water softner help in chosing and is this true

Doc_N

ihshaikh wrote: »

wondering if someone can confirm that topping up the softener with water on a regular basis (more than 2-3 times a week) is necessary.

Not on any softener I've ever owned! I'm not aware of any softener that requires manual topping up with water - it suggests a problem to me.


Unless someone else knows better?

cliff_hanger

Hi
This is a great thread, based on reading through we plan to get a Tapworks AD11. However, at today's inspection our just finished new-build house, we've found a technical challenge - has anyone got any suggestions ....?

We have a Potterton boiler downstairs in the kitchen. Problem is - the flexible filling loop to repressurise the heating system is UPSTAIRS by the indirect /unvented water cylinder. I'd expected the loop to be (downstairs) right next to the boiler, then position the softener downstairs with a short bypass around it to the loop, but now I don't know what to do. Potterton are hinting (no definitive answer) that treated water could invalidate the boiler warranty (corrosive to aluminium).
One plumber suggests installing a separate set of bypass pipes all the way up to the filling loop, which sounds expensive, but I can't think of another way. Has anyone encountered /solved this before ?

Thanks for any help you can offer
Chris

ihshaikh

Doc_N wrote: »

Not on any softener I've ever owned! I'm not aware of any softener that requires manual topping up with water - it suggests a problem to me.


Unless someone else knows better?

Thanks for the reply, what should the typical
Water level be in a softener?

MoneyMate

cliff_hanger wrote: »

Hi
This is a great thread, based on reading through we plan to get a Tapworks AD11. However, at today's inspection our just finished new-build house, we've found a technical challenge - has anyone got any suggestions ....?

We have a Potterton boiler downstairs in the kitchen. Problem is - the flexible filling loop to repressurise the heating system is UPSTAIRS by the indirect /unvented water cylinder. I'd expected the loop to be (downstairs) right next to the boiler, then position the softener downstairs with a short bypass around it to the loop, but now I don't know what to do. Potterton are hinting (no definitive answer) that treated water could invalidate the boiler warranty (corrosive to aluminium).
One plumber suggests installing a separate set of bypass pipes all the way up to the filling loop, which sounds expensive, but I can't think of another way. Has anyone encountered /solved this before ?

Thanks for any help you can offer
Chris

Please just be careful if the softened water from your new Softener goes directly through Heat exchanges on Combi boilers it may be corrosive to types of materials of construction. :beer:

Doc_N

ihshaikh wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, what should the typical
Water level be in a softener?

Sorry - can't really help much there. It will depend on the model; doesn't the handbook help?


At a guess, though, maybe a third of the way up the cabinet on Tapworks/Ecowater models, as a guide?

David_Aston

What a great thread. Coming down to make the morning coffee yesterday, i realised the uncalled for racket was in fact a rather late regeneration. Also that water was leaking from the head of our machine. Turns out we bought this Aquadial Prismertec in August 93! Phoned Culligan who last serviced it in 2002. Could not have been more helpful. The lady explained they were now BTW. I subsequently called Ashford Heating from whence our machine had come, and the guy instantly suggested a Monarch Mini Aqua for £567. Does this sound a reasonable choice, and has anyone got an older living Water Softener. Thanks for reading!

travisbickle_2

So I am new to the world of softeners and although I've tried to get a handle on this thread and have determined that Kinetico probably make the best models on the market - the size that we require (the 2050c) is out of our budget (we've just had a new extension built).

What is the general consensus regarding the next best brand for a twin cylinder softener?

Doc_N

travisbickle wrote: »

So I am new to the world of softeners and although I've tried to get a handle on this thread and have determined that Kinetico probably make the best models on the market - the size that we require (the 2050c) is out of our budget (we've just had a new extension built).

What is the general consensus regarding the next best brand for a twin cylinder softener?

That's an interesting interpretation of the thread. Had you already decided that you wanted a twin cylinder softener, and that it should be a Kinetico?

I rather thought, having been involved in the thread for quite a long time, that the general view was that twin cylinder models were pointless, and that Kinetico in particular was grossly overpriced.

Or maybe I'm missing something here?

David_Aston

Doc N as you are about, might you have a view on the Monarch Mini suggestion that I received from Asford Heating?

Doc_N

David_Aston wrote: »

Doc N as you are about, might you have a view on the Monarch Mini suggestion that I received from Asford Heating?

Sorry, David, it's not one I know. I'm sure others will help, though.