Cuir Beluga wrote:
Thanks FC 🙂. This is the blurb from Brita. The filter material of the MAXTRA filter cartridge contains a mixture of ion exchange resins and activated carbon that has been tested to food grade quality. The ion exchange resin used reduces the carbonate hardness (limescale) and reduces metals, such as copper and lead, that can occur as a result of domestic installation. The activated carbon removes substances that may impair taste, such as chlorine and chlorine compounds (where present).
Aha. I dont know anything about the britta including what the on going cost of cartridge replacement might be over a period...say annually..., but here is what I do know: From the quote, "ion exchange resins" means it has water softening characteristics, which is good. As they say, that reduces water hardness and therefore the amount of scale likely to form inside the machine. What you need to work out (from them), is how long the water softening properties of the cartridge are likely to last in your situation (ie your water). The ion exchange can only last until the resins become saturated, after which the water softening capacity of that particular cartridge is exhausted, at which point it needs to be ejected and replaced with a fresh one. What is the capacity / throughput of your water in litres through the britta cartridge, before it becomes saturated and the cartridge needs to be replaced? Same questions for any filter cartridge or water softener. Classic water softeners can be "recharged" or "regenerated" so they will go again and again, but the cartridge nature these modern things means they are a throw away jobbies. Wont go into "recharging" or "regeneration" here as it probably wont be relevant. Compare the capacity of your britta, to the capacity of some other type of triple action filter, the cost of replacement cartridges over a year in consideration of the capacity, and you will know which way to lean 🙂 oh I should have said: there are two ways to condition the water that you put into your machine, to lessen the amount of scale that will form: 1) is to use a water softener, which simply extracts the scale forming elements from the water before it is fed to the machine and 2) is to use a water filter that has scale "inhibititing" elements that are released into the water as it passes through the filter on its way to the machine, so the scale wont be formed there. \ Both have a finite life. The softener becomes saturated so cant continue (unless regenerated) to pull the scale forming elements from the water before it enters the machine...and the filter with scale inhibitor releases the inhibitor until it simply runs out of...inhibitor...after a certain throughput iof water. 2 separate ideas, same result, less scale in machine. Both need regular maintenance/replacement deoending on the quality of the input water from your area.
