Water Softener Filter/ What a disappointment

[ezemsm444]

Hi I recently purchased from auto geek their deluxe water softener/sediment filter system.

I washed a few trucks and to my astonishment I let the water sit there and finally dried leaving behind less but still very visible water spots.



Total Filter Kit

So I decided to do some research and BOOM I wasn't the only one that felt that way.

I found this very interesting post from 89gt-stranger:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/getting-started-pro-auto-detailer/113664-water-softener.html



In it had a previous post from superbee364 that gave an alternative to CRSpotless that changed my disappiontment to a very educational experience:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-de...sion/105566-cheap-replacement-crspotless.html



This is were it gets interesting, he found out that using 2 mixed bed de ionizing resin filters in a setup got rid of his water spots (I owe you allot man)



So I did more research to see if I could still use my setup and just replace the current resin in the filter with the same resin in filter that he mentioned in the post to be more cost effective.

I looked and looked and started noticing they were calling it DI Filter Resin a part of the

reverse omosis stage for Coral reefs.

Some was different colored

So I did more research and finally got to the strings of how the De ionizing process works and why they were different colored:



Rinsepure



Deionization (demineralization)- a process that removes contaminants from water.



Ion Exchange- process of removing ions from water using charged resins. Does not remove particles or bacteria



Mixed bed ion exchange- when cation and anion resins are in the same vessel. The cation resin comprising of 40% and the anion resin of 60%.



Cation- positively charged ions High Alkaline



Anion- negatively charged ions Highly Acidic



Separate bed ion exchange- when cation and anion resins are each contained in two separate vessels, or beds.

The cation vessel is always placed first before the anion vessel.

I Found out why the filter system that I had purchased from autogeek did not work as advertised:



In order for the dionization process to work I must remove the sidement 5 microns or larger particles such as dirt and other matter.

After the sediment removed I must begin the de ionization process but found that the mixed bed resin was 15.00 a refill!!!

so I began to think about the resin filter in my current setup,

the filter requires soduim to work making it a Cation filter attracting only postively charged ions!!!

So I had a cation filter only, but what about all those negatively charged anions???? Duh, they were on the paint of the trucks that dried and still had water spots.

So I Needed another filter setup for strickly anion resin.

I found it on ebay and didn't think twice to purchase it.

So now that it left the cars spotless what was I going to do when it was time for a filter change???

The deluxe kit resin filter calls for salt tablets left overnight to revive the resin:

So if I could recharge the cation filter why couldn't I recharge the anion filter?

Oh but I could I found a very interesting post on another forum that explained how to revive the filters countless times since the owner dngspot,

got tired of replacing up to 10lbs of mixed resin a year (close to $200.00) for his coral reef filtering system

Reef Central Online Community - How to recharge DI resin



He gave a very detailed explaination of how to revive the anions with Muriatic Acid purchased at Lowes.

So with $30.00 in the acid, lye, and 2 glass containers I pour the cation filter resin in 1 container filled with soduim hydroxide (lye)

and the other container with the anion and Muriatic Acid.

Resulting in peace of mind and resuable filters.



Thanks for Looking

 

[Junebug]

Sounds like you know your filters, also sounds like it's easier to just use a little QD when you towel dry to get rid of the water spots - and cheaper too.

 

[ezemsm444]

Sounds like you know your filters, also sounds like it's easier to just use a little QD when you towel dry to get rid of the water spots - and cheaper too.

I setup this post in hopes of other autopians that purchased the same system could still make it work with an extra 70.00

(filter w/resin and new filter housing) plus 30.00 in parts that make the filters last a very long time.

I've recharged them twice and they work just the same as when i got it working.

It recharges very much the same as a battery only as the battery discharges,

the lead plates in the battery become covered with sulfic acid leaving just

water as the electrolyte (eventually).

when the charging process begins the acid is slowly removed from the plates

and back into the electrolyte.



when the cation resin is placed into the sodium hydroxide, the sodium is much more

alkaline negatively charged than the resin, therfore slowly removing all the ions

removed from the water, much like a magnet. The same thing happens with the anion

in the acid, the acid is more acidic therefore negatively charged releasing all the ions

picked up from the water, like a magnet as well.

 

[Saintlysins]

This is very informative, and I will hope you tell us how well the continued 'recharging' process works for you. I'd like to know if you get the same longevity out of the 2nd, 3rd and 10th recharge.

I've been using filters for years, have a whole-house filter, additional one on the tap-water on the Fridge, a third on the washing machine too. Then I run the biggest set-up Spotless Water Systems has. New Jersey water is insanely high in particle content and the frequency to replenish the Spotless Water System filters are high (but for me worth it, especially in these colder/freezing months). I tried this only once. When I added up my time, with the cost of everything else, I hadn't saved much money. I don't have a meter to measure how many gallons go through the system, so to be fair, it's only an 'guesstimation' but I didn't get the feeling the recharge lasted nearly as long as new filters.



I really admire your determination to recharge the filters and save some money and will be looking into this further. It seems you're on to something and if there's a way you could monitor your recycling -vs- new, I'd be very interested.

Hope I'm not asking for too much. Either way, thank you, and thanks for sharing with such detail.

 

[SuperBee364]

Awesome post and information. Subscribed and printed... thanks!!!

 

[bwalker25]

with the filterguys setup you need a 1/4" to 3/4" adapter for the hosepipe right? and you get this from lowes or homedepot?



the adapters are needed for the sides of the housings????