I'm trying out this device to see what exactly it does. There were some distractions and I left out a description of how it works on the video.
The indicator consists of a green wax which is enclosed within a tube (on a wire) which you place …
I'm trying out this device to see what exactly it does. There were some distractions and I left out a description of how it works on the video.
The indicator consists of a green wax which is enclosed within a tube (on a wire) which you place in water that is being heated for pasteurization. At 150 degrees f (65 c) the wax begins to melt and after 10 minutes your water should be "safe to drink". According to the manufacturer.
The indicator does NOT pasteurize the water, it simply indicates that the desired temperature (150 f) has been reached. It is reusable. Just slide the tube to the other end of the wire for next time.
I coupled the WAPI with a thermometer to see exactly what happens temperature-wise when using it.
The manufacturer claims it takes the wax 10 minutes to melt AT 150f. What I found, is that once the water reaches 150 f, it only takes a couple of minutes more for the wax to melt, during which time the water continues to get hotter. When the wax had melted completely, the water had achieved a maximum temperature of about 174 f or so. I then removed it from the heat source.
In this case, the water while being heated and then cooling was at or above 150 f for ten minutes. So the desired effect should have been achieved.
Boiling water is universally accepted as a reliable method of killing pathogens in drinking water. Fuel savings is one of the claimed benefits of the WAPI if you don't have to bring the water to a boil to make it drinkable. Which is pretty much the point of having and using this device or a thermometer. I should add that I have no means to test for pathogens, so can't give any results on that.
Honestly, I think just bringing along a meat thermometer would do just as good of a job while giving you a little more precise information.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-FWC-WSH-15.02
https://sswm.info/sites/default/files/reference_attachments/ANDREATTA%202007%20A%20Summary%20of%20Water%20Pasteurization%20Techniques.pdf
"...it is not necessary to boil water to make it safe to drink. Heating
water to 65° C (149° F) for 6 minutes, or to a higher temperature for a shorter time, will kill all germs, viruses, and parasites. This process is called pasteurization. "
