Help Please - Water softener combi kit - rip off or not?

[RANDALL]

Hi all,

I am about to buy and install a Harvey's non-electric, twin tanked, metered water softener. I have a combi boiler. The web-site where i am going to buy this from states that i need a combi fitting kit, which they charge £50 for! The kit comprises of 15mm inlet and outlet T's, bypass valve, Non Return valve and 2 stainless steel 22mm / 3/4" bsp braided hoses. The valves can be bought from screwfix for a total of about about £12 and the only thing i might need are the braided hoses.

The softener itself will not be sited near the rising main, I am going to have to pipe the inlet and outlet pipes approx 6 - 8 feet using standard 15mm pipe.

I had a friend of a friend come around who is a plumber and he said that it would be okay to use the standard 15mm pipes that are supplied with the softener? This would remove the need for the combi fitting kit.

I am not usually one to dismiss a piece of professional advice, but i just wanted to open this out to the plumbing public for some advice of whether the standard pipes are okay to use or not and if i do need the braided pipes, why and where else i can get suitable ones from without spending £50 on the complete kit.

Any help given would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,

Ian.

 

[Gray0689]

Why dont you trust the plumber??
Flexi hoses can be bought anywhere

 

[RANDALL]

I do trust him, but i have conflicting info from him and the company selling the softener. I spoke with them yesterday and they were adament that this kit was required. if the standard hoses can be used, then great, they come supplied with the softener. I just want to be sure before potentially overspending on the fitting kit.

 

[Gray0689]

If the company state it has to be used and you don't use it if there ever a problem they won't stand by the warranty

 

[RANDALL]

Thanks. Barring the warranty issue, would there be any technical reason not to fit the standard 15mm plastic ones instead of the 22mm stainless steel braided version?? I called a local plumber's merchants and they did not stock the stainless steel 22mm ones but instead tried to flog me a fitting kit too but for £65!
If there is a definate reason to have to fit these, i have no problem in doing so, but dont want to waste any money buying them if they are not required.

 

[Gray0689]

Without seeing techical spec don't reduce the diamiter of pipes fit what the MIs state £50 won't kill you I'm sure

 

[Dotty]

As Gray says. the MI's are, and always will be, law.

 

[RANDALL]

Cheers, you're right, £50 wont kill me but the wife will if its £50 that she cant spend on new shoes!!! Here is the link to the spec of softener....EMWC -Water softeners - Twin Tank non Electric meter controlled Water Softener and the spec of the fitting kit.... EMWC -Combi Fitting Kit ( T Valves ) if you would be so kind as to give me your thoughts.
Cheers!

 

[Dotty]

You ARE just running your mains water on this aren't you? Not using it to dose your heating system.......

 

[RANDALL]

not sure what you mean but the mains will be plumbed into the softener and then back into the system which eventually supplies the combi heating system, etc

 

[Dotty]

And your mains pipework IS 15mm isn't it? Incidentally, you will be piping in AFTER the take off for the kitchen tap won't you?

 

[RANDALL]

Yep, correct. Mains pipe is 15mm and i am piping the hard water to the kitchen and outside tap before plumbing in the NRV, water softener, etc.

 

[Dotty]

IMHO, Your wife can have her shoes.Use the 15mm kit that comes with.

 

[RANDALL]

Cheers Croppie! You da man!!!!

 

[Dotty]

Cheers Ian, Have a good weekend mate.

 

[gpbeck]

I would make sure that your filling loop doesn't introduce softened water into your system. The Sodium content eats aluminium heat exchangers and might invalidate a boiler warranty.

 

[RANDALL]

No worries, the boiler has a stainless steel heat exchanger so it will be fine.