Water Softener

Just started installing our Water Softener.

Rob R. wrote:Do you want unsoftened water pipes to the outside hose spickets? If so, add a tee to the pipe feeding the softener.

Also consider a sediment filter if you get any amount of grit or sand from your well. The meter in the softener head will jam on even a small piece of debris.

Yup, unless you want to sterilize the lawn when watering ! And permanently sterilize it...not like accidentally putting grass killer down instead of weed killer (I knew folks who have made this mistake ~ gotta wait a season to fix that error).

Add too much salt to the lawn and the only way to cure is either a) replace the soil or b) wait 5-20 years

And if you have a septic system I would not have the softener discharge into it..

Outside hose bibs here are plumbed to the softened water, ever wash your car or truck with unsoftened water especially when the hardness is very high? Even with the softener I still get white spots on the windows, especially if It's nearing it's regeneration time.

A hose bib for watering connected to unsoftened water is a good idea.

Rob R. wrote:Do you want unsoftened water pipes to the outside hose spickets? If so, add a tee to the pipe feeding the softener.

Also consider a sediment filter if you get any amount of grit or sand from your well. The meter in the softener head will jam on even a small piece of debris.

I will be adding a Tee into the line before the softener for on of my outside lines. One garden hose, and one car wash hose.

I remember reading about your problem with getting sediment in yours. So I asked the dealer/plumber about needing a sediment filter. He replied "Forget the sediment filter, the softener will take care of any sediment you have. Don't waste your money on them, they are a joke."

So I'll try it without first. If I have trouble it will be easy enough to add later.

grumpy wrote:And if you have a septic system I would not have the softener discharge into it..

I don't have much of an option on this.

I installed a Fleck 5600 SXT a couple months ago and it is performing beautifully. It replaced a Kenmore softener I purchased about 5 yrs ago. It seems to give me a more consistent water product than the Kenmore did. I have it's outflows routed to my basement drain. My water is moderately hard with iron, so I regenerate about three times a month. My one outside spigot is only hard water, I plumbed my other one with two valves so I can have either type of water at my disposal.

WNYRob wrote:I installed a Fleck 5600 SXT a couple months ago and it is performing beautifully. It replaced a Kenmore softener I purchased about 5 yrs ago. It seems to give me a more consistent water product than the Kenmore did. I have it's outflows routed to my basement drain. My water is moderately hard with iron, so I regenerate about three times a month. My one outside spigot is only hard water, I plumbed my other one with two valves so I can have either type of water at my disposal.

When having iron in the water it's better to regenerate the softner more frequently, even if you don't consume a lot of water. Iron is hard on the cation resin in your softner and can fouled it over the time. Usually every 3 to 4 days between regeneration is ok, and you can set the salt to a lower adjustment ex. 6 lbs instead of 10, but it dépends on the hardness + iron = total hardness and the softner's capacity in grains.
A sediment pre-filter is a must specially if having sédiments in the water. Sédiments can clog the injector and the the softner will be less efficient and will be damaged over the time.
Some dealers like to repair more than to prevent. A sed. filter is not a big expense but is a great investment to protect your water softner. Plus Fleck systm have piston and seals and don't like sédiments.
A well calibrated softner could last years, usually more than 15 yrs.

get the sediment filter. You won't regret it.

Use a cyclonic pre filter to get the big heavy stuff out first, everything after it will thank you.

Got one in mind?

coaledsweat wrote:Use a cyclonic pre filter to get the big heavy stuff out first, everything after it will thank you.

You can get a sediment filter like Vueflow having a cleanable cartridge and a blowdown valve at the bottom or ou can get one having not reusable cartridges like a Big Blue 10" or 20", X 4.5". Usually a BB cartridge can make one yr before needing to be replace. BB filters have a very wide range of filtration rated in Microns and some are dual gradient like 25/05 Micron so the exterior stops the larger sédiments while inner part of the filter stops the smaller one. BB come with a heavy d. bracket so it can be fix to a wall...
Vueflow ones are like a screen so you must know what you want to remove from the water they are not deep filters.

Put a "Rusco " spin down filter on it and install a blow down valve on the bottom of it. Easy to clean and will keep the injector from getting clogged all the time.

Any ideas guys? so I have a bad smell in my hot water, I learned it could be the anoid in the water heater, which I could replace with a AL/Zink rod. But the smell is only in one bathroom sink. Not anywhere else.

Today I replaced the big blue water filter and drained/ flushed the water heater and the smell is gone.. Up until I learned of the problem with some rods and a bacteria in some well water will cause this smell I figured it was the water filter as it seems to go away for a period of time then comes back. Dirty filter.?? But then I learned it could be the water heater, but then again that does not fit either..

Anyone else have this problem? In the past I had string wound filters I would leave in forever and never had this problem. However now , less than a year, I have a new water heater and a new BB filter and new Pex plumbing so many new things.

Here is a link that has me scratching my head..

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/E ... aters.html