Electronic Limescale Removers

First post, hi everyone.

Does anybody know if these really work? I bought one (make is Eddy) but someone told me they don't really work.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Firstly they do not claim to remove limescale, well at least not the better ones. They say that they condition the water to prevent the deposition of limescale.

I have looked at these and cannot see how they can possibly work because the amount of power used is too low. I have yet to meet anyone who thinks that theirs does anything at all.

The permanent magnet ones do have a useful effect and are generally recommended and most users think that they are providing a benefit. I use them myself and I am happy that they are doing something useful. They have no running cost and are fit and forget.

Tony

I've got a magnetic one, and without any doubt, having put it on one part of the system while the other part is straight through, and having had it there for 20 years, the effect of this device has been




































ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!.

My mate Eddy told me they do work

I had an electronic one fitted for a couple of years, after about 6 months the inside of the kettle had noticeable less scale. However, 1 year ago I bit the bullet and installed a whole house water softener and JOY. No scale, less detergents, less cleaning, less soap/shampoo, no salt in dishwasher, softer clothes and on and on. Should have done it right in the first place.

Thanks for the replies.

Bathjobby, which one did you fit?

Can anyone reccomend a good, reliable whole-house softener for a family of 5?

I'm with bathjobby about the joys of a real softener.

The question I would ask is:-

Why would anyone get an electronic when the permanent magnet ones are cheaper and have no running costs and DO work to an extent?

Tony

dcullen, I did extensive research and opted for a top of the range which I found at half price on the net. Bottom to mid range is single filter, so when it is being flushed water supply is interrupted, flush is set by timer not volume of water softened so it could be flushing too much (when on hols) or not enough (when you have guests = heavy usage), need electricity supplying to it.
Top of the range means; dual filter so that when one is being flushed the other maintains your water supply. Only flush when needed based on volume of water passed through filter rather that elapsed time (all that filter flushing whilst on holiday etc = more salt used), no electricity supply required as mains water pressure drives all functions and it actually fits inside a standard kitchen unit, many don't or the instructions (only after you've bought and opened it) tell you to cut a hole in the base of the unit. Plus it takes any type of salt, block, granule etc and has easy front top lid access for topping up. I have a 4 bed, 3 occupancy household with a heavily used power shower and it takes a 10kg bag of salt (£3.98 from Q & B shed) every 4 weeks, less than £1 week and as I said earlier, all the other detergent / soap savings but most of all all the time spent cleaning is saved and every thing stays cleaner.
Get on with it man, which one is it they all shout.

This one here; http://www.emwc.uk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=87
and I see its still half price N.B. this is a genuine half price for the specification based on all the comparisons I did.

emwc is the east midlands water company and I have subsequently had very good email support from them (nothing wrong with product, just questions on my slightly peculiar set up).

I would also recommend paying the £29 or whatever it is for the specific valve and flexi pipe installation kit for 2 reasons. 1) you get nicely labelled valves. 2) More importantly, the very robust flexi pipes maintain an internal diameter of 15mm so don't restrict any water flow unlike the ones bought from the diy sheds which have 15mm connectors on them but the internal diameter of the pipe and fittings is significantly less.

P.S. Other than the salt top up, I fitted it and forgot about it......

Agile said:

The question I would ask is:-

Why would anyone get an electronic when the permanent magnet ones are cheaper and have no running costs and DO work to an extent?

Tony

Click to expand...

Because they'd read my reply about the magnetic ones which do FA. If you can provide some evidence, other than anecdotal, that they work in domestic situations, fair enough, but when the snake oil merchants are now pedalling these things as being able to save you fuel in your car by fitting them on the fuel lines it smells a bit off.

Agile said:

The question I would ask is:-

Why would anyone get an electronic when the permanent magnet ones are cheaper and have no running costs and DO work to an extent?

Tony

Click to expand...

said it afore and i will say it again BU**SH*T

bathjobby said:

I had an electronic one fitted for a couple of years, after about 6 months the inside of the kettle had noticeable less scale. However, 1 year ago I bit the bullet and installed a whole house water softener and JOY. No scale, less detergents, less cleaning, less soap/shampoo, no salt in dishwasher, softer clothes and on and on. Should have done it right in the first place.

Click to expand...

Just be careful that your boiler can cope with softened water within its primary heat exchanger, if not make sure you bypass the softener to the boilers filling loop.

I may be wrong (it has been known) but ali HE's get eaten by softened water

you ain't wrong son THEY DO

DAD!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks pa

Another little wrinkle with the perceived benefits of softened water is that they certainly DO make a lot more lather for the quantity of detergent, but that is NOT the same as improving washing and dirt removal ability. I am out of my depth here, if there are any chemists watching, but as I undersatnd it, the builders in the detergent are less effective in holding dirt in suspension, as the softness increases.