that could be effecting your waters taste, appearance or smell. The best solutions can include the following.
- Purchase a water testing kit to see if you can determine the contaminant type.
- Send a sample of your water to a testing laboratory to be tested.
- Ask a plumber or water specialist to inspect your water source to see if they can detect any reason for contamination.
- Install a water filtration system, these can include faucet water filters, under sink filters or whole house water filters.
Conclusion
TDS water testers provide you with the tools required to detect the total amount of dissolved solids in water. Dissolved solids can include minerals, salts, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates and other organic matter. The higher the reading, the poorer your water quality. Click on the following link for more information on the Mi TDS Water Tester.
