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Old 11-12-2019, 10:16 PM   #1
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Mineral Rich Water

Hello! Brand spanking new to the RV game here (yeah, we jumped in feet first into the Class A pool). Our sticks-n-bricks home is on well water and it seems like the water is very rich in minerals - we frequently (a couple times a year) have to CLR our faucet screens. My question is - should we subject our RV to this water? Do dump stations provide enough water to fill the tank from a better water source? Does it cost more? Would our limited use (maybe 5-6 times a year) really be a problem with our mineral-rich water? Any information and insight is greatly appreciated!
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Old 11-13-2019, 05:32 AM   #2
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I would suggest getting a water softener for the RV. We have well water in northern MN and got sick of cleaning/replacing faucets, etc. Installed a whole house water softener and found an RV one to use at parks. Depending on where you go, we have encountered very hard water.
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Old 11-13-2019, 07:05 AM   #3
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I would not recommend using dump station water. It is normally either not potable and is often used for black tank cleaning where cross contamination is very possible.

Use the potable water from the campsite. I have a "On The Go" brand of water softener.
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Old 11-13-2019, 11:06 AM   #4
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When you go to a campground, look around and possibly 5% of the campers have a softener. That tells you something, but my opinion is soft water is better for your camper and house, but not as healthy. You pay to get mineral water to drink. In the in-laws condo building, a high mineral water line ran to each unit for the frig. and one kitchen faucet, everything else went through a whole building softener.
Well water is usually high mineral water, lake water is normally lower mineral water, know what the community’s/campsites source of water is. Water at the campsite will come from the same source as dump station water comes from.

Below is a couple of campsite pictures. Hard to determine if this water source is more or less contaminated than dump site water.
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Old 11-13-2019, 11:38 AM   #5
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The separate line to fridge and kitchen faucet is for people on low sodium diets because softeners add a small amount of salt to the water. Has nothing to do with needing minerals in your drinking water.
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Old 11-13-2019, 04:11 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylphy View Post
Hello! Brand spanking new to the RV game here (yeah, we jumped in feet first into the Class A pool). Our sticks-n-bricks home is on well water and it seems like the water is very rich in minerals - we frequently (a couple times a year) have to CLR our faucet screens.

My question is - should we subject our RV to this water?
No. You need to get a water softener
Do dump stations provide enough water to fill the tank from a better water source?
Do not fill your fresh water tank from a water source at a dump station. Period.
Does it cost more? ???
Would our limited use (maybe 5-6 times a year) really be a problem with our mineral-rich water?
Maybe not but...Hard water which is basically calcium and potasium rich water will hurt your HWH, plumbing, faucets, and appliances over time. Installing a water softener will eliminate these problems. With regular use you should flush your HWH
with white vinegar twice a year without a water softener, once a year with one. With your limited use these PM items could be twice as long.


Whether you are on well water or city water camping...having a water softener is always a good idea.

Any information and insight is greatly appreciated!
My answers in red.
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Old 11-13-2019, 07:42 PM   #7
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Thank you everyone! Sounds like a water softener is in our future!
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Old 11-13-2019, 07:51 PM   #8
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Like others have said, use a water softener. I built my home 20 years ago and have well and a whole house water softener. Still using the original water heater. Never changed an element, never descaled a faucet.
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Old 11-14-2019, 02:14 PM   #9
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Here is a current thread about Portable Water Softeners

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/port...ll-453752.html
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Old 11-14-2019, 02:31 PM   #10
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Here's what some folks from the Entegra forum are doing with regard to water softeners. Some of them have switched from the "On the Go" to the permanently mounted version.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/wate...er-384395.html


ron
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Old 11-14-2019, 08:57 PM   #11
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For just 5 - 6 times a year useage I would not spend the money for a water softener. Consider using these "softener filters" made for RO systems, in a standard whole house water filter housing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...CQ1ZC8U1&psc=1
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Old 11-14-2019, 09:18 PM   #12
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For just 5 - 6 times a year useage I would not spend the money for a water softener. Consider using these "softener filters" made for RO systems, in a standard whole house water filter housing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...CQ1ZC8U1&psc=1
OOoh! This looks like a good option! Could probably fit these filters into my current water filter canisters that are already in the RV!
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Old 11-15-2019, 09:19 AM   #13
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If you look at the canisters in the link, and zoom in on them, the stated "good for x gallons" is for a tds of 50 or less. Typically you wouldn't need to soften water that is 50ppm or less. Usually you're trying to soften water that is above 300ppm. So I am not sure how long one of these filters would last in a high ppm situation, and at $30 per pair, it could get as expensive as buying a real softener pretty quickly.
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Old 11-15-2019, 10:19 PM   #14
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If you look at the canisters in the link, and zoom in on them, the stated "good for x gallons" is for a tds of 50 or less. Typically you wouldn't need to soften water that is 50ppm or less. Usually you're trying to soften water that is above 300ppm. So I am not sure how long one of these filters would last in a high ppm situation, and at $30 per pair, it could get as expensive as buying a real softener pretty quickly.
Having never owned a portable softener for an RV, how much do they cost and what is the regeration cost and frequency?
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