Fresh Water from well - Water softened or Softner bypassed

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1PlasticMan1

1PlasticMan1

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Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Posts
295
Location
Pocono Pines, PA
:-\ I would like a recommendation as to what fresh water from my home should I use.  I have a well, and due to the high mineral content (mostly magnese), have had to install a water softner system, so the bleach would not turn clothes black when they are being washed.  I now notice that the softened water (salt type) leaves a pink film on things if allowed to sit and dry, so am wondering which water I should use to fill my fresh water tank  I am concerned about shortening the life of my water pump.  We do not intend to drink the water, just to bath and wash dishes.  Anyone have any experience?  I have access to either type.
 
I too have a well and a water softener and if I had a choice would use the softened water My water is hard from the iron / sulfur / limestone content... BUT.
My outdoor spigots are not plumbed with softened water. They are tied in to the piping before the softener. You may want to check that.
In all honesty I think you would have to run a LOT of water  through your campers plumbing for a very long time for it to be detrimental either way.
 
Hoosier Daddy said:
I too have a well and a water softener and if I had a choice would use the softened water My water is hard from the iron / sulfur / limestone content... BUT.
My outdoor spigots are not plumbed with softened water. They are tied in to the piping before the softener. You may want to check that.
In all honesty I think you would have to run a LOT of water  through your campers plumbing for a very long time for it to be detrimental either way.
Click to expand...

This may be getting off the subject a little but mine outside spigots were also piped the same way. With a little modification, Now I'm able to switch a couple of valves and it gives me the choice of either Hard water or water that's been through the salt filter system. I use the hard water when washing the cars and watering the lawn and garden.
 
I also have well water with a water conditioner. I would either fill the fresh water tank with conditioned well water or fill from municipality (city water). I know if I filled with unconditioned water my holding tank will end up orange from the iron and besides my water is so nasty you can not shower in it. The rocks from the water hurts when showering. My water is hard as a rock. :)

I plan on getting a portable water conditioner for our rig when we get one. Conditioned water has us spoiled. I even wash the autos with conditioned no water spots.
 
I'm a lucky one then. Our well water is nearly just pure water. Some mineral content but nothing is required for water softener or filtering. Even the irrigation water from the creek is clean to drink too no issues with that either. 
 
Thanks, all.  I have my home setup so that one outside spigot is for unsoftened well water, which we use for plants, washing car, etc.
Have another spigot that will give me the softened water.
 
You dogs.... Now I gotta go check what kind of T's and ball valves I need to sweat into the copper pipes to get softened water to my outdoor spigots!
::)
 
Sorry, the trick was to get unsoftened water to an outside spigot so that the salt would not kill some of our house plants.  Had my plumber do it when we installed the softener.
 
1PlasticMan1 said:
Sorry, the trick was to get unsoftened water to an outside spigot so that the salt would not kill some of our house plants.  Had my plumber do it when we installed the softener.
Click to expand...

The salt solution is used to clean the resin that softens the water. You should not be getting salt in your water if the system is working properly. I clean the valve on the softening system and replace and lube the O-rings yearly due to mineral build up that 'could' allow salt solution to enter the treated water.
I use the softened water in our coach, and change it monthly (not chlorinated). Came in handy when we lost the well pump last month!
 
They make Greensand filters specifically for the removal of iron and manganese. We had one on our house and they do work. You'll have to do a little hunting to find a water softener dealer that will also sell you a GreenSand filter, but they are there. We had ours installed ahead of the water softener. Also you will need to regularly treat your water softener for iron removal from the resin. Do a Google search on Greansand and also Iron Out.

Since we have started full time in our motorhome, I carry a small water softener and we use it at every campground we stop at. Prevents the scale and spots as well as water heater scale up.


 
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