Portable RV Soft Water

Thanks again everyone I love this forum. Ask a question and you get your answer. Just ordered the Flow Pur 10000. It does say that you don't have to disassemble the unit to backwash.

OK, My next question. Has anyone installed a water softener in your water compartment?

If you have a picture of your setup that would be great.

Thanks again.

I have tried several ideas that never worked well, including magnets, electromagnetic frequencies, etc. So, I ended up with a "standard" water softner that uses salt. I purchased it off the web, it's designed to be portable, and it uses standard table salt for regeneration. The specs say it can soften 800 gallons before regeneration, and that's a lot of water. I like the fact it uses one container of table salt for regeneration because the salt is sold in every market around. Regeneration is super easy - pour the salt into the unit, wait 30 minutes, rinse salt solution into the drain, hook it back up, and you're done.

rondeb wrote:

SNIP

It looks like the best way is to go with something that requires a backwash. Find one that give the most time between would be the best.

The most popular ones - the On The Go and WaterPur/FlowPur Mark 8000, are two examples - are 8000 grains per gallon units. The higher the gpg rating the longer between regenerations.

The FlowPur web site is HERE
The Mark 8000 sells for $219 which includes shipping and includes test strips.
He also has a 10,000 gpg unit which will last longer between regenerations.

In CO where we are right now the water hardness is 20 gpg which is high and I have to regenerate my Mark 8000 every 30 days.
In AZ where we spend the winters the hardness is at least 50 gpg (that's as high as my test strips read) and I have to regenerate every 10 days.

If you use more or less water than we do, your time will vary. We use an average of 13 1/2 gallons per day.

Might work in a high iron area but iron in suspension passing near a magnet? The little bit that may collect would hardly be worth the investment. Doubt it would do anything for calcium cloride or any other LIQUID rock. I got this property in Florida I'd like to sell you.

The best way I've found to regenerate the softner with salt is to use hot water to mix the salt prior to pouring it into the softner. The salt desolves quickly in hot water.

My suggestion would be to do it right and avoid the snake oil bs. This one is very good to try.

http://www.rvupgradestore.com/Portable-Water-Softener-p/88-2130.htm

rondeb wrote:
I was just looking for something that didn't have to be backwashed with salt. We have the one at home but obviously it just does it's thing when it needs to.

Has anyone used the magnets that the above website talks about. That would be an easy solution also it they work. I guess it only softens it for a short distance, the water in the hotwater tank would not be affected so the entire system would be useless. Would that be correct.

Thanks again for all the info. I wonder if the magic one above has magnets inside it.

It looks like the best way is to go with something that requires a backwash. Find one that give the most time between would be the best.

They do actually have fully automatic recharge setups but they get into serious $. Not to mention size and weight.

I was just looking for something that didn't have to be backwashed with salt. We have the one at home but obviously it just does it's thing when it needs to.

Has anyone used the magnets that the above website talks about. That would be an easy solution also it they work. I guess it only softens it for a short distance, the water in the hotwater tank would not be affected so the entire system would be useless. Would that be correct.

Thanks again for all the info. I wonder if the magic one above has magnets inside it.

It looks like the best way is to go with something that requires a backwash. Find one that give the most time between would be the best.

There have been threads concerning this type of product in the past.
I did some research and I am convinced it's snake oil. I checked some of the sources listed on the web sites and found them either anecdotal, false, or non-existent. One university study they cited as supporting their claims actually said the product didn't work.

In addition the following info can be seen at this Site.


"The Consumer Reports in 1996 tested an over $500 magnet water treatment device. Two water heaters, over a two-year period, had over 10,000 gallons heated. One was "treated" with the magnetic treatment and one was not. The water heaters were cut open, and the tanks were found to contain the same quantity and texture of scale. There was no difference according to Consumers Reports.
Note: Those who claim any product will solve all water problems used to be called a "snake oil salesman." You, the consumer, must do your homework ... and "buyer beware." We repeat ... we have NOT actually seen physical evidence, "proof," that any brand of magnetic water conditioner works."

And here


Tests of nonchemical scale control devices in a once-through system. G.J.C. Limpert and J.L. Raber. Materials Performance, Vol. 24, No. 10, 40-45, (1985), Oct.

The abstract of this 10-year study at the 3M Corporation reads as follows:

"Experiments were conducted in a test heat exchanger system to evaluate 10 nonchemical scale and corrosion control devices. These devices may perform either by electrostatic, magnetic, electronic, or catalytic mechanisms. Chemical tests also compared results with non-chemical systems to insure the test conditions were not so severe that scale prevention was impossible. Water from a single deep well known to cause calcium carbonate scale when heated was used in all tests. The test heat exchanger was a two-tube shell and tube with steam applied to the shell side. Water flow was either in series or parallel through the two tubes,depending on the desired test conditions. No device tested significantly reduced the amount of scale formed, compared to the controls. Proprietary chemicals containing phosphorous reduced scale formation almost completely."

An internal report (PDF format) (http://www.osti.gov/dublincore/gpo/servlets/purl/567404-bQ4DwB/webviewable/567404.pdf) by a group of engineers at the U.S. Dept of Energy's Lawrence Livermore Laboratory describes a carefully-done series of experiments that failed to reveal any beneficial effects of MWT at one of their water treatment facilities.

tandkj wrote:
I bought one from CW about 6 years ago. It's the black one and requires recharging every 6 seeks or so. Must use 10 cups of rock salt. I have no scaling in any of the water outlets in the coach.

Looked at the clicky and this is the one
Travelsoft RV 1200, manual charge, 22" tall, 8" diameter, 31 pounds. Rated at 10,000 grains. $28 shipping by UPS.

That's what I have. The recharge interval varies wildly depending on incoming water hardness and usage. 6 weeks is not unreasonable but 2 is possible too.

One trick I've learned.... Its kind of clumsy getting 10 cups of rock salt through the opening provided. "Ice Cream Salt" is slightly finer rock salt and makes recharging much easier. You can get it at most large grocery stores and Walmart in 4 lb boxes.