Harvey Water Softener, experience?

Harvey Water Softener, experience?

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Discussion

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
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superlightr said:
Thanks. Had a look on your site I can see the De-Ionising filters do you also sell tap attachments for an outside tap.

Im a bit confused as to the process I presume you have a soft water filter attached to the outside tap and either go from there or if you want even less water marks to then have a DI filter after the soft water filter so a double filter before the hose?
No Problem, A water softener is plumbed onto you incoming water mains, and would then soften all the water within your house and get all the benefits from it.

Depending on your plumbing you could make a hard water tap at the kitchen sink and a outside tap, that said you can have a softened water outside tap for car washing use.

A Di filter is a stand alone filter that would sit inline with you hose pipe, you would use this for your final rinse.

Does that make sense? call if you want, it may be easer.

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 24th May 2019
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Are the non-electric softeners worth the premium over the electric ones? I'm particularly looking at the Monarch MIDI HE (electric) and Monarch PlumbSoft Solo Ultra (non-electric). There's a £200 price difference.

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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RaymondVanDerDon said:
Are the non-electric softeners worth the premium over the electric ones? I'm particularly looking at the Monarch MIDI HE (electric) and Monarch PlumbSoft Solo Ultra (non-electric). There's a £200 price difference.
Good question, and an ongoing debate that has rumbled on since time began!

Harvey introduced the Kinetico Softener to the UK by making it smaller to fit under a sink.
He then went on to introduce Block salt and the BSS in !995, before then only tablet and granular salt was available.

Non electric block softeners is said to be smaller, easier to use and easier to store the salt.
Before then softeners were huge things.

In 2000/2001 Harvey introduced the Harvey brand softener to the market, a better machine for the UK than the Kinetico, so it I said.

Since then all softeners seem to have got smaller, but not many use block salt.

So to your question, the Plumbsoft solo is a rebranded Kinetico machine in another box, a great machine all the benefits of its premium brother, less warranty and probably will use a little more salt and water overall. Harvey also do the same thing with there Minimax, M2, HV3, Crown, etc same machine in a different box, they all work the same, but designed to be not quite as efficient.

The Midi is a single cylinder electric tablet softener, still a good softener, and works via timing clocks. usually sold via plumbers merchants.
That then throws the BIG question TWIN cylinder v SINGLE cylinder!!

Having a softener is all about having the right softener for you, size of house, water consumption, people, bathrooms, water system etc.
Another question is where you are going to put it, if under a sink then a smaller machine is key, if the garage or somewhere where space in not limited then put a bigger machine in, this then has other benefits.

You can buy a softener cheap, but its running costs over its life span will be higher, you can buy a premium brand and spend 6 times the amount, its running costs will be less over its life span.

Sorry if I have rambled on a bit, and I hope you have understood what I have said, if you have any questions call us if it's easier.









anonymous-user

54 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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Is the Monarch Midi the only softener to offer up to 28mm connection and high flow rates?

I’ve had Harvey and lots of other softeners over the years but now only have MMidi as it appears the only one than does not adversely affect flow rates.

Is that still the case?

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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garyhun said:
Is the Monarch Midi the only softener to offer up to 28mm connection and high flow rates?

I’ve had Harvey and lots of other softeners over the years but now only have MMidi as it appears the only one than does not adversely affect flow rates.

Is that still the case?
No, off the top of my head there are,


Ecowater
Harvey
Kinetico
Hague
A lot of the larger commercial stuff all offer 1" valves, or more.

They all effect flow, its not necessary the 1" valve that is the restrictive part! but what's in the cylinders.
A small machine with a high flow is not necessary the most efficient machine.

anonymous-user

54 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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johnoz said:
garyhun said:
Is the Monarch Midi the only softener to offer up to 28mm connection and high flow rates?

I’ve had Harvey and lots of other softeners over the years but now only have MMidi as it appears the only one than does not adversely affect flow rates.

Is that still the case?
No, off the top of my head there are,


Ecowater
Harvey
Kinetico
Hague
A lot of the larger commercial stuff all offer 1" valves, or more.

They all effect flow, its not necessary the 1" valve that is the restrictive part! but what's in the cylinders.
A small machine with a high flow is not necessary the most efficient machine.
Cheers!

anonymous-user

54 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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johnoz said:
Good question, and an ongoing debate that has rumbled on since time began!

Thanks for this reply. I am tempted to go with the PlumbSoft.


johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 25th May 2019
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RaymondVanDerDon said:
Thanks for this reply. I am tempted to go with the PlumbSoft.
Message sent.

Adam75

17 posts

54 months

Sunday 9th February 2020
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Did anyone go with the Plumbsoft Ultra water filter? I’m looking to buy a non-electric and consider the plumbsoft ultra.

Had Patmore filter over but they wanted £1,500 to fit an Infinity softener!

stephen111

2 posts

37 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Aquios is an amazing non-electric softener. It Will only process up to 20-grain hardness, so make sure that you know what hardness your water is before ordering. My water tastes better and the shower feels much better. This system is significantly cheaper and smaller than huge salt-based systems, and it also doesn't require salt refills, and there is no risk of overflows since there's no tank like a salt-based system. https://www.saveourh2o.org/best-non-electric-water...

Edited by stephen111 on Tuesday 16th March 14:34

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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stephen111 said:
Aquios is an amazing non-electric softener. It Will only process up to 20-grain hardness, so make sure that you know what hardness your water is before ordering. My water tastes better and the shower feels much better. This system is significantly cheaper and smaller than huge salt-based systems, and it also doesn't require salt refills, and there is no risk of overflows since there's no tank like a salt-based system.
Does the Aquios® system actually soften my water?

The Aquios® system is a salt-free system. We charge our carbon block filters with a natural, slow melt polyphosphate. Our scale reduction media (SRM) is a widely-trusted, FDA approved, food-grade material proven time and again to inhibit scale formation. Its ability to combat scale deposits is remarkable as it both lays down a protective layer on the walls of the supply piping and inhibits future calcium deposits.

This polyphosphate reacts with soluble metals (iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, etc.) by sequestering (bind-up) the metals to maintain their solubility in water. This sequestering process minimizes the risk of discoloration, staining, scaling, taste/odor and other water quality complaints. Because of its ability to provide a protective coating its even suitable for soft water supply pipes - inhibiting corrosion. Unlike salt-based systems, the minerals still exist in your water yet are unable to accumulate and form scale on your pipe, fixtures or appliances. In addition, there is no need to backflush or recharge the system and is an eco-friendly solution.

Because of this process, your water is not demineralized. This means that the calcium and other hard water minerals are not removed from the water but are unable to form scale.


So reading that it's not really a softener? just a water conditioner. there is only true water softener and it contains salt !

We have the Monarch Scale out that does the same job as that, you would not believe how many we have removed as the plumber said this will softener ya water, not smile

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Adam75 said:
Did anyone go with the Plumbsoft Ultra water filter? I’m looking to buy a non-electric and consider the plumbsoft ultra.

Had Patmore filter over but they wanted £1,500 to fit an Infinity softener!
What did you go for in the end?

S6PNJ

5,182 posts

281 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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johnoz said:
stephen111 said:
blah blah blah
Does the Aquios® system actually soften my water?
Do you not think that with one post against his name, that he might actually be trying to self promote?

johnoz

1,016 posts

192 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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S6PNJ said:
Do you not think that with one post against his name, that he might actually be trying to self promote?
Very possible I guess, but then I live in the softener world where everyone hates them till they actually get one lol.

DeanGarcia

1 posts

35 months

Saturday 1st May 2021
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Rosscow said:
Just had a Harvey's Water Softener man bore us for an hour and a half!

Ultimately quite impressed but also shocked at the price for what is ultimately a plastic bin with some plastic bits and bobs hehe

Are they worth it?

He assures me the 55 litre/min flow rate won't have any negative effects (we have a 300 ltr unvented cylinder so don't want to compromise pressure).

Thanks
Everyone has different opinions on soft water and water softeners, been there done that. Much uses salt water softener and others use filtration process.


Edited by DeanGarcia on Saturday 1st May 20:09

Paul Drawmer

4,878 posts

267 months

Sunday 2nd May 2021
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DeanGarcia said:
Everyone has different opinions on soft water and water softeners, been there done that. Much uses salt water softener and others use filtration process.


Edited by DeanGarcia on Saturday 1st May 20:09
How can water hardness be filtered out?

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Sunday 2nd May 2021
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I purchased a bwt from screwfix. Cost approx 500 in the December sale. Took me a while to install it as I had to rejig the plumbing under the sink but it's been faultless. I buy a 25kg bag of salt tablets that cost £6. I'm on my second bag since I installed it on 14th march.

recordman

386 posts

125 months

Sunday 2nd May 2021
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wjwren said:
25kg bag of salt tablets that cost £6.
That's bloody good, inc VAT too? Care to share where from.

wjwren

4,484 posts

135 months

Sunday 2nd May 2021
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Booker's wholesale. It's about 5.80 plus vat. They do loose salt as well for the same price but I find the tablets easier to handle.

S6PNJ

5,182 posts

281 months

Sunday 2nd May 2021
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Booker is £5.49 ex VAT, £6.59 inc - just checked - wish I'd known about this about 2 years ago!! I bought (and have space to store) 49 bags (1/2 a pallet) to get the price down to £6.19 per 25Kg bag. I've used about 7 or 8 so far I think - the rest should last a while......