On Sunday, 11 March 2018 10:11:12 UTC, GB wrote:
On 11/03/2018 09:26, tabbypurr wrote:
On Sunday, 11 March 2018 08:48:02 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:

I can remember getting a lot of interference at a house. it was traced to a
so called water softener in a cupboard around a pipe. This seemed to consist
of some kind of electro magnet around a pipe fed from a naff circuit plugged
into the mains. Needless to say it did nothing but cause the limescale to
bunch together near the device, probably eventually building up inside it
and bunging up the system. There was still lime scale on all the taps,
though not as much according to the home owner.
Its not really a softener, its just a half baked idea that seldom works in
real situations.
Brian

they do work in real situations, and are cheap to make, hence their promotion. But they do not work in domestic installs, hence their complete valuelessness. To be effective - IIRC - the water needs to recirculate through the magnetic field endlessly.


How does that alter the chemistry in any way? It doesn't remove the
calcium ions or the bicarbonate, which react together when heated to
form insoluble calcium carbonate.

I don't know why it stops it depositing & adhering. GIYF.