[david_claxton]

On a roll today, now I've got a question about water softners. When I bought my truckmount it came as a complete set up in a van including a water softner to soften the water as uou fill up the freshwater tank. I bought the t/m in Dorset which I know has very hard water.

Living in Bristol now, there's another chap with a similar set up who's been doing it for 15 years who has never softened his water.

My questions are, should water always be softned for use in a t/m?, does anyone else soften their water?, and if you don't but live in a hard water area have you got some form of descaler that you use periodically and how do you go about it?

Many thanks,

Dave

[Len Gribble]

Dave


Did look into it when I brought my machine bit OTT and it took up more van space also more weight = less mpg.

I invest money saved plus a little bit more and had one installed in the home never looked back two birds with one stone, I still periodically descale not as much as a friend on mine whom only lives a few miles from me.

The method what works for me apply descaler (I liked van solve but taken of market due to HS now use Evans vanosolve) 250mil into header tank (water box) run system till I see coming out of wand jets leave for 15min and repeat 3 times, take off wand jets and flush though again, remove bypass strainer and orifice restart engine and flush, clean if needed and refit parts taken off and flush again to ensure all descaler is removed from system.  This is done using cold water!

Don’t know if should or should not but I do, then again the manufactures sell it?

I also use my TM water if I need to use the porty, also don’t use so much cleaning agents.

Len
I

[johnnyone]

My TM came with a water softner and I use it all the time. There are several  advantages to using soft water.
 
1  Its cleans better
2. your chemical works better and you could use less
3. your system won't scale up as compared to hard water.
4   it will heat up faster and not so hard on your pump,
     less scale on your fittings.
5   your carpet job will dry faster

These are some of the good thing you will benifit from haveing soft water and doing a better job than the other guy

John

[Nigel_W]

David,

It is all down to the water you use. I suggest that you obtain a water testing kit to establish how soft/hard the water is in the area you live.  The kit I had was a small tablet that dissolved in a tube of your water. The water turns one colour if it is soft and another if hard.

 I would agree with everything John says if you live in a hard water area. I do  and my TM scaled up within 4 or 5 mths making it impossible to use. I descaled it and had a softener installed and have had no problems since.  However if you live in a soft water area it would be a waste of money.

Al the best


Nigel

[david_claxton]

Thanks gents for the very helpful info. I'll get one of those kits and test.

Have a great Christmas everyone.

Dave

[Len Gribble]

Is some one trying to sell on board water softeners? Very sad  (a fool and his money are soon parted!

David don’t spend your money on one of those kits you would know if in a soft water area plus the onboard system you have.

I noted nether answered your last paragraph. :

Len

[Nigel_W]

  :

[Dave Parry]

You dont need a test kit, just look in your kettle. If its white inside, the waters hard, if not it soft. I live in a hard water area, and I use a softener for my t/m. Its not one like you would use at home, fully automated, its basically a round tube filled with resin and connects into the fill line.you manually flush salt through every 1000 litres. I did not like the idea of every flushing every 2 or three tank fulls as I dont always empty the tank before re filling. So I installed a small water meter into the fill line and also a solenoid valve connected to a level sensor. So I can now fill whilst cleaning, having a cuppa or whatever and know exactly when to back wash the softener. Can be bought from Hydramaster.