Water Softeners

[gdbontly]

I found an old thread regarding water softeners at water softner, but was told that it's too old to post a reply, so here's a new thread.

Anyone have any new info on water softeners? We've only been in our coach (fulltime) for a few months, but I'm already seeing crud building up on the galley faucet sprayer and the shower head from the hard water. I definitely want to install a water softener, but I want it "semi-permanently" installed behind the sliding doors in the basement. Anyone do this?

Rockin'--Are you using a softener in your new coach? Still like the Travelsoft brand vs the On The Go?

Thanks!

[LindaH]

We use a water softener identical to the "On The Go," just a different brand. We used to have a Travelsoft, but made the mistake of including it with the sale of a previous fifth wheel.

Between the two, I like the "On The Go" water softener because:

1) It uses table salt which can be found at even the smallest grocery store instead of the softener salt which is sometimes impossible to find if you're in a small town.

2) It's much easier to add the salt to the "On The Go" than it was to the Travelsoft.

However, both work just fine, so go with the one you like best.

I don't know about installing it "semi-permanently" behind the sliding partition in the basement...would think that would make it very difficult to recharge when the time comes. Ours sits outside on the ground.

[Route 66]

Quote:

I found an old thread regarding water softeners at water softner, but was told that it's too old to post a reply, so here's a new thread.

Just a note.

At the bottom of the warning is box that when checked enables a reply to be posted.

[gdbontly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Just a note. At the bottom of the warning is box that when checked enables a reply to be posted.

Yeah, I tried clicking the box, but it still didn't work. No worries--new thread just as easy. Thanks for the tip, though!

[Milkman*]

I installed an automatic water softener a year ago, here are some pictures.

[rockintom]

Milk......we had an "On the Go" and it wouldn't work for more than 2 days. They sent me a new one and it did the same thing. They finally refunded my money. I got the Travel Soft which I love dearly. We are on our 5th year using it and it works great. I usually do a regen about once a week. I have mine in a square milk crate wrapped with a big bungee cord. I just lift it in and out of the basement as necessary. rockin'

[BookIIRoadtrash]

I have had both types of softeners, my Travel Soft finally deteriorated from the sun. What I didn't like about it was like Linda said about having to go out and find the salt, plus I then had to carry the excess with me and I really didn't like having salt in my basement. The “On the Go” is much easier to regenerate.

[RickO]

We've used our Travelsoft for 3 years now and love it. I sure wish I could somehow come up with a way to mount it but haven't so far so it sits on the ground. I haven't had a great deal of trouble finding solar salt for it but it is really a pain having to buy it in 40lb bags and then carrying the excess.

Rick

[deandec]

How many gallons of softened water do you have in storage after the softener cycles and how is that water stored?

(If this is a silly question, be advised, we do not need one at home and so I am clueless.)

[RJay]

I used the Travelsoft but I'm considering Easywater, it uses no salt. It uses a wrap around the water pipe, I'm still researching it. It' pricey though.

[RickO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deandec How many gallons of softened water do you have in storage after the softener cycles and how is that water stored? (If this is a silly question, be advised, we do not need one at home and so I am clueless.)

It's actually a good question. I think the answer is that it depends on how hard the water is that is being treated. After a recharge cycle I fill my 100 gal tank but leave the unit connected if we're not traveling so city water is treated as we use it. My guess would be a charge is good for about 400/500 gallons.

Rick

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO It's actually a good question. I think the answer is that it depends on how hard the water is that is being treated. After a recharge cycle I fill my 100 gal tank but leave the unit connected if we're not traveling so city water is treated as we use it. My guess would be a charge is good for about 400/500 gallons. Rick

Rick, you are right......there are so many variables involved that effect the system. The higher the grain the quicker the unit has to be regened. So if you're in Yuma where the water is 50 grain....on the average, you'll be servicing about every 3-4 days to get about 100 gals of soft water. On the other hand, in the unlikely event that you are in Ft. Collins, CO, on well water, where the water is like 10 grain, we were there for 5 weeks and I finally did a regen...after a month just because.....

I would say on the average....I service mine every 7 days (two folks FT...no W/D) on average water hardness of 20 grains. My guess of about 325-375 gals of water used.

Hopefully this give a little help understanding how often the water softener needs to be serviced. rockin'

[azloafer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJay I used the Travelsoft but I'm considering Easywater, it uses no salt. It uses a wrap around the water pipe, I'm still researching it. It' pricey though.

We have the EASYWATER in our house, but not the MH. We chose it because I couldn't haul salt bags home from the grocery store. The one difference between the Easywater and a salt water softener is that the softener takes the minerals out VS the Easywater changing the minerals so they do not collect in the pipes. What does this mean? The water that collects and evaporates from the faucet ends will leave white minerals as it evaporates when using the Easywater. The water softener eliminates this. Other than that one difference, we like it because we do not need salt. We were told about the evaporation situation before we installed it. Just something to consider in your research. Hope that helps, Joe

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO We've used our Travelsoft for 3 years now and love it. I sure wish I could somehow come up with a way to mount it but haven't so far so it sits on the ground. I haven't had a great deal of trouble finding solar salt for it but it is really a pain having to buy it in 40lb bags and then carrying the excess. Rick

I hear ya.....but what I do is put the 40 lbs of solar salt in a fairly large plastic ice chest and also a small ice chest (the size that holds a six pack). They store in my garage (front gen box) in my 5th wheel. I use a 2 cup measuring cup to scoop salt from the big to the smaller ice chest then to the softener. By putting the salt in the ice chest eliminates the bag getting a hole and getting salt on my genbox floor and eating it up. The end handles make it easier to handle than the bag. The small ice chest makes it easy to transport the right amount of salt to the softener. Not a perfect situation, but it works for me. HTH rockin'

P.S. I trimmed the funnel outlet (makes the outlet bigger) so that the mouth of it just barely fits inside the opening in the water softener hole. This allows for a better flow of salt into the softener. But you'll have to clean the salt off the threads of the opening before reinstalling the plug after servicing.