ᐅ Watercat Cube – Recommendation / Experiences with Water Softening Systems?

Does such a system need to be installed by a professional? It’s just an inlet and outlet that need to be connected. Or is it only the 3-way valve with bypass that must be installed by a professional?

AVBWasserV §12, Customer Installation:
(2) The installation may only be constructed, expanded, modified, and maintained in compliance with the provisions of this regulation and other legal or official requirements, as well as according to generally accepted technical standards. The construction of the installation and significant modifications may only be carried out by the water supply company or by an installation company registered in the installer directory of a water supply company.

Edit: Before the question about what constitutes a significant modification arises:

• Changes to pipelines, such as threading, soldering, welding, screwing, clamping, and gluing

• Connection of systems and devices without a DIN-DVGW certification mark

• Maintenance and replacement of safety or protective fittings

• Replacing a fixed showerhead with a handheld showerhead

• Replacing a fixed or wall-mounted fitting with one featuring an extendable showerhead

I am often surprised, no, shocked, by how many people actually tamper with the potable water network (which includes the customer installation) themselves. The worst is this dreadful stuff sold to people at their front door, which doesn’t even have DVGW approval. When the water utility company is searching for someone to blame after contamination of the drinking water network, it quickly becomes difficult for DIYers.

Can calcium chloride be replaced with NaCl?

Knallkörper schrieb:
Can calcium chloride be replaced with NaCl?

Certainly. Just as magnesium chloride can be replaced with sodium chloride.
I understand what you mean: calcium chloride and magnesium chloride taste very bitter, sodium chloride tastes very salty. However, softened water does not taste salty because a change in taste towards saltiness only occurs at sodium concentrations well above 200 mg/l (200 ppm). A properly adjusted system according to DIN-DVGW standards won’t reach this level, as the drinking water regulations do not allow sodium levels over 200 mg/l (200 ppm).

As far as I know, the sodium content increases by 10 mg/l per °dH of water softening. So, I could easily get an additional 200 mg/l. Combined with the limit of 200 mg/l, this results in 400 mg/l.

Just a thought and mere theory. Thanks anyway for your input.

Knallkörper schrieb:
As far as I know, the sodium content increases by 10 mg/l per °dH of softening. So I could easily get an additional 200 mg/l.

Specifically 8.2 mg/l. To reach 200 mg/l, you would have to reduce the water hardness by 24°dH, which in many places would correspond to 0°dH soft water. Considering the significantly higher operating costs of the system alone, this doesn’t make sense. Most manufacturers recommend blending to about 8°dH soft water for this reason and others. Less than 5°dH does not improve comfort.

Knallkörper schrieb:
Combined with the limit of 200 mg/l, I end up at 400 mg/l.

If your source water sodium content is already 200 mg/l, no certified installer will fit a sodium ion exchanger into a customer’s system. The drinking water regulations limit values apply at the tap after the customer’s system.