Phantom water flow problem causing excessive regen's - geothermal heat pump

[jwedge]

I have a problem with an omnifilter OM34K-S-S06. I installed in a new house where we have a geothermal heat pump using well to well open loop.
when we first moved in to the house a couple of months ago the unit was using an excessive amount of salt and i discovered that it was running a regen ever other night.
when i looked at the water flow as measured by the console on the unit it was showing that we were using 600 gallons per day!!! I knew this was ridiculous for a family of 4.
When i started trying to drill down on the problem i noticed that the LED flow light was showing flow when i knew there was no flow.
Upstream from the softener we have a geothermal heat pump that pulls water from the supply line before the softner, ie: no water flow through the softener for the geothermal heat system.
It got warm enough that i could turn off the geothermal system and lo and behold the phantom water flow disappears and we're now using 100-120 gallons per day and the softener is now going 5-7 days between regen's
I think the flow meter in the softener control is registering flow with the pressure fluctuation in the water line when the geothermal unit is running.
The mfr is basically saying that the problem is in the plumbing.
Anyone have any insight on this?

 

[Reach4]

I think the flow meter in the softener control is registering flow with the pressure fluctuation in the water line when the geothermal unit is running.
The mfr is basically saying that the problem is in the plumbing.
Anyone have any insight on this?

I think you are right.

Add a check valve before the softener input, and make sure there is a thermal expansion tank on the water heater. You may not have needed one before the new check valve, but you will for sure after. I suspect you have a thermal expansion tank on the WH already, and that was contributing to the phantom flow.

 

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[Bannerman]

Post a diagram showing your home's plumbing layout, including.l pressure tanks, expansion tanks and backflow prevention devices.

For the softener meter to be registering flow, would require water to be actually flowing past the flow sensor. Although the sensor is normally located on the softener output port, the sensor will measure flow in either direction. If there is a source of pressure past the softener, that can push water backwards through the softener whenever the pressure before the softener is lower.

 

[jwedge]

I think you are right.

Add a check valve before the softener input, and make sure there is a thermal expansion tank on the water heater. You may not have needed one before the new check valve, but you will for sure after. I suspect you have a thermal expansion tank on the WH already, and that was contributing to the phantom flow.

A check valve would be the easiest and cheapest solution to try. I don't have an expansion tank other than a small 4 gallon pressure tank typical for a well. Also using a Franklin Electric Monodrive Constant pressure controller to control the well pump.

 

[jwedge]

Post a diagram showing your home's plumbing layout, including.l pressure tanks, expansion tanks and backflow prevention devices.

For the softener meter to be registering flow, would require water to be actually flowing past the flow sensor. Although the sensor is normally located on the softener output port, the sensor will measure flow in either direction. If there is a source of pressure past the softener, that can push water backwards through the softener whenever the pressure before the softener is lower.

No expansion tanks beyond the softener, just straight to the various fixtures. toilets, washer, showers/tubs. typical small 4 gal expansion tank for the well system and a Franklin Electric Monodrive Constant Pressure Controller for the well.
the Mfr stated that the sensor is at the outlet port and that it uses a magnet and presumably a sensor to measure the magnet spinning in the flow.
will sketch up a schematic of the system.