water softener

[mark.s]

Hi all

Just bought a water softener and was told by the supplier that it needed a 22mm supply, which i guess is to get the right flow/pressure or something. however, any fitting i look at to connect the pipe work to the unit is reduced in some way, flexible fittings have a reduction down to about 10mm, even the 'hard' fitting has quite a bit of restriction.

The bloke in the shop said it didn't matter, but i as far as i can see once the diameter has been reduced the flow/pressure will be reduced, and nothing you do after that will increase it again?

Any thoughts?

 

[MickBrown]

I have a water softener and my main supply is 22mm and I pipes it up in 22mm with full bore valves and hoses, however I would say most main supplies are 15mm and I have fitted one to a 15mm supply. I used full bore valves and hoses and it works fine.

 

[Destroyer2813]

U only need 22mm hoses and valves if you have a unvented system in my opion 15mm supply will be fine for open vent systems

 

[Alanka]

I really think you do NOT need 22mm supply pipework for your softener. I'm presuming the supply is from the mains, not a tank! The give-away is the size of the inlets to the softener -- if they're only 15mm max, it's as you say pointless to use larger pipes to supply them! The exception might be if your mains pressure or flow were very low, and/or you had really long supply pipes from the mains stopcock to your softener -- then the bigger pipes would help minimise even more pressure/flow drop, but not by much. But this scenario would be rare.

 

[mark.s]

Sorry Alanka, i didn't explain myself very well.
Just to clarify, The water softener has 22mm threaded fittings and the instructions say that the softener needs a 22mm supply (and it is mains supply).
So i have used 22mm pipe with 22mm full bore valves, but when it comes to any connectors that fit to the 22mm fittings they all reduce down in size.
I guess it needs 22mm to give the required flow in case multiple taps/appliances are turned on at the same time.

 

[Dannypipe]

Speak with the softener manufacturer.

The last softener I fitted (about two weeks ago) was on an unvented system, so I bought the additional high flow kit that comes with it.

This basically comprised of some very large bore flexible hoses..... but they were good quality and the only way the manufacturer would guaruntee I would achieve the correct flow rate. Not had any issues. PS - this was a good quality softener.

[DLMURL="http://hertsplumbingsupplies.co.uk/product.php?id_product=107"]Tapworks AD15 Water Softener[/DLMURL]

Same as this one in the link.

 

[mark.s]

Thanks Dannypipe
Sounds like you've got the right parts with the large bore flexible hoses, but i can't find any anywhere that aren't restricted in some way.
Maybe i should contact the company where you got yours from.

Thanks again

 

[ecowarm]

Most of the softener companies do an high flow kit

 

[Frelon]

Most of the softener companies do an high flow kit

But at the end of the day the water still has to pass through an ion exchange process, the limitations being the entry and exit points to the chambers, probably only 12mm diameter!!!