Water conditioner

[tom1975]

Ok - before there's a collective groan and everyone dives in and says there's no evidence that these work.. i wanted to run this by you all

so - i came across this article from Southern Water (http://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/Environment/drinkWaterQuality/SoftenersWRCnote.pdf) which refers to the "German DVGW test (W512) procedure as being the only reliable test on various water conditioners. Of these, only 1 worked - AQATotal, which no one seems to sell and the company doesn't have a website.

However, when i googled the German DVGW test, there appears to be a more recent test on another conditioner
http://www.thescalesolution.com/pdf/DVGW-report-OneFlow.pdf
which appears to confirm that the Watts One Flow system is effective.

so my question is - why are people so critical of these systems - in light of this and why can't i find a single online review of the watts system? it is sold online, apparently 12 sold this year, but no online reviews..

(ps - asking because i'm about to renovate entire kitchen and would really like a whole house non salt water conditioner. I don't want all the benefits of softened water, i just want a reduction in limescale)

 

[JohnD]

they work just as well, and for the same reason, that a copper bracelet cures rheumatism.

 

[tom1975]

Come on - i realise that people say they work because they want them to work, but isn't anyone in the least bit convinved when its been laboratory tested independently?

 

[JohnD]

the document you link to is on the manufacturer's website, and says the tests were carried out by a subsidiary of the manufacturer. It mentions that the same water was recycled through the systems during the test, which is not typical of real-life use.

It does not describe how the device works. As far as I can make out the minerals are not removed from the water by the device.

I don't know the scope of the standard against which the device was assessed. For example was it assessed against a non-scaling standard, or was it like a WRAS test that says the water is wholseome and safe to drink and not polluted by the device.

I see the report is dated 1996

We know that proper water softeners actually work, and that's what I'd recommend.

 

[tom1975]

thanks John - you are clearly way more knowledgeble than me - so don't think my response is trying to start a debate with you!

But, I don't think it was tested by a subsidiary, I read it as saying the equipment was supplied by the subsidiary. The testing is carried out independently. Also, the test wasn't carried out in 1996, that's just the date of the point at which the parameters of what's being tested were last set.

I'm not actually looking for something that removes the hard elements of the water, just something that makes them less likely to form a residue over my house. but I'm still not convinced by the lack of anecdotal evidence - I can't get round the fact that if these work, there'd be more people out there using them…

 

[JohnD]

front page, half way down: "original tests performed by an affiliate of Watts Water under their brand name"

there is I think no mention of scaling or reduction in sinks, on shower screens, taps, WC pans etc. That's where a real water-softener really scores, and of course in reduction of soap and detergent, and softer towels, hair and skin.