Softener vs Scalewatcher vs SiliPhos

[Chris_R]

We have a 35 kW combo (CH & hot water) unit. It's three year's old and is now on it's fifth (yes fifth) heat exchanger. The last one was so scaled up after six months use they replaced it -- luckily under guarantee as the bill was over 1000 Euros! It's great now, we never had such fast flowing hot water, but obviously we need to do something as the guarantee is up.

We do have very hard water but have no header tank, so everything is on mains pressure, which is a bit low as we are on a steep hill (like most houses in Austria) and has three floors. The best flow rate we can get is about 15 litres/minute, so we can't run two taps at the same time; but we are used to that. Now I've read many previous posts about this topic, but here are my questions:

1. Might a softener or Siliphos (B&Q Permutit or Combimate) slow down our already weak flow of mains water? We would put it where the main enters the house - a 1 inch steel pipe.

2. Siliphos or Scalewatcher: is it really going to "cut the mustard" or do we need to go the whole hog for a softener? (We have the space and it would be nice to get clean glasses out the dishwasher for once).

3. The different models of softeners - do the larger units give more flow rate? We are a family of three with a large house and use about 140 cubic metres of water a year. Any particluar model you would recommend (or steer clear of)?

Thanks in advance, this is a great forum.

Chris
Vienna

 

[oilman]

I can't comment on softeners.

Combimate works on 15mm pipe, you can get a unit called Combicare which is available on 22mm. I can't remember the manufacturer.

Scalewatcher? forget it, it may work in some situations, but it doesn't work in others. And no one really knows how it works.

 

[croydoncorgi]

Boiler manufacturers recommend 'limefighter' type water treatment gadgets which usually work with magnets. OK - no-one seems to know how they work but they do seem to and they're relatively cheap. Positioned in the cold feed to the boiler, their 'magic effect' lasts at least long enough to protect the boiler heat exchanger. But these will NOT give you 'soft' water. The lime is still there and soap will still form scum, the dishwasher will still need its salt reservoir filled, etc.

If you want a real Permutit-type softener, then get one. i've had one for years and it's definitely a benefit.

 

[Chris_R]

Thanks for the replies, you are fast! It sounds like I need a softener, that the magnetic or siliphos solutions which help 'a bit' just won't do the job for my situation; A 15 mm pipe in the boiler so scaled that after 6 months there was just a dribble of water getting through.

I understand how the different systems work, for the electromagnetic ones, the theory is plasuible, but if it actually does the job is a different matter.


Now it's a question of which softener to buy. Does anyone have any experience with the cheap B&Q Permutit softeners (or similar). I heard from some that softeners need a lot of servicing ( I mean apart from adding salt etc.) is this true, I don't see much on the little units to service. For 150 m3 water use a year, which size model would you recommend?

 

[Xmen]

I recently had a water softener installed due to problems with limescale in south of england. Due to space limitations, I opted for a kinetico. I am really pleased with it, and the difference is amazing.

Xmen

 

[oilman]

You seem to have the wrong impression, siliphos units work, and should solve your problem. The 22mm unit is made by Aquadial.

If anyone thinks magnetic or electronic ones work, do some research and find a link to an independant report saying so. I'd like to read it.

 

[PaulAH]

We installed a Tapworks softener about six months ago and it's been excellent. It's quite compact and fits easily under a worktop - might even fit under a shallow sink. It doesn't significantly affect the water pressure or flow.

Although we live in an area of extremely hard water (the lime tester they bundle with the machine showed it needed to be set almost at max), it has cost only about 50p a week in salt. The tapwater is now so soft there's no trace of limescale in the usual places. Show a bar of soap to a basin of water and it turns into a bubblebath.

The machine also has a telephone diagnostic system if it should break down - apparently you can hold the phone to it and it relays its condition to a computer at the other end. But we haven't had to use that... yet!

 

[kevplumb]

where i am the water eats heat exchangers for breakfast a combi mate works as for magnets etc in my ex waste of money after six mts

had a softener in my last house no probs have a combi mate in this one also no probs