[katchkamalesh]

I wanted to share my experience with using ZeroB water softener and a sediment filter. I am pretty sure that this review is going to help other people who are contemplating using any kind of water softener for their entire house. I, for one, was not able to find any reviews online before my purchase and had to trust the sales advisors.

For those who do not find time to read the entire post, I would not recommend anyone to buy these softeners unless you are absolutely sure of what you are getting into and how to maintain these systems. Advisors might convince you that if you keep filling salt/brine solution, the machine will function flawlessly. Don’t be fooled.

I constructed a house (Mar 2020) and I knew right from the moment we drilled a bore well that the water is hard, minerals were present and TDS was hovering over 1200. So, I had planned to get a water softener and RO installed right from the beginning - RO for drinking purposes and softener to save the appliances (and also us from going bald).

Right after the building structure was complete, I went shopping for water softeners and I had to choose between ZeroB, Kent, Eureka Forbes, and locally assembled (unbranded ones). Since I had zero experience, I wanted to stick to reputed brands hoping that they would solve issues, if any, in the future. I had placed a request with all 3 brands and only representatives from ZeroB and Eureka Forbes turned up. Despite several follow-ups, no one from Kent turned up. I don’t really blame them because of COVID situation and I had no other option but to move into the new house. I had to decide between both these suppliers.

I enquired around and no one really had any first-hand experience with these systems. Furthermore, I have friends in MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) who explained the benefits of water softener, but even they were not quite sure about the smaller systems used for individual homes. Their experience was limited to the bigger systems used in multi-story buildings.
I anyway decided to go ahead with the purchase and finalized on ZeroB as they were prompt in attending to any and every request. I believe they visited my place a couple of times and answered my queries patiently. Everyone who visited suggested that I install a sediment filter as well, in such a way that the outlet of the filter is the inlet for the softener. This is to avoid any damage to the softener. I was given the option to choose between an automatic softener and a manual one. In an automatic softener, all one had to do is add rock salt and regeneration would happen on a set time automatically and whereas in a manual one, I had to do the regeneration cycle manually. Manual regeneration is not tedious and given the conditions/provisions, I opted for a manual one. So I booked a ZeroB manual water softener along with a sediment filter and paid Rs 62,000 towards it. The softener and sediment filter were delivered along with a testing kit and pressure gauge.

The technicians who came for installation along with the head of the authorized showroom advised me against installing the pressure gauge as it was prone to leakage. I believed them and asked them to do whatever they thought was the best. After installation, they explained to me what needed to be done and they did not test the quality of water. When I raised it, the head said that the machine is brand new and it will take a couple of washes to get the desired result. He asked me to see how well soap foams as the good foam is an indication of soft water. I was suddenly taken back to the year 2000 and I remember my chemistry teacher saying the exact words. Back then I had tested what my teacher said and that is how I remember it. So, after 2/3 days of installation, I checked and the soap did foam well. I was satisfied with the installation and gave them a good rating. As a part of the deal, I had got one year warranty and there were 4 mandatory visits (AMC) by the technician to ensure everything was in order.

For the first 6 months, I did not face any issues with the machines and was satisfied with them. By now, 2 visits by the technician were done and all he did was visually look at everything without even touching the machine. I was under the impression that maybe that is what AMC is all about and nothing was really wrong to complain about. Problems started after 6 months, the machine would not take in as much brine solution as earlier and the quality of water deteriorated. When I raised this issue with ZeroB, the technician visited and brushed it off saying the machine will only take as much as required, and again did not even lay his hands on the machine. Since ZeroB corroborated with the technician, I was ok with that. Also, water was dripping from the place where the pressure gauge had to be mounted. This was also brushed off as it was not a concern at all.

Now just after one year of installation, water started leaking from the place where the pressure gauge was supposed to be mounted and the technician who came for the final AMC said that it was nothing to worry about and if it gets big, the entire coupling should be replaced. The cost estimate was Rs. 2,000 for 2 couplings and, site visit charges + taxes. I confronted him and he said that it does not need a replacement now but in the future, it will. I contacted ZeroB and fortunately for me due to lockdown in Maharastra, they keyed in my details almost after 1.5 months of installation so technically I was still under warranty and they agreed to replace the parts free of cost. The technician objected to it as more than a year passed since the installation. However, ZeroB asked them to replace it for free.

The same technician who said there was nothing to worry about asked for the pressure gauge that was lying with me. Removed the valves from the softener and a couple of other things cleaned them up and finally installed everything back along with the pressure gauge. The leakage was arrested and once everything was done, we also looked at the amount of brine solution it was taking in. It was satisfactory.

This is when things get interesting. After everything was done to my satisfaction, he informed his boss and then on his orders asked me to sign a receipt which read replacement parts. I was shocked to see this as he did not bring any new components and he did not replace any components. The pressure gauge was lying with me and the coupling was only cleaned. I refused to sign. He pestered me to sign the document, I clearly told him that he is committing fraud and I will not collude with him. I also told him that I would check with the customer care team if this was the procedure. On hearing this he quietly left the place.

I wrote a strong email to ZeroB about these malpractices and they arranged for a callback but eventually said that the same technician team would visit my place as my locality was assigned to them. I asked a regional head or a ZeroB employee to accompany the team but that request was denied. By now, I had lost trust in the technicians and asked them to drop the complaint.

As it stands, I do not use my softener as it does not take in any brine solution at all. I am searching for aftermarket vendors to see if it can be repaired and unfortunately have not succeeded yet. I did take good care of the machine and did recharge every week as instructed. The biggest mistake that I did was to get the softener installed without knowing the finer details and also trusting these technicians blindly. Also, the most important thing to note is that the brine solution output during regeneration needs to be disposed of safely. If it is let into the soil, it will destroy the nutrients and if let near any structure, the brine solution will corrode it thereby weakening the life of the building.

To conclude, I would not recommend anyone to buy these softeners unless you are absolutely sure of what you are getting into and how to maintain these systems.

If given a chance to go back in time and decide if I need a softener with the information that I have today, I probably would not opt for a softener.

P.S. My father was an electrician & plumber and I have a soft corner those these professionals. Maybe that’s why I trusted them so much.

[SGK]

Originally Posted by katchkamalesh

I wanted to share my experience with using ZeroB water softener and a sediment filter. I am pretty sure that this review is going to help other people who are contemplating using any kind of water softener for their entire house. I, for one, was not able to find any reviews online before my purchase and had to trust the sales advisors.
.

Hi Kamalesh, I too faced similar situation with respect to water quality and my part of Bangalore is known for the poor quality of ground water. after doing few research I ended with the following product

Water soft conditioner without using salt and chemicals (https://www.alkara.in/) and pretty happy with the product which I installed 6 months back. Literally there is no maintenance nor any salt/regeneration process. you can check few YT videos to see how this mechanism work and check whether this solution will be suitable to your house.

Cost for one 3/4-inch filter is around 5K plus plumbing materials and I required three such filters in my home as I have three different inlets. Also 2 out of 3 inlets are 1-inch, but I still went ahead with 3/4-inch filter as cost difference between these 2 products is 7X and didn't face any drop in pressure in my home.

PS: I don't have any association with this brand and there are few other brands who are offering similar products in the market.

[katchkamalesh]

Originally Posted by SGK

Hi Kamalesh, I too faced similar situation with respect to water quality and my part of Bangalore is known for the poor quality of ground water. after doing few research I ended with the following product

Thank you for sharing this. Will look into it.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by SGK

Water soft conditioner without using salt and chemicals (https://www.alkara.in/) and pretty happy with the product which I installed 6 months back. Literally there is no maintenance nor any salt/regeneration process. you can check few YT videos to see how this mechanism work and check whether this solution will be suitable to your house.

The YouTube videos are generic at best and have no details as to how the thing works. Is it one of those magnetic type softeners? I see a candle filter in all the videos. That means periodic cleaning/replacement will be required. Does your setup also come with the candle?

[MADMAX111]

I had also done some research on this as was planning to install a water conditioning device in my penthouse. I realised that installing a whole house RO is much better in ensuring good water supply with much less trouble. Cons are it is much more expensive( around 2.5 lac) for a big house(5 bathrooms and kitchen) and it wastes water.

Water softener gives you silky water due to presence of sodium and you feel that the water is sticking to your body. Also there is problem of corrosion.

However, I still haven't installed anything as plans for shifting into new house were put on hold due various reasons.

[earthian]

@katchkamalesh:

I am building a new house and the bore water is quite hard ~1800 TDS. Thought of installing a water softening plant for the whole house but after your comments, need advise. At present i m looking at the following plant from Hashe.

Any experiences with this brand?

[2500cc]

Originally Posted by SGK

Water soft conditioner without using salt and chemicals (https://www.alkara.in/) and pretty happy with the product which I installed 6 months back. Literally there is no maintenance nor any salt/regeneration process. you can check few YT videos to see how this mechanism work and check whether this solution will be suitable to your house. .

Hi SGK,

Am unable to PM you. Could you please help me with any contact number you may have for Alkara ? I tried calling their Hyderabad number, but no one is answering.

Thanks,
Rajesh

[SGK]

Originally Posted by 2500cc

Hi SGK,

Am unable to PM you. Could you please help me with any contact number you may have for Alkara ? I tried calling their Hyderabad number, but no one is answering.

Thanks,
Rajesh

Hi Rajesh,

Please call +919663745726 Bangalore sales advisor.

Regards
Shyam

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

The YouTube videos are generic at best and have no details as to how the thing works. Is it one of those magnetic type softeners? I see a candle filter in all the videos. That means periodic cleaning/replacement will be required. Does your setup also come with the candle?

Hi Shreyans,

Candle was required to filter the dust and dirt particles, since my society already had WTP setup I skipped candle part. But please call 9663745726 sales advisor from Bangalore who can share working video of these filters. I remember they had some IP for this mechanism.

Regards
Shyam

[amol4184]

How does the Alkara system work? The video on the website is just a promotional clip, and the textual description keeps repeating two-three catch phrases without explanation of what it does. If someone can do that it will be great.

[katchkamalesh]

Originally Posted by MADMAX111

I had also done some research on this as was planning to install a water conditioning device in my penthouse. I realised that installing a whole house RO is much better in ensuring good water supply with much less trouble. Cons are it is much more expensive( around 2.5 lac) for a big house(5 bathrooms and kitchen) and it wastes water.

Honestly speaking, RO for the entire house seems to be overkill considering that you do not need RO for bathing, washing, etc. Also, the amount of water that goes as waste should be a deterrent. Also, the amount of money spent on annual maintenance (filters) would be quite high.

Originally Posted by earthian

@katchkamalesh:

I am building a new house and the bore water is quite hard ~1800 TDS. Thought of installing a water softening plant for the whole house but after your comments, need advise. At present i m looking at the following plant from Hashe.

Any experiences with this brand?

Nope. Never heard about this brand. Go for a softener only if you have a good sewage network. You should not be disposing of the wastewater anywhere in the soil or other water sources.

My advice would be to
1. Decide on the location/placement ie., between

a) borewell and sump or
b) sump and overhead tank or
c) overhead tank to the pipeline.

I prefer option b.
2. Get a sediment filter as well and install it before the softener so that its output is the input to the softener.
3. Go for an automatic softener (also invest in a good stabilizer of the sort to protect the electronics from a power surge, probably a stabilizer for the entire house is a good option - it is cheaper that way). I did not have this provision hence opted for a manual one.
4. The most important thing is to dig around for the regular maintenance schedule. A manual of the sort (like what we get for vehicle purchase) would be ideal. That way you will know what needs to be changed at what interval and you can also ensure/verify that the technician is doing the prescribed job. Despite multiple requests, I did not get access to this.
5. Learn DIY. There is something called a salt bridge that happens after prolonged usage, you can sort that by yourself using some chemicals.
6. If you are comfortable, go with an unbranded one esp. if someone is available closer to your home. I have seen that if the technician has to come from far-off places, they will demand a premium or reject your request if you are not willing to pay the amount.
7. Do not opt for AMC. The only thing that the technician did on all his visits was to look at it. I do not understand or know what he identifies through visual inspection. I mean it's not like he is trying to see if there oil leak or something.

Even though many say that the average water consumption per person per day is around 100 liters, I think it would be better to assume it to be 150 - 200 LpD and eventually decide on the capacity.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

The YouTube videos are generic at best and have no details as to how the thing works. Is it one of those magnetic type softeners? I see a candle filter in all the videos. That means periodic cleaning/replacement will be required. Does your setup also come with the candle?

If your worry is only about dust and other particles, I think a sediment filter will do a fantastic job at filtering these.

[Electromotive]

No chemicals, no energy, no maintenance!
This Alkara device seems fantastic. A little too fantastic. Defies laws of thermodynamics too. Must be using one of those fabled ancient sciences.

There is no known technology that can turn hard water soft without using chemicals (ion-exchange) or energy (RO, nanofiltration, distillation).

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by Electromotive

Attachment 2261842

No chemicals, no energy, no maintenance!
This Alkara device seems fantastic. A little too fantastic. Defies laws of thermodynamics too. Must be using one of those fabled ancient sciences.

There is no known technology that can turn hard water soft without using chemicals (ion-exchange) or energy (RO, nanofiltration, distillation).

Very true. These Alkara people seem to have made a lot of effort in using generic language everywhere and hide how their product works. Be it on their website or their Youtube videos. Don’t even mention any relevant tech specs. No offence to the OP but something definitely does not add up here.

I am commencing home renovations, and we will be redoing our bathrooms. Very much open to a good water softener but this product seems to good to be true with the information at hand. There has to be a catch somewhere.

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by SGK

Hi Kamalesh, I too faced similar situation with respect to water quality and my part of Bangalore is known for the poor quality of ground water. after doing few research I ended with the following product

Water soft conditioner without using salt and chemicals (https://www.alkara.in/) and pretty happy with the product which I installed 6 months back. Literally there is no maintenance nor any salt/regeneration .

I spoke to the sales folks of this company - it is a pure scam in the name of a water softener. At best it is a glorified water filter.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Electromotive

Attachment 2261842

No chemicals, no energy, no maintenance!
This Alkara device seems fantastic. A little too fantastic. Defies laws of thermodynamics too. Must be using one of those fabled ancient sciences.

There is no known technology that can turn hard water soft without using chemicals (ion-exchange) or energy (RO, nanofiltration, distillation).

Yup, there are multiple vendors of same/similar products who claim to use some 'crystal' inside the tube which will deactivate the water hardness. I was also tempted to get one of these when I was looking for a softener. But somehow the intellectual part of me was never convinced about the veracity of the product. It was not cheap either. Some 30K odd IIRC. Finally went with 3M passive softener unit.

[SLK]

Alkara and many others are water conditioners not softeners. Conditioners realign ions using magnets/ metals so it reduces scaling and water 'feels' softer but actually is the same.

Conditioners are reasonably good for many actually, but guess it depends ultimately on personal preferences.