Water Softener Hardness Calculator

Formula

To calculate the Water Hardness (H):

\[ H = \frac{C \times V}{17.1} \]

Where:

\(H\) is the Hardness of Water (grains per gallon or gpg)
\(C\) is the Concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in water (parts per million or ppm)
\(V\) is the Volume of water passing through the water softener (gallons)
17.1 is the conversion factor to convert ppm to gpg

What is Water Softener Hardness?

Water softener hardness refers to the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water, which are the minerals that make water "hard." These minerals can cause scale build-up in pipes and appliances, making them less efficient and potentially shortening their lifespan. A water softener removes these minerals, reducing the hardness of the water and preventing these issues. The level of hardness in water is usually measured in grains per gallon (gpg), with anything over 1 gpg generally considered hard water.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following values:

Concentration of calcium and magnesium ions (\(C\)) = 200 ppm
Volume of water passing through the softener (\(V\)) = 1000 gallons

Using the formula:

\[ H = \frac{200 \times 1000}{17.1} = 11696.49 \text{ gpg} \]

The Water Hardness is 11696.49 grains per gallon (gpg).