Water filters

Sam Tootal

Just wondering how often the water softening filters should be changed.
I'm making an average of 5 shots a day.

Many thanks,
Sam

Dan Streight

You need a good water test kit...that is the only positive method to know when your softener cartridge is on the downslope.

Reiss Gunson

hi sam!

the answer is - it depends!

the only proper way to do it is to buy our water hardness kit, or somebody else's, and test the water coming out of the machine after 4 or 5 weeks - after a few cycles of doing this you will learn how often you need to replace the filter based on your pattern of usage & the hardness of your water

filter life will be drastically impacted by water hardness, and obviously how much water you put through it - don't forget about the amount of water you use on the water tap too!

reiss.

Sam Tootal

Thank you for the advice gents.
I'll get onto that.

Hope alls well Reiss.

Cheers,
Sam

Gino Magnotta

Presumably if you test the water coming out of the machine after warm up then any hardness would have already been precipitated out? If so, what is the best way to test?

Sorry if this is an utterly silly comment

Dan Streight

Testing the water coming into the machine would be the most important data point related to water softness/hardness, etc. Testing the water coming out of the machine would be a nice thing to do just for curiosity...

If this is a silly question Gino...then I am guilty of far worse :D

Unknown

I have a separate cold water tap BEFORE the espresso gear but AFTER the water filter/softener. I can test the water at room temperature before it hits the espresso gear. I can obviously test the water at the water tap on the L-I but it is a different temperature and might skew the readings from published desirable ranges.

I also have a water meter to read the number of gallons that have gone through the system.

Reiss Gunson

Technically you are correct Gino, but it doesn't all precipitate out

Bear in mind that we are meant to be keeping the water at or below the level at which precipitation occurs, so it is a very minor issue

If you want to play lab technicians and pull the water box out and fill it with water and collect a sample whilst you hold the water box in mid air every month, then go for it

If you test the water out of the hot water tap (not the group) every month until you get a feel for the life of the cartridge you are instantly in the top 1% of owners in terms of caring for your espresso machine

If you change the cartridge every time it takes more than 5 drops (85mg/L of temp hardness) of the reagent in our test kit to affect a colour change you will be absolutely fine

Frans Goddijn

Reiss Gunson post=2672 wrote: If you test the water out of the water tap

Maybe first let it cool down to room temp

Reiss Gunson

Of course, absolutely - common sense

Gino Magnotta

Ok got it.

The chances of me holding the water box in mid air and coaxing a sample out are lower than me appearing in the winter olympics. It just isn't going to happen.

Hot water tap it is then - and presumably it is sensible to do this by opening the hot water tap on cold start and drawing off a sample when sufficient pressure has built up to push the water through. To my mind this is the 'coolest' way of getting water post filter.

Infact I might do that this eve whilst performing the de-twist on the braided hose. I think this is an essential thing to do, at least initially.

Reiss Gunson

let me know how you get on with the unfurled hose mod - it may well work as i didn't sign off that particular change - it just happened as a straight hose did resonate, but you should have enough length for it not to do that methinks - we'll soon know anyway

Gino Magnotta

See other post on this Reiss. Qualified success I would say.

Just on the hardness test. Turn on the water tap from a cold start results in water exiting on the point where the anti-vac seals, which makes sense.

The temperature is still pretty tepid and so perfect to test once cooled.

Got it to 3 drops so all is well in that regard