Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Saltless Softener?
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Doc_Vegas
01-08-07, 09:40 AM
My 20+ year old softener seems to not do much softening anymore and is leaking. I would like to replace it soon. I read of some systems here that sound reasonable, but I have read elsewhere of systems that use no salt, but instead have a "catalyst" and magnets. I work in the water industry, and have a difficult time understand how this would work. Regardless, I feel compelled to check it out. Any experiences? Our water is city water for Las Vegas, Nevada and has a hardness over 300 and TDS over 600. Iron is not an issue and the pH is relatively stable around 8.
If I should go conventional, and specific models that I could use? I am thinking of RO under the counter, but not for the whole house due to water loss and costs.
Thanks!!!
If I should go conventional, and specific models that I could use? I am thinking of RO under the counter, but not for the whole house due to water loss and costs.
Thanks!!!
AndyC
01-09-07, 11:15 AM
There are NO magnets, wire wraps or magic potients that can soften water. Period.
Most of those 'non-standard' methods are little more than a marketing ploy to bilk millions of dollars out of unsuspecting consumers. Great marketing--bad results. Cataylist types systems are greensand filters for example where no chemicals are added and oxygen levels or other criterion must be controlled.
There are chemicals (surfactents=SURface ACTing agENTS like polyphosphates) that can be added to water to make it 'appear' soft by encapsulating hardness minerals but are generally bad for the environment. These are added to soaps to become detergents popular in laundry, shampoo and other cleansers.
If you want a softener that does not use salt, then use potassium chloride. Or go to a membrane technology of nanofiltration. Your water waste will be from about 2:1 to 4:1. Waste water can be diverted to other uses like irrigation. Distillation is way out of reach for household applications.
The best technology is a very efficient water softener that uses more than 5000 grains per pound of salt. Most water softeners use far less that 4000 grains and some even less than 2000. There is a very good company in Las Vegas that has high effeicient softeners.
Your water test results are very odd. I am guessing your hardness is about 17 gpg-grains per gallon (300ppm). To have 600 TDS means you have other elements in your water and the water must be further exaimined so that the right equipment can be recommended.
Stay away from the flash-in-pan technologies.
Andy CWS
Most of those 'non-standard' methods are little more than a marketing ploy to bilk millions of dollars out of unsuspecting consumers. Great marketing--bad results. Cataylist types systems are greensand filters for example where no chemicals are added and oxygen levels or other criterion must be controlled.
There are chemicals (surfactents=SURface ACTing agENTS like polyphosphates) that can be added to water to make it 'appear' soft by encapsulating hardness minerals but are generally bad for the environment. These are added to soaps to become detergents popular in laundry, shampoo and other cleansers.
If you want a softener that does not use salt, then use potassium chloride. Or go to a membrane technology of nanofiltration. Your water waste will be from about 2:1 to 4:1. Waste water can be diverted to other uses like irrigation. Distillation is way out of reach for household applications.
The best technology is a very efficient water softener that uses more than 5000 grains per pound of salt. Most water softeners use far less that 4000 grains and some even less than 2000. There is a very good company in Las Vegas that has high effeicient softeners.
Your water test results are very odd. I am guessing your hardness is about 17 gpg-grains per gallon (300ppm). To have 600 TDS means you have other elements in your water and the water must be further exaimined so that the right equipment can be recommended.
Stay away from the flash-in-pan technologies.
Andy CWS