Water softener Installation (Easy DIY Project)

[zzotte]

I don’t have the room to permanently install the water softener so I leave my outside tucked in flush with side of the coach. So the setup is double water filter - to - water softener to coach, it looks presentable.

Zzotte

[ftharrisiii]

Do you have a way to back flush the water softener unit? I can't tell from the photos.

I have a similar 16,000 grain water softener from On the Go that looks very similar to the unit in your pictures. On the Go states that their unit should be back flushed every 3 months and before putting the unit into storage. Does the unit you purchased have that requirement?

[Winepress]

Having had the unit that you manually re-generate, I installed this. The problem is the backflushing. As you travel the media will become compacted. Brine rinsing will not reach all the media. About every three times with my on the go, I would shake it, turn it upside down and backflush. This makes your soft water last much longer.
This is the answer for convenience

https://www.amazon.com/ABCwaters-Com...ords=ABC+fleck

[Coral]

Originally Posted by ftharrisiii

Do you have a way to back flush the water softener unit? I can't tell from the photos.

I have a similar 16,000 grain water softener from On the Go that looks very similar to the unit in your pictures. On the Go states that their unit should be back flushed every 3 months and before putting the unit into storage. Does the unit you purchased have that requirement?

I looked at On the Go also and decided against that company in favor of HydroTech. Price and delivery along with a customer service guy that answered all my questions and told me how to install it ultimately lead to my decision to buy from them. They said back flushing is not required.



If I were to store the coach again it would require pulling the unit because it would be during the winter in Ohio. Thankfully I'll be wintering in warm climates so that will not be necessary.

[Coral]

Originally Posted by Winepress

Having had the unit that you manually re-generate, I installed this. The problem is the backflushing. As you travel the media will become compacted. Brine rinsing will not reach all the media. About every three times with my on the go, I would shake it, turn it upside down and backflush. This makes your soft water last much longer.
This is the answer for convenience

https://www.amazon.com/ABCwaters-Com...ords=ABC+fleck

The ABCwaters unit would not fit in my coach or would of require major heart ache because I have slides in every compartment.


Since this is a new installation and I do not experience with that problem you outlined. I could easily install a temporary pump using the 3/4" unions and run the flow in reverse to fluidize the resin bed if the bed experiences that problem. Thanks for informing of the potential maintenance problem.

[Isaac-1]

Does anyone have an opinion on cartridge based water softener filters like this one https://www.aquios.net/aqfs120-mini-...water-softener Here is their promo sheet https://aquios.net/documents/AQFS120_Overview.pdf

[Coral]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

Does anyone have an opinion on cartridge based water softener filters like this one https://www.aquios.net/aqfs120-mini-...water-softener Here is their promo sheet https://aquios.net/documents/AQFS120_Overview.pdf

In my opinion I personally would not want to use it. Look at the cost of replacing the cartridges. That is a little pricey. But if limited space was a factor in a small RV and you could accommodate this type of unit in any mounting orientation and stomach the high cost of cartridges then it may be an option for you.

[Qwert66]

Great thread and info. I will be considering this idea as would save a lot of our current procedures like putting a pail over the top for uv protection and waiting for a calm day/time to pour salt in the top. We have the same one and the supplier recommends back flushing every 3-4 regens so waiting for a design to reverse the flow without disconnecting or removing. It also fixes the issue of trying to control the water flow when pouring in salt so you have a great start. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Qwert66]

Regarding the aquios, I would not recommend it for the following reasons; 6psi pressure drop tech data but fluf advertising states virtually no psi drop. Doesn’t remove any minerals. Fluf way around softening. Cost.

[Coral]

I have been giving the back flush idea and concern with my installation a little thought. I am going to get a mag drive pump and tee it in on a close loop with reverse flow on the softener. When the pump is turned on it will fluidize the bed and alleviate the problem of potential compaction of the bed.



Since this would be a closed loop I could leave the pump plumbed in and make this a permanent feature. When I get around to doing I'll post some pictures of the installation.



I may have access to one of these pumps or similar:

[ftharrisiii]

I permanently installed my softener in my DS last summer. It's worked great. This past weekend, however, I got to personally experience one of the downsides of the on coach water softener installation. I got a slow leak from the cap on the softener and did not find it for about 24 hours. The bay with the softener was soaking wet. I had to unload the basement and spent a half day drying it out with fans.

Needless to say, the next project I tackle when I get back home will be to add a containment basin for the softener (similar to a water heater) and leak detection with a solenoid valve to shut off the water supply line. I initially intended to install these items, but decided not to at the last minute. Now I'm motivated.

Tom

[Winepress]

Originally Posted by ftharrisiii

I permanently installed my softener in my DS last summer. It's worked great. This past weekend, however, I got to personally experience one of the downsides of the on coach water softener installation. I got a slow leak from the cap on the softener and did not find it for about 24 hours. The bay with the softener was soaking wet. I had to unload the basement and spent a half day drying it out with fans.

Needless to say, the next project I tackle when I get back home will be to add a containment basin for the softener (similar to a water heater) and leak detection with a solenoid valve to shut off the water supply line. I initially intended to install these items, but decided not to at the last minute. Now I'm motivated.

Tom

Add something like this....

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[TWINCAMSAM]

I too am working on moving the water softener inside. I would recommend anyone thinking about this mod to check out Dave Bott. He had a video blog named “Outside our bubble”. Check out his “wetbay” blog. Either on YouTube or website.

[AKOne]

Originally Posted by Coral

The regen is done with shore water and passes right through the bathroom sink and down the drain through the grey and down the sewer.[/IMG]

Not sure what I am missing here. Please correct me if I am wrong. From the description, to regenerate you add salt to a filter canister. That part is straight forward to understand. Once the salt water passes through the resin tank, you state it "passes right through the bathroom sink." Is this done by turning on the sink facet and letting it run during the regen process? Trying to picture in my mind how you plumbed downstream of the resin tank.