Water softener & central heating

[Merlin]

I want to install a water softener but will have great difficulty providing a non softened supply to the central heating header tank. Is it essential a separate supply is provided and are there any alternatives such as dossing the header tank with something to neutralise the salt? Any help / comments would be greatly appreciated. Merlin

 

[Frelon]

There should be no salt in your softened water, unless your softener is malfunctioning! Softened water is ideal for use in the heating system as it will not cause any lime scale in your boiler.
Do not worry about it, life is too short

 

[Chalked]

With above. Softened water is great for heating.

 

[Ermintrude]

With above. Softened water is great for heating.

Ok. So when the heat exchanger is clogged full of huge white lumps who's PI is it going on?

Softened water should not be used in your ch system. Check the boiler manufactures information.

X100 claims to be suitable for softened water. But I wouldn't . Ion exchange can leave u with a lot of sodium flying around. And some magnesium which is attracted and deposited in iron based exchangers?

 

[BLOD]

Softened water should not be used in your ch system. Check the boiler manufactures information.

:iagree:

 

[Howsie]

Unsoftened water to kitchen, garden and CH.

 

[Frelon]

OK Merlin, let us know what the manufacturer of your boiler is.

 

[Chalked]

There is no sodium in softened water. As you all know once a heating system is filled its the same water going round and round . Far better to have artificiality softened water in your system than hard water?
You do not need to run a dedicated supply from the hard water to fill your heating.

 

[Howsie]

Of course you don't when you're designing it. Just one if those things that makes you different from the rest.

 

[Ermintrude]

There is no sodium in softened water. As you all know once a heating system is filled its the same water going round and round . Far better to have artificiality softened water in your system than hard water?
You do not need to run a dedicated supply from the hard water to fill your heating.

Ok, so when the ion exchange occours where are the sodium ions, magnesium and calcium ions going? That resin isn't getting them all!

 

[Cello]

As detailed above, the manufacturers recommendations should be the final arbiter but just to clear up the chemistry... Supplied water often contains calcium salts (e.g. calcium bicarbonate) that can cause scale to form (calcium carbonate). Calcium also reacts with soap which is why you get a better lather when the water is soft (I.e. contains little or no calcium). A water softener takes out the calcium (and magnesium) and replaces it with sodium. Hence, the softened water will contain, sodium bicarbonate instead of calcium bicarbonate. Softened water will be somewhat more corrosive than unsoftened water because (without going too deeply into the chemistry) the calcium bicarbonate acts as a weak corrosion inhibitor. Hope this helps.

 

[Chalked]

So every house with a water softener should not fill the heating of the softened suppy?

i have fitted lots of softners which have a drinking water direct from the mains but never a direct suppy to the boiler. I have never had any problems with doing this. Isn't softened water far better than hard water to fill heating with?

 

[Alex Knight]

Some manufacturers say that softened water should not be used with their boilers as the water apparently can damage heat exchangers?

 

[Alex Knight]

Some manufacturers say that softened water should not be used with their boilers as the water apparently can damage heat exchangers?

Edit: apparently they've found that it's not a problem now

http://www.hvpmag.co.uk/Softened-wa...-exchangers-says-new-report/1811#.UndHHXkgHCQ

 

[Merlin]

My boiler is a Potterton Suprima HE. I live in Herts which is a particularly HARD water area I think.

Still not sure what to do with this one?

Merlin

 

[Frelon]

Some manufacturers say that softened water should not be used with their boilers as the water apparently can damage heat exchangers?

Most boiler manufacturers now acknowledge that their boilers can be used with water softeners, albeit with an inhibitor specifically designed to work with softened water. Sentinel X100.

There are a few manufacturers, however, that despite not being able to produce evidence that softened water may damage their heat exchangers, still insist that softened water should not be used in their boilers.

Sadly these myths about softened water and heating systems are still being bandied around, seemingly by some plumbers with no real knowledge of the overall benefits of using a water softener.

It is possible, if you really want to go along with these so called concerns, that you can fill your primary loop with mains water using the by-pass that should be installed during the original water softener installation. See here: HHIC position paper

 

[Frelon]

Merlin, yes, very hard water area.

You will find many of your neighbours will have fitted a water softener. Check it out with a local water softener supplier if you need more reassurance.

Buy one, but be wary of the cheaper models. Consider this as a long term investment (I have had my present softener for 20 years) and you will do well. Get a twin cylinder model, you will not be disappointed, and you may even become a water softener "nerd", like me!!

 

[Ermintrude]

My boiler is a Potterton Suprima HE. I live in Herts which is a particularly HARD water area I think.

Still not sure what to do with this one?

Merlin

U should fill the boiler with hard water and use soft for the DHW side.