Replies

1. 
   debarker | Jan 15, 2003 05:09am | #1

   I second the idea of avoiding the electronic stuff : one thing Ive learned : Meyers makes the best valve in the business : and this is the heart of the whole system. They make the valve for many manufacturers / so many different brands use it : ask a wholesaler and he/she should be able to tell you what they have that uses a meyers head (valve) : if they play the old "this is as good" walk until you find someone who speaks your language so they can show you the difference. Trust me : I had some other make and it was garbage  compared to the meyers..........hope this helps.

2. 
   TLRice | Jan 15, 2003 04:00pm | #2

   Martin,

   I highly recommend Addie. They are made in Janesville, WI. I don't know where they are available. Mostly mechanical, very simple, effective and inexpensive. They do require 120v power (regular 3-prong receptacle) for the water meter. Very durable and excellent support from the factory, should you ever need it.

   Tim

3. 
   goldhiller | Jan 15, 2003 06:20pm | #3

   I'll offer up a few considerations for you, but bear in mind that I don't know where you live or how much of this you're already aware of.

   The first thing you should probably know is whether or not your water contains iron as this will determine whether you need a unit specifically designed to handle that problem. If you're on city water, it's doubtful that your water contains significant amounts of ferrous iron as the city usually treats for iron if it's present. But if there's any doubt, you might want to take a small jar of cold water drawn off before your current softener or from a known hard water faucet in the house, down to a local plumbing supply house and have them test it. This should be a free test.

   If you're on city water, its hardness is likely known by everyone in town associated with plumbing and water treatment devices, so you won't likely need to have it tested for hardness. You will, however, want to get that hardness figure if you don't already know it. If you're on a well, you'll want to test your sample for hardness at the same time you have it tested for ferrous iron if you don't already know it's hardness for certain.

   Be aware that ferrous iron (iron in solution) is transformed into ferric iron (iron in the precipitate form) if iron bearing water is chlorinated and that basic water softeners are not capable of handling ferric iron. Take note as you look at the advertising on most water softeners that claim to handle up to 10 ppm of iron. If you read the fine print you're going to find the words "ferrous iron". Ferric iron however will slug a water softener unless it's a combo unit including a sand filter prior to the softening media. Addie, for one, makes a unit such as this. Around northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, those Addie softeners, that Tim mentioned, can be bought at Farm & Fleet stores. Again, if you're on city water, this should be filtered out for you and not be a concern, but if you're on a well and plan to chlorinate, the resulting ferric iron becomes a large concern and will require the addition a sand filter prior to the softener to remove it. You could also install a separate sand filter unit prior to the softener.

   You must also decide whether you are in the market for a softener with a simple day-clock or whether you want a head that meters water consumption and regenerates when needed and only when needed. The metered heads are my favored choice because they insure a constant supply of softened water while wasting no salt from regenerating when they really don't need to. They do contain some electronics, but I've personally never had a problem with them.

   You'll also have to decide what size unit you want. I've always recommended the largest unit that a manufacturer offers, usually 32K, as the result is that the softener will regenerate less frequently. This should save on water consumption because a 32K unit doesn't use twice the water during regeneration that a 16K unit does. Softeners are also offered in the 24K range.

   Cabinet style units where the salt reservoir is integral to the unit usually save some space, but makes cleaning that brine tank a bit more difficult if it needs doing as you can't simply tip it over and flush it out.

   You may find that a local plumbing supply sells softeners made by International that are available with either a day-clock or metered head. I've installed perhaps two dozen of these Internationals with metered heads and haven't had any problems with them. Water Boss makes a nice compact metered cabinet model.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.