Water Softener, Does this sound right?

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JohnnyRail

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I'm about to install a softener and thanks to this forum I feel well armed. I'd appreciate some feedback.

First, our stats.
Incoming city water pressure: 70psi
Main water line: 3/4" copper
SFR of one spigot: 8.43gpm
Highest average water usage: 150gpd (two people + irrigation)
Compensated hardness: 20gpg (.42 iron included)
TDS: 360

So 150gpd x 20 = 3,000 x 8 days = 24,000 grains

I have a 1.5cuft mineral tank to cover the max SFR, Fleck 5600 SXT valve, and plan on using a salt dose of 8lbs. Does that sound about right?
 

Reach4

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Irrigation should not go through the water softener. Not only is it wasteful of your salt and softening capacity, it is bad for the plants. Maybe you only mentioned irrigation to show that the actual amount of water to be softened was significantly less than what goes through the meter.
 

JohnnyRail

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For more specifics, the way the house is plumbed, ie permanently in the cement slab, both spigots will be softened. I will use potassium in place of salt. Out water main has no shutoff other than the city shutoff at the street so this weekend I will be plumbing it out from where it enters the middle of the house, out to the garage and putting in a loop with 3 shutoff valves. I also plan to add a spigot after the first incoming valve so I can have hard water via the garage if desired so got that covered. Thanks for looking out and I should have mentioned I was aware of the potential issue.

That said, do the numbers look right? I think I understand the concept of salt efficiency but I may need some more assistance when programming the Fleck. There's a whole list of those settings I'll need to go through to make it as efficient as possible and still keep it from leaking hard water. I assume even though the tank is 48K I would tell the Fleck it's like 24K or something and adjust the brine fill time accordingly right?
 

Reach4

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cuft 6lb PER ft 8 lb PER ft 10lb PER ft 15lb PER ft
1.5 30000 36000 40500 45000

Using 6lb PER ft = 9 lb would give 30000 grains. So your 24000 for 8 pounds is reasonable or maybe a little pessimistic.

With a BLFC of 0.5 GPM, that would be 8/3/0.5 minutes = 5.33 minutes. So when you round down, that might give you your 24000 grains. To do 9 pounds, that would be 6 minutes and would let you tell the controller you have 30000 grains of capacity.

The above is for regular sodium salt. For potassium, it is more complicated, and you will need to take into account the temperature of your brine. You will also pay a lot more for salt.
 

JohnnyRail

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Thanks for the replies. I decided to go with the Clack WS1 valve. I have the whole unit here but I need to tear out a wall and work on the plumbing first. Ince I get the loop and bypass in I'll get it up and running. May need some more help at that point in regards to efficiency :)
 

JohnnyRail

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Okay so the project ended up being bigger than anticipated. The only accessible manifold inside the house only serviced the upstairs so I had to dig up the yard and run a loop with shutoff into the back yard. I've built a shed and have the resin/brine tanks connected, currently in bypass mode. I added a spigot in the front before the WS so I'll have hard water for irrigation now. Yay!

Now I'm needed y'alls assistance in setting up the values on the valve to get all the hardness out as well as make it the most salt efficient. To recap, here's the specs.

City water
Incoming supply line: 3/4" at 68-70psi
Resin tank: 48K
Valve: Clack WS1
Compensated hardness is actually 18, not 20
Average water usage is 150gpd via two people + some irrigation.

So I was thinking I'd set the meter like so:
Capacity: 23K
Salt Dose: 6 lbs
Regen Override: 8 days

Does that sound correct/most efficient?
 

Reach4

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"48K" would be 1.5 cubic ft of resin. Using 6 pounds/cubic foot, you would want salt dose 9 pounds.
Capacity: 30K.

Now with your settings you would be doing 4 pounds per cubic foot. Some people recommend that, and for that 23K might be about right. It might work fine.

You should not be irrigating with the softened water. Besides costing salt and softening capacity, it is not so good for the plants.
 

JohnnyRail

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I understand the irrigation concerns. I will be using potassium, hence the reason for being efficient with the dosing.

I'll start with a 9lb dose, Thanks.
 

Bannerman

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The dosage amounts that Reach4 posted are for sodium chloride (salt) regenerate. Unlike salt, potassium chloride requirements vary greatly depending on the temperature of the water.

It is advisable to review the information linked in Dittohead's posting, before setting-up your softener.
 
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JohnnyRail

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understood. Will be using "brine fill first" so that will help regulate.
 
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