My own bypass for water softener?

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Theodore

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Hello,
Just curious: do you rely on the bypass that comes integral with a water softener and acid neutralizer, or do you plumb your own bypass (with your own shut off valves, tees, etc) immediately before a softener/neutralizer combo?
All advice greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Theodore.
 

Bannerman

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If your equipment each come equipped with a good quality bypass valve, there should be no need to install what is in effect, a redundant bypass.

If your equipment is equipped with Fleck control valves, after closing the bypass and relieving pressure from the softener/neutralizer by turning the control to 'Backwash' , loosen the screw holding a metal clip on each side of the bypass valve. That will permit the bypass to be pulled away from the control valve (or vice versa), even while water continues to flow through the inlet and outlet side of the bypass valve.

Other valve brands use alternate attachment methods but function similarly.
 

Theodore

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Yes, the model I'm buying will have a Fleck valve.
Ok, so I won't bother with a redundant bypass.
 

Reach4

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Fleck has a metal bypass with a lever, and it has a plastic bypass with two knobs. I think I remember something about the plastic one having some advantage due to the flexibility of having two knobs vs one lever. It may have been that the 2-knob system allows you to also cut off the supply water to both the softener ports and the piping to the output pipe. Can't find that now, however.
 

ditttohead

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Any Fleck original bypass will be fine, just be wary, there are many knockoff (fake) bypasses on the market, some are decent, most are very bad. Make sue it comes with an original bypass to be safe.
 

Theodore

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Follow up question:

With the manufacturer's bypass valves installed on the water softener and acid neutralizer, and both tanks up against a wall, I have almost no clearance to plumb them (with the orientation I want and within the dimensions of the closet I want to make for this). Can anyone think of a reason why I cannot/should not create my own bypass, remove each manufactuer's bypass valve assembly, and just connect per sketches I've included? Is there any reason why I *NEED* to utilize the bypasses they gave me? In my mind, if there's a problem, I can just use my bypass for the entire system until I fix whatever is wrong.
Opinions/advice *greatly* appreciated.

Thanks
Theodore
 

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Reach4

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External bypass is fine. Prefer ball valves.

I don't see the fill port for your acid neutralizer. You want easy access for that. If that is on the far side of the picture, consider rotating the tank.

Elbows on the back of the softener and neutralizer can make that easier to connect. I am thinking that big-enough flex lines can be useful . http://falconstainless.com/water-connectors/
 

Bannerman

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The bypass valves shown, appear to be Clack, not Fleck. I don't recognize the tank valves. What is the In & Out head for?

Removing the included bypass valves and installing your own would work fine but with only one bypass, if you have a problem with either device, both would need to be bypassed as opposed to isolating only the problematic device.

Perhaps elbow fittings would be more appropriate than a straight connection.

The tanks don't need to face the same direction. If you turned both back to back, would that assist with your space issue?
 

Theodore

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Acid neutralizer tank in background, whereas softener is tank in foreground.
Top disk (with many slotted holes) on acid neutralizer screws off. That's how to fill it.
Yes, I agree with elbow fittings, as needed, followed by flex pipe to make life easy.
I acknowledge that not installing the manufacturer's bypasses will require me to bypass the entire treatment system if there's a problem with only one component, but that's ok with me because I have alot more faith in a couple of copper/brass ball valves than these plastic bypass valves.

Sorry, I don't know what part you mean by "in&out head."
 

Bannerman

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The tank in the background appears to have an In&Out head as water can only flow into and out of the tank with no provision for back washing. You now identify that tank as the acid neutralizer.

Acid neutralizing media is usually Calcite which is crushed marble. Also possibly included is Corosex (magnesium oxide). Acid neutrilization medias are heavy and need to be regularly backwashed to reclassify the media to prevent channeling and compacting so as to turn into a big lump of solid 'concrete'. See this thread: https://terrylove.com/forums/index....r-not-raising-ph-rebed-control-problem.63420/

Without a backwashing control valve, you are not going to be able to backwash the media.
 

Theodore

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Correct. This is an upflow acid neutralizer, no backwashing required because, by definition, it's always flowing up in the typical backwashing direction.
 
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Reach4

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How would it work if Theodore were put a tee to a valve in the line at the output of the upflow acid neutralizer, and route the valve to a drain? Then periodically turn on a suitable flow that would serve as a backwash.
 

Bannerman

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Backwashing is the preferred and reliable media maintenance method.

Since the media is so heavy, to periodically reclassify it, you may need to open all cold faucets throughout the house, to attempt to obtain enough flow to lift the media in the tank. Alternatively, a ball valve and drain line could be 'tee'd' into the neutraluzer's outlet line.

Edited to add: R4, you beat me to it.
 

Theodore

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"Alternatively, a ball valve and drain line could be 'tee'd' into the neutraluzer's outlet line."

Yes! A "boiler drain" valve is recommended by the manufacturer immediately downstream of the neutralizer and I definitely intend to (I should have drawn that in my sketch). At the very least it would be needed to bleed off all the fines every time I replenish the neutralizer media, otherwise it'll just wash into the softener and foul that up.
 

ditttohead

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The IN/Out head you have works well, the ability to flow the water at approximately 5-10 GPM intermittently is important to lift the media and to prevent excessive caking.

FYI, the Clack bypass is one of the best and it will last for 10-20 years without any problems. It is also easily rebuilt, or better yet, simply replace it after 20 years.
 
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