Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> RV Accessories -> How do I get whole house soft water?
Post Info TOPIC: How do I get whole house soft water?
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
How do I get whole house soft water?
Permalink  

We've always had soft water and an on demand (endless hot water) system in our S&B house.  I've got the water heater thing handled by installing a Truma AquaGo Comfort (LOVE it) ... as a side note on the Truma, it is very efficient with propane.  I thought it would suck our propane tanks dry quickly.  That hasn't been the case ... it has only used  1 and 1/2 inches in 3 days with two long hot showers per day ... (full 30 lbs tank is about 17 inches of propane, measured from the bottom of the tank).  That implies 34 days (or more) from one 30 lbs tank.  Pretty good economy IMO.  AT ANY RATE, I'm now looking for help on a whole house water softening system.  Suggestions and success stories appreciated. I don't have unlimited basement space, but I do some. Thanks in advance!



__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Bill and Linda


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 2074
Date:
Permalink  

https://www.amazon.com/Go-OTG4-DBLSOFT-Portable-Grain-Water-Softener/dp/B00KVPNVJ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465588988&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=on+the+go+water+softener&psc=1

 

This does a good job for us. Many sizes to select from.  We feel this is a good  compromise as to size vs. capacity.

FWIW, we test the water each time we stop.  We've found it unusual for the water not to be hard through out our US and Canada travels.  Sure helps keep the pipes and fittings in better shape as well as the HW heater.

 

 



__________________

Bill & Linda
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

Thanks ... The hot water heater (and DW) were my two greatest concerns 😎

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Bill and Linda


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 2074
Date:
Permalink  

RonC wrote:

Thanks ... The hot water heater (and DW) were my two greatest concerns 😎

One can also have issues with check valves and that means, potentially, water "cross over" from the HW tank to the cold water lines that ends up in the fresh water in some conventional installations.

The water has to check "really good" before I don't install the water softener in the fresh water line from the bib.

 



__________________

Bill & Linda
Sean


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 85
Date:
Permalink  

I (and 4 friends from the park where we winter) use this one.

www.amazon.com/Watts-RV-PRO-1000-M7002-Water/dp/B0050EITTK/ref=sr_1_4

Works very well for us and is fairly easy to recharge with common table salt. We travel with it throughout the summer and like Bill and Linda test the water at every stop. Haven't been anywhere yet (east coast) that we haven't hooked it up.

__________________

Sean & Christine - and the pups,  Samantha and Apollo

2013 Open Range 417RSS

2008 Ford F350 Dually
Genecolleen


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 12
Date:
Permalink  

We also use the system Bill & Linda use. We have it plumbed in in the basement with quick disconnects. I have valves so I can bypass softener but I only use them to take softener out for recharge. We run softener all the time and find we need to recharge about once a month. This is with doing laundry.

__________________

2014 New Horizon. 2009 Volvo 670 with Smart car on the deck. 

"what we do in life echoes in eternity"

vmmonline.org
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

Great info as always ... This is a GREAT forum.

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

Bill,

Based on your posts, I take it that the water softner sits on the ground outside your coach.

Do I understand that correctly?

 



__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Bill and Linda


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 2074
Date:
Permalink  

RonC wrote:

Bill,

Based on your posts, I take it that the water softner sits on the ground outside your coach.

Do I understand that correctly?

 

 

Ron, that's correct, it just sits outside.  I could have plumbed it in but didn't because, at home base, the water is very soft and so it reduces the need to regen it as often.  And when doing regen its just easier, due to the reversing of connections, etc. to do outside the coach, IMO.  With quick disconnects it works well either way.  A choice simply based on ones needs or desires. 

Bill



__________________

Bill & Linda
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

Bill

My "On the Go Double Soft" water softner arrived today ... can't wait to use it. Thanks for the suggestion.

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

One more question ... how do you handle it when traveling? I assume you drain it? Does it travel laying on it's side, or do you secure it in the vertical position? Sorry to ask so many questions, but there's no substitute for experience.

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Bill and Linda


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 2074
Date:
Permalink  

RonC wrote:

One more question ... how do you handle it when traveling? I assume you drain it? Does it travel laying on it's side, or do you secure it in the vertical position? Sorry to ask so many questions, but there's no substitute for experience.

I have a nice corner in the basement and just bungee it to the wall.  Never had a problem and don't expect too.  But I do use a rubber (strong) strap.  According to the directions, you don't need (want) to drain it except for long term storage.  Like 1 - 2+ months.  You can drain it if you like or have any concern but not necessary according to the directions.  If you should drain it be sure not to loose the small orange-ish pellets you placed in the top when initially.  They are expensive to replace.

Read and understand the regeneration directions carefully and you should be fine.  They are not 100% clear but if you follow the order they work fine IMO.

We test the water after the water softener (at a faucet in the rig) to determine when it needs recharging. (Or when Linda says, "Recharge it.") 



__________________

Bill & Linda
TRAILERKING


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1509
Date:
Permalink  

I mounted my whole house filter right on the panel in my water bay. Shore water gets connected to the filter and my tank then is filled with filtered water. I am eventually going to put a drinking water charcoal filter under the sink. We have been caring bottled water for drinking and cooking.

__________________

My Dreams...............Her Nightmares.

 
gdsmit1


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 6
Date:
Permalink  

Awesome thread and something I never thought of.  I didn't know that water softeners were available for RVs.

Anyone know if potassium versions area available?  The reason I ask is a family member is on a reduced sodium diet and just in case it is genetic I'd want to keep that in mind.



__________________

2013 Toyota Tundra CrewMax

2013 Rockwood Roo 233s
Clay L


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 246
Date:
Permalink  

I used a Mark 8000 which is similar to the On The GO but less expensive.  It sat outside and under my coach. I used  a short hose  with quick disconnects to connect it to the city water inlet . When traveling I used the short hose to connect the softener inlet to the outlet and stored it in the trunk of my toad.



__________________

Clay (WA5NMR), Lee (wife), Katie, Kelli (cats) Full timed for eleven years in a 2004 Sightseer 35N. Snowbirds for one winter and now settled down in CO.
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

I'm pretty sure that using Potassium in place of salt is commonly done and works well. The water softener itself remains the same, just the method of regeneration changes.

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

Clay L ... Your unit is an 8,000 grain unit and the On the Go double soft is a 16,000 grain unit. It will soften twice as water (of equivalent hardness), meaning it needs regeneration half as often. Just make sure price comparisons are "apples to apples". Not much to a water softener ... Just some resin and a container. No moving parts, etc. I would assume they are are all pretty similar in price and quality.

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Clay L


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 246
Date:
Permalink  

I wasn't referring to the On the Go Double Plus. The plain On the Go is an 8000 grain unit like the Mark 8000.



__________________

Clay (WA5NMR), Lee (wife), Katie, Kelli (cats) Full timed for eleven years in a 2004 Sightseer 35N. Snowbirds for one winter and now settled down in CO.
RonC


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1122
Date:
Permalink  

I've been using our new water softner for the last two weeks ... LOVE IT!! Soft Water makes a big difference in how your clothes feel out of the washer/dryer and how your skin and hair feel after a shower. Really a nice enhancement to our 5th wheel home. Highly recommended, and adds just a little to the set up /tear down process.



-- Edited by RonC on Wednesday 10th of August 2016 10:23:58 PM

__________________

Ron and Janice

 

2016 Ford F350, King Ranch, DRW, 4x4, CC, 6.7 PS Diesel, remote control air lift system

2017 Durango Gold 381REF, Lambright furniture, MCD shades, morRYDE IS, 8K Disc brakes, GY G114  LR H Tires, 27,320 lbs CGVW

FT class of 2016
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> RV Accessories -> How do I get whole house soft water?
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us