Hi folks

My traditional salt-eating water softener (protecting a family household
supply) has broken. I am looking at about £500 to replace it.

I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a current
by a small mains-attached box. The principle is that the crystalline
structure of the "hard" components of the water is altered in such a way
as to prevent it aggregating.

It is claimed that these are just as effective. They are certainly a
great deal cheaper to buy and run, easier to install, and would seem to
be a no-brainer decision. But it seems to good to be true.

Has anyone got direct experience of these devices, and advice to offer
on whether they work as advertised?

Thanks in advance :-)

Damian

Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:
[electronic water softeners]

....But it seems to good to be true.

If it seems it, it usually is. Google this group!

In message , Damian Glasfurd-Brown
wrote

They are certainly a
great deal cheaper to buy and run,

Has the price of snake oil fallen recently?

--
Alan

I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a current
by a small mains-attached box.

This question comes up about 3 times a day.

They're completely useless, except to provide obscene profits to those who
peddle them.

Christian.

save your money these are a waste of time and money
we live in a very hard water area (new forest)the water is so hard it will
scale a kettle within a week to a extent the scale build up will flake off
the sides of the kettle . we fitted a electronic water softener and it made
no diffence at all
and before anyone says it it was not a cheap version but one costing over
£150 COST PRICE from when i worked at wilts wholesale
"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , Damian Glasfurd-Brown
wrote

They are certainly a
great deal cheaper to buy and run,

Has the price of snake oil fallen recently?

--
Alan

My traditional salt-eating water softener (protecting a family household
supply) has broken. I am looking at about £500 to replace it.

I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a current
by a small mains-attached box. The principle is that the crystalline
structure of the "hard" components of the water is altered in such a way
as to prevent it aggregating.

It is claimed that these are just as effective. They are certainly a
great deal cheaper to buy and run, easier to install, and would seem to
be a no-brainer decision. But it seems to good to be true.

Has anyone got direct experience of these devices, and advice to offer
on whether they work as advertised?

Why not get it repaired ? My Dads was 10years old when timer stopped, got
fixed by local water softnener installer company for about £80.

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 12:19:42 +0100, Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

Hi folks

My traditional salt-eating water softener (protecting a family household
supply) has broken.

Err, in what way? Mine is about 20 years old, and I had it overhauled a
couple of years ago. I've also had a new clock, a new set of washers in the
valve chest, and a new resin cyclinder fitted.

I am looking at about £500 to replace it.

I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers)

Nooooo! Not again.......


--
the dot wanderer at tesco dot net

On Fri, 16 Sep 2005 12:19:42 +0100, Damian Glasfurd-Brown
wrote:

Hi folks

My traditional salt-eating water softener (protecting a family household
supply) has broken. I am looking at about £500 to replace it.

I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a current
by a small mains-attached box. The principle is that the crystalline
structure of the "hard" components of the water is altered in such a way
as to prevent it aggregating.

It is claimed that these are just as effective. They are certainly a
great deal cheaper to buy and run, easier to install, and would seem to
be a no-brainer decision. But it seems to good to be true.


Mmmm.... they would be a decision for those of no brain.....


--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 00:23:25 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:


Mmmm.... they would be a decision for those of no brain.....

Where is he btw ? Has he changed name again ? I'd hate to think I'm
missing his posts.

Cheers,

John

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 13:47:04 GMT, John Anderton
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 00:23:25 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:


Mmmm.... they would be a decision for those of no brain.....

Where is he btw ? Has he changed name again ? I'd hate to think I'm
missing his posts.

Cheers,

John


He has a stand-in at present....


--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

John Anderton wrote:
On Sat, 17 Sep 2005 00:23:25 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:
Mmmm.... they would be a decision for those of no brain.....
Where is he btw ? Has he changed name again ? I'd hate to think I'm
missing his posts.

as time goes by...

--
David Clark

$message_body_include ="PLES RING IF AN RNSR IS REQIRD"

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a current
by a small mains-attached box.

This question comes up about 3 times a day.

They're completely useless,

Strange. Mine actually works.

Thanks for the comments. And apologies for not researching this topic
more fully by googling this group before posting. Here's the results of
my few days' research.

1. Most people think these devices are ineffective and a scam
2. A few people argue that they are effective at preventing limescale
formation (yes, even from experience)
3. There is a dearth of real-world testing to prove the point either
way. Whatever they do achieve, though, they certainly do not soften the
water.
4. Whilst it is quite possible to get an electronic unit with a full
money-back guarantee, I would be concerned that any damage to my
plumbing (by way of scale build-up) would not be covered, if I ever had
to return one of them.
5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may* be
some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are definitely not
a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be replacing my old
ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Cheers
D

Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may* be
some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are definitely not
a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be replacing my old
ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.


--
http://gymratz.co.uk - Best Gym Equipment & Bodybuilding Supplements UK.
http://trade-price-supplements.co.uk - TRADE PRICED SUPPLEMENTS for ALL!
http://fitness-equipment-uk.com - UK's No.1 Fitness Equipment Suppliers.
http://gymratz.co.uk/hot-seat.htm - Live web-cam! (sometimes)

On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:59:44 GMT, "Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)"
wrote:

Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may* be
some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are definitely not
a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be replacing my old
ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.


Oh well.... it must be OK then.


--

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In message , "Pet @
www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)" wrote
Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may*
be some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are
definitely not a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be
replacing my old ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.



31 days before you get results.
QVC only offer a 30 day money back guarantee!

--
Alan

In article ,
"Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)" wrote:
Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.

He's an actor. And not to be trusted. ;-)

--
*If you remember the '60s, you weren't really there

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Alan wrote:

31 days before you get results.
QVC only offer a 30 day money back guarantee!

LOL.
:¬)

--
http://gymratz.co.uk - Best Gym Equipment & Bodybuilding Supplements UK.
http://trade-price-supplements.co.uk - TRADE PRICED SUPPLEMENTS for ALL!
http://fitness-equipment-uk.com - UK's No.1 Fitness Equipment Suppliers.
http://gymratz.co.uk/hot-seat.htm - Live web-cam! (sometimes)

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Sep 2005 20:59:44 GMT, "Pet @ www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)"
wrote:

Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may*
be
some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are definitely
not
a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be replacing my old
ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.


Oh well.... it must be OK then.

Mine did, an Aqua Dial.

"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , "Pet @
www.gymratz.co.uk ;¬)" wrote
Damian Glasfurd-Brown wrote:

5. My conclusion FWIW: these devices (if you get the right one) *may*
be some aid to the prevention of limescale build-up, but are
definitely not a substitute for genuine water softeners. I will be
replacing my old ion-exchange model with a similar unit.

Well acording to the bloke on QVC or wherever who was selling the
"Scalewizard" he was extremely convincing about how it would remove
virtually all limescale deposits within a month of fitting.



31 days before you get results.
QVC only offer a 30 day money back guarantee!

I think Scalewatcher is one year. Most are a year.

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
enews.net...

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. net...
I note that a number of suppliers offer electronic water softeners
(sometimes referred to as descalers) which consist of coils of wire
wrapped around your water mains inlet pipe, which are supplied a
current
by a small mains-attached box.

This question comes up about 3 times a day.

They're completely useless,

Strange. Mine actually works.


Would you like to post the hardness figures for your water before and after
treatment?
Not that I don't believe you, but......

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
eenews.net...

Mine did, an Aqua Dial.


Isn't an Aqua dial a conventional ion exchange unit?
They do work as we all know.

Its the electronic descallers that don't which it waht the OP asked about.

dennis@home wrote:

"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
eenews.net...


Mine did, an Aqua Dial.



Isn't an Aqua dial a conventional ion exchange unit?
They do work as we all know.

Its the electronic descallers that don't which it waht the OP asked about.


Descalers are not water softeners.

Descalers only claim to prevent hard scale build up in certain places.

They are supposed to modify the type of crystals that are produced so
that instead of scale constipation, you get carbonate diahoerrhea.

This - if it works* - may well protect central heating pumps, and even
stop appliances scaling up, but it does nothing for soap consumption and
will still leave calcium stearate scums everywhere on the bath.

*and even the most positive tests seem to indicate it only works close
to the device in areas of cavitation like pumps.

replying to Damian Glasfurd-Brown, Scott wrote:
Got one, works brilliantly the make is Vulcan V5000
Its not cheap but really effective
Its not a magnetic system like the cheap coils type but instead works on
capacitive impulses

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rs-193204-.htm