DI Water Systems

[kilobravo]

My apologies if this topic was the subject of a previous thread, I didn't find anything with Search...

I'm no chemist and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I did stumble through a few college chem courses and still have the basics on the brain. <smile.>

So the house has a pretty extensive water treatment system. Big Blue 20 micron pre-filter, carbon filter tank, water softener tank, and a final Big Blue 5 micron post-filter. It's good water but even it can't be left on a vehicle without spotting.

Therefive, I went look at OG and found the CR Spotless rigs he offers and my question is, do any of you have experience with one of these units? TIA.

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[m3incorp]

I don't have one but do have a question. Does your water treatment system also treat your water coming from the outside facets?

My apologies if this topic was the subject of a previous thread, I didn't find anything with Search...

I'm no chemist and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I did stumble through a few college chem courses and still have the basics on the brain. <smile.>

So the house has a pretty extensive water treatment system. Big Blue 20 micron pre-filter, carbon filter tank, water softener tank, and a final Big Blue 5 micron post-filter. It's good water but even it can't be left on a vehicle without spotting.

Therefive, I went look at OG and found the CR Spotless rigs he offers and my question is, do any of you have experience with one of these units? TIA.

 

[kilobravo]

Yes, the system is whole house, James. I installed it about eleven years ago and it has essentially been trouble free.

​

Since my first post, I have now watched what I believe are ALL the videos on the CR Spotless DIC-20 and decided to purchase one from Matt at OG.

If I remember to do it, I will run straight supply through it without the carts and check the TDS. It's pretty high around here but the softener knocks that way back. I can typically blow dry with only a few vertical drip marks but I'm anxious to see if this truly is spot-free rinsing.

 

[StangTime]

I don't see the need for a complete DI system and the expense of having the resins changed. Will a DI system allow you to leave all that water sitting on the car to dry with no spots? You better make sure that your final rinse got all the soap off.

I am on city water. We have some of the hardest water in the province. So I have a water softener and my hose is connected to the softened water piping. After washing the car with soap I wet the whole car with a final rinse. Spray a couple misting shots on each panel with quick detailer like Maguire's Hybrid ceramic and one more rinse followed by a wipe down with microfiber towels. Zero water spots and the car gleams afterwards. Black plastic and tinted glass show no evidence of spotting afterward. The detailer helps the water bead off on the carwash.

I have since added a battery powered Ego leaf blower to my drying routine. Great for getting the bulk of water off and getting the water out of the crevices, grille and wheels. Drying time with a microfiber is cut down by about 80% when I use the leaf blower. Again zero water spots after.

 

[m3incorp]

Thanks. I have been considering a system and wondered if it helps the water coming from the outside faucets. I don't think I actually need the whole house system and may look into the CR Spotless also.

Yes, the system is whole house, James. I installed it about eleven years ago and it has essentially been trouble free.

​

Since my first post, I have now watched what I believe are ALL the videos on the CR Spotless DIC-20 and decided to purchase one from Matt at OG.

If I remember to do it, I will run straight supply through it without the carts and check the TDS. It's pretty high around here but the softener knocks that way back. I can typically blow dry with only a few vertical drip marks but I'm anxious to see if this truly is spot-free rinsing.

 

[kilobravo]

James: The system I installed is probably a bit "over the top" but you can add just a softener to your whole house supply fairly inexpensively. I'm quite sure that feeding the DIC-20 softened water will increase the life of the resin carts by a substantial amount.

I think Matt said on one of the clips that by CRS's calculation with a ten minute rinse cycle would yield thirty rinses before cart replacement. Matt said he KNOWS that he's had WAY more rinses than that and his meter still reads zero.

I washed the Shelby today and after blow drying with the Master Blaster, I noticed one spot where I missed and obviously, even my highly filtered and softened water can still leave spots.

​

This was the only place where I saw spots while only using the blower to dry the vehicle. Obviously, softening isn't the be all, end all for purifying water. RO water would be fine except to have a system to keep up with a pressure washer would be quite expensive. So, I'm hoping this chemical solution will be the final "still" that makes the "shine." :-)

I am also hoping that the CR system will ship fairly quickly and I'll be able to see right away what the current level of minerals is post-softener and then post-CR which presumably will in fact be zero.

 

[m3incorp]

Thanks for the follow up. My other car is black, so the water spots show big five. I'm able to use blow dryer on the Mustang and usually get away with only a spot or two. I would like that too be zero. I'll look forward to hearing your comparison. Thanks again.

James: The system I installed is probably a bit "over the top" but you can add just a softener to your whole house supply fairly inexpensively. I'm quite sure that feeding the DIC-20 softened water will increase the life of the resin carts by a substantial amount.

I think Matt said on one of the clips that by CRS's calculation with a ten minute rinse cycle would yield thirty rinses before cart replacement. Matt said he KNOWS that he's had WAY more rinses than that and his meter still reads zero.

I washed the Shelby today and after blow drying with the Master Blaster, I noticed one spot where I missed and obviously, even my highly filtered and softened water can still leave spots.

​

This was the only place where I saw spots while only using the blower to dry the vehicle. Obviously, softening isn't the be all, end all for purifying water. RO water would be fine except to have a system to keep up with a pressure washer would be quite expensive. So, I'm hoping this chemical solution will be the final "still" that makes the "shine." :-)

I am also hoping that the CR system will ship fairly quickly and I'll be able to see right away what the current level of minerals is post-softener and then post-CR which presumably will in fact be zero.

 

[ice445]

I rented a portable DI tank from a local company last year and it worked pretty well, even with a pressure washer. It wasn't perfect, but it was completely doable to wash the car in the hot desert sun with good method without leaving water spots every centimeter on the paint. Wasn't that expensive either, it was like $150 to rent, lasts a few months. Got a good amount of washes out of it. I think it calculated out to about $10 a wash with how many times I used it. I didn't wash at home every time though, sometimes I use a self bay on the way home to do a quick maintenance wash so I don't have to get all my crap out at home.

 

[CJJon]

I am lucky, I just now tested my well water and it reads 17 TDS.

And it's free!

 

[kilobravo]

That's amazing...and what a bonus, huh? :-)

 

[20ducks]

I had my garage floor treated when I bought the house. It is also graded because drains in a garage are against municipal ordinances. I wash my car all year round. That along with a Master Blaster I have no problems with water spots.

 

[m3incorp]

I think my neighbors think I'm crazy when they see me blow drying my car. Come to think of it they probably think I am crazy for washing my cars myself. I had one neighbor walk by and make a comment that I was working on a Sunday while I was washing it....I told him, not working at all but in therapy.

I had my garage floor treated when I bought the house. It is also graded because drains in a garage are against municipal ordinances. I wash my car all year round. That along with a Master Blaster I have no problems with water spots.

 

[DrumReaper]

I am lucky, I just now tested my well water and it reads 17 TDS.

And it's free!

What device are you using to test your water? If you’re trying to measure the hardness of your water with a TDS meter you’re likely wasting your time. It’s not a direct measure of what’s in your water.

 

[GoGoGadget]

I think my neighbors think I'm crazy when they see me blow drying my car. Come to think of it they probably think I am crazy for washing my cars myself. I had one neighbor walk by and make a comment that I was working on a Sunday while I was washing it....I told him, not working at all but in therapy.

We spent a year living with my dad while between houses. He had a few choice words of disdain for his less than bright son using a leaf blower to dry motorcycles after washing them. Popped in for a visit one weekend a year or two later to find him blow drying his Harley with a leaf blower.

 

[Dr. Norts]

My apologies if this topic was the subject of a previous thread, I didn't find anything with Search...

I'm no chemist and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I did stumble through a few college chem courses and still have the basics on the brain. <smile.>

So the house has a pretty extensive water treatment system. Big Blue 20 micron pre-filter, carbon filter tank, water softener tank, and a final Big Blue 5 micron post-filter. It's good water but even it can't be left on a vehicle without spotting.

Therefive, I went look at OG and found the CR Spotless rigs he offers and my question is, do any of you have experience with one of these units? TIA.

I've got a CR spotless DI-20 wall mount unit. The thing is amazing. Wash and dries spotless even in the sun. Works great for the windows on the house as well .

The resins last me a full season and I use them alot. For replacement get some virgin mixed bed DI resins. I've been getting them from RV Transformers.

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