Softener drain options - which is least risky

[Scott Crawford]

I installed a Softpro softener last weekend and chose the easiest drain option for now. Never having a softener, I didn't know how much drain water was involved. Now I'm questioning what I should do.
Currently, I go up about 3 feet from the softener via 3/4 pex to the ceiling and then about 30 feet down into a sink I have in my basement brewery. This sink drains into an ejector pump that then drains into my sewer. My concern with this is if the pump ever failed. I thought about a water sensor tied to an electric valve on the drain from the softener, but now we're just adding more parts.

My second option is to go upstairs to the finished level rise would be about 6 feet instead of 3 into a laundry room sink. Softpro support is very wishy washy about their comfort level on drain line rise/run. My concern with this is...1...the additional rise might affect backwashing and 2...taking water from an unfinished basement into the finished level (what if the drain clogged).

My last option is to tie in a new standpipe just above the softener. 18" above the softener valve is a 3" horizontal PVC drain that runs along the perimeter of my basement to pick up various drains. I could tie into that with a standpipe and maybe a wet vent??? The risk of that is if there is ever a block in my sewer, I've got a mess. My brewery sink has a check valve on it, so I shouldn't be at risk there.

In attached photo, the softener is where the blue Nautica umbrellas are. Just to the right, you see the sewer link exit the basement wall towards the street.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Reach4]

What the softener feels is the difference between the pressure of the incoming water and the backpressure of the drain. Each foot of rise adds less than 0.5 psi of backpressure. If your incoming water is 30 psi, maybe this would not work. If you have 40 psi or more water, I think you should be fine going to the higher floor.

I think you have the other what-ifs pretty well thought out.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Scott Crawford]

What the softener feels is the difference between the pressure of the incoming water and the backpressure of the drain. Each foot of rise adds less than 0.5 psi of backpressure. If your incoming water is 30 psi, maybe this would not work. If you have 40 psi or more water, I think you should be fine going to the higher floor.

I think you have the other what-ifs pretty well thought out.

Thanks for the feedback. But you didn't tell me what to do Will wait for other replies. I'm leaning towards the laundry sink.
I don't have results from when I did a water pressure test before, but my notes show I was shooting for 40-75 in order to buy a RO filter....and I have a RO filter, so I guess it's > than 40.

 

[Reach4]

I thought all of your proposals were good, and you had considered the right things. The laundry tub is indeed a good choice. If that drain clogs, you could fill the tub and overflow. But there is some buffering.

Incidentally, if you have a 10 inch diameter softener, the maximum flow rate through the drain is 2.4 gpm.

Maybe a few water alarms would be a good idea. https://www.basementwatchdog.com/watchdog-water-alarm/ Check the 9V battery maybe annually.

 

[ditttohead]

Going up should be just fine, I would remove the brine line during brine draw to confirm that the unit is drawing. Be very careful going down with the drain too far, you can cause a vacuum on the tank.