Alternative to Super Iron Out - horrific smell when used in softener

[Gary Slusser]

I say there is something wrong with the softener or the odor would be gone at the end of the regeneration, or you are using way too much for the size of the softener.

 

[stockman20]

I say there is something wrong with the softener or the odor would be gone at the end of the regeneration, or you are using way too much for the size of the softener.

That would've been my guess too, but I experienced the same problem with my old softener. I'm using about 1/2 cup in the new softener (2.5 cuft).

The new softener is consistently producing soft/iron free water so I'm doubtful there's a problem with it. Whenever I notice on the valve that it will regen that night I check the water before I go to bed and it's always 0grains soft with less than 0.2ppm iron. I'm not saying it's an impossibility that it's not working correctly, but I do believe that it is.

The other interesting thing to note, as I've mentioned before, is that the odor smells nothing like SIO. When I called the manufacturer of SIO the guy said that if it wasn't regenerating properly I would smell the citric/acidic smell of the product in my water. I don't.

I should add that the manufacturer had no idea what was causing the odor, even though it only appears after I run SIO through the softener.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[depawl]

I realize this is a very old thread, which I just came across, but I'm experiencing exactly the same problem (bad odor in water) after adding SIO to my softener, and numerous regenerations have not corrected it. As the original poster stated, it appears to be gaseous, as it goes away after a few seconds, and it also is gone when the softener is bypassed or regenerating. Wondering if anyone has any more info or has come across a solution?
Thanks.

 

[Reach4]

I realize this is a very old thread, which I just came across, but I'm experiencing exactly the same problem (bad odor in water) after adding SIO to my softener, and numerous regenerations have not corrected it. As the original poster stated, it appears to be gaseous, as it goes away after a few seconds, and it also is gone when the softener is bypassed or regenerating. Wondering if anyone has any more info or has come across a solution?

Are you saying you added IO to the brine tank, and are still adding?
Are you saying that you intend to keep using IO in the brine tank routinely rather than switching to citric acid?
Are you saying there is a lingering smell in the water after a regeneration that last a 1/2 day in the cold and it takes longer to clear what is in the water heater?

Your BD cycle may need to be to extended to extend the slow rinse time. The slow rinse is the remaining time in the BD after the brine has all been sucked in.

 

[depawl]

Sorry I didn't give a lot of detail. I have a Whirlpool WHES33 LE33 softener. I have historically used Iron Out (now SIO) every 3 to 4 months as directed (1/2 cup dissolved in a gallon of water, dumped into the brine well before regeneration). I have never had any issues other than maybe a slight iron out odor for a day or so after regeneration. The last time the softener regenerated, maybe a couple weeks ago, I added the SIO prior to, and shortly after regeneration I noticed this strong odor and taste. It doesn't really smell like SIO, it's hard to explain what it smells like, other than it's really nasty.
As others have mentioned, it only occurs in the cold water, not in the hot water ( I have an on demand water heater, no tank) and the smell in the cold water dissipates quickly if left to sit in a glass, which seems to indicate it is a gas.
I've probably regenerated the softener 5 or 6 times since this started, with no apparent drop off in the odor. When the softener is regenerating, the odor is not present. My untreated water has an earthy, metallic smell, but nothing like what I am experiencing now with the softened water. The softener does still appear to be functioning normally otherwise.
Thanks.

 

[Reach4]

You might want to add some chlorine bleach to the brine tank, and then trigger a regen. Maybe 1 teaspoon. This would even be for city water, but I suspect you have a well.

Have you sanitized your well?

Also consider switching from IO to citric acid or Res-Up or ResCare. Those address iron too without the smell.

Res-Up or ResCare are usually used with a special dispenser.

 

[depawl]

OK I'll give the chlorine a try in the softener.
Yes I am on a well, but have not sanitized it. I also have a uv light.
I'll look into Res-Up and/or ResCare. I do not plan to use IO again.
Thanks.

 

[depawl]

Oh, and btw, Whirlpool makes a water softener cleaner, which looks and smells like Windex. I gave that a try but it
made no difference as far as removing the odor.

 

[Reach4]

Yes I am on a well, but have not sanitized it. I also have a uv light.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my sanitizing writeup. It is more intensive than what is usually done.

You might instead try hydrogen peroxide in the brine tank and then regen. Neutra Sul is a brand name of stabilized peroxide. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....-only-after-water-softener.90435/#post-649753 #4 and #8.

 

[Reach4]

Now time for a really dumb question - If sediment that collects in the softener is able to be backwashed out, what prevents the resin from being backwashed out right along with it? I'm assuming those beads can be similarly sized to the pieces of sediment I saw in the bottom of my filter housing.

The backwash rate is controlled. With regular resin, that backwash is typically 2.4 gpm. That should let the resin expand but not so much to exit the top. But today there is typically a second defense: a top basket (strainer) blocks the exit for full sized pieces.

Backwash rate is less with fine mesh resin.

The lift of a particle is less if it is bigger than a similar density particle. The lift of a particle is greater if its density is less than a similarly-sized particle.

What did your accumulated sediment look like-- sand? Some put a filter before the softener. I have cartridges before my softener and after my backwashing filter.

 

[depawl]

Update: So I got a gallon of the Neutra Sul, and have tried adding a cup to the bring tank prior to the regeneration cycle for the
last 5 or 6 times, and after regeneration for a day or so the water is fine, but then the odor returns. So unless anyone has any
other suggestions, looks like I'm in for a new water softener.
Thanks.

 

[Reach4]

Update: So I got a gallon of the Neutra Sul, and have tried adding a cup to the bring tank prior to the regeneration cycle for the
last 5 or 6 times, and after regeneration for a day or so the water is fine, but then the odor returns. So unless anyone has any
other suggestions, looks like I'm in for a new water softener.
Thanks.

Iron Out is for iron. Smell from water usually is H2S.

I suggest you sanitize well and plumbing. August/September is a good time.

 

[depawl]

Should the water softener be bypassed when sanitizing the well?
i.e. will the chlorine harm the softener media?

 

[Reach4]

Should the water softener be bypassed when sanitizing the well?
i.e. will the chlorine harm the softener media?

I think part of the time, but not all of the time.

My well and plumbing sanitizing article addresses that.

However I was probably a little cautious. Chlorine damage to resin happens over a long time rather than relatively quick exposure of sanitizing..

 

[depawl]

Just as a belated update It appears that the odor in my water was being cause by the uv light. After unplugging the light, the odor vanished. I've ordered a new uv bulb but I'm skeptical as to whether that would resolve the problem, the old one had less than a year on it.