There are three types for a laser and two of them you shouldn't use, Tap water, deionised water and distilled water. The short answer is use distilled and there are reasons. I'll go through the different types and explain the differences and when they are used.
Tap Water.
You'll often see videos of laser cutters running on tap water with some ice in it. If you want to use it and you have nothing else then do so at your own risk and you'll need a supply of ice. The main issues with tap water is they have minerals and organisms in them. Firstly I'll address minerals. Minerals increase the conductivity of water and (depending on the power of the laser tube ) you could have anywhere between 15 Kv ( 15,000 Volts ) to 50 Kv. If you think about the sockets in the UK are approximately 230 V thats a lot higher, and whilst everyone says the voltage wont kill you at that voltage it will leap around and try to find its way to ground. The reason for this is the gas in the laser tube needs to be 'excited' to create the laser beam and that needs a high voltage.
So now lets imagine there is water flowing through the middle of the laser tube to keep it cool. If the tube cracks and the water and the electric mix and its flowing where it shouldn't there is a possibility you could be electrocuted.
Moving on to the bacteria etc in tap water, if left exposed to the air water can get alage and mould growth and this isn't good for the water flow around the laser system.
Distilled water.
Lab Pro States:
' Distilled water is produced by condensing steam from boiled water and then collecting the condensation. This process can remove certain bacteria and substances, though it does not typically remove dissolved solids or minerals. Since distilled water has a neutral pH, it’s called “purified” water but not necessarily pure. While distilled water may be filtered to improve taste, it is most pure in its natural state, which makes it safe for consumption and suitable for general uses such as car batteries and irons.
Distilled water is often referred to as deionized water, although the terms are distinct.'
Distilled water does not conduct electricity as shown in this you tube video https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OY3dYbE0QMg
Deionized water.
Lab Pro goes on to say
'Deionized water is created by either passing water through ion-exchanging resins or other media, or exposing it to electric current. This process removes minerals and ions that contribute to conductivity in regular tap water. However, some of the available methods are not as effective at removing certain compounds like fluoride, nitrate, and chloride; therefore, advanced filtration systems are needed to make sure the water is safe for drinking. Distilled water on the other hand, is usually boiled and turned into vapor (steam). Once cooled down, impurities have been separated from the steam which results in pure H2O — not de-mineralized.'
and..
'Deionized water and distilled water are both considered “purified” and safe for consumption, though deionized takes it a step further. By being run through a deionization process, the water is stripped of its ions which can contain minerals and salts. This means that the remaining water is much purer than that of distilled water as all trace elements have been removed. Typically, this type of water is used in industrial and scientific applications or for extended-use applications such as steam irons or leather conditioning.'
What's wrong with using Deionized water?
Both Distilled and Deionized water immediately begin taking in impurities and minerals from the atmosphere and any material they are in contact with. Although I have never seen it, its theoretically possible that deionized will leech the minerals and ions from a chiller. Effectively rotting it from the inside.
Therefore Distilled water is the one to use.
If Distilled and Deionized are taking impurities from the air and elsewhere does that mean they are immediately impure?
Yes it does, and unless you get it straight from the source if will immediately begin to increase its conductivity. All we are really doing when using distilled, is reducing the conductivity and reducing the bacteria in the water so it lasts longer.
Antifreeze
This complicates things further because adding antifreeze adds impurities to the water and increases the conductivity. we start by worrying about the impurities and add in impurities to stop it from freezing!
That's why we use a specially designed antifreeze for coolant systems Coolflow DTX
It's only available in massive drums though, unless you buy it from somewhere like here:
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