Check my math plz

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benzo

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So I recently bought a fleck 5600 sxt 48k grain unit for my home. Based on my math, I believe I need ~27k grains capacity out of my (28gpg hardness * 2 people * 60 gal/day). To get 27k grains out of my 48k unit, I believe I need a 8 lb dose of salt (or about 5.3 lbs per cubic foot). Good so far?

I'm trying to figure out what to set my BF - Brine Fill setting at to get optimal salt usage. I believe this unit BFs @ 0.5 gpm. Assuming 3 lbs of salt/gal of water, to get 8 lbs of salt I would need ~3 gals of water (actually 2.7 but I'm rounding up). I believe I need to set my BF setting at 6 mins.

Some documentation I've seen on a couple websites recommend a 12 BF setting for a 48k unit. If the hours I've poured into the numerous websites have really sunk in, I believe that would give me fairly poor salt usage. 12 mins would be 6 gallons of water at 3 lbs per gallon or 18 lbs of salt!!! Guessing they are trying to get me to get 40k+ capacity out of my 48k grains or resin. That being said, I don't think I'll utilize that capacity w/in the # of days recommended between regens (7-10?). Plus I believe the salt usage / efficiency would be fairly poor w/ this BF setting.

Ok, I'm done...I'll prolly call the inet provider that sold me the unit to confirm my math as well but I wanted to test myself, and have some of the great minds on this board confirm.

Thanks!
 

Gary Slusser

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So I recently bought a fleck 5600 sxt 48k grain unit for my home. Based on my math, I believe I need ~27k grains capacity out of my (28gpg hardness * 2 people * 60 gal/day). To get 27k grains out of my 48k unit, I believe I need a 8 lb dose of salt (or about 5.3 lbs per cubic foot). Good so far?

I'm trying to figure out what to set my BF - Brine Fill setting at to get optimal salt usage. I believe this unit BFs @ 0.5 gpm. Assuming 3 lbs of salt/gal of water, to get 8 lbs of salt I would need ~3 gals of water (actually 2.7 but I'm rounding up). I believe I need to set my BF setting at 6 mins.
Yes, all is correct (964 gals) except you don't mention any reserve (the SXT has a number of choices to do that), although you have the extra bit of salt.

That is another reason I suggest the Clack WS-1, it has variable reserve and you don't need to calculate any, the computer uses the actual water used and every midnight it varies the reserve for the next day, based on the last three tomorrows' actual/historical water use. Also, you can set the salt dose in tenths of a lb if you wanted to (I round up to the next half lb).
 

benzo

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Thanks!

Thanks biermech and Gary for the confirmation.

Gary, I'll be using the default settings for the safety/reserve @ 20%. Between the "extra bit of salt" and the 20% reserve, I should be ok.

Thanks again folks!
 

benzo

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Reserve Capacity

Gary,

Thanks for the heads up on the reserve factor. If you look at my math above, I've accounted for a regen every 8 days (assuming 60 gals/day). Assuming then, I use one of those days as my reserve and plan on actually regen'ing every 7 days, I believe I can leave my salt dose settings where they are and simply change my reserve % to 13%. That make sense? (1 / 8 = 12.5% or 13%).

Biermech,

The reason I'm using 60 gal/day vs 75 gal/day is because 1 of those people who live in the house is actually my 2 yr old son whom I share custody with. So he isn't around 100% of the time. I figure in the event I exceed the 60 gal/day, I KNOW he won't. Thanks for the tip tho!
 

benzo

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Gary,

This is a 5600 sxt control valve. Unless I'm mistaken, there isn't an option to set the gallons. At least that isn't apparent in the instructions I've looked at. I believe you are basically accomplishing the same thing I did with your gallon recommendation. The reserve on this control valve is set as a percentage. If we look at 27000 grains / 28 gpg = 964 gallons of capacity. You are recommending I set the gallons to 844, which would give me 120 gallons of reserve or 120 gallons / 964 gallons = ~12.4%. That seems to be in line with my explanation above. Do you agree? Disagree?
 

Gary Slusser

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Well I'd have a tough time disagreeing with the math.... but are you sure the percentage is used on the full 27K and not by the day? I just read all about the SXT a few days ago but can't recall specifics, I was comparing it to a Clack WS-1, and the SXT is quite 'light' compared that way so I only paid attention to its disadvantages.

So go for it any way you can because IIRC (I don't want to go look it up lol) it doesn't have variable reserve.

BTW, who do you buy it from that didn't tell you the settings to program it with? I saw just yesterday that ohiopurewater doesn't.
 

benzo

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Honestly, I'd rather not say. I don't want anyone taking the thread and drawing conclusions about the service this company provides. I have not tried to contact the company support phone number yet. I would suspect they could help me with this as well but I'm merely attempting to learn a little about this stuff and using this forum and its many great minds to do so.

Thanks for your help Gary.
 

Gary Slusser

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They did not assist you in sizing the softener or give you the programming before or as or after you bought from them. That is wrong and I am sure many people would be helped if you gave the name.

I know I would because I keep getting calls, emails and posts from competitors' customers like this asking for help in programming. And helping others is the right thing to do; especially if they have helped you.
 

benzo

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Gary,

I did not ask them for help sizing, nor have I asked them for help with the settings. I used various websites (including yours) to determine the proper sizing of my unit. Perhaps I'm a bit different than your typical clientele, but I prefer to arm myself with information prior to making a purchase such as this. In the process, I've learned a little bit (probably more than I care to admit) and I'm a better consumer because of it. I like the idea of knowing how this stuff works so that if I find myself in a situation where I need to adjust my valve settings, I can figure it out on my own w/out having to call the salesperson who sold it to me.

Thank you for all of your help Gary. You've been a valuable resource. I certainly hope I've not wasted too much of your time in my quest for water softener knowledge. :)
 
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