Monthly Archives: March 2008

Salt-Free Softener vs. Conventional Softener

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The Sirus salt-free water conditioners have been very successful for us and CWG-USA, the manufacturers of Filtersorb SP. These systems have been especially popular with homeowners who desire a simple, maintenance free solution to removing hardness buildup in their water pipes and on their plumbing fixtures. There have also been several successful commercial applications for these conditioners. But with new technology comes new questions. While the documentation we have posted online is extensive and covers every aspect of theory and application, we’re going to attempt to answer the most popular questions concerning the Sirus systems here in plain English.

One of the main concerns we hear from customers after these Sirus systems are installed is that their hardness test strips still show high or higher levels of hardness than before installation. The reasons for this are simple; the Filtersorb SP media does not remove hardness. It alters it’s physical structure so that hardness (calcium) will not adhere to surfaces. It also alters the physical molecular structure of existing hardness buildup inside the plumbing system so that it too is released from the water pipes and flows out of the faucet, toilet, shower head, etc. So when a hardness test strip is used, it will often show elevated levels of hardness for months after installation of the conditioner.

Sirus-10 Salt Free Water Conditioner Most of the benefits that come with using a standard water softener are also realized with the Sirus systems, but we often hear comments concerning the lack of slippery feel with the water that the Filtersorb SP media produces. The Filtersorb SP media will not produce a slippery feel like the salt-based water softeners do. On the other hand, it will allow for the reduction of soaps and detergents by up to 50% just like a conventional softener does. Because the properties of the hardness molecules are altered, there is little to no interference with soap lathering.

Another popular misconception is the belief that our Sirus systems will reduce or remove iron just like a conventional softener. Iron is removed from water with a conventional softener via ion exchange. The Filtersorb SP media does not exchange anything, which is why it does not require backwashing. Iron molecules will pass right through the Sirus conditioner. It does not share the iron removing characteristic that conventional softener media does.

We also get a lot of comments concerning our choice of pre-filtration cartridges. The Filtersorb SP systems that we design are different than others. Some come without any pre-filtration devices and others come with either an activated carbon filter or a sediment filter. We include both. You will not use one of the filter cartridges. The default Filtersorb SP water conditioner comes with a sediment filter cartridge. This cartridge is used for private well water supplies to prevent silt and sediment from clogging the Filtersorb SP media, but the activated carbon cartridge should be used if copper is present in your water supply. Copper reduces the life expectancy of the Filtersorb SP media and the activated carbon cartridge will help protect the media from this copper. You should perform a simple water test to determine if your water supply contains copper.

Water Value Company has also been approached by other media manufacturers who claim to be able to not only compete with the Filtersorb SP media, but outperform it by several orders of magnitude. While these claims are exciting, we will maintain that the manufacturer of Filtersorb SP has been successfully producing and marketing this media for the past 8 years. None of the other manufacturers can come close to that track record. Until another scale removing media manufacturer can demonstrate the consistency and reliability that CWG has, we will continue to carry and support the Filtersorb SP media.

GE Merlin Reverse Osmosis Applications

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By far, the Merlin Reverse Osmosis System has been our most popular drinking water treatment system. It produces 1/2 gallon per minute (gpm) of purified water without the need for a storage tank. It is easy to install and very affordable when compared to other options such as distillation. It will produce water with a purity standard that is much higher than bottled water at a small fraction of the cost. The GE Merlin makes good sense.

But even with the specifications data published by GE, people still have numerous questions concerning the operational parameters of this device, so GE came out with an Applications Guide that addresses these questions. While this guide is written for the water treatment professional, it is also handy for the do-it-yourselfer who will be using the Merlin to perform under non-standard conditions. We have heard of these high performance RO systems being used for anything from boiler water pre-treatment, rain water purification and restaurants/coffee shops. The Merlin easily provides household drinking water, but it can also perform in light commercial applications. Before you do set up a Merlin for some of these higher demand functions, you should study this guide.

The Merlin Flow Pattern
This guide contains some very interesting comparisons between conventional tank-style RO systems and the Merlin. The Merlin is actually much more efficient than the tank-style ROs. It sends less water to the drain because the Merlin membranes are always performing at the optimal recovery rate. There is no back pressure on the membranes from a pressurized storage tank. This is an important consideration where our environment is concerned. Not only is the GE Merlin user saving the planet from the glut of plastic water bottles (See related article), but less water is rejected making the Merlin one of the most efficient reverse osmosis systems available.

The application guide also goes on to cover feed water. While the Merlin is fully capable of turning problem water into nearly purified drinking water, the pretreatment of this feed water is important. No reverse osmosis system membrane is going to last very long if the feed water is not conditioned first. Water pressure, temperature, hardness and pH will all affect the performance of reverse osmosis membranes, and the Merlin is no exception. While the Merlin does have a combination sediment/carbon pre-filter, it will last much longer if you reduce the hardness and treat any chlorine before it gets to the Merlin system.

Often times we are asked how long a pre or post filter will last. The application guide covers that subject as well. As most of you can imagine, filter life will depend on the amount of contaminants in the feed water and also the volume of water. As a rule of thumb, GE recommends carbon/sediment pre-filter changes every 6 months, but page 18 of this guide provides a handy, more accurate assessment of this filter’s longevity.

So if you are considering the GE Merlin as a replacement for your old RO system, or as your first RO, a quick read of this application guide will answer all of your questions.

Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride

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Sodium chloride is simply a fancy way of saying “salt”. The salt that you use in your water softener uses an ion exchange process to rid the softener’s media of the hardness (calcium) ions it has removed from you water.

Lately, many people have been asking if it’s okay to use potassium chloride in place of salt in their softeners. The answer is yes. Any of the salt-based water softeners we carry can all use potassium chloride instead of salt without any modification.

There are some states that are working on legislation to ban water softener brine (salt saturated water) discharge into municipal sewers. Potassium chloride is a viable alternative to brine water discharge. Some people are concerned that the brine water discharge into their septic systems will kill the necessary bacteria in the holding tanks. In reality, it is probably more likely that their common laundry detergent will kill the bacteria, but there is concern nonetheless. Then there is the concern over sodium left over from the ion exchange process in drinking water, especially for people on low sodium diets. A slice of bread contains 4 times the amount of sodium as is in an 8 ounce glass of softener water, but this too is a valid concern. For these reasons, potassium chloride can be used.

While potassium chloride is more expensive (generally about $1 per 40 pounds here in Michigan), it alleviates many of the above mentioned concerns that people have. The only other drawback to using potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride is the increased odds that your softener’s brine tank will form a “salt bridge”. Salt bridging can form when water dissolves a hollow opening underneath a pile of salt or potassium pellets/crystals. The brine grid we include with nearly all of our water softener systems is designed to prevent this from occurring.