New Filter and Water Softener Install.

Cholo

Active Member
After weeks and weeks of researching, planning, and wasting a lot of time and money, I finally completed the replacement of the factory installed water filter with 2 "Big Blue" filters and a water softener. I had temporarily hooked up the water softener outside during the summer and it was so hot sometimes I could not cool the water down enough to shower! My plan was to figure out a way to put in 2 larger filters and softener, (filter, softener, filter) in basement. It had to fit in such a way that I would lose minimal amount of basement space and easily accessible for service. I did it:

Filter1.jpg Filter2.jpg

Started thinking I would use Pex with Sharkbite fittings until I priced it all. Went to PVC and glue. Had to throw away 2 valves and fittings because I glued them wrong. Had the filters installed and needed to figure out how to incorporate the softener. After lots of thinking, (hard for me to do), I had to undo everything and throw the PVC pipe, fittings, and valves away. As some of you know, once you glue them together it better fit or else! Back to the drawing board. I finally figured out the hard way that PEX and Sharkbite was the way to go.
The whole thing fit with minimal loss of space and I can service all of it without removing them. Now I have to re-work my wall and cover it all up.
Opps, need to fix the small leak that I noticed in the picture!!

Moral of this story: If you spend most of your life in Law Enforcement, plan on getting more stressed out doing a little plumbing than dealing with bad guys!
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi Cholo,

Too late to help you on this project, but maybe this will help someone else. PexUniverse.com has some pretty great prices on PEX and PEX fittings. They also have very good proactive customer service.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Other than the little drip it looks pretty good.
I like the clamp holding the softener in place.

Peace
Dave
 

porthole

Retired
What is the valve you used for the back flush?

I don't recall seeing one like that if it is one piece (hard to tell from the pic)
 

RoadJunkie

Well-known member
Great looking modification! It looks like you can also distill a little potato vodka too!

Have you run a regen cycle through your system yet?
 

Cholo

Active Member
Great looking modification! It looks like you can also distill a little potato vodka too!

Have you run a regen cycle through your system yet?

Yes I did a regen and it works like a charm.
Was thinking of using the filter housing I removed as a sort of brine tank. Put the salt into the filter housing, attach a hose from the softener to the housing, turn upside down, and trickle the water into the softener and out the other side. Also I may want to use quick connects.
Still fine tuning for sure!
 

RoadJunkie

Well-known member
Yes I did a regen and it works like a charm.
Was thinking of using the filter housing I removed as a sort of brine tank. Put the salt into the filter housing, attach a hose from the softener to the housing, turn upside down, and trickle the water into the softener and out the other side. Also I may want to use quick connects.
Still fine tuning for sure!

The brine idea is a good one...I would suggest using a clear housing so you could see when the salt is gone. Keep us posted.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Wow - really nice work. I'd love to see it in person next time I'm your area. I have quite an extensive water plant in my coach too. When I installed it into the current coach, I changed it up a bit from the last install. Always trying to make it better and simpler.

Your PEX and Sharkbites look great!
 

Cholo

Active Member
What is the plan for keeping it from freezing? Winterizing?

No need to winterize for us. We full time and try to stay out of freezing weather.

- - - Updated - - -

Wow - really nice work. I'd love to see it in person next time I'm your area. I have quite an extensive water plant in my coach too. When I installed it into the current coach, I changed it up a bit from the last install. Always trying to make it better and simpler.

Your PEX and Sharkbites look great!

Thanks. I consider your remarks as a great compliment!
Actually, I accidentally found the valve and it made me change most of my ideas. My first connections were a threaded PVC "T" with brass hose fitting. When I found this valve, the PVC found the junk pile.
 

porthole

Retired
Yes I did a regen and it works like a charm.
Was thinking of using the filter housing I removed as a sort of brine tank. Put the salt into the filter housing, attach a hose from the softener to the housing, turn upside down, and trickle the water into the softener and out the other side. Also I may want to use quick connects.
Still fine tuning for sure!


That is the way I recharge mine. My softener came with a sediment filter and housing and a PVC 'dip' tube that takes the place of the filter for charging.

The tube has a small hole drilled in one end. When placed in the filter housing, hole down, water is forced through the salt charge into the softener.
Instructions say stream the water on the discharge side to about a pencil size. Takes about 20-25 minutes.

Next rig I plan on mounting permanent like yours, those valves will come in handy.

- - - Updated - - -

Water softener and filter
 

porthole

Retired
Love that valve. Found a 1/2" standard 3-way valve on Pex Universe. Maybe need to grab a couple of those :)

In case you didn't eat enough lead paint chips in your childhood.
This disclaimer is under the picture.

This product does not meet the new low-lead criteria defined in Safe Drinking Water Act and cannot be used for potable water applications, including for drinking and cooking. This product can be used for non-potable water applications only.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
I drank enough water from a garden hose as a kid, so I’d bet the amount of lead that would leach from this device is only harmful to residents of Kalifornistan. Fortunately, I don’t live there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Cholo

Active Member
In case you didn't eat enough lead paint chips in your childhood.
This disclaimer is under the picture.

This product does not meet the new low-lead criteria defined in Safe Drinking Water Act and cannot be used for potable water applications, including for drinking and cooking. This product can be used for non-potable water applications only.

The model I installed, 40613W, is lead free. It is the same model # as the leaded one except for the W after the # indicates lead free. Per the manufacturer.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
I drank enough water from a garden hose as a kid, so I’d bet the amount of lead that would leach from this device is only harmful to residents of Kalifornistan. Fortunately, I don’t live there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah that and copper pipes soldered together from back in the day!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
In case you didn't eat enough lead paint chips in your childhood.
This disclaimer is under the picture.

This product does not meet the new low-lead criteria defined in Safe Drinking Water Act and cannot be used for potable water applications, including for drinking and cooking. This product can be used for non-potable water applications only.

Oopsie.
 
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