Iron Filter maintenance

[Rocquestar]

This is a question about a rhymes-with-Mulligan “Iron-Cleer” iron filter, I hope it’s in the right forum. New user here, and

The Mulligan folks kind of irked me several years ago when they did a minor service and charged me major bucks for it, and I realized that I was not going to be a Mulligan owner for much longer. Problem is, I ceased their maintenance, and didn’t replace it with my own program, and I didn’t replace the device with a less-proprietary one. So, let’s all agree that I am the primary cause of the problems I’m having.

Last night, our water slowed to a trickle, and I went into a panic, trying to figure out why. Then, when I narrowed it down to (likely) the Iron-Cleer, my panic increased, as I realized it had been almost 4 years without service.

There was a slow hissing sound that suggested that water or air under pressure was being hindered. After much gnawing and gnashing of teeth, I shut off the main (upstream) valve to the system, then re-opened it, and whatever was blocked became free, and the water resumed. Of course, now I’m anticipating how long until the problem recurs, and will I be smart enough to take action to prevent it.

I have a few questions:

First, I know it’s a proprietary device, but surely there is basic preventative maintenance that I can do on it with nothing more than vaseline and some new o-rings, and a cleaning, isn’t there? Put it on bypass, and I’m safe to disassemble and clean and lubricate. Which brings me to my second question…

Second, the Iron-Cleer device has two tanks, the aerator and the filter, but only one of them has a bypass. Is this normal? It appears that if there’s a problem with the aerator tank, my whole house water is kaput. Indeed, this is the tank that had the issue last night. I do have a water softener downstream, and there are bypasses on the softener as well as on the IronCleer filter tank, but not the aerator (first).

I’m reading other posts about the iron clear such as https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/culligan-iron-cleer-problems.34938 and how it works to see if I can figure out how to give it basic service, but without a bypass, I think I’m stuck. I also think that my install is similarly awful, not only from the lack of a bypass, but without any way to reasonably isolate the aerator tank from the system. In the picture, the inflow comes from the left after the blue tank , and goes to the right, where there is a softener.

Thanks for any advice, and not poking fun at the new guy.

 

[Reach4]

First, I know it’s a proprietary device, but surely there is basic preventative maintenance that I can do on it with nothing more than vaseline and some new o-rings, and a cleaning, isn’t there?

I don't have the info that you are asking for, but don't use Vaseline for this. If you want a big tube, something like Dow Release Compound No. 7 is good. For non-sliding seals, I like Molykote, which is a little thicker.

For small amount, https://www.danco.com/product/0-5-oz-silicone-faucet-grease/ Danco 88693 is probably available locally. A little goes a long way. You only use a very light coating.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Rocquestar]

don't use Vaseline for this.

Noted.

For small amount, https://www.danco.com/product/0-5-oz-silicone-faucet-grease/ Danco 88693 is probably available locally. A little goes a long way. You only use a very light coating.

Thanks Reach4, and thanks for the product info.

 

[Skyjumper]

do you know how much iron you have? after 4 years the entire system is likely plugged with iron crud and the media fouled. it is probablly making your water worse.

you can take the aerator tank out and put in a simple bypass pipe between the sharkbite and the pex. you'd need to buy a sharkbite coupler or you could rig up some other connection. then put the filter tank in bypass and just use the softener while you figure out what to do with the iron cleer. use copious amount of resin cleaner and regenerate the softener more often your water will probably be better than in the past.

i'd scrap the culligan system. if you really need an iron filter look for a clack based system there's many Clack dealers in canada. avoid those air injection systems they don't work very well. bite the bullet and get a chlorine system.

 

[Rocquestar]

do you know how much iron you have? after 4 years the entire system is likely plugged with iron crud and the media fouled. it is probablly making your water worse.

I don't actually know our iron content. We aren't too far from the Niagara escarpment, so it's kind of accepted fact that the water here is pretty hard, but I don't know if/how that affects the iron content.

do
you can take the aerator tank out and put in a simple bypass pipe between the sharkbite and the pex. you'd need to buy a sharkbite coupler or you could rig up some other connection. then put the filter tank in bypass and just use the softener while you figure out what to do with the iron cleer. use copious amount of resin cleaner and regenerate the softener more often your water will probably be better than in the past.

i'd scrap the culligan system. if you really need an iron filter look for a clack based system there's many Clack dealers in canada. avoid those air injection systems they don't work very well. bite the bullet and get a chlorine system.

Definitely, scrapping the Culligan system is my preference. I have only just started to investigate replacements, but that's the plan. I hadn't heard that the Air Injection systems aren't that good. I'm not disagreeing, but do you know a source that I can learn more about the effectiveness of the different system types, and their limitations? I did have a water shop guy tell me once that a water softener (i.e., with salt) can be effective to remove iron. It consumes more salt, but it reduces the complexity of the system, and salt isn't that expensive, so there's that.

Thanks. I'll likely have to add a bypass on the aerator, and bypass then both - that will work with a new system, which is likely where I'm going anyway.

 

[Skyjumper]

I hadn't heard that the Air Injection systems aren't that good. I'm not disagreeing, but do you know a source that I can learn more about the effectiveness of the different system types, and their limitations? I did have a water shop guy tell me once that a water softener (i.e., with salt) can be effective to remove iron. It consumes more salt, but it reduces the complexity of the system, and salt isn't that expensive, so there's that.

Thanks. I'll likely have to add a bypass on the aerator, and bypass then both - that will work with a new system, which is likely where I'm going anyway.

I have an air injection system --- and so do you, although yours is much more elaborate. I highly suspect your iron cleer is no longer functioning and the softener is doing all the iron removal. you could test this by bypassing the softener and taking a sample of water coming out the iron cleer.

my air inejction filter has been nothing but headaches. I'll spare you the full rant, but it requires constant maintenance or it stops working. I test it several times a week so I know when it fails (otherwise the softener picks up the slack and you don't know... that is, until the softener becomes iron fouled...)

yes water sofeners do a very nice job of iron removal up to about 2-3ppm Fe, but you have to be VERY vigilant about using resin cleaners to remove the residual iron from the softener resin because normal salt regeneration will not do it. over time the Fe will accumulate and foul the softener resin and clog the control valve, unless you use resin cleaners with *every* regeneration.

I suspect you don't have much iron or your softener would be totally fouled and your finished water would be nasty. you should get it tested, you may not need an iron filter at all.

 

[Rocquestar]

I suspect you don't have much iron or your softener would be totally fouled and your finished water would be nasty. you should get it tested, you may not need an iron filter at all.

THanks, Skyjumper. (cool handle btw)
I wasn't sure where to get water tested (apart from normal coliform well water testing), and looked into it last night. It appears we do have a few water treatment providers in town that all 'provide free testing', which I used to classify as "Culligan trying to sell me more equipment", but I'll contact the (other than culligan) folks and see what they do for testing. Looks like I'll be getting some new equipment before I try to self-service this, especially since it's likely beyond repair.

 

[Bannerman]

Suggest obtaining a comprehensive lab test. When operating a private well, you are your own municipality.

You often get what you pay for. Company's offering FREE testing, will typically have an agenda to sell you something and their tests will not be comprehensive but will usually be performed on-site and will mostly pertain to water conditions related to the equipment they are attempting to sell.

While National Labs in the US is commonly recommended, the Ontario gvmt website lists numerous licensed waterctesting labs within Ontario.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/list-licensed-laboratories