Automatic water softener „Aquaphor“ S550 with iron and manganese removal

„Aquaphor“ S550 — automatic water softener with 15 L of resin that also removes iron and manganese

A cabinet softener for the entire water supply of a kitchen or business, with a nominal flow rate of 1,380 L/h, metered regeneration and a salt tank that holds up to 25 kg.

The „Aquaphor“ S550 (manufacturer code 515763) is a water softener made by the Estonian company AQUAPHOR International OÜ, with the resin tank and the salt tank in a single cabinet. Its fine-mesh monodisperse ion-exchange resin removes the calcium and magnesium ions that make water hard, as well as dissolved iron and manganese. The controller uses readings from the built-in flow meter to work out how much water remains until the next regeneration and starts the brine regeneration itself at the preset time.

Thanks to the tank design and fine resin beads, regeneration needs up to 30% less salt than a conventional column softener, and the resin lasts up to ten times longer. The patented „Dual Core“ control valve has a built-in bypass valve, so water keeps flowing while the softener is being serviced.

Suitable feed water

The softener is designed for mains or well water. Feed water limits:

The softener handles combined hardness, iron and manganese, expressed as CaCO₃ (the compensated hardness), of up to 1,200 mg/L, which is 120 °fH (French degrees) or about 67 °dH (German degrees). The treated water then contains up to 0.3 mg/L of iron and up to 0.1 mg/L of manganese.

Compensated hardness and regeneration modes

How much water the softener treats between regenerations depends on the compensated hardness in mg/L of CaCO₃: multiply the hardness in mg-eq/L by 50, multiply the sum of iron and manganese (mg/L) by 85 and add the two. For example, with a hardness of 6.84 mg-eq/L, 3 mg/L of iron and 1 mg/L of manganese: 6.84 × 50 + (3 + 1) × 85 = 682 mg/L. For hardness in degrees, 1 °fH equals 10 mg/L and 1 °dH about 17.8 mg/L of CaCO₃. You enter this figure in the controller, which then decides when to regenerate.

The salt used per regeneration depends on the selected mode:

* Our calculation: capacity divided by the compensated hardness in the example above.

• AU — the controller tracks daily water use and sets the amount of salt accordingly.
• HC — a fixed salt setting with less frequent regeneration.
• HE — a fixed salt setting that treats less water between regenerations but uses considerably less salt.
• 96h — regenerates at least every 3–4 days, even when little water has been used; if your water contains iron or manganese, switch this mode on: it regularly flushes the trapped iron out of the softener.
• Enhanced iron wash — regenerates every other day using 1.6 kg of salt each time, for at least two weeks.

Regeneration takes 30–40 minutes: backwash, brine draw and slow rinse, second backwash and refilling the salt tank with water. You set the start time on the controller, usually at night after service hours. The display shows how many litres remain until the next regeneration, and the flow indicator helps you spot a leak early.

„Aquaphor“ S550 and S800 compared

If you need more soft water between regenerations or your water has 10–12 mg/L of iron and manganese, choose the S800. For a single appliance such as a coffee machine or dishwasher, choose the manually regenerated „DVA“ LT12.

Connection and installation

• Installed in line with local plumbing regulations: after the pressure tank and pump controls, before the water heater and other appliances. The pipe feeding the softener needs a bore of 3/4″ or more.
• The softener has 1″ NPT male connections and connects to the supply with the 1″ × 3/4″ flexible hoses and seals supplied. An arrow on the bypass valve shows the flow direction.
• Supply pressure: 1.4–7 bar, with 2 bar or more recommended for reliable brine draw. Regeneration needs a supply of at least 9 L/min.
• Room: +5 °C or warmer, relative humidity up to 70%; place the softener at least 1 m from heaters.
• Power: an unswitched socket within 2 m; the softener runs on a 12 V AC adapter from a 220 V supply. On an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), it is connected together with the pump set.
• Drain: regeneration water leaves through the supplied 16 mm (5/8″) drain hose, which you can run up to 1.5 m above the softener’s drain outlet when the supply pressure is 2.75 bar or more. The salt tank overflow needs its own gravity line with a bore of 12 mm (1/2″) or more, ending at a drain at least 8 cm below the overflow fitting. The drain and overflow lines run separately, each with an air gap of at least 5 cm above the drain.
• Recommended: an external bypass with shut-off valves (water keeps flowing while the softener is removed) and, if the pipe to the water heater is shorter than 3 m, a non-return valve as close to the heater as possible.
• Upstream, a pre-filter for sand, ferric iron and other undissolved particles is required, plus a pH correction filter if the pH is below 6. Brownish ‘peaty’ water with colloidal or organically bound iron needs separate treatment.

Running costs

• The salt tank holds up to 25 kg of purified tablet or granular softener salt (NaCl); the mode table above shows how much each regeneration uses.
• If the water contains iron, clean the resin with an ion-exchange resin cleaner every six months and run the enhanced iron wash once a year.
• Check and clean the salt tank and air check valve once a year.

In the box

The softener, controller, overflow fitting, 2.5 m drain hose (16 mm ID), two 1″ × 3/4″ flexible hoses with seals, 12 V AC power adapter, 1/2″ drain pipe and an instruction manual.

Specifications