Portable Water Softeners

[Mike H]

With all of this unscheduled ‘excess’ time I’m having lately I’ve ended up watching way too many YouTube videos on all sorts of topics.   One topic that has caught my attention is about portable water softeners.    The one that shows up the most often is the “On The Go Water Softener” and I’ve found it at CW for $249.33 ( https://www.campingworld.com/on-the-go-portable-double-standard-water-softener-conditioner-56461.html ) .

My question is: 

Is anyone else in our group using a portable water softener and if so, what are the Pros and Cons you’re experiencing?           Yeah, I know, cabin fever is setting in and it’s getting to be either eating too much or shopping on Amazon !  ☹

Mike

Edited March 25, 2020 by Mike H
Correction

[bellr1968@gmail.com]

I bought one a few years ago from PPL.  It worked great for a while,  then started having difficulty with getting the right amount of salt to keep the ph level right.  Currently looking for an o-ring for  the top as it has sprung a leak.  Really liked the way it helped keep the calcium from building,  especially in the shower.   It fits in my water bay perfectly. 

Russ

2008 Dynasty 

 

[Mike H]

7 minutes ago, bellr1968@gmail.com said:

I bought one a few years ago from PPL.  It worked great for a while,  then started having difficulty with getting the right amount of salt to keep the ph level right.  Currently looking for an o-ring for  the top as it has sprung a leak.  Really liked the way it helped keep the calcium from building,  especially in the shower.   It fits in my water bay perfectly. 

Russ

2008 Dynasty 

 

I think my biggest concern would be the amount of time it takes to do the regeneration process where you're supposed to let the water run through it for 20 - 25 min.  I would think most of the campgrounds would speak very unkindly to you about letting their water running for that long, unless you did it at night and run the water into your sewer line 😉  The one I was looking at only uses common table salt and has caps to seal it up for transporting.

[Dennis H]

We've used the On the Go for the past 6 years and wouldn't have a coach without it. Doesn't take much to keep it in shape. About every 2-3 weeks, depending on your usage, simply open it up, pour in a box of Morton and flush it out. You're good for another 2-3 weeks.  I usually flush it for about 10-15 minutes or until there is no salty taste to the water. Showers are left clean and I use the coach water to wash the car and the coach witch leaves it spotless, IMO, they are worth the $$$....Dennis

Additional info: Ours is outside. I have a pressure regulator on the spigot, Hose from regulator to whole house filter. Hose from filter to the water softener and then into the coach.

 

[bellr1968@gmail.com]

7 hours ago, Mike H said:

I think my biggest concern would be the amount of time it takes to do the regeneration process where you're supposed to let the water run through it for 20 - 25 min.  I would think most of the campgrounds would speak very unkindly to you about letting their water running for that long, unless you did it at night and run the water into your sewer line 😉  The one I was looking at only uses common table salt and has caps to seal it up for transporting.

When regenerating,  there is only a trickle, and I typically try to place it somewhere it can be of benefit,  like where you don't want grass growing 👼🏼

[Dr4Film]

I have owned a TravelSoft Water Softener for over 15 years and would not be without it. I have modified the regen process that works for me and it certainly does not take a lot of water to accomplish the task. Can't speak for the On-The-Go unit as I have no experience with that one but I would highly recommend the TravelSoft for use with any hard water locations.

Just remember that the frequency of regen is dependent on how hard the water is at your location and the amount of demand. It really helps with reducing calcium buildup in your lines, hot water tank, faucets, sinks, shower, etc.

[Dale n Deb]

We have the on the go one and it sits outside. We have had it almost a year and love it. The regeneration doesn't take long. Just follow instructions. We are in AZ and it was highly recommended here. 

[Mike H]

1 hour ago, Dr4Film said:

I have owned a TravelSoft Water Softener for over 15 years and would not be without it. I have modified the regen process that works for me and it certainly does not take a lot of water to accomplish the task. Can't speak for the On-The-Go unit as I have no experience with that one but I would highly recommend the TravelSoft for use with any hard water locations.

Just remember that the frequency of regen is dependent on how hard the water is at your location and the amount of demand. It really helps with reducing calcium buildup in your lines, hot water tank, faucets, sinks, shower, etc.

Thanks for the reply Richard.  I hadn't seen the TravelSoft water softener.  It looks to be slightly larger than the 'On-The'Go' unit.  How often have you had to change the resin in it?  The 'On-The-Go'  says in the 6-7 year time frame, which seem slink a long time to me but I don't really know.  Do you have to Backflush it more frequently than the Regeneration process?  I'm not really familiar with using one.

[Dr4Film]

6 hours ago, Mike H said:

Thanks for the reply Richard.  I hadn't seen the TravelSoft water softener.  It looks to be slightly larger than the 'On-The'Go' unit.  How often have you had to change the resin in it?  The 'On-The-Go'  says in the 6-7 year time frame, which seem slink a long time to me but I don't really know.  Do you have to Backflush it more frequently than the Regeneration process?  I'm not really familiar with using one.

Mike, I haven't needed to change resin beads as they get cleaned each time you backwash the beads. Plus I use an Iron Cleaner once a year as a precaution. If your resin bed gets permanently damaged due to excessive Iron or chlorine in the water then yes you would want to change it out. Or if someone just really wants to start out again with fresh resin bed then 10-15 years would be normal for a change interval. If you are running out of soft water very quickly in a day or two then chances are you have a damaged resin bed that will need to be changed.

I actually added more resin beads to my TravelSoft into the area where you would normally add the salt. I did that to increase the time between regen's. I left just enough room to make sure that the resin beads have room to expand when back-washing. I now regen using a method that I had developed using a clear water filter canister.

Back-washing IS part of the regen process. The steps are, 1. turn the valve to Backwash, flush for 15 minutes. 2. Turn the valve back to normal and regen using Motons Crushed Salt Crystals. I normally use three canisters full to do a compete regen. 3. After salt has been added, I flush the system for about 5 minutes to remove excess salt. I then fill my on-board water tank first then switch it over to normal coach use.

Hope this helps!

[hadarrowjr]

We love our water softener. I installed the On the Go Water Softener couple of years ago. Here is the link to my install. 
https://www.facebook.com/100000741866146/posts/2181094405258600/

[Mike H]

29 minutes ago, hadarrowjr said:

We love our water softener. I installed the On the Go Water Softener couple of years ago. Here is the link to my install. 
https://www.facebook.com/100000741866146/posts/2181094405258600/

I tried your link but it doesn't work.  I just get this message: 

[hadarrowjr]

Sorry about my last post. I think it’s working now. Please try again. 

Edited March 26, 2020 by hadarrowjr

[Mike H]

20 minutes ago, hadarrowjr said:

Sorry about my last post. I think it’s working now. Please try again. 

Thanks Harold, your link works now.  Dang, I guess I get to naive sometimes, I didn't even give a thought to it maybe growing legs and walking off while camping somewhere.  Is that a real problem?  Have you heard about that happening a lot?  I'm thinking now maybe the best way to use it would be to connect everything up, fill the holding tank and then put it safely away until we need more water.  I don't know where I could permanently install it and still have it be accessible, 'conveniently', for servicing.

[hadarrowjr]

I’ve read articles about water softeners missing. I don’t think it’s a big issue but it does happen. 

[Dr4Film]

Still have mine after 15+ years of service with most of those while Full-Time RVing. If you are concerned about it growing legs there are ways to make it more difficult for thieves to walk off with it.

[Mike H]

45 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Still have mine after 15+ years of service with most of those while Full-Time RVing. If you are concerned about it growing legs there are ways to make it more difficult for thieves to walk off with it.

Richard, how do you go about securing yours?

[Dr4Film]

6 minutes ago, Mike H said:

Richard, how do you go about securing yours?

I don't, Mike. I have never felt the need to secure mine. Although if someone wanted to they could simply chain it up to the pedestal or spigot.

My water delivery system is hooked up this way: Pressure reducer at the spigot, followed with a single household charcoal type water filter for sediment and next is the water softener then a line into the coach.

[ken.knutson100]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:04 AM, Dale n Deb said:

We have the on the go one and it sits outside. We have had it almost a year and love it. The regeneration doesn't take long. Just follow instructions. We are in AZ and it was highly recommended here. 

We have had ours for a year also and love it! It sits outside the coach.  I also bought the deionizer for washing the coach. Works good too! I add salt about once a month and regen for 12-15 min with just a pencil sized  trickle coming out of it 

[jpalumbo1048]

Hi Mike, i have one for sale, you can google the model number it will tell you its  capacity, if your interested. i loved it, was very east to maintain.

IlovJohn P. formally 08 Knight       Sarge48@jnjpal.com

H2O mobile water softener with external filter  

Model MSW0916-M-16S-Cf                                     $295.00 + shippingSa

 

[woodylmiller]

We have one, the larger unit, 10,000 gallon or something like that.  Mine sits in the middle of the bay just forward of the wet bay.   The re gen is not a big deal.  We don't drink park water so I don't worry about doing the flush they recommend.  It is just a trickle and then a full on for a few minutes, check for salt taste and it's good to go.  Works good.  All my filters, regulators and softner are all inside, nothing for someone to walk off with.  Got mine off Amazon.  Oh, one more thing, I used all stainless washing machine hoses to plumb with, makes it easier to move the thing around and get to when it's time to re gen or if you ever need to remove it for an extended amount of time you simply need a garden hose coupler to keep water flowing.

Woody Miller

09 Dynasty Regal IV

[Dr4Film]

Except for having all of my water supply stuff placed in a Bay (no room left)  we also do not drink ANY supplied water from and source. It only gets used for showers, sink and toilet use. Plus I also use ALL stainless steel washing machine hoses with quick disconnects from the spigot all the way to my coach. One line from the pressure reducer to the water filter, another line from the filter to the water softener and a final line from the softener to the coach. I have been using these hoses for 15 years now. I do not waste my money on drinking line hoses since we never drink the water.

[ken.knutson100]

14 minutes ago, woodylmiller said:

We have one, the larger unit, 10,000 gallon or something like that.  Mine sits in the middle of the bay just forward of the wet bay.   The re gen is not a big deal.  We don't drink park water so I don't worry about doing the flush they recommend.  It is just a trickle and then a full on for a few minutes, check for salt taste and it's good to go.  Works good.  All my filters, regulators and softner are all inside, nothing for someone to walk off with.  Got mine off Amazon.  Oh, one more thing, I used all stainless washing machine hoses to plumb with, makes it easier to move the thing around and get to when it's time to re gen or if you ever need to remove it for an extended amount of time you simply need a garden hose coupler to keep water flowing.

Woody Miller

09 Dynasty Regal IV

I have a 45’ dynasty and I really need to do what you did with your water set up. I wish the bay next to the water bay wasn’t a slide bay I could put it all in there. The electrical surge protector and Hughes transformer is in there too. I’d have to move all one bay over to make it so it’s only used for a wet bay. I have a water deionizer too I’d like to put in there. Right now it sits In a  separate bay but not hooked up 

On 3/26/2020 at 11:06 AM, Dr4Film said:

I don't, Mike. I have never felt the need to secure mine. Although if someone wanted to they could simply chain it up to the pedestal or spigot.

My water delivery system is hooked up this way: Pressure reducer at the spigot, followed with a single household charcoal type water filter for sediment and next is the water softener then a line into the coach.

This is how I have mine right now too. The parks we’ve been in are not shady ones (yet) where we feel we need to secure it. I’d only try to put into a bay just for ease of use 

[ken.knutson100]

19 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Except for having all of my water supply stuff placed in a Bay (no room left)  we also do not drink ANY supplied water from and source. It only gets used for showers, sink and toilet use. Plus I also use ALL stainless steel washing machine hoses with quick disconnects from the spigot all the way to my coach. One line from the pressure reducer to the water filter, another line from the filter to the water softener and a final line from the softener to the coach. I have been using these hoses for 15 years now. I do not waste my money on drinking line hoses since we never drink the water.

I also have a UV tube to install to kill any bacteria. We have 4 filters basically ( filter are spigot, two inline filters in wet bay and one in the fridge)  inline before we get drinking water from the fridge. The water always tastes the same no matter where we go. And never have a problem with water pressure 

[Dr4Film]

22 hours ago, woodylmiller said:

The re gen is not a big deal.  We don't drink park water so I don't worry about doing the flush they recommend.

Woody Miller

Woody, if you don't back-flush the resin bed beads the softener loses its capacity to produce soft water.

[rvingstuff]

On 3/27/2020 at 6:20 AM, ken.knutson100 said:

We have had ours for a year also and love it! It sits outside the coach.  I also bought the deionizer for washing the coach. Works good too! I add salt about once a month and regen for 12-15 min with just a pencil sized  trickle coming out of it 

What "deionizer" do you use? Do you feel it's worth the money? 

All of this thread is devoted to the subject of getting "soft water." While I do understand that there are minerals in "soft water" - which we what we have in our home-park - is it worth the invest meant? Understanding that we have "soft water" in our park?