Hague Quality Water International
This one comes in five sizes. That sounds like a small detail and it's the entire point. Most softeners are sold as one thing and your house has to live with it. The HC3 gets picked to fit the house, anywhere from 9 to 18.5 gallons a minute, which is the difference between a system that keeps up and one you notice every morning.
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Why five sizes matters
Buying a softener is a bit like buying a water heater. Nobody asks which one is best. They ask which one is right for the house, because a 40 gallon tank in a six person home is a cold shower every morning no matter how well it's made.
That matters here because Orange County housing runs the full range, from two bathroom tract homes to places with six bathrooms and a pool. One softener size was never going to cover all of it.
Softeners work the same way, except the symptom is pressure instead of temperature. Undersize one and you've built a bottleneck into your main line. Every shower that runs while the dishwasher is going feels it. Oversize one and you've paid for capacity you'll never touch and you'll regenerate more salt than you need to.
The HC3 comes in five sizes precisely so nobody has to guess. The smallest handles 9 gallons per minute. The largest handles 18.5, which is more than double. Hardness capacity climbs alongside it, from 60 grains per gallon up to 130, and iron tolerance from 2 ppm up to 10.
Which one belongs in your house comes down to a number we measure at your hose bib, not to square footage and not to a guess over the phone. That's a thirty minute job and it costs nothing.
We stay in Orange County on purpose. One county means the crew already knows how the water behaves from Irvine down to the coast, so nobody's learning your neighborhood on your job. We install and service across the county, and our trucks are in these towns most weeks.
System features
From Hague's own sheet, with a note on what each one actually buys you.
Five buttons, a live flow rate display, and the ability to regenerate on either a schedule or your actual water use. Most softeners run on a timer, which is like watering the lawn on schedule during a rainstorm. This one watches what you've actually used. It also holds your settings through a power cut, so you're not reprogramming it after every outage.
The bypass is an off ramp. Send untreated water to the outdoor lines while the house keeps getting the soft supply. Your lawn doesn't care about hardness, and salt isn't free.
Maximum resin depth means water spends longer in contact with the softening media on the way through. More contact time means more hardness removed per pass and better use of the salt you're buying. Think of it as a longer runway rather than a bigger engine.
A gravel bed underneath the media spreads flow evenly across the whole tank. Without it water carves a path through the resin like a stream through sand, and everything outside that channel sits unused. Even flow means the whole bed earns its keep.
Holds the salt that makes the brine for regeneration, and it's built to be easy to get at and easy to fill. Depending on size it takes 200, 400 or 640 pounds, so how often you're topping it up depends on which one goes in.
Hague builds the HC3 on low voltage technology and describes it as their economical option using the same construction as their higher end softeners. Day to day the running cost is salt and an occasional check.
All five sizes
Published rather than described, so you can hold it against anything else you're weighing up. Scroll it sideways on a phone.
| HC3 25 | HC3 35 | HC3 48 | HC3 64 | HC3 105 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flow rate at 15 psi drop | 9 gpm | 10 gpm | 12 gpm | 16 gpm | 18.5 gpm |
| Max compensated hardness | 60 gpg | 90 gpg | 110 gpg | 120 gpg | 130 gpg |
| Iron in solution | 2 ppm | 6 ppm | 8 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm |
| Minimum pH | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Capacity, salt setting 1 (2.5 lb) | 9,100 gr | 12,500 gr | 17,100 gr | 22,800 gr | 37,600 gr |
| Salt setting 2 (3.8 lb) | 12,500 gr | 17,200 gr | 23,400 gr | 31,200 gr | 51,500 gr |
| Salt setting 3 (5.0 lb) | 15,100 gr | 20,800 gr | 28,500 gr | 37,900 gr | 62,600 gr |
| Salt setting 4 (7.0 lb) | 18,900 gr | 25,900 gr | 35,300 gr | 47,100 gr | 77,800 gr |
| Salt setting 5 (15 lb) | 21,700 gr | 29,900 gr | 40,800 gr | 54,400 gr | 89,200 gr |
| Resin / media amount | 0.8 cu.ft. | 1.1 cu.ft. | 1.5 cu.ft. | 2.0 cu.ft. | 3.3 cu.ft. |
| Water pressure | 20 to 120 psi | 20 to 120 psi | 20 to 120 psi | 30 to 120 psi | 30 to 120 psi |
| Water temperature | 40 to 120°F | 40 to 120°F | 40 to 120°F | 40 to 120°F | 40 to 120°F |
| Pipe size | 3/4″ | 3/4″ | 3/4″ | 1″ | 1″ |
| Height | 48″ | 52″ | 58″ | 56″ | 69″ |
| Floor space | 18″ x 27″ | 18″ x 28″ | 18″ x 29″ | 26″ x 36″ | 30″ x 38″ |
| Brine tank size | 18″ x 33″ | 18″ x 33″ | 18″ x 33″ | 24″ x 50″ | 24″ x 50″ |
| Brine tank capacity | 200 lb | 200 lb | 200 lb | 640 lb | 640 lb |
Two notes from Hague worth knowing before install. When iron is present in the raw supply, regeneration can't be set beyond 96 hours, and a minimum salt setting of 7 lb per cubic foot of resin is required. And a standard 18 inch brine tank with a salt grid shouldn't be used for salt settings under 3 lb. Both are the kind of detail that gets missed when nobody tests the water first.
What you notice
These are the manufacturer's own headline benefits. Here's what each one looks like once the system is actually running.
Hague's line is that it protects hair and skin. What that means day to day is soap finally rinsing away instead of leaving a film, so skin stops feeling tight after a shower and hair stops squeaking. The same build-up that coats your showerhead has been doing a version of that to you.
Cleaner dishes and cutlery. Those spots on glassware straight out of the dishwasher are dissolved mineral left behind when the water dried. Take the mineral out and the spots have nothing to form from.
Clothes last longer. Hardness minerals get trapped in fabric during the wash and grind away at fibres every cycle, which is why towels go stiff and dark colours look tired early. Softened water washes cleaner with less detergent.
Preserves appliance life. Scale settles inside the water heater, the dishwasher and the washing machine exactly as it does on a faucet, just where you can't see it. This is the expensive one, and it's the reason a softener is usually a maintenance decision rather than a comfort one.
Hague's own description of the HC3 is worth repeating plainly: the same quality construction as their higher end softeners, in a dependable, low maintenance system at an economical price, running on low voltage. It's the sensible middle of their range rather than the flagship, and for a lot of homes that's exactly right.
Which Hague
We carry all three, so we've no reason to talk you into any particular one. Here's the honest split.
| Hydroclean HC3 | Maximizer Model 97 | WaterMax Signature | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sizing to the house, bigger homes, wells | Hardness with tight space | Several water problems at once |
| Sizes | Five, 9 to 18.5 gpm | One, 10.7 gpm | Varies by configuration |
| Design | Two tank, media plus brine | Single cabinet, brine built in | 2 or 3 media chambers |
| Footprint | 18″x27″ up to 30″x38″, plus brine tank | 15″W x 30″H x 19″D, all in | Larger, varies |
| Iron handling | 2 to 10 ppm by size | Up to 10 ppm | Media dependent |
| Manufacturer warranty | 10 year limited | 15 year limited | 25 year limited |
Short version: pick the HC3 when the house is big enough that sizing matters or the water has iron in it. Pick the Model 97 when hardness is the only problem and the garage is full. Pick the Signature Series when the test comes back with several different things to solve at once.
Straight from Hague
Both pages Hague publishes on the Hydroclean HC3. Read the source yourself rather than taking our word for any of it.
Certification and warranty
Two separate things, and it's worth knowing which is which before you buy from anybody.
A 10 year limited warranty covering defects in manufacturing and materials. The HC3 range is designed, assembled and tested in the USA and certified by the Water Quality Association to CSA B483.1. Terms are Hague's, and we'll walk you through the document before you decide anything.
Our own work is covered under The McCowin Guarantee. We also file manufacturer warranty claims on your behalf rather than handing you a phone number for Ohio and wishing you luck.
If the HC3 we install doesn't do what we said it would:
The performance guarantee runs one year from your installation date. Service support doesn't expire.
From Orange County homeowners
Softener installs, plus a few on how the service has gone since. That second part is what a warranty actually rests on.
Ronald and Cindi
Tustin homeowners
“We were completely pleased with the installation of a water softener system.”
They wrote that Brian and Alan answered every question and made the adjustments needed to fit the softener perfectly in their garage.
Kathy Leedom
Irvine homeowner
“He was thorough, answered all my questions, and couldn't have been nicer.”
Brian walked her through the system, then Joel came out to install the tanks and show her how it all works.
Anita
Laguna Niguel homeowner
“They carry many different manufacturers and can recommend the one best suited for your needs.”
She wanted a system that was efficient and produced the least waste water, and wrote that is exactly what she got.
Jennifer Hill
Costa Mesa homeowner
“They're so professional and helpful. I feel completely safe with their system in my home.”
She described the team as reliable and trustworthy, and said that's rare these days.
Henry Novell
Google review
“Good company. Answered every question I had.”
After a Hague water softener and reverse osmosis installation.
Mike Michino
Google review
“Meticulous, and complete in every detail. They do not cut any corners.”
On his annual service visit. He wrote that the technician had him reprogram the unit himself so he could do it after they left.
Ethan Blair
Google review
“We have been with McCowin water for 7 years and only encountered positive results.”
Seven years of quoting, scheduling, service and follow up.
Tom Atkins
Google review
“Good company. High integrity.”
Several years as a customer. Brian came out personally on his most recent visit.
Questions
That's the whole question with this system, and it's decided by your flow rate more than anything else. The five sizes run from the HC3 25 at 9 gallons per minute up to the HC3 105 at 18.5. A three bedroom with two bathrooms sits comfortably at the smaller end. A house with five or six bathrooms where the morning rush overlaps needs the bigger end, or you'll feel it in the pressure. We measure your actual flow at the hose bib during the free water test and size from that number rather than from square footage.
Two things. First, it comes in five sizes rather than one, so it gets matched to your house instead of your house adapting to it. Second, the dual mode controller regenerates on actual water use rather than on a timer. A timer softener runs its cycle whether you used the water or not, which is like watering the lawn on schedule during a rainstorm. This one watches consumption and regenerates when it genuinely needs to, which means less salt and less water down the drain.
They are capacity sizes, not different products. HC3 25, 35, 48, 64 and 105 all run the same five button dual mode controller and the same construction, and they step up in resin volume, hardness capacity, iron tolerance and flow rate as the number rises. The 25 holds 0.8 cubic feet of resin and moves 9 gallons per minute. The 105 holds 3.3 cubic feet and moves 18.5. Picking between them is a sizing exercise based on your water test and your flow rate, not a choice between features.
It handles more iron than most softeners, which is usually the well water problem. The HC3 takes up to 10 ppm iron in solution on the 64 and 105, against 2 ppm on the smallest size, so sizing matters more on a well than anywhere else. One caveat straight from Hague: when iron is present in the raw supply, regeneration cannot be set beyond 96 hours and a minimum salt setting of 7 lb per cubic foot of resin is required. That is a setup detail, and it is the sort of thing that gets missed when nobody tests the water first. If your test shows heavy iron or a sulfur smell, we may point you at a different system entirely.
More than a compact single cabinet unit, because this is a two tank system. Floor space runs from 18 by 27 inches on the HC3 25 up to 30 by 38 inches on the HC3 105, with heights from 48 to 69 inches, plus a separate brine tank of 18 by 33 inches at the small end or 24 by 50 at the large end. If your garage can't give up that much, say so early and we'll look at the Maximizer Model 97 instead, which fits everything into one 15 inch wide cabinet.
Yes. The HC3 models 25, 35, 48, 64 and 105 are designed, assembled and tested in the USA and certified by the Water Quality Association to CSA B483.1. Certification details are set and published by the manufacturer.
A 10 year limited warranty from Hague Quality Water International, covering defects in manufacturing and materials. Terms are the manufacturer's and we'll walk you through the document before you buy. Our own installation work is covered separately under The McCowin Guarantee, and we file manufacturer warranty claims for you rather than handing you a phone number.
Salt in the brine tank, and that's mostly it. The system is self cleaning, so there are no filter cartridges to buy and replace, and the controller manages its own regeneration cycles based on how much water you've actually used. We'd still recommend an annual check to confirm settings and performance, which is included in our service programme.
Space and scale. The Model 97 puts everything in one 15 inch cabinet at a fixed 10.7 gallons per minute, which suits most three and four bedroom homes and tight garages. The HC3 is a two tank system that scales up to 18.5 gallons per minute and handles considerably more iron, which is what you want for a larger house or a well. Neither is better in the abstract. Your flow rate and your water test decide it.
Thirty minutes at your kitchen sink tells us which of the five HC3 sizes fits your house, which configuration your water calls for, or whether a different system suits you better. The test is free, the numbers are yours to keep, and there is nothing to buy.
Or come see one in person at the showroom. 222 Goddard, Irvine, CA 92618. (949) 569-5736. Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.
