Disabled Account

Need a new Water Softener

Can anyone reccomend a brand that is reliable, low maintainance
and not too expensive please

TIFF

Salamander

It is one that you cut into the incoming main within the house and they are REALLY good IMHO.

Disabled Account

How much do they cost Tiff????

Billabong

Domestic or industrial? What have you got at the minute Doug?

Bill

TIFF

I think they are around £40 Doug

Billabong

If they are, it ain't a proper water softener You're looking at a few hundred quid realistically for a 'proper' one Doug

Rob-ZetecS

for £40 your gonna get a scale reducer

TIFF

This is one that you cut into the pipework where the main is. that is what i assumed he wanted

Rob-ZetecS

water softener is a proper device which requires all the salt in it and shit. dont know i dont do plumbing but a decent one will cost £300

Billabong

............. that usually makes an ASS out of U and ME

Sorry Tiff, my old man was probably the foremost water treatment specialist in the country, so when I see 'water softener' I actually think of a proper, charged resin, salt consuming water softener type doobrie flip.....

£300 + really - price varies according to capacity and how often it needs recharging, timer controls etc..

TIFF

Bill

In this case i will take a few steps back and allow you to procude with your vast water softening knowlege

Stepping up to the stage is The Bongmiester

Rob-ZetecS

whats the make with the bird like things on the box, its annoying me know i cant think!

Billabong

LOL - best we find out what Doug actually wants first (he might mean your inline filter thingy)- anyway, I'd only have to 'do a Rainbird' and phone a (family) friend anyway

Names that spring to mind, Culligan, Permutit (ROB!! ) etc..

TIFF

Billabong

If I could remember half of it Tiff, I could bore you with tales of reverse osmosis and ion exchange..... - sometimes I think I should have joined my father in his own business and left the computer shite behind, I'd be as loaded as you by now

TIFF

Dont know what you mean, im skint

Disabled Account

Tiff, thanks for your reply......

Bill, I am after a domestic type, the type that regenerates etc.....

I got a Permo at the moment, but it is more than 10 years old, and not working too well either

I think I want a "ECOWATER" from Ecowater Systems Ltd........as they seem to be real good ones.

Billabong

Doug, it could be that it just needs a service (new gaskets / o rings etc).

Basic criteria for choosing your new system would be water usage per week (to calculate regen' frequency), physical space available and then pick a model that fits those criteria / has a regen' frequency you can accept.

You already know the benefits of softened water.......

Disabled Account

Bill, a chap came over to service it today, did a quick test and said that it was not working at all, and that it's not worth servicing as Permo is NOT a good design, parts are expensive etc etc

Said it was better to buy a new modern design type (like Ecowater) as they are much better these days, low maintainence/reliable etc....

Could have just been a sales pitch........so I am not sure what to do

Billabong

Hmmm don't really know what to say - water softeners aren't THAT complicated really (from what I remember, just a few valves and a timer etc.), but the guy could well be right - resin for example does become exhausted at some point.

My dad has stuck with the industrial side of things for the last few years, but i can ask him for his opinion if you like (he has contacts with most of the major co.s - well, the ones that deal with industrial plant at least - some of which still have domestic stuff available).

Did the guy quote you for a new one, or just suggest that make?

Disabled Account

Please ask him for me Bill, I would appreciate that.

The service chap said the cheapest Ecowater was £ 996.00

I dond want to spend more than £ 400 TBH

Eagle

iTrader: (2)

i was well into this at one stage (5 years ago) water treatment for drinking .
reverse osmosis is the best for drinking , stupidly expensive but not good for equipment that needs a small amount of impurities to work.
resin does give up after a while, but not that expensive to get a 5kg bag and refill it yourself.
they all work in the same way to an effect so nothing like major advances in timers and valves

Billabong

Aye, but used resin can be carcinogenic and you can't just tip it in the bin.....

Agreed! (although valves have probably become more reliable)

Doug, you got any stats for your old machine (time between regen, water used per week) or anything similar (make & model?) and I'll see what I can find out for you.

Disabled Account

Bill, no information at all, I "inherited" it when I moved to this house a few years ago.......Only a "small one" is required TBH.............as usually there is only me here

Old one used to regen about once every 2 to 3 weeks.

nigel b

kinetico are good ones
dont get one with the block of salt as the salt is more expensive to buy

Billabong

Okay dude, I'll see what he suggests and let you know.

Disabled Account

Thanks Bill ........



I heard that as well about the blocks of salt

I have 10 large bags of the salt tablets here now.

Billabong

Doug, you have a PM - hope it's of some use (long distance diagnosis is always a pain, lol) - if not, give me a shout.

Disabled Account

Thanks Bill

Have sent you a reply

Kevin Atkins

Ok guys, most of the current decent softeners are around the £400 + V.A.T. mark.

IMHO you are best with a meter controlled unit, this has a small processor to evaluate your usage and regenerate accordingly. We generally fit " Waterside MC250's " in domestic properties, although most makes are similar in quality and function.

The small inline descalers are pretty useless in terms of soft water.

Kev

Disabled Account

Thanks Kev, and Billabong, I dont want to spend more than
£ 450.00.......So will be looking into the reccomendations
PM'd to me and posted on here