Talk:Water dispenser

Definition and terminology

In my experience in the US, "water cooler" refers specifically to the type of water dispensing device that takes large drums of water (typically delivered by a private company or purchased at an office supply store) and dispenses them via a tap into little disposable cups. This type is normally known as a "water cooler" and never as a "water fountain".

The other sort which is attached to the plumbing system and delivers a stream of water that you drink from directly is known primarily as a water fountain (I believe "bubbler" is used some regions and in the UK). This sort is normally known as a "water fountain" and never as a "water cooler". Pimlottc 17:48, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

TL;DR... also, cocks. 124.168.169.46 (talk) 16:13, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

Intro text

Is watercooler really an abbreviation? Highwind (talk) 03:03, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

No, I don't think so... Random89 07:00, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Cooling method

This article is very vague on the cooling method of the water cooler, except in cases where a refrigeration unit is put inside. Isn't it possible the freestanding ones cool by evaporation into the airspace above, which is then radiated out? -Rolypolyman (talk) 13:30, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

Also, many of the ones that take bottles don't cool the water at all, in this case "water cooler" is a misnomer. 172.191.133.115 (talk) 05:39, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

The porous clay pots use evaporative cooling, others use conventional gas cycle refridgiration or Peltier effect solid state coolers. Some of the cooling type units make ice cubex that store the 'cold' for demand times as the coolers are or limited capacity. Idyllic press (talk) 13:18, 25 March 2009 (UTC) Idyllic Press

Water source

There is are other sources of water

• Bottle (hopper/bowl)
• Fixed Plumbing
• Also I have seen examples of devices that condense atmospheric water vapor (cf. air conditioner drip pipe) which is then filtered (mostly for marketing purposes I think as the condensate is already distilled water). They are reputed to work pretty well in humid regions but have limited recovery in arid regions. I expect they will consume extra energy to affect the recovery.
• Also possible is as a water supply as used in space craft is the synthesis of water from Hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell (with extra electricity generated)
• Distilattion systems also can take in a supply of non-pottable water to dispense

Idyllic press (talk) 13:18, 25 March 2009 (UTC) Idyllic Press

Restructure

I think with increasing amount of information it might be nice to restructure. This topic should better encompass all water dispensers. I think there are three directions that the topic can then be split and use this to indicate Cooling type dispensers.

• Dispenser types
  • Room temp
  • Cooler (types)
  • heaters (warm, reboil)

• Purification means
  • none/bottled
  • distilation
  • filtration & reverse osmosis & ion exchange & activated charcoal

• Water source
  • bottled
  • plumbed
  • condensate recovery

Idyllic press (talk) 13:18, 25 March 2009 (UTC) Idyllic Press

External links

I've removed all the external links as per WP:EL. None of them added value to the article, and all led to to commercial pages. Freestyle-69 (talk) 06:27, 7 July 2010 (UTC)

Water-Cooler Gossip

I think there should be a very brief section related to "water-cooler gossip," describing what it means and where the term comes from. Or there should be a disambiguation link or a link for "water-cooler gossip." I'm surprised there's nothing mentioned about it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.126.213.233 (talk) 23:41, 4 May 2015 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion

The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for speedy deletion:

• Fontaine-a-eau-mistral.jpg

You can see the reason for deletion at the file description page linked above. —Community Tech bot (talk) 07:52, 10 November 2019 (UTC)

Air to atmospheric water

Dispensers that draw/pull/take/get water from (the humidity in) the air (and then filtered) should also be included. They’re usually labeled air to water dispensers or atmospheric water dispensers. May have some other names tho. Chris.lilo (talk) 18:53, 30 June 2020 (UTC)