Christian McArdle wrote:
Can you now just buy a Kinetico over the counter, or do you have to
ask some otherwise unemployed scrote to come over and case the joint
for a "survey" and then sell you one with a 400% mark up and "free"
fitting?

I've just answered my own question. However, it still costs over a
grand. The same website offers a Autotrol based on a "255 valve"
apparently. This is a single cylinder metered with 2am regeneration.

It uses approximately 2.5kg of salt per regeneration to produce 2,500
litres (14 litres resin). Is this reasonable economy? Are the figures
believable? I suppose the salt consumption would be slightly higher
as it has to regenerate before the cylinder expires. I guess this
cylinder will last about a week.
I've had one of these for 15 years and its still going strong. It does have
the Autotrol valve and was bought from Wickes.
They are simple with little to go wrong. The only things I've had to replace
over the years were the flap valves which were easy to obtain and fit.
When the kids were at home we used approx 25kg bag salt a month ( 4 quid
round here) but now its half that. This is a very hard water area..
Its noticable that my neighbours who don't have one have got through 2 HW
cylinders in that time and their bathroom ware etc is coated in limescale.