Missing Brands and Spare-Parts
Water Softeners, Brands and Spare Parts, Permutit, Soft Water
Information on water softeners no longer available on the U.K. market
but with which Better Water Solutions can help you anyway)
Plus we can aid you in identifying what control system is fitted to your softener to (hopefully) supply you with spare parts. Most water softeners produced in the UK have either Fleck or Autotrol control systems fitted to them, although they will not be marketed under those names, for example Permutit water softeners can be found to have either Autotrol or Fleck control systems fitted to them!
Canterbury Water - Kite Water Softener
Permutit
Salamander
Wizard Water softener
If you find it hard for your brand or type softener (or filter, dispenser or cartridge for that matter) to find someone who can service, repair or re-stock, please feel free to contact us for a non-obligation quote for works or products (servicing only available in Kent U.K.)
Canterbury Water - Kite Water Softener
The Kite water softener certainly caused a stir when it first appeared on the British market place; it was totally different to any other softener previously available and used a system known as Compressed Ion Exchange Resin. It meant that it was an incredible compact unit and was also incredible economical on salt use: claiming just one bag of salt used a year per person based on a hardness of 300 part per million (21deg Clarke)
Italian designed and manufactured, it was a lovely machine - but just didn't live up to its promise. It was far too complicated in its mechanical design and was badly put together: pistons made from the wrong materials causing ring seals to tear, drive shaft also made of unsuitable materials causing major breakdowns early in the water softeners life that shut off the whole house water supply, time clock breakdown and several other problems.
The sole importers Canterbury Water ceased trading and with it all supplies of softeners or spares stopped. Despite every effort, no dialogue or working relationship could be made with the manufacturers in Italy, so the short lived Kited ceased to be.
Better Water Solutions offer a special price on a replacement water softener to replace any Canterbury Kite water softener regardless from whom it was purchased. The unit offered is made by the biggest manufacturer in the world and has prove quality, reliability and longevity; in fact we are still servicing softeners of this make that are 20 years old.
To inquire about this special offer just email your name and address to us along with your proof of purchase of your Canterbury Kite and we will contact you.
Permutit - A wolf in sheep's clothing?
Many years ago there was really only one water softener in the UK that mattered and that was Permutit, but the name has gone through many different companies during the last 25 years or so.
The Permutit brand was very established and respected, so it came as a surprise when a string of companies used the Permutit name to disguise and launch their own products onto the British market place. The current owner (user) of the name is Culligan, an American company who also acquired other well established British companies to advance their hold on the market place. Good companies such as Liff, Waterside and Aquadial along with Permutit name became 'name only' and could arrive with any make of control system in them, some good, others not so good.
At Better Water Solutions We can source most Permutit spares, no matter what name or company produced your Permutit softener, it's just a matter of us identifying it, so why not try giving us a cal on 0845 3703702 and we will do what we can to help.
If you have had a genuine Permutit water softener for many years you will be aware of just how reliable it has been, so why not try to get a few extra years out of it? Sometimes we cannot help, and it may be so old that spare parts are no longer available, but even then we can help you, because we can supply you with the exact control system and mechanism (in its modern form) that went into your permutit water softener, under the name of Micro-Soft 2000
The biggest and best manufacturer of water softeners control system in the world is an American company called Fleck Controls, the very same company that supplied the softening systems in the Permutit water softener and they are still manufactured to this day.
The Fleck system is used in our Micro-Soft 2000 and 3000water softeners, the proven quality and pedigree of the original Permutit continues.
We are not always available on the telephone to help you so we have added a PDF instruction and spare parts list for you to look at to help you find the spare parts that you need. If you find the parts that you need you can email us letting us know what you want and we will get back to you as soon as possible, of course if you would prefer to talk to us you are most welcome, our number is 01233 645688.
Download PDF Fleck_5600_5600EC
(Opens in new window or right click and save to your computer)
The Salamander Water softener was made several years ago but was discontinued in April of 2005. Salamander (Eng) Limited from Sutton Coalfield have been manufacturers of water care products for many years and only produced their water softeners for a relatively short period. They now concentrate in scale reducers and inhibitors.
An ideal replacement for a Salamander water softener will be a Micro-Soft 2000 or 3000.
Plagued with problems from the very start the Wizard was a knee jerk reaction by Euraqua to compete and try to gain some advantage of the (then) ground breaking Kite Water Softener.
Based on the Siata control assembly similar to the Kite Water Softener the Wizard was a twin tank unit of a very compact size, however (in our opinion) it was put on the market far too quickly and without adequate testing. The problems were so many and seemingly insurmountable that it was discontinued almost as soon as it appeared.
Parts of the Siana valve are almost impossible to get hold of and we have long since run out of new spares parts and reconditioned parts.
The technology behind the valve (control system) was far too complicated, with too many moving (and wearing) parts causing problems to occur very soon after installation. There were pistons, micro switches and any number of over complications and for all that it had a very low capacity.
But it was very small and therefore very tempting to customers and installers alike. There are many companies in the UK who had their fingers very badly burnt with the Wizard and the Kite including our selves.
To summarise we know of no one remaining in the country that can repair or supply spare parts.
Better Water Solutions do however offer a special price for a traditional and reliable unit for all Wizard and Kite water softener owners. To enquire about this special offer just email your name and address to us along with your proof of purchase of your Wizard or Kite and we will contact you.
Better Water Solutions:
Oakdale, Faversham Road, Charing, Kent UK TN27 0NS
Tel: 01233 878531
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk
