Location: SOUTHERN CALI - Most of the time California
Opinions on Spotless De-ionized Water filtration from Costco
Has anybody tired this or something similar? It seems like it would be great to use. Giving the car a rinse between major washes, ect and not having to dry the car.
Hard water spots can destroy your vehicle’s finish. That’s why CR Spotless Water Systems created a de-ionizing system that takes out all of the minerals in your water so you can just WASH, RINSE, and WALK AWAY! That’s right! With a DIC-20 Spotless Water System™, you can let your car, RV, house windows, etc., air dry with no worries that hard water spots will appear. Say goodbye to towel drying and the scratches that towels and chamois can cause. You can even give your car a quick 5 minute rinse between washes to keep it looking great all the time.
Besides cars, de-ionized water is perfect for washing and SPOT-FREE rinsing of your:
Cars/trucks
RVs
Motorcycles
Boats
Golf Cars
House Windows
Patio Furniture
Decks
Package Contents:
DIC-20 with in-line TDS Meter
(2) 20” Cartridges Filled with De-Ionizing Resin
4’ Inlet Hose (Attaches to Hose Bib)
Nozzle (7 Pattern Garden Sprayer)
Roll of Teflon Plumber’s Tape
Housing Wrench
Quick Start Guide/Warranty Card
Bonus: 50’ Garden Hose
Bonus: (2) Sets Quick Connects
Bonus: (2) Bags of Resin (R2-20)
Features:
A water de-ionization system, not a water softener
Removes all minerals and dissolved solids from the water
Battery operated, in-line TDS meter to monitor the water quality in and out of the system
Ergonomically designed cart with a padded handle
Easy to refill resin or replace cartridges when needed
Seven pattern garden hose nozzle with FLAT setting
4’ inlet hose to attach to hose spigot and 50’ garden hose
Benefits:
Produces 100% pure, mineral-free de-ionized water
Pure water evaporates without leaving any spots behind
Know when it’s time to change or refill the cartridges before spots appear
Take it anywhere… easily rolls and maneuvers with one hand
No need to send it back for regeneration
Flat spray pattern restricts water flow and increases pressure
Everything is supplied even the hoses!
System Requirements:
Standard Garden Hose Bib
Need to Restrict Water Flow to 4 Gallons Per Minute or Less with Supplied Nozzle on FLAT Pattern or Optional Pressure Washer
Expected Yield:
I have heard many in the forums say they have used it and loved it.
For me it was terrible and since I bought it from Costco, was easy to
return. I do have well water which is why I bought it, but it was the same as when I didn't use the system. Now I use a lot of detail spray and if I have to wash just use the wash and wipe quickly method.
Location: SOUTHERN CALI - Most of the time California
Quote:
Originally Posted by alanancy
I have heard many in the forums say they have used it and loved it.
For me it was terrible and since I bought it from Costco, was easy to
return. I do have well water which is why I bought it, but it was the same as when I didn't use the system. Now I use a lot of detail spray and if I have to wash just use the wash and wipe quickly method.
I actually did a search and found lot's of great reviews on this specific product. So it didn't work out for you to well because of the well water?
FWIW, I have that exact unit and here's my story. When I first bought it, I used it for washing and rinsing. It probably lasted a decent amount of time, but to me, I blew through the first set of resin. I'll admit, I'm a rinse-o-holic.
After I used up the original resin, I kept saying, I'll get around to changing it but I kept procrastinating. Every time I went to wash the car, I thought, "shoulda changed the resin" but I was ready to wash and didn't have time to jack with it.
Well, my wife's Lexus is Flint Mica which is the dark gray and even though I use a "boutique" soap and nozzle-less rinse, I still had a ton of spots. So after I dried the vehicle with a leaf blower and detail spray, the spots remained. So every time I washed the car I would have to spray it with Duragloss Spot Remover which removed the spots. Then I would have to spray it down with detail spray.
Well, that got to be a pain so I finally changed the resin and now I only use it for the final rinse. Guess what? No spots. Zero.
I'm about to order the 1 cubic foot of resin since it's the cheapest way to buy the stuff. I won't wash my vehicles without it any more. I guess it's your call whether or not it's worth the money to avoid the spots. Hope this helps!
FWIW, I have that exact unit and here's my story. When I first bought it, I used it for washing and rinsing. It probably lasted a decent amount of time, but to me, I blew through the first set of resin. I'll admit, I'm a rinse-o-holic.
After I used up the original resin, I kept saying, I'll get around to changing it but I kept procrastinating. Every time I went to wash the car, I thought, "shoulda changed the resin" but I was ready to wash and didn't have time to jack with it.
Well, my wife's Lexus is Flint Mica which is the dark gray and even though I use a "boutique" soap and nozzle-less rinse, I still had a ton of spots. So after I dried the vehicle with a leaf blower and detail spray, the spots remained. So every time I washed the car I would have to spray it with Duragloss Spot Remover which removed the spots. Then I would have to spray it down with detail spray.
Well, that got to be a pain so I finally changed the resin and now I only use it for the final rinse. Guess what? No spots. Zero.
I'm about to order the 1 cubic foot of resin since it's the cheapest way to buy the stuff. I won't wash my vehicles without it any more. I guess it's your call whether or not it's worth the money to avoid the spots. Hope this helps!
I think I'm gonna pick one of these up very soon! Do you have to change the resin after every time you wash/rinse the car? If not, lets say I washed my car once a week, how often would I have to change it?
I think I'm gonna pick one of these up very soon! Do you have to change the resin after every time you wash/rinse the car? If not, lets say I washed my car once a week, how often would I have to change it?
No,but I've read that if you don't plan on using it for a while, it's best to unscrew the outer (blue) canister and pull the inner cannister out and let the water drain out of the bottom. I'll double check when I call Chuck tomorrow to place my order.
The resin life..........first go to Google and search for "water hardness map" (yourwaterneeds.com is where I went) and find out what it is in your area. You could also get some water hardness test strips at a local pool supply to verify what it is at your house. Then go to the CR Spotless website and click on the link on the home page that says "click here to find out why" and it will show how many gallons each particular unit will filter. Then you'll have to guess how many gallons you use each time you rinse. I wish I could give you a more specific answer but (1) I'm not sure (2) there are too many variables. I think I've used this new resin 4 times (final rinses) and it's still reading 000.
I think I'm gonna pick one of these up very soon! Do you have to change the resin after every time you wash/rinse the car? If not, lets say I washed my car once a week, how often would I have to change it?
I have one of these systems and they're great.
It all depends on how hard the water is in your area. The hardness will vary throughout the year as well. As JB posted, check out a water hardness table and see what it is for your area. I used to use the DI system for the entire wash procedure. I've since switched to just using it for a final rinse and the cartridges last so much longer.
I've since switched to just using it for a final rinse and the cartridges last so much longer.
I always wondered about that, if you could only final rinse with the system, and still walk away spot free. I'm assuming since you do that, it's possible? FWIW, the water is very hard in my area.
I always wondered about that, if you could only final rinse with the system, and still walk away spot free. I'm assuming since you do that, it's possible? FWIW, the water is very hard in my area.
Here's a good map for water hardness that covers the entire country.
I use an electric pressure washer with a wide fan spray pattern and low PSI (so it won't damage the paint or any seals) for my final rinse using the DI water.
You can always reuse your resin by soaking it in a salt brine, then rinse. It will be good as new again. I can't tell you how to do it with your machine but I do it with my Omni pure Q1000 beverage cartridge attached to an espresso machine I have plumbed in, in my kitchen. If I didn't do that, I'd be dropping $40 every so often. I have a one way valve mounted under the sink that allows me to unscrew the cartridge without water gushing out. I then attach the cartridge to a standard valve mount with clear poly tubing on each end. I mix up a very strong brine, suck the brine into the cartridge (loads o' fun), let it sit, suck some more thru which the vacuum created drains the old and brings in new. I let it soak some more, then back flush, forcing water thru the resin in reverse flow. Whalah! Refreshed resin. Just like momma used to make.
John
You can always reuse your resin by soaking it in a salt brine, then rinse. It will be good as new again.
Actually that won't work with the mixed bed resin that's used in these cartridges. For simple water systems attached to many homes you use salt brine to regenerate the resin but that type of resin doesn't come close to a spotless rinse. Trust me, I've tried it and have done a lot of research on it.
The ion exchange water softener is one of the most common tools of water treatment.
The softener resin tank contains the treated ion exchange resin - small beads of polystyrene. The resin beads initially adsorb sodium ions during regeneration. The resin has a greater affinity for multi-valent ions such as calcium and magnesium than it does for sodium. Thus, when the hard water containing the Calcium and Magnesium Ions is passed through the resin bed, the calcium and magnesium ions adhere to the resin, releasing the sodium ions until equilibrium is reached. The water softener has exchanged its sodium ions for the calcium and magnesium ions in the water.
Regeneration is achieved by passing a NaCl solution through the resin, exchanging the hardness ions for sodium ions.
You're confusing a general water softener which uses different resin than the spotless water systems which use a mixed bed resin. You CAN regenerate the cheaper resin by using salt brine...that's a given.
"The disadvantages of water softening become apparent when high-quality water is required. Softening merely exchanges the hardness ions in the water supply for normally less-troublesome sodium ions. Since the treated water contains sodium instead of calcium or magnesium, it is still unsuitable for many uses."
This type of cheap softener will still produce water spots.
The resin used in the high end systems is a different type and using salt brine will NOT recharge this type of resin.
"Deionization refers to a specialized form of Ion Exchange where we use Hydrogen(H+) and Hydroxide(OH-) to replace the positive and negative Ions. See the page titled Deionization.
Ion exchange deionizers (DI) use synthetic resins similar to those used in water softeners. Typically used on water that has already been prefiltered, DI uses a two-stage process to remove virtually all ionic material remaining in water. Two types of synthetic resins are used, one to remove positively charged ions (cations) and another to remove negatively charged ions (anions).
Cation deionization (DI) resins exchange hydrogen (H+) ions with cations, such as calcium, magnesium and sodium. Anion deionization resins exchange hydroxide (OH-) ions for anions such as chloride, sulfate and bicarbonate. The displaced H+ and OH- combine to form H2O.
Resins have limited capacities and must be regenerated upon exhaustion. This occurs when equilibrium between the adsorbed ions is reached. Cation resins are regenerated by treatment with acid, which replenishes the sites with H+ ions. Anion resins are regenerated with a strong base which replenishes (OH-) ions. Regeneration can take place off-site with regenerated “exchange tank” deionizers brought in by a service company(See Exchange Type Portable Deionization), or regeneration can be accomplished on-site by installing regenerable deionizers and regeneration equipment and chemicals."
There's a big difference in the two types of systems you're talking about.
Do you think CR spotless does what it says, produces no spots?
I own the smaller CR system (DIW-10) and it does give you a spotless rinse. You have to follow the directions that come with the system. One of the key things to pay attention to is the gallons per minute that go through the system. If you have very hard water and the pressure is very high, they include a simple restrictor (washer with a smaller hole in the center) to slow down the water flow. The longer the water is in contact with the resin, the more pure it is. There's also a digital input/output hardness gauge so you can monitor the water quality.
I personally used the washer but use a quick disconnect for a small electric pressure washer. I use the washer on a WIDE fan pattern so it won't harm paint or gaskets and I can rinse the car in about a minute or two. This saves water and time
One other thing to watch for is the soap you use to wash your vehicles. I found some soaps leave a residue while others don't. I don't want to post which do as it might start a product war but I currently use Zaino Z-7 and never have a film. There are other brands that will do the same, it's a trial and error sort of thing.
I'm with mrosa65 on this one. It does not leave any spots. If you don't rinse off all the soap, you may have soap residue spots. I have the DIC-20 and I purchased it from Costco. Mike's also correct regarding the GPM. I don't have the info handy, but I believe the 20 systems flow a max of 4 GPM and the 10 systems are 2 GPM.
You're confusing a general water softener which uses different resin than the spotless water systems which use a mixed bed resin. You CAN regenerate the cheaper resin by using salt brine...that's a given.
"The disadvantages of water softening become apparent when high-quality water is required. Softening merely exchanges the hardness ions in the water supply for normally less-troublesome sodium ions. Since the treated water contains sodium instead of calcium or magnesium, it is still unsuitable for many uses."
This type of cheap softener will still produce water spots.
The resin used in the high end systems is a different type and using salt brine will NOT recharge this type of resin.
"Deionization refers to a specialized form of Ion Exchange where we use Hydrogen(H+) and Hydroxide(OH-) to replace the positive and negative Ions. See the page titled Deionization.
Ion exchange deionizers (DI) use synthetic resins similar to those used in water softeners. Typically used on water that has already been prefiltered, DI uses a two-stage process to remove virtually all ionic material remaining in water. Two types of synthetic resins are used, one to remove positively charged ions (cations) and another to remove negatively charged ions (anions).
Cation deionization (DI) resins exchange hydrogen (H+) ions with cations, such as calcium, magnesium and sodium. Anion deionization resins exchange hydroxide (OH-) ions for anions such as chloride, sulfate and bicarbonate. The displaced H+ and OH- combine to form H2O.
Resins have limited capacities and must be regenerated upon exhaustion. This occurs when equilibrium between the adsorbed ions is reached. Cation resins are regenerated by treatment with acid, which replenishes the sites with H+ ions. Anion resins are regenerated with a strong base which replenishes (OH-) ions. Regeneration can take place off-site with regenerated “exchange tank” deionizers brought in by a service company(See Exchange Type Portable Deionization), or regeneration can be accomplished on-site by installing regenerable deionizers and regeneration equipment and chemicals."
There's a big difference in the two types of systems you're talking about.
Well Phooey! Google is usually my friend. Not so in this case. The various sites all mentioned mix bed resins, too. Double phooey! If they require acid or base to regenerate, then that is one expensive system to maintain as you're going to have to buy a lot of resin over the years.
Hey John...it's not as expensive as you would think. If you buy the resin in bulk instead of the individual cartridges, that saves a ton of money.
I also use an electric pressure washer which flows about 3 gpm so even if it takes me 2 minutes to rinse the vette that's only 6 gallons. The set of cartridges on the small unit are rated at about 100 gallons so I can get 12 or so rinses where the water is totally spot free. When I start hitting 15 rinses I can see some spots so I don't even have to look at the digital meter to know it's time to change out the resin.
Corvette Store
Opinions on Spotless De-ionized Water filtration from Costco
