Water Softeners
Summary: This guide will go over the basics of a water softener system including how it works and some misconceptions about them in general.
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Discord: Fuspo, the water softener expert
This guide will go over the basics of a water softener. We will cover what a softener is, how it works and what it does not do. We will also give a brief over view to TDS, Degrees of Hardness, Grains per Gallon, and General Hardness.
What is a Water Softener?
A water softener is a filtration system that removes hardness-causing (Limescale) calcium and magnesium minerals from your water through a process called ion exchange. Depending on your softener type and resin it can also remove Iron.
How does it work?
A water softener removes calcium and magnesium from water through a process called ion exchange. When the hard water enters into the mineral tank, it flows through a bed of spherical resin beads. These plastic beads, usually made from polystyrene, are charged with a sodium ion. The resin beads are anions, meaning they have a negative charge. The calcium and magnesium minerals have a positive charge, making them cations. Since opposite charges attract, the negative charge of the minerals is attracted to the positive charge of the resin beads. As the hard water passes through the resin, the beads grab ahold of the mineral ions and remove them from the water. When the bead seizes the mineral ion, the sodium ion is released. The column of resin strips all the hardness out of the water as it passes through the mineral tank, and softened water flows out into your home.
What doesn’t it do?
It does not remove other minerals in the water.
Does it reduce my TDS?
Depends: Usually the answer is no, rarely yes and sometimes actually increases your TDS
What is TDS?
Total dissolved solids (TDS) comprise inorganic salts, principally calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates and some small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water.
How is TDS measured?
TDS is usually measure in parts per million (PPM) or parts per billion (PPB).
Do water softeners keep me from getting water spots?
No, a water softener alone does not stop water spotting. It stops HARD water spotting but not regular spotting. As identified above, water has other minerals in it which can and usually do lead to spotting. The spotting left behind can be caused by sodium, potassium or bicarbonate minerals left in the water. The good news is that these water spots can be easily removed with a quick wipe of a towel and some QD.
So what’s the point of using a water softener if I can still get spots?
The dangerous spots are caused by Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) also known as Limestone/Limescale. This is the biggest offender which will rot your pipes, pumps, and most importantly etch your paint. Water softeners replace this dangerous mineral with the softer less dangerous Sodium.
General Hardness. General hardness is a measure of the concentration of divalent metal ions such as calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) per volume of water. Specifically, 1 dGH is defined as 10 milligrams (mg) of calcium oxide (CaO) per litre of water.
Degrees of hardness. Degree of hardness is defined as the number of parts of calcium carbonate or equivalent to various calcium and magnesium salts present in a million parts of water by mass. It is expressed in ppm.
Grains per gallon The grain per gallon (gpg) is a unit of water hardness defined as 1 grain (64.8 milligrams) of calcium carbonate dissolved in 1 US gallon of water (3.785412 L).
Water Testing
My water was tested at two different points on the same day.
- External spigot that is fed directly from the street. This water is collected before entering the water softener.
- Internal spigot that is approximately 12 inches from the water softener output.
The tools for testing were the following:
- HM Digital COM-100 EC/TDS/TEMP digital meter calibrated to 342 ppm with HM Digital 342 ppm TDS Calibration Solution
- Verify Water Hardness Test Strips (Amazon)
- API GH & KH Test Kit (Amazon)
I first tested my COM-100 with distilled water I bought from the store. The reading came back at 0.6ppm which falls within the margin of acceptance for non medical grade distilled water.
After ensuring my baseline was correct I tested the water I collected from the external spigot. My reading came back at 1550ppm.
I then tested the hardness using the Varify test strips. As you can see below, the color reading came back between 7 gpg (120 ppm) and 15 gpg (250 ppm).
Again I tested with the Varify test strips. As you can see the color came back as 0 gpg / 0 ppm.
I then proceeded to confirm with the API GH Test. GH 0 dH/1 dH (0 PPM / 17.85 ppm) Why 0/1? Well, you can only add full drops to the water. The water changed to the desired color with the very first drop. This means that the water was already zero before adding the drop (Test Strip result) or it needed the 1 drop to get the result. Based on the test strip I will assume that the number is zero however that is not just for CaCO3 but also Magnesium.
How much did the water softener cost?
In my case I purchased an Aquasure 64,000 grain water softener from Lowe’s for $730 after tax and had it installed by a local Plumber for $600.
Is a water softener worth it?
Well that depends on your situation and if you have hard water to begin with. I believe that a water softener is 100% worth it for anyone with hard water, not only for detailing but most importantly for the health of your home. Reducing the introduction of Limestone/Limescale into your home’s pipes will increase the life of your plumbing and your water fixtures. It will improve the effectiveness of you detergents whether your washing dishes or clothes. It will improve your shower experience leaving you feeling hydrated and cleaner.
Is it worth it for washing my car?
Yes, definitely yes. Although it can still cause spotting you no longer have to worry about potential damage to your vehicles paint. You don’t have to rush the wash and drying process as you can easily wipe of and residual spots with a damp microfiber or a QD and towel.
What do I need to completely reduce my TDS?
You will need either a Reverse Osmosis (RO) System, a Deionized (DI) Water Tank or a RO/DI system (Combined Reverse Osmosis and Deionized filtration system) .