Water Softener Recommendations ? ( not Watts)

[Gumpster808]

Originally Posted by alank

I just GOOGLE searched Pro Aqua softener and found it for $280. In the same line of various softeners was an Essential RV softener for $215 from the RV Water Filter Store advertising free shipping and no tax. Looking at the two softeners, they're the same unit marketed under different brand names.

The one thing I wouldn't like about them is that you unscrew the entire head off the tank to add the salt. The problem with this is the tube down in the resin comes out with the head and will get the resin in the threads of the tank, along with salt. It takes careful attention to a rinse down to clear the threads before putting the head back on.

Look at post #2 for the Water Filter Store site where they have the softener without hoses for $200.

For the Pro Aqua I have, I also picked up their recharge kit. Salt goes in there instead of having to take apart the softener specifically.

[alank]

I have a Watts 10,000 because a fellow RV'er was going to throw it away, it was free. Don't know if he just didn't want it, didn't meet his expectations or was too much trouble. I think he hooked it up and never regenerated it, I had to do the regen. about 3 times to get it operating. Advertising seems to indicate you can get 2000 gal of soft water out of a 16,000 grain softener, but the water meter I use on my 10,000 grain softener indicates more like 300 gal. per recharge in the Pheonix area. You can do the math for your size softener.

To the OP that has the Watts, if you have trouble getting the salt to flow easily down into the top of the tank, I use a plastic HEET bottle with the bottom cut out as a funnel to get the salt down past the area where the salt seems to want to get blocked up.

I looked at the filter canister regeneration kit and unless I'm missing something, It seems like the regeneration takes more steps to complete if your softener is outside. The softener is heavy and takes some effort to move it around.
If you have permanently mounted the resin tank inside the coach, then the filter cannister makes some sense as long as the top of the tank has easy access to change hoses and hoses are long enough to put the canister out past the side of the coach to dump the water when you take the cannister off.

If I were buying a new softener, my first choice would be On-The-Go, second choice a Watts and third choice a Flow-Pure, all based on the ease of the regeneration process.

[153stars]

Is it a gasket or O-ring. O rings can be ordered. Gaskets can be cut from rubber or other materials.

[astrnmrtom]

Originally Posted by 153stars

Is it a gasket or O-ring. O rings can be ordered. Gaskets can be cut from rubber or other materials.

Yup, took the words right out my of keyboard.

You can buy assorted rubber gasket material and use your current gasket as a template. Another option is to take your filter head/gasket to a plumbing supply store and see if they can match it or make one for you.

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by PanJH

Thanks for all the great ideas and leads. When I get home in a week or so, I'll see if I can repair the old one, if not , I'll be going for one of the others recommended.

I did a post in the Newmar Forum about the Double "On the Go" tank. After it arrived, I realized I would rarely use it because of the weight. I mounted it in the corner of the pass thru bay with quick connect fittings, then ran the plumbing to the wet bay. It's easy to remove for servicing. I also bought a quality metal pie pan that it sits in, in case it leaks.

[153stars]

I also meant to to point you to McMaster Carr if it's a big O-ring.The measurements will be there ,maybe get one bigger and smaller than you think. A description of O-ring the durometer "hardness" will help you pick the right one. 80D is most common but not necessarily if compressed by plastic parts. Then probably softer/lower durometer. You can actually learn a whole lot from vast number of descriptions in the McMaster catalog.

Originally Posted by astrnmrtom

Yup, took the words right out my of keyboard.



You can buy assorted rubber gasket material and use your current gasket as a template. Another option is to take your filter head/gasket to a plumbing supply store and see if they can match it or make one for you.

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by alank

I just GOOGLE searched Pro Aqua softener and found it for $280.

The one thing I wouldn't like about them is that you unscrew the entire head off the tank to add the salt. The problem with this is the tube down in the resin comes out with the head and will get the resin in the threads of the tank, along with salt. It takes careful attention to a rinse down to clear the threads before putting the head back on.

Originally Posted by Gumpster808

For the Pro Aqua I have, I also picked up their recharge kit. Salt goes in there instead of having to take apart the softener specifically.

Here's a link to the Home Depot website for the "recharge kit", which is actually a combination Water Softener Regeneration Kit and Water Filter: https://www.homedepot.com/p/PRO-AQUA...628471#overlay



Works great to simplify the periodic recharge AND as a 5 micron pre-filter for your entire fresh water system. Contrast that with the ever popular Camco blue filter which is a 20 micron element. The Pro-Aqua replacement element is less expensive than the Camco blue, too.

Take care,
Stu