Water Softener

[Skywrench]

We moved to a park with very hard water. Shower doors are hard to clean, getting deposits on & around our faucets etc. I have zero experience with water softeners but am looking for a portable softener that is efficient and as easy to use as possible. Is it advisable to hard mount it somewhere or better to just have it on the ground under the trailer? I have read much debate online about salt-less softeners and am not yet convinced that these small filter looking devices actually remove any measurable amount of hardness.

[Cummins12V98]

You will not believe how this product will clean glass and other solid surfaces! Besides glass test small area. BEWARE there are many imposters!!!

[Travelin' Texans]

Used the FloPur 10000 water softener for 6+ years with great results.
I mounted it in a milk crate with water hose quick disconnects added a cartridge type filter with a sediment filter before the softener then through the onboard filter with a charcoal filter (both changed a couple times per year) resulting in great tasting water, crystal clear ice cubes & zero water spots on the shower doors everywhere we connected to a water faucet.
The filter used 2lbs of regular table salt (the round containers are 26oz so it was close enough) about every 30-45 days of full-time use that took about 30 minutes to add salt & purge the softener.
I would highly recommend this setup, especially if hard water is an issue.

[saddlesore]

Our Christmas present to ourselves last Christmas was this..(not cheap) being 6" round and 26" long, can easily find a hole to store it in when traveling.

But

Use in combination with the little Camco 20 micron sacrificial..to filter the dirt & debris before it gets to the more intense filters.



comes with a 5 micron filter and I will add a 2 micron behind it in the near future.
Mfg says that I will have to recharge every 4,000 to 5,000 gallons of usage...(5 to 6 months) depending on the quality of CG water.
For regen I have to remove the filter cartridge and fill the cartridge container with 2 lbs of common salt, then hook container to out flow end & flush tube in reverse direction until the salt is emptied out of the cartridge container ( I just drain into the sewer hookup) then hook everything back up the normal direction of flow..
MUCH better quality of water and showers and dishes come out squeeky clean...

[The_Breeze]

Do either or both of these softeners prevent spotting when you was your RV?

[Travelin' Texans]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Do either or both of these softeners prevent spotting when you was your RV?

Yep! Had a Y after the softener.

[Cummins12V98]

Personally would never leave any water filtration out in the direct sunshine.

[Travelin' Texans]

Originally Posted by Cummins12V98

Personally would never leave any water filtration out in the direct sunshine.

Not sure why?
Some, if not all, of your drinking water hose will be exposed to direct sunlight with every use! Is the filter different? What about the little blue filter typically added to the water faucet then to your hose?
Mine sat in a milk crate under the convenience center of the RV for 6+ years using it daily with no I'll effects that I'm aware of other than the green milk crate faded.
But to each their own!

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Do either or both of these softeners prevent spotting when you was your RV?

Haven't tried yet, normally use a truck wash, but I suspect it will lessen the water spotting same as dishes and showers

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Do either or both of these softeners prevent spotting when you was your RV?

For sure, as the spotting is caused by hard water.

[hdrider]

We used a ON-The Go water softener for the first 6 1/2 years we fulltimed and had great luck with it. We now have plumbed in a water softener with a automatic head and a separate brine tank which I really like as well.

[Cummins12V98]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

Not sure why?
Some, if not all, of your drinking water hose will be exposed to direct sunlight with every use! Is the filter different? What about the little blue filter typically added to the water faucet then to your hose?
Mine sat in a milk crate under the convenience center of the RV for 6+ years using it daily with no I'll effects that I'm aware of other than the green milk crate faded.
But to each their own!

Because the filter is collecting "STUFF". Heat and "STUFF" don't do well together.

[powerboatr]

ours i put in the bay and plumbed it in.

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by hdrider

We used a ON-The Go water softener for the first 6 1/2 years we fulltimed and had great luck with it. We now have plumbed in a water softener with a automatic head and a separate brine tank which I really like as well.

More information on it please.

[Fulltimer50]

The rv water store used to sell these, but I dont see it on line now. I was interested in these as well. Perhaps a call?

[mjdougherty]

We actually have two water softeners that we use when travelling in our Thor Tuscany 45AT.

One is smaller (OnTheGo Portable Standard) and easier to handle, but it needs to be recharged after 7-10 days, depending on how hard the water has been that was passing through it. If the source water is not very hard, the little softener may last a couple weeks. It recharges with 1 lb of table salt. We normally keep a couple containers of the table salt on hand for this purpose.

The larger softener (a TravelSoft RV2400HD) will last us 4-6 weeks, again depending on how hard the source water is. It requires a different type of salt (solar salt or rock salt, the "blue bag" at Home Depot), which we carry around in a 5 gallon Lowe's plastic bucket that is stored in our "basement". It takes 20 cups of the salt crystals for each regeneration of the RV2400HD.

We always put the softener (either one) next to the water supply faucet, connecting it with a 3 ft hose. We then use a 15 or 25 ft hose to connect the softener outlet to the motorhome water inlet. I always take care to lay the hose out in a big curve, rather than coiled up, because that will prevent excess pressure drop under flowing conditions. Use the shorter hose whenever possible.

When it comes time to regenerate the softeners, we do it inside the motorhome, right in the shower stall, so the brine runs into the gray water tank. NOTE: It's important to leave the gray water tank drain valve open during this process, as it will fill up quickly. Also, it is better to not fill the gray tank to the top as the brine will cause the level sensors to misbehave.

While recharging one softener we have the other one hooked up, which will prevent getting hard water into either the ice maker or the dishwasher. This is much more convenient, as you don't have to be slapping mosquitos while you are watching the water flow into the sewer connection. It is also much "cleaner" since you don't have to shove a hose down into the sewer pipe for the brine discharge.

We usually test the water hardness (at the supply faucet) when we arrive at an RV park that we might stay at for more than a day or two. This gives us a better idea of how long it will be before we have to recharge. If you suspect the water softener is on its last legs (i.e. when you wash your hands the soap doesn't produce a lot of suds) you can use the test strips on the water inside the coach. Both water softeners come with a supply of hardness test strips. They can be purchased separately online or at many RV supply stores.

[mjdougherty]

I forgot to mention, that a softener does more than just prevent spotting in the shower ... it will prolong the life of your appliances, and prevent calcification (buildup) on the water faucets and drain stops inside your coach. Not to mention that taking a warm shower in soft water is one of the best things about camping in a motorhome!

[Travelin' Texans]

[QUOTE=mjdougherty;235033

I always take care to lay the hose out in a big curve, rather than coiled up, because that will prevent excess pressure drop under flowing conditions. Use the shorter hose whenever possible.

.[/QUOTE]

I have to say in my 40+ years of rving I have NEVER heard of this!!
Not sure, but I think 25' of 1/2" or 5/8" water hose is still 1/2" or 5/8" water hose whether laid in a big curve or coiled up, unless it gets kinked. If there's 45-50 psi at the water connection you'll have 45-50 psi at the opposite end of the hose regardless of how or where it lays.
So I guess the 5 gallon bucket idea with your hose coiled in it would reduce your pressure to a trickle?
Do this if you think it helps, but I'm fairly certain it doesn't/won't have any effect on the pressure.
Having the incoming water going through 2 softeners & at least 1 filter will definitely reduce the kitchen/bath/shower faucet pressures.

[rynosback]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

I have to say in my 40+ years of rving I have NEVER heard of this!!
Not sure, but I think 25' of 1/2" or 5/8" water hose is still 1/2" or 5/8" water hose whether laid in a big curve or coiled up, unless it gets kinked. If there's 45-50 psi at the water connection you'll have 45-50 psi at the opposite end of the hose regardless of how or where it lays.
So I guess the 5 gallon bucket idea with your hose coiled in it would reduce your pressure to a trickle?
Do this if you think it helps, but I'm fairly certain it doesn't/won't have any effect on the pressure.
Having the incoming water going through 2 softeners & at least 1 filter will definitely reduce the kitchen/bath/shower faucet pressures.

That is a new one on me also about the hose and can’t see how that could be true.

[Tuscany 40]

Check your appliance manuals, prior to connecting to a water softener. One of ours specifically recommends against. Also, CLR is magic for removing those spots and build up.