As an alternative to a traditional salt-based water softener, I’m considering a residential water treatment system for my well that uses a coil fitted around the pipe to induce an electromagnetic field. The field oscillates ans suspends molecules in the water, preventing them from accumulating on the pipes.
The system also exposes the water to UV to kill microbes and has a 3-stage filter.
If anyone has had experience with this type of system, I’d like to hear what you think of it, how effective it’s been in controlling stains and deposits, and whether you think the electromagnetic field technology is preferable to a traditional salt-based softening system. Thanks.
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A powerful (but rather simple) concept in chemical engineering is that of a mass balance. You draw a box around a process. Mass in - mass out = accumulation. Absolutely always true. If someone claims, by whatever magic, to remove the iron (for instance) from the incoming water, then it must accumulate in the device. Conversely, if they argue that they keep everything dissolved, then all the gunk gets to your faucets and stains your clothes and fixtures and makes your water hard.
Go to Sears or Culligan or whoever and look at water softeners and/or iron removal units. They actually work. During their back-flush mode, the collected iron and minerals (2+ ions like calcium and magnesium) are flushed down the drain. So no physical laws are violated. You must continue to provide a high-concentration of 1+ ions (solid salt pellets) in order to remove those low concentration 2+ ions - that's how the process works. It is not the only option, but it is simpler and cheaper than reverse osmosis, deionization, or distillation.
Why do people buy these "magnetic water softeners", etc? How can they offer them for sale if they don't work? I would point out that astrologers, ####-enlargers, and trickle-down economists still offer their services and apparently get some people to give them money.
I'm sure their literature quotes some industrial engineer raving about how much money and maintenance has been saved on their boilers, etc. Guess what? They made it up. They are lying. I treat contaminated streams of groundwater at dozens of sites around the West. I know people who work in water treatment, sewer treatment, and the chemical process industry. If this hocus-pocus worked, we'd all be using it. Water softening is a pain. So is iron removal. I'm not wedded to any old technology - if I could solve iron problems for my clients, I'd be a hero.
Back to the salt mine,
Prospero edited out an anatomical part. So I'll just leave it to your imaginations if it was a male or female part. The same argument applies, either way.David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Must have been a reference to a #### enlarger, that's why they call me Stumpy!
So David, does this mean you don't believe one of those magnetic gizmos can double my gas mileage either? Damn, I've been saving my money to get one........Joe H
Joe: I've been impressed by the strong correlation of technical incompetence and poverty/conspiracy theory. (I know you're kidding.) Seems the majority of hitchhikers I pick up are convinced that someone developed a 100 mpg carberator (when bolted onto a 1973 Cadallic) but the oil companies put out a hit on him. No wonder they are unemployable, therefore poor, therefore carless, therefore hitchhiking.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
David,
Your hitchhiking friends are way behind on technology (as well as conspiracy). The key to Pandora's Technological Box can be yours if you can answer this one question...
"Who is John Galt"
Yours truly,
Hank Reardon<g>
Mongo: I don't get it. Do I need to listen to more Art Bell?David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Ah, Ayn Rand.
I must've read that book three times since college.
I remember reaching the end of it the first time and wanting to read more slowly so it wouldn't end!
(little known fact: did you know that she picked her pen name "Rand" from the name on her typewriter?)
hint to those of you who don't know what the heck is going on:
"Who is John Galt?" was the secret sign, and the rallying cry of the people who strove for excellence (instead of striving for mediocrity, as most seem to do) in Ayn Rand's book "Atlas Shrugged".
:o)
Norm, Don't give away the store.
JG
Excellence is its own reward!
Sorry for the confusion, David...yeah, John Galt is a character in Atlas Shrugged. He invented a whiz-bang engine...technology jump to the n-th degree. One of those book I find worth re-reading every 10 years or so.
Now you've got me wondering...
Who is Art Bell?
Art Bell has (had?) a very late night national radio talk show. Way heavy on aliens, wierd diets, conspiracy theories and such. Finds a receptive audience amoung the backwoods types up here (off in the woods living in a Kazinski Cabin). Therefore much more likely to be heard on a hand-crank no-batteries radio than on the Blauplukt in a Mercedes.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
I will believe in these magnetic water softeners when I see testing done by someone who I think I can have some faith in. Double blind and peer reviewed would be my preference if published in Science or any of the better journals.
On the other hand at about $70 for one of these units if you have money to throw away go for it. I have wasted more on a wiz-bang tool that I talked myself into thinking I needed. Used it once and haven't touched it since. Most construction people have one or two of these white elephants. Too useless, heavy, specialized to use but too expensive to toss out.
If it makes you think the water is softer or makes you feel smart then it is money well spent.
Is a #### enlarger anything like a stud stretcher. I've got one I use evertime I get caught short of lumber...Excellence is its own reward!
Thanks for the help. I appreciate it. I've attached the web site of the firm in question. If you have time, I'd appreciate hearing from you about whether they seem to be doing something different that the usual magnetic approach or whether this is, in fact, the kind of system you have in mind. Thanks again.
http://www.triangularwave.com/
Steve: I looked at several pages. It is bogus. Many of the sentences sound impressive with actually saying anything meaningful. But as one example of this silliness: "without increasing the temperature. . a magnetic field . . . increases their molecular kinetic energy." Sorry, but if you increase the kinetic energy of the moecules, you by definition, raise the temperature.
It is an intersting writing assignment: Make it sound impressive to the non-chemist without being specific enough for someone with experience or training to nail you to the wall.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
Thanks. I appreciate your time and advice.