A. O. Smith · Installed by McCowin Water
A.O. Smith Expert Series RC
Here's the thing most softeners won't do. Your water usually has more than one problem, the hardness, sure, but also the chlorine taste and smell from the city. This one handles both in a single tank, softener and carbon filter together, and it sips salt and water while it does it. Advanced technology, simple to live with.
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Why this one exists
Two water problems. One tank. That's the whole idea.
Walk into a lot of Orange County garages that have "handled their water" and you'll find two things bolted to the wall: a softener over here, a separate carbon filter over there, plumbed together like a science project. That's because most equipment does one job. It softens, or it filters, and if you need both you buy both.
The A. O. Smith Expert Series RC was built to end that. Its dual-chamber design puts two medias in one tank: high-performance resin to strip out the hardness, and activated carbon to knock down the chlorine taste and smell that comes with city water. Your water passes through both in a single trip and comes out softened and better tasting at once. One unit doing the work of two.
And here's the part people don't expect from a do-it-all system. It's the efficient one. A. O. Smith's patented Water Efficient Technology, W.E.T., only draws the salt and water the system actually needs and regenerates only when necessary. A. O. Smith reports that saves up to 50 percent salt during regenerations. So it does more, and costs less to run doing it. That's a rare combination, and it's the whole point of the design.
How it actually works
Softening and filtering are two different jobs. Here's both.
Once you get this, the whole decision gets easier, and almost nobody bothers to explain it. So here it is in plain English.
Start with hardness, because everyone here has it. Hard water isn't dirty. It's water carrying dissolved calcium and magnesium, picked up from rock on the way to your house. Those minerals are safe to drink. They're just lousy houseguests. The moment water heats up or dries, they crash out as limescale, the white crust on your showerhead and the film on your glasses.
The resin chamber fixes that through ion exchange. Inside sits a bed of resin beads, each holding a harmless sodium ion. Hard water flows through, the beads grab the calcium and magnesium and hand back sodium in the swap. Hard goes in, soft comes out. When the beads fill up, the system regenerates, rinsing the hardness away and reloading, like wringing out a sponge so it can soak up again.
Now the second chamber, the part a plain softener can't do. The activated carbon works like a sponge for the stuff you can taste and smell, mostly the chlorine your city adds to the water for the trip through the pipes. Carbon grabs it on the way out, so the water that reaches your tap is softened and cleaner tasting in the same pass. Most systems make you buy a second tank for this. The Expert Series RC keeps it in one.
One more thing worth knowing. This is a whole house system installed where the main line comes in, so every tap downstream gets the treated water, not just the kitchen faucet. And with only one internal moving part plus battery back-up, it's built to keep doing this quietly for years.
Room by room
What actually changes in the house, once the water's right
Bad water never sends you a bill. It just quietly wears down expensive things while you wonder why the dishes never look clean. Here's where you'll feel the difference.
The water heater
This is the pricey one. Scale settles on the heating element like a blanket, so the unit burns more energy to hit the same temperature. That rumble from the garage is scale on the burner. Hard water is why plenty of water heaters die years early, and it quietly ages every appliance the water touches.
The dishwasher and washer
Scale builds up inside the dishwasher and washing machine just like on your showerhead, where you can't see it. Soften the water and detergent finally rinses instead of leaving soap scum, so glasses come out without spotting and towels feel soft instead of stiff.
The taste and the smell
This is what the carbon chamber is for, and it's the part a softener alone can't touch. That chlorine tang and faint pool smell in city water gets pulled out by the activated carbon. You notice this one on the first glass you pour.
Skin, hair and soap
Hard water stops soap from lathering and leaves a film that rinsing never fully clears. That's a big reason skin feels tight or dry after a shower. With softened water you'll reach for noticeably less shampoo and detergent, because what you use finally works.
Stains and fixtures
The white crust on the showerhead, the ring on the faucet, the cloudy glass. Same cause, same result, fixtures looking a decade older than they are. Soft water stops the chore before it starts.
The pipes you can't see
Whatever's crusted on the chrome is also lining the inside of your pipes. Scale narrows them over the years, chipping away at flow and at the efficiency of everything downstream. Nobody notices this one until a plumber is quoting a repipe.
Inside the cabinet
What makes it an Expert Series RC
Straight from A. O. Smith's own sheet, with a plain note on why each one matters once it's bolted into your garage.
Dual-chamber design
The heart of it. High-performance resin and activated carbon share one tank, so a single unit both softens the water and filters out chlorine taste and odor. This is the reason it can solve two problems that normally take two separate units.
Water Efficient Technology (W.E.T.)
A. O. Smith's patented efficiency package. Proportional brining uses less salt, proportional regeneration uses less water, and the system regenerates only when it needs to. A. O. Smith reports it saves up to 50 percent salt during regenerations. You feel that on the salt bill.
Patented chlorine generator
The unit cleans itself. It creates a small amount of chlorine during its cycle to sanitize the media bed, then monitors every cleaning, so the inside of the tank stays fresh without you lifting a finger. Think self-cleaning oven, for your softener.
Salt monitor and savings screen
No more lifting the lid to guess. The salt monitor sounds an alarm when your salt runs low, and the savings history screen shows you how much salt and water W.E.T. has actually saved. The system keeps score so you don't have to.
One moving part, battery back-up
Simplicity is durability. With only one internal moving part there's far less to ever go wrong, and battery back-up means the unit keeps its settings through a power blip. Less to maintain, less to think about.
Low-maintenance brine tank
A heavy-duty, corrosion-free salt tank with a built-in safety float and dry salt storage. It fills with soft water, which keeps it cleaner, so you spend less time fussing with the salt side of the system.
Wripli Wi-Fi, optional
Turn it on and you can watch your flow rate and daily usage, see your salt and water savings, get low-salt and service alerts, and set Vacation Mode from anywhere in the world. A convenience, never a requirement.
The published numbers
Straight from A. O. Smith, so you can hold it up against anything else
Most water company sites won't show you this. Here it is, both models, as A. O. Smith publishes it, so you're comparing apples to apples.
| System type | Dual-chamber softener and activated carbon filter, one media tank plus brine tank |
|---|---|
| Models | AOERC-1054 and AOERC-1354 (downflow), or the U suffix for upflow |
| Resin media | 1.0 cu ft (1054) or 1.5 cu ft (1354) |
| Carbon media | 0.5 cu ft (1054) or 1.0 cu ft (1354) |
| Grain capacity | Up to 32,000 (1054) or 48,800 (1354), by salt setting |
| Maximum water hardness | 75 GPG (1054) or 100 GPG (1354) |
| Maximum iron | 1.0 PPM |
| Peak flow rate | 15.6 GPM (1054) or 20.4 GPM (1354) at 15.0 P-PSI |
| Continuous flow rate | 9.7 GPM (1054) or 13.2 GPM (1354) at 7.5 P-PSI |
| Water pressure range | 25 to 100 PSI |
| Water temperature | 33 to 100 F |
| Electrical | 110 V, 50/60 Hz |
| Pipe size | 1 inch |
| Media tank and valve | 10 in W x 62 in H (1054) or 13 in W x 62 in H (1354) |
| Brine tank | 18 in W x 33 in H (1054) or 18 in W x 40 in H (1354) |
| Efficiency | W.E.T., saves up to 50 percent salt during regenerations |
| Assembly | Made in the USA |
The two numbers we always confirm in person are hardness and flow. Hardness decides which model and salt setting your water needs. Flow rate is like a doorway, it has to be wide enough that everyone in the house can pull water at once without bumping shoulders. A three bedroom is a different doorway than a six bathroom home at seven in the morning. So we measure your actual hardness and flow before we finalize the model, not after. Undersizing is the number one reason people call about pressure, and we'd rather not be that call.
1054 or 1354
Two sizes of the same system. Here's the honest difference.
People ask us which one constantly, so here they are side by side instead of us pushing the bigger one by default.
| AOERC-1054 | AOERC-1354 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most homes with moderate hardness and typical demand | Harder water or a busier, higher-demand household |
| Grain capacity | Up to 32,000 | Up to 48,800 |
| Resin / carbon | 1.0 cu ft / 0.5 cu ft | 1.5 cu ft / 1.0 cu ft |
| Max hardness | 75 GPG | 100 GPG |
| Peak flow | 15.6 GPM | 20.4 GPM |
| Continuous flow | 9.7 GPM | 13.2 GPM |
| Media tank | 10 in W x 62 in H | 13 in W x 62 in H |
Simple version. If your water test comes back with moderate hardness and a normal-size household, the 1054 handles it beautifully and takes up less room. If it comes back with harder water or you've got a full house pulling water at once, the 1354 has the headroom so you never run short mid-morning. Both soften and filter the same way, both come in downflow or upflow. We'd rather size you right than sell you big, which is the entire reason we measure first.
Local context
Built for the water we've actually got in Orange County
We work one county on purpose, so we can be specific about this instead of hand-wavy.
City water here is usually a two-part problem. Orange County tap water tends to run hard, often around 12 to 23 grains per gallon in a lot of neighborhoods, and it's chlorinated. That is exactly the Expert Series RC's home turf, resin for the hardness and carbon for the chlorine, both handled in one tank. This is the situation where a combined softener and filter stops being a nice-to-have and becomes the obvious move.
Match the model to the hardness. Because our neighborhoods vary, the free water test matters. Softer city water may only need the 1054, while a home on harder water leans toward the 1354, which handles up to 100 grains per gallon. We read your number first, then pick.
The garage still matters. A two-car garage in a 1970s tract home is already holding a washer, a dryer, a water heater, and boxes nobody's opened since the move. The RC is a slim media tank plus a separate salt tank, so we look at the real spot when our tech is out and tell you straight whether it fits.
We stay in Orange County for a reason. 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 dime. Our trucks are in these towns most weeks.
Our shop is at 222 Goddard in Irvine and our trucks run daily, so most appointments land the same week.
The honest part
Who this suits, and who it doesn't
It's probably right for you if you're on city water with hard water plus chlorine, which is most of Orange County, and you'd rather buy one system that softens and filters than bolt two units to the wall. If you want low salt use and a unit that mostly takes care of itself, this is the one.
It might not be the fit if your only complaint is drinking-water taste at one tap. In that case a reverse osmosis unit under the kitchen sink does that job for less, and we'll tell you so. And if you're on a well with heavy iron, sulfur, or acidic water, that's a different configuration, we'd test and recommend accordingly rather than force this one.
It's also not for you if you rent, since this is permanent plumbing work, or if you're hunting for something under a hundred dollars from a marketplace. That's a fair thing to want. It just isn't this.
Thirty minutes at your kitchen sink settles all of it. Hardness, chlorine, iron, total dissolved solids, pH, plus pressure and flow at the hose bib. We write the numbers down and hand them to you, whether you buy anything or not. Think of it as a blood panel for your plumbing.
Install, service and what backs it
Bought, installed and backed by one local shop
The real advantage of a system like this isn't the box. It's who stands behind it after the install. Here's how that works with us.
From A. O. Smith, the manufacturer
The equipment carries A. O. Smith's manufacturer warranty, and it's designed and made in the USA. Terms are set by the manufacturer, and we walk you through the actual warranty document before you buy rather than after.
From us, the installer
Our own work is covered under The McCowin Guarantee. And when a manufacturer claim ever comes up, we file it for you rather than handing you a phone number and wishing you luck.
The McCowin Guarantee on this system
If the Expert Series RC we size and install doesn't do what we said it would:
- We come out and fix it. No charge.
- If we can't fix it, we make it right, up to replacing the system with one that does the job.
Our installation workmanship guarantee runs one year from your installation date, and our service support doesn't expire. Full written terms come with your quote, and where this page and a signed agreement ever differ, the signed agreement controls.
From Orange County homeowners
People who had us put a system in
Installs, plus a few on how the service has gone since. That second part is what a long relationship with a softener really rests on.
“We were completely pleased with the installation of a water softener system.”
Ronald and Cindi, Tustin. They wrote that Brian and Alan answered every question and fit the system perfectly in their garage.
“He was thorough, answered all my questions, and couldn't have been nicer.”
Kathy Leedom, Irvine. Brian walked her through the system, then the crew installed it and showed her how it works.
“They carry many different manufacturers and can recommend the one best suited for your needs.”
Anita, Laguna Niguel. She wanted an efficient system with the least waste, and wrote that is what she got.
“We have been with McCowin Water for 7 years and only encountered positive results.”
Ethan Blair. Seven years of quoting, scheduling, service and follow up.
Questions
What people ask about the Expert Series RC
What does the RC in Expert Series RC actually mean?
RC is A. O. Smith's name for the dual-chamber design, resin and carbon working together in one tank. Most equipment does one job. It softens, or it filters. The Expert Series RC packs both into a single unit: high-performance resin on one side to pull out the hardness, and activated carbon on the other to knock down chlorine taste and odor. Think of it as two tools in one toolbox instead of two separate boxes bolted to your garage wall. One tank, both jobs, in a single pass.
How does a softener and a carbon filter work together in one tank?
Two different jobs, two different medias, one cabinet. The softening happens by ion exchange in the resin, the beads trade the calcium and magnesium that make water hard for a tiny bit of sodium, so hard goes in and soft comes out. The filtering happens in the activated carbon, which acts like a sponge for the chlorine that gives city water its pool-water taste and smell. Your water passes through both on its way to the house, so it comes out softened and better tasting at the same time. Most systems make you buy two units for that. This one does it in one.
What is W.E.T. and how does it save salt and water?
W.E.T. stands for Water Efficient Technology, A. O. Smith's patented set of features that keep the system from wasting salt and water. Instead of running a full, fixed regeneration on a timer whether it needs one or not, the Expert Series RC uses proportional brining and proportional regeneration, it only draws the salt and water it actually needs to refresh the resin, and it regenerates only when necessary. A. O. Smith reports this saves up to 50 percent salt during regenerations. It is like a smart thermostat for your softener, effort matched to demand, so you feel it on the salt bill for years.
Which model is right for my home, the 1054 or the 1354?
It comes down to how hard your water is and how much your house uses. The AOERC-1054 carries 1.0 cubic foot of resin and 0.5 cubic foot of carbon, handles hardness up to 75 grains per gallon, and peaks around 15.6 gallons per minute, plenty for many homes. The larger AOERC-1354 carries 1.5 cubic feet of resin and 1.0 cubic foot of carbon, handles hardness up to 100 grains per gallon, and peaks around 20.4 gallons per minute, built for harder water or a busier household. Both come in downflow or upflow. The free water test tells us your exact hardness and flow, so we size it right instead of guessing.
Will softened water feel slippery or taste salty?
Softened water does feel a little silkier in the shower, because the soap is finally rinsing instead of fighting the minerals. Most people love it, a few take a week to adjust. As for salty, no. Softening trades hardness for a small amount of sodium, and how much depends on how hard your water was to begin with. It is nowhere near enough to taste. If you are watching sodium or would rather not, we can run potassium instead, and many homes add a reverse osmosis unit at the kitchen tap so drinking water gets its own final stage. We will lay out both at the test.
What is the chlorine generator and the self-cleaning feature?
The Expert Series RC has a patented chlorine generator that lets the unit clean itself. During its cycle it creates a small amount of chlorine to sanitize the media bed, then monitors every cleaning, so the inside of the tank stays fresh without you doing anything or adding chemicals by hand. It is a bit like a self-cleaning oven for your softener. Combined with the activated carbon, which removes chlorine from your city water on the way out, you get a system that keeps itself clean and still delivers better tasting water to the tap.
Do I need the Wripli Wi-Fi option?
No, the softener works perfectly without it. Wripli is A. O. Smith's Wi-Fi add-on, and it is a convenience, not a requirement. Turn it on and you can see your current flow rate and daily water usage, watch how much salt and water W.E.T. is saving you, get notifications for low salt or a service alarm, and set Vacation Mode from anywhere in the world so the system does not run needless regenerations while you are away. If you like keeping an eye on things from your phone, it is worth it. If you do not, the unit runs great on its own.
How much maintenance does it need?
Less than most people expect. The Expert Series RC has only one internal moving part, which is a big reason it is easy to live with, and it has battery back-up so it keeps its settings through a power blip. There are no filter cartridges to unscrew and rebuy, the carbon lives in the tank. You keep salt in the brine tank, and the salt monitor alerts you before you run low. We would still recommend an annual service check to keep everything reading right, and we put that on a simple plan so remembering it is our job, not yours.
Will it fit in my garage?
Almost always. The 1054 media tank is about 10 inches wide and 62 inches tall with its brine tank at 18 inches wide and 33 inches tall, and the larger 1354 is about 13 inches wide and 62 inches tall with an 18 by 40 inch brine tank. So you are looking at a slim media tank plus a separate salt tank beside it, not a sprawling wall of equipment. That said, we never guess. When our technician comes out for the free water test, we look at the actual spot, the plumbing, and the drain, and tell you honestly whether it fits where you are picturing it.
Is it good for well water or just city water?
It is built first for city water, where hardness plus chlorine is the usual combination, and that is exactly what the resin-and-carbon pairing is made for. It also handles a modest amount of iron, up to about 1.0 part per million, though iron removal varies with the form of the iron, the pH, and local conditions. If you are on a well with heavy iron, sulfur smell, or acidic water, that is a different conversation and we may recommend a different configuration. On any water, well or city, we test first and talk second, because no two homes read the same.
Who backs the warranty, and do you handle service?
Two separate things cover the system. The equipment carries A. O. Smith's manufacturer warranty, and we walk you through the actual terms in writing before you buy rather than after. Our own installation work is covered separately under The McCowin Guarantee. And when a manufacturer claim ever comes up, we file it for you instead of handing you a phone number. McCowin Water has designed, installed and serviced water systems across Orange County since 1972, so when something needs attention you call a local shop whose trucks are already in your area.
Straight from A. O. Smith
The Expert Series RC brochure, in full
Both pages A. O. Smith publishes on the Expert Series RC, the overview and the full feature and specification breakdown. Read the source yourself rather than taking our word for any of it.
Find out what your water needs before you buy anything.
Thirty minutes at your kitchen sink tells us your hardness, your chlorine, and your flow, so we can size the right Expert Series RC for your home instead of the biggest one. The test is free, the numbers are yours to keep, and there's 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.