Resin water softener on rotary pump
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pcivic
- Posts: 102
- Joined: 10 years ago
Hy,
I will be converting my Brewtus IV soon from vibe to Rotary pump. Intake tube will have sufficient inner diameter (8mm) on 100 Liter/hour pump.
But I have one question. Can i use resin water softener like these with Rotary pump?
https://www.espressoparts.com/media/cat ... _725_1.jpg
Or is it better to use bag type Water softener like these:
http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/catalo ... SCAR90.jpg
Thank you for any advice!
I will be converting my Brewtus IV soon from vibe to Rotary pump. Intake tube will have sufficient inner diameter (8mm) on 100 Liter/hour pump.
But I have one question. Can i use resin water softener like these with Rotary pump?
https://www.espressoparts.com/media/cat ... _725_1.jpg
Or is it better to use bag type Water softener like these:
http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/catalo ... SCAR90.jpg
Thank you for any advice!
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BillRedding
- Posts: 205
- Joined: 9 years ago
pcivic,
I also have a rotary pump on my ("switchable" = plumb-in or reservoir) espresso machine. Since I'm a renter, I've chosen NOT to plumb it in and instead, have it switched to use the reservoir (except, I don't use the OEM internal water tank, I use a 4-gallon external water tank).
Anyway, I use those "cartridge-type" (AKA: "Ascaso") resin-bead filters seen in your picture (your 1st link) that are expressly made for espresso machines with water reservoirs...except I use TWO of them on a "Y" fitting at the end of my water-intake hose inside said 4-gallon tank...and recharge them about every 2 weeks.
For a bit of background, previously I used 80/20 water for my reservoir (80% distilled to 20% tap-water) but got tired of buying and carrying 1-gallon water jugs up to my 3rd-floor apt, so I decided to use tap-water only and those small resin-bead filters you picture. Rancilio also makes a small water reservoir resin-bead filter of white (non-see-through) plastic that would work, too...at twice the price of the "Ascaso" filters but they MAY be better quality -- I don't know, but they'd work also.
BTW, I got my 2 "Ascaso" brand filters from 1st Line Equipment (they look identical to your picture with the blue top...yet there are no "Ascaso" marking on the filters so who knows who makes them). I've seen this same type of "Ascaso" filter on Amazon, too -- but no blue top, just clear plastic but otherwise identical in appearance/size -- so they seem to be fairly generic.
Anyway, I figured that 2 such "Ascaso" filters on my hose would work twice as well -- twice the water-softening capacity without being excessive bulk in the tank, especially since we can't get LARGER sized filters for inside-the-reservoir use, as no one make such a product -- and recharging every 2 weeks should be quite sufficient to be sure they ARE working properly.
FYI (and anyone else's), the tips of these filters require a 3/16" inside-diameter (ID) tubing -- 1/4" ID tubing fits LOOSELY on the filters and won't work! So If your machine is using 1/4" ID tubing for your water-intake hose, you'll need to get some sort of reducing fitting to you can put a piece of 3/16" ID hose on the end to connect to the filter. The hose on my espresso machine is 3/8" outside diameter (OD) and 3/16" ID...so these filters connect snugly -- I just needed a 3/16" "Y" and some extra silicone tubing (both of which I got online @ US Plastics*) for attaching the 2 filters to the "Y" fitting.
Of course, testing your tap-water's quality (as you may have already done) is desired to know what your dealing with hardness-wise, but then, these "Ascaso" type filters are one of the very FEW small resin-bead/water-softener filters you can get for a reservoir machine. The other larger ones (like the 10" generic/cartridge filters) are for machines plumbed to water lines -- of, if one is using a 5-gallon blue water bottle and a FloJet system (as many caterers use).
So yes, you can use the "Ascaso" types in your reservoir.
Sorry...I can't speak re: the bag-type of resin-beads/water-softener filters as I have never used them or even know if they're better or not.
Good luck,
-- BR
* if you order small, lightweight items from US Plastics (and they are great as they have EVERYTHING we could want/need for our machines re: tubing, tanks, clamps, fittings, etc.), please note SHIPPING will be via UPS/FedEx and will be outrageously HIGH for such items! To avoid that, telephone your order in and ask for USPS shipping instead -- MUCH more reasonable...but you DO have to ASK for it specifically as "USPS" is NOT listed as a Shipping Choice you can select during Check Out. Word...
--
I also have a rotary pump on my ("switchable" = plumb-in or reservoir) espresso machine. Since I'm a renter, I've chosen NOT to plumb it in and instead, have it switched to use the reservoir (except, I don't use the OEM internal water tank, I use a 4-gallon external water tank).
Anyway, I use those "cartridge-type" (AKA: "Ascaso") resin-bead filters seen in your picture (your 1st link) that are expressly made for espresso machines with water reservoirs...except I use TWO of them on a "Y" fitting at the end of my water-intake hose inside said 4-gallon tank...and recharge them about every 2 weeks.
For a bit of background, previously I used 80/20 water for my reservoir (80% distilled to 20% tap-water) but got tired of buying and carrying 1-gallon water jugs up to my 3rd-floor apt, so I decided to use tap-water only and those small resin-bead filters you picture. Rancilio also makes a small water reservoir resin-bead filter of white (non-see-through) plastic that would work, too...at twice the price of the "Ascaso" filters but they MAY be better quality -- I don't know, but they'd work also.
BTW, I got my 2 "Ascaso" brand filters from 1st Line Equipment (they look identical to your picture with the blue top...yet there are no "Ascaso" marking on the filters so who knows who makes them). I've seen this same type of "Ascaso" filter on Amazon, too -- but no blue top, just clear plastic but otherwise identical in appearance/size -- so they seem to be fairly generic.
Anyway, I figured that 2 such "Ascaso" filters on my hose would work twice as well -- twice the water-softening capacity without being excessive bulk in the tank, especially since we can't get LARGER sized filters for inside-the-reservoir use, as no one make such a product -- and recharging every 2 weeks should be quite sufficient to be sure they ARE working properly.
FYI (and anyone else's), the tips of these filters require a 3/16" inside-diameter (ID) tubing -- 1/4" ID tubing fits LOOSELY on the filters and won't work! So If your machine is using 1/4" ID tubing for your water-intake hose, you'll need to get some sort of reducing fitting to you can put a piece of 3/16" ID hose on the end to connect to the filter. The hose on my espresso machine is 3/8" outside diameter (OD) and 3/16" ID...so these filters connect snugly -- I just needed a 3/16" "Y" and some extra silicone tubing (both of which I got online @ US Plastics*) for attaching the 2 filters to the "Y" fitting.
Of course, testing your tap-water's quality (as you may have already done) is desired to know what your dealing with hardness-wise, but then, these "Ascaso" type filters are one of the very FEW small resin-bead/water-softener filters you can get for a reservoir machine. The other larger ones (like the 10" generic/cartridge filters) are for machines plumbed to water lines -- of, if one is using a 5-gallon blue water bottle and a FloJet system (as many caterers use).
So yes, you can use the "Ascaso" types in your reservoir.
Sorry...I can't speak re: the bag-type of resin-beads/water-softener filters as I have never used them or even know if they're better or not.
Good luck,
-- BR
* if you order small, lightweight items from US Plastics (and they are great as they have EVERYTHING we could want/need for our machines re: tubing, tanks, clamps, fittings, etc.), please note SHIPPING will be via UPS/FedEx and will be outrageously HIGH for such items! To avoid that, telephone your order in and ask for USPS shipping instead -- MUCH more reasonable...but you DO have to ASK for it specifically as "USPS" is NOT listed as a Shipping Choice you can select during Check Out. Word...
--
