Hard Water

[HighClouds]

Week 2 in our new Solitude. Trying to read up on everything. Anyway, Thoughts on best system to get rid of hard water (water that leaves white deposits on the stainless sinks when it dries). Apologies if this has been asked and answered - still a Newb.

[Second Chance]

A water softener is the only way (other than expensive reverse osmosis sytems) to soften the water.

Rob

[sande005]

If you are noticing it after only 2 weeks, you have seriously hard water! So Second Chances comments are about the only whole house solution. For most of the RV, it won't be much of an issue. You will need to read up on descaling the water heater, periodically. Vinegar for the sinks, faucets and shower walls. Can't speak to washers (if equipped).

We have started using a ZeroWater filter for our location, which is only lightly hard. Bought at Target. Works like a Britta pitcher. Available in different capacities. Includes an electronic meter for testing dissolved solids. In our case, tap water was 55 ppm, and it reduced it to 0. Tastes like purified water, and leaves no deposits. We use it for coffee and the countertop ice maker, so they don't scale up.
Replacement filters are kind of pricey, but at $1 a gal for water from the grocery store, we have cut the cost (so far) to $.25/gal with less plastic waste.

Reviews on line complain about places with really high dissolved solids wearing out the filter much, much faster, driving the per gallon cost way up.
Not practical if you need softer water for showers, etc., of course.

[jkwilson]

Week 2 in our new Solitude. Trying to read up on everything. Anyway, Thoughts on best system to get rid of hard water (water that leaves white deposits on the stainless sinks when it dries). Apologies if this has been asked and answered - still a Newb.

You need to verify what is in your water. Hard water means calcium or magnesium dissolved in the water. But water with many different minerals dissolved in it can leave white stains when it dries. Sodium bicarbonate and other sodium compounds are common causes.

Hardness can be removed through ion exchange devices that we know as water softeners.

Sodium compounds are more difficult to remove in the quantities need for anything but drinking and cooking.

[Steven@147]

What we did - Since we travel around a lot, we never know the quality of water we are getting and many times the water at the campgrounds we visit is well water. We also were buying a lot of bottled water and fighting stains in sinks, faucet and toilet defuser blockage, then what was it doing to our water heater. We also wanted to cut way back on our plastic bottle waist.

So we bought a water softener, On The Go Portable Double Standard Water Softener & Conditioner. We also use the common blue carbon prefilter before the softener and just our little addition has made a difference. On regeneration it will last us @ 2 months depending on how much water we use or put into the fresh water tank. It uses 2 boxes of regular table salt to regenerate which cost @ .054 cents a box. I'll also put a little Iron Out in the softener when we regenerate. We also use a PUR water pitcher.
A side note, now when I flush out our water heater every quarter it seems to have less sediment in it than before. I haven't noticed an increased erosion of the anode rod either.

I know a lot of RV owners install a 3 stage replaceable canister filtering system and then go into a water softener.

[traveldawg]

Week 2 in our new Solitude. Trying to read up on everything. Anyway, Thoughts on best system to get rid of hard water (water that leaves white deposits on the stainless sinks when it dries). Apologies if this has been asked and answered - still a Newb.

This not only gets my vote, it is what we always use.....
https://www.amazon.com/Go-OTG3NTP3M-...08385402&psc=1

[trailrydr]

We have been using an ABC 16K water softener in our 5er for the past 3 years and have no issues with plumbing or residue. It uses the same salt and regen setup as Steven@147. We dont typically drink our softened city water, just use it for toilet, cleaning, sinks/showers, and boiling cooking water. We purchase bottled water/ice and drink it instead.

Our setup has a 50 micron reusable/washable prefilter in a clear bowl housing for inspection prior to the 16k softener. We have it permenantly mounted in the front storage compartment in our 5er with a pre-Nautilus city connect using pex tubing during camping, and remove the softener (only) during regens and winter storage.

Softened water also appears to help with waste tank drain valves too. When we replaced our broken kitchen grey tank valve, the gasket appeared to be in good shape.

[AZMike]

What we did - Since we travel around a lot, we never know the quality of water we are getting and many times the water at the campgrounds we visit is well water. We also were buying a lot of bottled water and fighting stains in sinks, faucet and toilet defuser blockage, then what was it doing to our water heater. We also wanted to cut way back on our plastic bottle waist.

So we bought a water softener, On The Go Portable Double Standard Water Softener & Conditioner. We also use the common blue carbon prefilter before the softener and just our little addition has made a difference. On regeneration it will last us @ 2 months depending on how much water we use or put into the fresh water tank. It uses 2 boxes of regular table salt to regenerate which cost @ .054 cents a box. I'll also put a little Iron Out in the softener when we regenerate. We also use a PUR water pitcher.
A side note, now when I flush out our water heater every quarter it seems to have less sediment in it than before. I haven't noticed an increased erosion of the anode rod either.

I know a lot of RV owners install a 3 stage replaceable canister filtering system and then go into a water softener.

I have and use the exact same setup as you. It has worked very well for us for the past two years. You never know about the water quality as you travel around. Of course, being from Southern Arizona, we know how to deal with hard water. We also have a Rain Soft whole house softener in the house, and an RO for the drinking water.

[Tony_in_AZ]

We use the On the GO softener Double Standard unit. We have 2 of the 10 inch cartridge filters before the softener. One filter is sediment filter, the 2nd filter is carbon filter.

I initially had the dual filters sitting outside on the ground during use. I decided to mount the dual filters inside as shown in the photo, so I had only to unhook the main feed hose, then install the plug on the inlet to the filter. It takes longer to replace the filters, not much longer. Unhook the feed hose and let it back drain on the ground a little. Minimum water is released inside the compartment.

[TexasBR549]

Has anyone used a descaler as an alternative to a water softener? Spiro Pure makes a multistage filter and an inline filter that includes a descaler. From what I understand, the descaler media doesn’t remove hardness but transforms the hardness ions into crystals and even removes scale that has built up in fixtures and tanks.

I’ve bought two of their inline filters that include descaling to see if it really works.