# water softener help



## sjaquay (Jan 13, 2013)

does anyone know of a saltless water softener??? have a customer that can not lift the bags of salt and hes actually far away and only go there when he calls for larger jobs so i am not going to go over and lift his salt bags for him. im pretty sure ive seen them somewhere before, i am not talking about the stupid magnetic rip off thing, but an actual softener that doesnt take salt. thanks........


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

sjaquay said:


> does anyone know of a saltless water softener??? have a customer that can not lift the bags of salt and hes actually far away and only go there when he calls for larger jobs so i am not going to go over and lift his salt bags for him. im pretty sure ive seen them somewhere before, i am not talking about the stupid magnetic rip off thing, but an actual softener that doesnt take salt. thanks........


Snake oil companies will sell it... Q ball installed some with no strings attached on the outcome.. one guy was here is an expert on it but he got banned permanently.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)




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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

The ones I'm familiar with cost about $800 and are only good for 3 years and are non serviceable. After 3 years the tanks need replaced for only $600.


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

I have put in several NUVO H2Os and have not had any complaints. Depends on usage the cartridge needs changed twice a year.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DUNBAR/media/114_zps85a26570.jpg.html


Is that one of those as seen on tv systems? Did you order it online?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

There are no salt less softeners. Softening is ion-exchange of hard minerals for sodium or potassium chloride.

There are other processes that will let minerals pass through without binding to surfaces. NuvoH2O, poly phosphate heater filters, and "snake oil" water conditioners will treat minerals to pass through, but not be removed. Heat will affect some of the processes. 

Don't judge a device by it's ability to do things it wasn't designed to do.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

plumbingquestio said:


> I am curious about how much plumbing work is needed for these water softeners?
> http://www.searchwaterfilters.com/water-softener.php
> http://www.searchwaterfilters.com/culligan/water-softener.php
> http://www.searchwaterfilters.com/culligan/water-softener/culligan-water-softener-conditioner-filter.php


 Thanks for the laughs.... good bye


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

#*8* plumbingquestio 

















This forum is for plumbing professionals only. Do-it-yourselfers are not permitted to join. The forum does not condone or encourage anyone who isn't properly trained in the plumbing trade to attempt to repair, alter, extend, design or install any plumbing, gas, vent, sewer, medical gas, drain, septic, water line, or any other plumbing systems. Thank you.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

Anybody familiar with housetron water softener? 

http://www.fluiddynamicsna.com/solutionsscalepreventionresidential.html


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

plumberkc said:


> Anybody familiar with housetron water softener?
> 
> http://www.fluiddynamicsna.com/solutionsscalepreventionresidential.html


Tried to read up on it, sounds like another scam to me.


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## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

My guy at Ferguson recommended it to me. He said it was the best option for a water softener.


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## SewerRat (Feb 26, 2011)

What's his history in water treatment? 

Do you think his profit margin might be better on this unit than others?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*hogwash.....*



plumberkc said:


> Anybody familiar with housetron water softener?
> 
> http://www.fluiddynamicsna.com/solutionsscalepreventionresidential.html


 

that sounds like another load of hog-wash to me...
somehow this catialic converter softens the water
through that pipe..... 

this device ought to be added to the list below of other water treatment scams on the market



http://www.chem1.com/CQ/gallery.html


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## James420 (Nov 14, 2012)

Master Mark said:


> that sounds like another load of hog-wash to me...
> somehow this catialic converter softens the water
> through that pipe.....
> 
> ...


Don't I have one of those in my car?


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## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

DUNBAR PLUMBING said:


> http://smg.photobucket.com/user/DUNBAR/media/114_zps85a26570.jpg.html


Installed a few of these and customers are very happy


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

I'm a bit late to this thread, but we do a bit of water treatment. The traditional salt type softener is an ion exchange unit. It removes/exchanges one ion of calcium (or other hardness minerals common outside of the S. FL area) and deposits two sodium or potassium ions into the water 

The nuvo system works through chelation. As per the rep, it uses a compound based on citrus which it adds to the water to bind the calcium. As water flows by the cartridge, some is forced through it which pushes the compound into the water at a relatively measured dose. Since the calcium is not removed, it will still appear on shower doors and such. The difference is that it can be wiped off with a cloth rather than having to use products to dissolve the calcium. I haven't installed one. Still prefer traditional softener.


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## Lja1821 (Jul 27, 2013)

Kinetico makes a saltless system and is very good from what ive heard. I did not install one but i do know plumbers who sell them and install them here in nj and thyeve told me their customers are very satisfied although they are quite expensive.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

At the moment there is no true replacement on the market for a water softener. Ion exchange is the only true option. If salt is a issue, install a RO System at drinking locations.


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## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

Will said:


> At the moment there is no true replacement on the market for a water softener. Ion exchange is the only true option. If salt is a issue, install a RO System at drinking locations.


Or use Potassium Choride salt instead of Sodium Chloride. Hard to find and costs approx 4x as much, but is an option. Works equally and adds potassium to your water.


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

I had one industrious older customer who installed a come-along to an eye bolt in a joist over his water softener so that he could ratchet up the bags of salt despite his weakened state. It's not like a person can't just scoop in the salt a few cups at a time from the bag: Cut open bag, scoop out salt until the bag is light enough to lift and then dump that in. It's not rocket science. I could see the part about having to get the salt home from the store without assistance though.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

tungsten plumb said:


> Is that one of those as seen on tv systems? Did you order it online?


That's where I saw it first. The our supply house state carrying them


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