Water Softener Installation

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LK23

LK23

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Posts
238
Location
Colorado
I installed a water softener in our Itasca Horizon two years ago and it has been one of my better mods.  I thought others might like to see this installation.  The water softener was purchased at Camping World for $300.  I used an outdoor electrical outlet to make a door for the water hoses.  I installed the softener in the storage bay next to the water compartment.  Once the slide is extended, I run the water lines out the aft end of the slide.  I use brass quick connections on the water hoses.

I find I can use the softener for about two weeks before it needs to be regenerated.  It takes 6-7 cups of rock salt and about 15 minutes to perform the regeneration.  We are finding that the softened water is much better for the Splendide washer and the coach water lines.  There is a noticeable difference in the clothing washed in softened water as well.  And, you can feel the difference in the shower.  Here are several photos:


 

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Rex - good job!  We always get our softener out if we are going to be longer than one or two nights in a campground.  We go about 10-14 days between regenerations.
 
New here.
Have a 2007  Vectra and interested in installing a water  softener.
Which one do you have ?
Thanks for any info
alw
 
LK23
Thanks  for the link
Will look into this one
Looks great
 
This one is ours.  Usually lasts 10 to 20 days between charging - depends on how hard the source water is and of course your water usage.

Oh.. welcome to the forum!!

PSS: Rex (LK23) and I have the same one.  CW sells another one with a rope handle on the top which advertises you can use table salt instead of rock salt.  Sodium chloride is sodium chloride, so I don't understand the what the deal is here.
 
6 lbs of salt every 10 to 20 ddays.  Never having had a softener system, what does the salt cost per charge?

I was looking at one advertised on TV, but it is electrical, has a wore wrap and is supposed to soften and de-mineralize water.  It does something to the iron near as I can tell. 

http://easywater.com/index.aspx

This is a link to it.  Less footprint, but you would have to be plugged in to use it. 

 
Oh, we just got a Vectra in trade that has a watersoftener built in.  I'll take a pic of the instalation for you.

 
My unit uses 7 to 8 cups of salt every two weeks when I regenerate.  The rock salt is cheap and can be found at most grocery stores.
 
PancakeBill said:
I was looking at one advertised on TV, but it is electrical, has a wore wrap and is supposed to soften and de-mineralize water.  It does something to the iron near as I can tell. 
Click to expand...

Basically it does something to your wallet, not the dissolved minerals in the water.  Don't waste your money.
 
John Canfield said:
Basically it does something to your wallet, not the dissolved minerals in the water.  Don't waste your money.
Click to expand...

Excellent advice John. Once again if it sounds to good to be true then it most likely isn't.
 
Very interesting, and  so helpful.
Thanks  everyone for all the  information, and help.
I  will  order one  or stop  by CW on our way by when we leave the Keys.
Have room in my water compartment for it.
Thanks again
 
Should I use a water softener & filters? I installed 3, 10 inch water filters. The first is 10 micron, then 5 micron, then .9 micron carbon. The last (.9)  is a carbon filter only serving the ice maker & the extra drinking water filter. I am trying to keep junk out of the washer/dryer valves. Thanks Art
 
Art - I always  use my home-brew filter assembly (sediment cartridge followed by carbon) which traps the sediment and improves the taste.  Of course it does nothing to remove dissolved solids (hard water) - that's the job my my softener which I use if we are parked for more than overnight.

We have the factory-installed Everpure (or whatever they call it) at the sink which we use for the coffee maker and to fill water bottles.
 
I only have the shower water going threw 2 filters & pressure is fine. The third filter (carbon) is only used in the water line going to the drinking water & ice making line which seems to work as ice cubes are OK. I found that the biggest flow problem was in the shower restriction handle which I removed. This restriction is put in to save water in most RVs. It has 3 very tiny holes in it. If you want more pressure in the shower remove it weather you have a filter system or not. 
 
I think we get the flow rate of the water faucet we are hooked to - never had a problem with my filters and softener reducing the flow.  When we have a problem with poor campground water pressure, we let the 12V pump augment the city water.

Art - almost same here - I removed a check valve (I think it was a check valve - didn't look like a restrictor) at the base of the shower handle since it seemed to limit the water flow and the 12V pump would not pump at a continuous rate (it surged horribly.)
 
John
Mine was not a check valve. It looked like a button from my shirt. It had 3 VERY small holes in it that reduced the flow rate. I had to run around in the shower to get wet until I removed that restrictor.
 
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