<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1619" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY text=#000000 bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David, Kurt, et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If I am understanding your question correctly, the
Kinetico brand of _non-electric_water softener would fit the bill precisely. It
is my understanding that the entire (extensive) line of Kinetico products are
dual _resin_ tank machines. The huge benefit to this dual resin tank design
is that the control head (as well as the resin) sees only softened water
unlike a single resin tank machine in which the control head never sees anything
but the untreated water you are trying to correct. So while you pay more
for the dual resin tank design it lasts way longer and the life cycle cost is
less. Plus, in the words of the currently fashionable ads, the benefit from the
reduced maintenance (by you or others) "priceless".</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My compliments to solve a water quality problem.
Tremendous benefits for every other water using appliance, valve, and faucet in
the dwelling. You might consider putting the softener on the hot water only (as
scale is formed in direct proportion to the amount the water is heated- compare
the hot and cold pipes when you are doing repair work to convince yourself of
this) and naturally lower the temperature of the hot water source to _only_
using temperature to save even more. Most people, myself included, can then
turn on only the hot water faucet to bathe. What is the purpose of heating
the water (with a fossil fuel) at the tank/tankless/boiler only to add cold
water to cool it down at the other end? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bill Loesch<BR>Solar 1 - Saint Louis
Solar<BR></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=info@es-ee.com href="mailto:info@es-ee.com">Kurt Albershardt</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 26, 2009 9:57
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Efficient
water softener?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>On 2/26/09 1:30 PM, David Palumbo wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid:DJEBJJALDIMBNFIAMJMCKEOIDNAA.dave@independentpowerllc.com
type="cite">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16809" name=GENERATOR>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=921033919-26022009>I have an
off-grid customer with a need for for a non-electric, or very efficient
electric, water softener.</SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Lots of options
there if you don't need time based regeneration. Regen typically follows
one of the following scenarios, listed in ascending order of cost:<BR><BR>1.
Time only (regen at a perset time and day regardless of water use.)<BR>2.
Flowmeter only (regen after a praticular number of gallons regardless of time
or date.)<BR>3. Time and flowmeter (regen only after waking or business hours
but before media runs out of capacity, sometimes based on floating
averages.)<BR><BR>#1 will be familiar to many residential softener owners of
yore, who may recall the famous 'guest button' that told the softener there
was more flow that day. It requires power all the time.<BR>#2 can be
completely mechanical (flowmeter spins the counter gears and opens/closes
valves using water power.)<BR>#3 requires power all the time (but frequently
has added benefits like a totalyzing meter.)<BR><BR>The ultimate solution for
off grid is a twin tank softener (a smaller version of the type frequently
seen in commercial or industrial applications. These have a number of
benefits:<BR><BR>Backflushing is done with softened water, improving the
quality of the flush and prolonging the life of the media.<BR>Regen can happen
at any time of the day or night and the system (if appropriately sized) will
deliver treated water 24x7.<BR>Regen never happens unless the media is
depleted, minimizing salt usage (and minimizing landscape poisioning if the
softener drains to anything other than a muicipal sewer.)<BR><BR>If the budget
is there, have them buy a twin tank system based on a Fleck 9000 valve (with
the mechanical timer - I bought the electronic one and while I like the
features, I am starting to regret the phantom load it married me
to.)<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>List sponsored by
Home Power magazine<BR><BR>List Address:
RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org<BR><BR>Options &
settings:<BR>http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org<BR><BR>List-Archive:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org<BR><BR>List
rules & etiquette:<BR>www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm<BR><BR>Check out
participant bios:<BR>www.members.re-wrenches.org<BR><BR>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG.
<BR>Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.3/1973 - Release Date: 2/26/2009
7:03 AM<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>