[FCS]

For those that vote, please add a comment about your input tds so we can see where you're coming from..
Thanks!

[Lee GLS]

my tds is 400. softeners are not worth the hassle, i used one for a few months, but they need flushing through too regularly. my 4040 ro is 2 years old and the water is coming out at 8, the same as it was when new, so a softener really wouldnt have made much difference in the long run.

[FCS]

my tds is 400. softeners are not worth the hassle, i used one for a few months, but they need flushing through too regularly. my 4040 ro is 2 years old and the water is coming out at 8, the same as it was when new, so a softener really wouldnt have made much difference in the long run.

Thanks for your opinion, you're in a similar situation to me then I think..

Don't forget to vote!

[poole bay]

for the uses of a softner is only in a hard water area only and will not bring down your tds reading it only to soften water stops ro clogging up in my case a must have my ro will last about 3 months and then will not work

[Spruce]

We live in a soft water area so a softner isn't necessary.

A softner (badly named IMHO) doesn't soften the water as poole bay pointed out. It removes the calcium and magnesium from the water and replaces them with sodium ions. Your TDS will remain the same, but the r/o membranes can deal better with this water.

If I was in this position I would fit an automatic softener that automatically flushes itself, although you still need to replace the salt at regular intervals. I would also consider plumbing it in somewhere so the rest of the house would benefit as well, but this would need to be done in accord with legislation governing water softeners.

Spruce

[FCS]

Thanks for the comments folks, I'm presuming (due to no votes) not many windies actually use a softener then......

[poleman]

I would normal have said NO but you really need to test your water hardness to really make your mind up if you need one

I have a 40-40 ro and got a watersoftener from gaps water and more than happy with it!

[FCS]

what's your tds poleman?
and thanks for the votes folks..

[traps7]

I got an automatic softener from Gaps also but have always used it so have never known any different in the 3 years since I switched to WFP.

My TDS is roughly 350 from tap.

But as already stated, I think hardness is separate to TDS.