Why You Need an RV Water Softener

Millions of Americans take to the roads each year aboard recreational vehicles (RVs) and motor homes. Whether exploring the wilderness areas of the United States or enjoying established campgrounds, access to clean water is essential. Unfortunately, the water available in many campgrounds and recreation areas is filled with dissolved minerals, bacteria, and silt, resulting in water that tastes unpleasant and potentially hazardous to drink or bathe with. Now, the clean, freshwater you get at home can be found no matter where the roads take you, thanks to travel water softeners. RV water softeners are quickly becoming an essential piece of gear for RV owners. 

What is a Water Softener?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, up to 85% of all households experience “hard water”, or water that contains high levels of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. Many campgrounds across the country also have hard water. The water may have an unpleasant taste or odor, but by itself, hard water is not dangerous to drink. It can, however, damage plumbing fixtures through the buildup of mineral deposits. Hard water can also leave cloudy spots on dishes and silverware, reduce the cleaning ability of soaps and shampoos, and can even stain clothing. In areas with hard water, washing in it can leave the hair and skin dry, dull, and itchy. A water softener reverses the harmful effects of hard water by removing high levels of dissolved minerals. A residential water softener system is connected between the home and the municipal water supply. RV water softeners are positioned between the campground’s water hookup and the water holding tank or plumbing fixtures located inside the RV. 

How Does an RV Water Softener Work?

A portable RV water softener is simply a smaller version of a residential water softener system. The softener tank is filled with beads made of a special type of resin. Water enters the top of the softener tank and moves through the resin beads. The beads hold a negative electrical charge, which attracts the positive charge of the dissolved minerals in the source water. This process is known as ion exchange. 

Over time, the resins lose their ability to attract mineral ions. The softener tank will need to be regenerated or recharged. To do so, a brine mixture is introduced to the resin bed. Pro+Aqua produces a Regeneration Kit, which also doubles as a pre-filter to strain out contaminants and sediments before it enters the softener system.

To use the regen kit,  table salt or water softener salt pellets/tablets made from potassium chloride is added to the housing once the filter cartridge is temporarily removed. Salty water from the regen kit is piped into the softener tank through a tube and flushes out the mineral deposits from the resin beads. This process can take 30-45 minutes. After the regeneration is complete, the portable RV water softener is ready to be used again.

Travel RV Water Softeners: Clean, Pure, and Soft Water

RV portable water softeners that are installed in motorhomes and coaches bring all the benefits of whole house water softeners on the road. Sometimes called mobile water softeners or portable softeners and conditioners, these systems work just like the models found in homes. The only difference is their compact footprint, allowing them to be portable without taking up precious space inside the RV.

Made in the United States, the Pro+Aqua 16,000 Grain Portable Water Softener will provide up to 2,000 gallons of conditioned water (about 40 days’ worth) before regeneration is required. When the softener tank is ready to be refreshed, two boxes of table salt and less than 45 minutes are needed before the system is ready to clean and condition your water. Nothing could be more simple or powerful! 

To get the cleanest, freshest-tasting water, pre-filter kits are available. The Pro+Aqua dual-stage water filter eliminates sediments and silt, removes chlorine, and filters contaminants from water supplies often found in RV campgrounds. Pre-filtering the water improves taste, odor, and clarity. Installed between the water supply and the water softener, this pre-filter system also helps the water softener last longer between regenerations. The kit comes with everything you need to install the system. 

Enjoy the comforts of home wherever you may roam with an RV water softener and pre-filter system. Clean water is essential for health – and water softeners eliminate the unpleasant and potentially harmful minerals and dissolved elements that can spoil your trip.