Combi boilers and water softeners

[Nat]

Evening all,

I went to a Worcester Bosch course the other day on Juniors and SIs. I was told that on no circumstances must you fill the heating with artificially softened water because it can eat away at the heat exchanger within months of the installation!

I'd never heard this before! Have you?

This means if you fit a limefighter you must tee off before this for the filling loop. Is this true only for WB? What about combis with an integral filling loop, how do you fit a softener with those?

Nat

 

[Mike Jackson]

A limefighter isn't a water softener, it's a water conditioner.

 

[Nat]

A limefighter isn't a water softener, it's a water conditioner.

OK. Elaborate please.

Cheers

 

[Kev the gas]

Softened Water FAQs

The man Harvey has always said water softeners are great for boilers, Worcester Bosch and many manufacturers have always said no.

I just read his Q/A list and can find no mention of boilers.

I have a water softener installed and have a hard water supply tee'd off before for softener for the heating side/ filling loop.

 

[shaky]

Any with a SS heat ex your fine WB just like to make things difficult.

 

[Mike Jackson]

OK. Elaborate please.

Cheers

The limefighter is a magnetic scale inhibitor which supposedly works by altering the crystalline structure of the calcium so it doesn't stick. A water softener actually adds salt to the water which increases its corrosive properties. Water conditioners can be used on whole house supplies but when softeners are fitted there must be a seperate drinking water tap.

 

[Bobdisk]

So the same applies to Liff Water Filters ? It is supposed to be filled with crystals. Its been plumbed into the whole supply, including drinking water and boiler (A Baxi 130HE, which seems ok, at 8 years old).

 

[plumberholic]

As a water softener service engineer I hear this alot. Its the same with certain brands of washing machine also. Certain alloys (normally cheaper ones) used in the manufacture of heat exchangers and drum support arms (in washing machines) do get corroded by artificially softened water. I have never been given a clear reason why?! But when having a softener installed always check if the boiler manufacturer recommends the use of softened water. Some say "Great, do it!" others such as Worcester Bosch say "NO". Best to listen

 

[kozak1968]

A warranty get out clause i think!

 

[petercj]

WB use aluminium heat exchangers, and aluminium doesn't like salt.

 

[plumberholic]

Not many metals do like salt, but softened water contains very little salt. As I said before I am a water softener service engineer. I get asked alot about the salt content of softened water "is it safe to drink?" for example. Alot of people do drink it, and its perfectly safe. There is more salt in a slice of ham than in a glass of softened water so surely a heat exchanger should be able to cope with it even if its made of aluminium

 

[stevetheplumber]

we have always teed of before the water softner for the drinking water at the kitchen sink

 

[BLOD]

I was told a young child might not cope with the salt content from softened water - a good reason for always providing unsoftened drinking water.