Evaluate my water - Page 3

Water analysis, treatment, and mineral recipes for optimum taste and equipment health.
brianl
Posts: 1390
Joined: 10 years ago

#21: Post by brianl »

thanks! can't wait to hear back as I too was shocked by your results.

Obviously you need to take any professionals opinion with a grain of salt (pun intended).

User avatar
JohnB.
Supporter ♡
Posts: 6579
Joined: 16 years ago

#22: Post by JohnB. »

I'd still add the bypass that I described so you can dial in the hardness level you prefer. The CCS kit is a good deal but buy the replacement filters elsewhere when it is time to replace the ones they send. I just bought that same Aires softener cartridge that CCS sells for $12.22 shipped at one site. PM me if you need info on the JG fittings or filters.
LMWDP 267

Advertisement
User avatar
homeburrero
Team HB
Posts: 4863
Joined: 13 years ago

#23: Post by homeburrero »

JohnB. wrote:I certainly wouldn't consider Everpure's opinions on sodium based softeners to be unbiased. Do they mention that the alternative acid based softeners can change the ph of your water making it acidic enough to eat into your boilers?
Need to give some credit where due. The folks at Pentair/Everpure and especially Roy Parker and Tim Szejbach have been good about letting us know the technical details of their products, and have provided us with clear explanations of the chemistry of weak acid cation (WAC) softening and how that relates to corrosion. Some of that has been imported to HB here: Claris-when_to_use-updated.pdf

Also, my interpretation of that royeverpure (Roy Parker) recommendation cited earlier, about when it's OK to use a conventional sodium softener (strong acid cation, which replaces calcium with sodium), is that it is not that biased against conventional softening. He allows more sodium in your water than the SCAA recommendation does.
Pat
nínádiishʼnahgo gohwééh náshdlį́į́h

User avatar
JohnB.
Supporter ♡
Posts: 6579
Joined: 16 years ago

#24: Post by JohnB. »

I was referring to Roy's statement: "(note that water that is softened with salt can't be used for coffee because the sodium will cause overextraction and excessive foaming)" from one of the linked threads.
LMWDP 267

User avatar
homeburrero
Team HB
Posts: 4863
Joined: 13 years ago

#25: Post by homeburrero »

Good point. Roy Parker did say that, and I agree it way oversimplifies the issue. In that statement he was saying that conventional softening was often used for espresso, but not for coffee because of the foaming and overextraction.*
Later, in response to a question about the degree of salinity (in gpg terms) that might cause overextraction, Roy clarified further, and said that up to 7.8 grains of conventional sodium softening is acceptable for espresso.

*full sentence quote:
royeverpure wrote:
That is why softening (also called ion exchange) is often used for espresso brewing (note that water that is softened with salt can't be used for coffee because the sodium will cause overextraction and excessive foaming).
Pat
nínádiishʼnahgo gohwééh náshdlį́į́h

User avatar
JohnB.
Supporter ♡
Posts: 6579
Joined: 16 years ago

#26: Post by JohnB. »

Having used my softened water for vac pot brewing & pourover for years I still think that he is vastly overstating the issue if indeed there is one.
LMWDP 267

desmodici (original poster)
Posts: 256
Joined: 11 years ago

#27: Post by desmodici (original poster) »

JohnB. wrote:I'd still add the bypass that I described so you can dial in the hardness level you prefer. The CCS kit is a good deal but buy the replacement filters elsewhere when it is time to replace the ones they send. I just bought that same Aires softener cartridge that CCS sells for $12.22 shipped at one site. PM me if you need info on the JG fittings or filters.
John, thanks, will do. Looks like it'll be here next Wednesday so I'll report back then on results

Advertisement
desmodici (original poster)
Posts: 256
Joined: 11 years ago

#28: Post by desmodici (original poster) »

As promised, just wanted to provide all that helped an update.
I received and installed the water softening and filter kit from Chris Coffee yesterday and it resolved my issues.

Embarrassingly, I think my main issue was related to water pressure vs. softening. The flow rate through the in-line filters seemed to be restrictive.
All is now good and back to normal, thanks again for the feedback.

Post Reply