Jim Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Hi everyone, We live in a crap water area. I'm thinking of installing an electronic water softener just upstream of our shower. It would be connected to the shower's mains power switch so it would only be on when the shower is on. I can live with the scale in the kettle etc. But the shower keep blocking is " doing my head in " Filters and salt additives just sound like more hassle. Has anyone had any experience of these softeners ? - - - - - Do they work ? Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllp Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Pointless and no worky! There was an electronic one in my flat, rubbish. In the house we installed a electrolytic / magnetic type, crap! So now I have put in plumbing with the option for fit salt softener. They are a few £'00 and coat £60 per annum to run I think. So, we are undecided. I have 1 loo I need to re-plumb so that is is on the softener and then only outdoor taps, kitchen cold and bathroom colds are mains direct. Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble banker Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 A summing a mains water fed electric shower? http://m.screwfix.com/p/liff-electrolytic-in-line-scale-inhibitor-15mm/91448?kpid=91448&cm_mmc=Google-_-Product%2520Listing%2520Ads-_-Sales%2520Tracking-_-sales%2520tracking%2520url&gclid=CMTnk7j87r0CFZShtAodqm0AfQ We have fitted these in the past on the incoming water mains into the house and customers seem happy with them. G Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 The inline filter works to a degree but need replacing everyso often. the best bet is the salt water softener, they works brilliantly, if you can, go for the one that work on amount of water used rather than the one that come on every day at fixed time. They will use less salt if you have only a few people in the house and don't use a lot of water. Downside is they are quite bulky which will take up best part of a kitchen cabinet. Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 I've fitted a lot of water softeners. They are the only thing that works in this area. PLD and Jim 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan F (bathclaret) Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Definitely recommend a proper salt-based softener Jim, the others are just placebos. We've had a Kinetico 2020c in each of our last 2 houses. 100% reliable, cheap to run (maybe £50/yr in salt at the most) and the good thing about them is they work solely on water pressure, so no power needed. I've a bit of an issue whenever people suggest mixing mains electric and water... They're also twin cylinder, so need no down-time when the column needs flushing. Basically fit it, top it up with salt pellets each week and that's it. No more scale, no more rocks... Duncan Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 +1 recommendation for Kinetico. We have a block salt unit installed outdoors within an insulated lift off wooden cover. Works great and been in since around 1997 .It was there when we moved in in 2007.Original cost was £987 installed. You can even take it with you when you move house by operating a couple of bypass valves and disconnecting the flexible pipework. I have had 2 problems with it in that time (and am not aware of any pre2007 issues) 1.The salt syphon plastic tubing split (£2 for replacement windscreen washer hose at Halfords) 2. The most serious fault was that the resin decomposed and entered the water supply blocking washing machine cold water filter and settling out in toilet cisterns.Resolved by Full refurbishment(cleanout of the resin tanks) and a new resin fill by Kinetico at around £350 The unit supplies softened water on demand to ALL hot and cold services other than a separated non softened but filtered drinking water outlet on the kitchen mixer tap. No electrical connections needed Salt usage is around £50-£60 per year It works really well(No scaling!) and you can easily tell when you need to add the salt blocks as soap doesn't lather as easily. I replace the 2 blocks every 3weeks to 1 month or so each 4kg bag contains 2xsalt blocks and I get through about 10 to 12 a year Pete Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan F (bathclaret) Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Pete, worth mentioning pellet salt in 25kg bags is a far cheaper option than blocks, To increase the hopper capacity for pellets you can either buy a ridiculously over-priced fitment from Kinetico, or just cut down a 1-gall plastic container (Halfords washer fluid bottle fits perfectly!) Duncan Jim and gaffa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Cheers for Info Duncan I had not considered pellets . Do you by the bags from Kinetico or eleswhere? No good to me for this year as just had 10 packs of salt delivered last month but will definately consider for next purchase Pete Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan F (bathclaret) Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Not Kinetico Pete, wherever you can get them cheapest. I usually use purechoice.co.uk as they're close to me in Glastonbury, but they have a Bournemouth depot too. They deliver right across the area. Price depends on how many bags you buy... Jim and gaffa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted April 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 So: Add salt to everything except drinking water ! Does adding salt cause more of a problem than not adding salt ? - Salt is very corrosive. How much salt does it add ? Can you drink it ? Can you taste it ? Thanks very much for the help fellas. I don't mind spending the money if I have to but it looks as if you've saved me a few quid here. I'm trying to think how and where I could add one ? ? ? - - - Hmmmmmm ! Cheers. Jim Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Try to make sure you're garden tap is fresh water. The only problem I've ever had with one was funny. The customer had a new immersion tank. The salt in the softener leeched into the new copper and the Verdi Gris contaminated the hot water, dying her peroxide blonde hair a visible green. Oh how we laughed......... It diluted down over time Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Add one nearest your kitchen sink as possible Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 It tastes shite Jim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted April 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 Add one nearest your kitchen sink as possible Our Mains comes in at the tap end of our bath ( well out of easy reach ) Then it splits and one goes upstairs to supply the rest of the house whilst the other goes to the kitchen. I can't think of any easy way to fit something that size in the system. It's looking more and more like I just have to accept that shower heads need cleaning every 1 or 2 weeks and shower units need replacing every few years ( still cheaper than salt ) Thanks to all of you for the help. And thanks for saving me time, effort and money. It looks like I'm gonna give it a miss. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newboy Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 If you don't want the trouble of a full blown water softner, you may want to try one of those inline cartridge filter, they work like a big Brita water filter, just replace the cartridge once every 6 months. They don't cost a lot and is easily plumb in but anyone with a bit of diy skill. Try it for 6 months, if they don't work like you expect just remove it or don't replace the cartidge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaffa Posted April 20, 2014 Report Share Posted April 20, 2014 I think that there may be a misconception about the Salt doing the water softening. It doesn't The resin filters out the hard water and the salt forms a brine solution which cleans the contaminants off the resin. The Kinetico unit has one resin reactor in service one being cleaned The waste goes to drain. I can honestly say I cant taste any salt in the water and I prefer to use the softened water for tea etc as kettle doesn't scale and I think the tea tastes better. Drinking the softened water isn't recommended for those suffering from certain medical conditions and pregnant mums etc hence I have the raw filtered water option available. One thing to bear in mind is that softened water via this method can affect Aluminium Heat exchangers in Central heating boilers . When I replaced my boiler I ensured it was with a model fitted with a Stainless steel heat echanger Hope info helps Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan F (bathclaret) Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 Spot on Pete. Our only unsoftened feed is to the heating system and garden tap. We drink softened water and taste nothing at all. Actually it's not salt but sodium ions that may be slightly elevated, so only significant to low sodium diets and young babies. Any trace sodium getting in is only a couple of ppm, much less significant than all the other impurities in the incoming supply... gaffa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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