Difference Btw Softener vs Filter Settings

[drp37]

Hi, I have a water softener (Clack control valve). It's setup as a filter. As a newbie, I don't know the difference between a filter setup vs softener setup. Can someone please explain. Thanks in advance.

 

[ditttohead]

A Clack water softener valve is nearly identical to the filter valve. The softener has a brine piston, brine assembly, and an injector as well as it will usually have a different electronic board. Filter valves typically have 2 cycles, backwash and fast rinse, a softener will have 5 or more cycles.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

A Clack water softener valve is nearly identical to the filter valve. The softener has a brine piston, brine assembly, and an injector as well as it will usually have a different electronic board. Filter valves typically have 2 cycles, backwash and fast rinse, a softener will have 5 or more cycles.

Would the filter valve normally not have the demand measuring turbine?

 

[drp37]

Thanks for the information. I notice that in the filter setup setting there is no option to set the hardness in grains or grains capacity. How does the system know how much salt to use and "soften" the water?

 

[Reach4]

I notice that in the filter setup setting there is no option to set the hardness in grains or grains capacity. How does the system know how much salt to use and "soften" the water?

Filters don't use salt. Some can have a solution tank that you draw from during regeneration, but there would not be a fill cycle. Filters usually regenerate on a fixed schedule.

Filters will normally be set up for a higher backflow rate, but that is not a setup setting that you can change without changing a part.

 

[drp37]

Hmmm...I'm a little confused...

I have a brine tank that I put salt in and it does deplete over time. Looking at my filter settings, it is programmed to backwash, brine, rise and fill. What am I misunderstanding?

Also, what does a fill cycle actually do?

 

[Reach4]

Hmmm...I'm a little confused...what does a fill cycle actually do? I have a brine tank that I put salt in and it does deplete over time.

A fill cycle puts water in the brine tank, often in preparation for the next regeneration. For every gallon filled, 3 pounds of salt dissolve into the water. Then next regeneration sucks the brine out of the brine tank to flow over the resin to regenerate the resin.

Looking at my filter settings, it is programmed to backwash, brine, rise and fill. What am I missing?

Backwash is the most important part for most filters. I am not familiar with Clack valves. On my Fleck filter valve, the brine fill is set to zero. I manually fill my 15 gallon solution (bleach + water) tank every 5 weeks. Do you have a tank (other than the one that the controller mounts on) for the filter?

 

[drp37]

My system consists of a brine tank + softening/filtering tank with control valve. The Clack documentation says the valve can be programmed as a softener or filter, hence my confusion.

 

[Bannerman]

A softener is not considered a filter. As you describe, the valve can be programmed as a softener OR as a filter.

As your unit contains softener resin and utilizes brine to regenerate softening capacity, your control is programmed as a softener.

A filter contains other media than resin which does not need brine to regenerate or be maintained.

If for example, your media tank contained granular activated carbon (GAC), that media would need only an occasional backwash and a fast rinse which is only a two cycle filter program as Dittohead described. That function does not require a brine tank, a brine/slow rinse cycle or fill cycle.

 

[Reach4]

It is possible that you have some addition in your resin tank that has filter properties. Did the softener come with the house?

 

[drp37]

Yes, the softener came with the house.

 

[Reach4]

It is very likely that you have a straight water softener. It is good to test the hardness of your incoming water. The Hach 5B test is a great DIY test kit. If you have city/company water, the water company could provide hardness info. The kit is still very useful to check the hardness of the softened water (should be zero).

If you have well water, an outside test is called for.

 

[drp37]

I have the specs for my well water as it has been tested. I'm just struggling to understand why it is set up as a filter when I know my water is hard and needs softening. The water does soften under the filter setting, but under that setting, there is no need to entire hardness or capacity.

 

[Reach4]

I have the specs for my well water as it has been tested. I'm just struggling to understand why it is set up as a filter when I know my water is hard and needs softening. The water does soften under the filter setting, but under that setting, there is no need to entire hardness or capacity.

I don't know the Clack setup. I suggest that you post all of your settings.

You are saying there some setting that makes you think your controller is set up as a filter rather than a softener. So somebody who knows about your Clack WS1 controller could probably provide you with specific useful information.

 

[drp37]

Ok, will do. Thanks.

I can confirm that I am setup as a filter because when I press "NEXT" + "DOWN ARROW" the setting shows "FILTERING" and if I press "DOWN ARROW" or "UP ARROW" again, it changes the setting to "SOFTENING".

Please when I look at the manual and compare my settings, they setting options show up as filtering (filtering options are different from the softening options).

 

[ditttohead]

Post some pictures of the valve so we can figure out which version you have. There are some stickers on the side that will have additional information that will be helpful.

 

[drp37]

Here are some pics...thanks for everyones help...

 

[Glenr]

I have a similar issue. Mine came from a company which is out of business and was sold as a water filter but is programmed as a softener. It displays Softening and not Filtering and runs 6 cycles. There is a very definite water taste improvement after it was installed. Is there softener media that contains filter properties?

 

[Reach4]

A regular water softener will remove iron and manganese from water within limits. That improves the taste.

 

[ditttohead]

Does the system have a brine or chemical tank of any type? "Softening" is a misleading term on the controller as it is actually nothing more than a multi-cycle valve with venture injection capabilities. If a filter is programmed as a softener it will typically work just fine, it may waste a small amount of water if the injector was not plugged, otherwise it will simply have a long pause between backwash and rapid rinse.

Post a couple pictures please.