Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: pscocoa on 20 July 2013, 15:24:04

Title: Now the damned water softener
Post by: pscocoa on 20 July 2013, 15:24:04
Has been secretly leaking and damaged part of kitchen. I think I will sit it in a tray in future to try and avoid this problem.

Just replaced o rings and hope it has cured it but daren't fix it back in until I am sure.

It is 14 years old (Tapworks Ultra) so probably time to change. Maybe one of these whole house systems where you don't (in theory) touch it for 2 years.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Rog on 20 July 2013, 15:39:53

Our house had one when we bought it, but never seemed to actually work. Never bothered to get it sorted.

Funny I never notice our hard water until I go down to Wales and and then find I can't rinse shampoo out of my hair or off my hands 'cos I use so much.   ;D
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: chrisgixer on 20 July 2013, 15:42:05
Plumed ours in the garage for exactly this reason.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: PhilRich on 20 July 2013, 15:44:56
Plumbed ours in the garage for exactly this reason.




Spell Checked that for you Chris :y ;D ;)
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: I_want_an_Omega on 20 July 2013, 21:27:50
1st thing we did when we moved in was to bypass it.

2nd thing was to remove it & get the cupboard space back ......

Cant see the point personally - IMHO of course ......
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: chrisgixer on 20 July 2013, 23:23:04
1st thing we did when we moved in was to bypass it.

2nd thing was to remove it & get the cupboard space back ......

Cant see the point personally - IMHO of course ......
Water round here is awful. Bottom of tank is full of scale.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 July 2013, 10:35:01
1st thing we did when we moved in was to bypass it.

2nd thing was to remove it & get the cupboard space back ......

Cant see the point personally - IMHO of course ......
Water round here is awful. Bottom of tank is full of scale.

Yep.. If your water is bad enough you'll see the point. ;)

Keep meaning to move ours to the garage. ::)
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: pscocoa on 21 July 2013, 13:11:00
Still not fixed - was leaking in 3 places. Changed all washers but now a single drip every minute. Looks like fitting is damaged though can't see exact problem due to tight location.

Water around here is disgusting compared to the north of England. Can't even wash the car without agro in preventing the lime scale spotting on the car
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 July 2013, 08:15:51
Ours is great, less soap requried, less washing liquid in the machine and the kids skin is better.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: TheBoy on 22 July 2013, 08:56:48
When I were a kid, Dad fitted outs in the loft (anywhere else would have needed some extreme plumbing/redecorating).

Then he made the kids carry the salt up weekly (from that vintage, they used a shit load of salt), that was always a Saturday morning killer :(


Never bothered with one since, and now live in an Anglian Water area, which is not that hard, certainly compared to what Thames used to pipe to Aylesbury.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: biggriffin on 22 July 2013, 10:11:10
Anglian water is that hard it knew the krays 8).

Keep looking at getting one of them ones that you wrap a wire round the pipe and switch the thing one,saw them on ideal world.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: pscocoa on 22 July 2013, 11:52:05
Can't believe it - now fish pond pump has packed up - stripped-down and impeller wrecked and uv light fitting damaged by limescale. Put sump pump in temporarily until I get bits or a new pump
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 July 2013, 12:31:06
Anglian water is that hard it knew the krays 8).

Keep looking at getting one of them ones that you wrap a wire round the pipe and switch the thing one,saw them on ideal world.

Thats what I tried before gettinga  proper one....it didn't work  :y
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: pscocoa on 22 July 2013, 12:41:31
http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp (http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp)

This is the other system you don't have to touch (allegedly) for 2 years.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 July 2013, 13:32:38
Anglian water is that hard it knew the krays 8).

Keep looking at getting one of them ones that you wrap a wire round the pipe and switch the thing one,saw them on ideal world.

Thats what I tried before gettinga  proper one....it didn't work  :y

They are extremely effective.... at turning electricity into snake oil. ;)
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: aaronjb on 22 July 2013, 13:34:25
http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp (http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp)

This is the other system you don't have to touch (allegedly) for 2 years.

I notice it didn't say what you had to do after two years to your £600 box of trickery? Replace it? :o
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Kevin Wood on 22 July 2013, 13:43:31
http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp (http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp)

This is the other system you don't have to touch (allegedly) for 2 years.

I notice it didn't say what you had to do after two years to your £600 box of trickery? Replace it? :o

I can't see how you could possibly fit 2 year's worth of scale in there, so what's it doing with it?

Oh, right.. Converting it to snake oil, you say? ::)
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: pscocoa on 22 July 2013, 14:09:20
http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp (http://www.shop.lunns.net/olympia-no-salt-water-softener-247268-p.asp)

This is the other system you don't have to touch (allegedly) for 2 years.

I notice it didn't say what you had to do after two years to your £600 box of trickery? Replace it? :o

http://www.littleplumber.com/downloads/LPOlympia-Instructions.pdf (http://www.littleplumber.com/downloads/LPOlympia-Instructions.pdf)

Spend another £120 so it appears - need to check that out.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 22 July 2013, 14:59:54
Reading around, there seems to be some 'concerns' about how effective such a no salt water softener is.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: TheBoy on 22 July 2013, 19:24:50
Anglian water is that hard it knew the krays 8).

Keep looking at getting one of them ones that you wrap a wire round the pipe and switch the thing one,saw them on ideal world.
Nah, its quite soft compared to what we used to get from Thames, based on my experiences here and where my mum and bro live (Newmarket area).  Kettles last years, and the filters only need a clean every few years, and the central heating doesn't need constant flushing. Apart from a knackered bearing, the washing machine still lives. The dishtosher has its own softener.

In Aylesbury, the kettles were always replaced within the 1 year warranty period as the limescale just kills them (though the filters were usually shagged by then), and you did actually buy distilled water for the iron.

Not saying Anglian is great - where Mum is, the tap water has a horrible aftertaste, its even worth tolerating the Brita carbon taste - but in my experience, it ain't that hard, as the geology isn't like some areas.
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: chrisgixer on 22 July 2013, 20:10:53
This is the one Mark recommended to me a few years ago.
http://www.eastmidlandswater.com/Details.asp?ProductID=1399

Not seen cheaper, nor has our plumber, works well, its dissolving the limescale in the pipes etc. and doesn't appear to use that much salt. (Fill it up with granuals once a fortnight, I think)

Thanks Master.  :y
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 23 July 2013, 08:56:27
Yep, ours is still going strong, highly recommended

But EMWC actualy manufacturers the water softeners (not just an outlet) so hence good prices and good quality.

There also very good for salt (about £20 for 30kg delivered).

Whats more, they actualy sell all the spares to!
Title: Re: Now the damned water softener
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 25 July 2013, 06:59:11
I think the water in Texas must be quite soft, as when I jump in the pool I sink into it!!  :y