Water Softener Question

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Hugh Daiger

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Hello everyone,

I’m new to the forum and I have a water softener question. I just purchased a house and it came with a Ecowater System 2100-PF10. It doesn’t look like it’s been maintain for a long time and it’s also set to bypass. I would like to clean it out and get it up and running again, not sure what media to use since the water is very hard in this area. I’ll list the water test numbers, not sure what you need this might be too much information.

Thanks

Hugh


Parameter Method Results Units

Total Hardness EPA 130.2 2,520 mg/10CaC0 3

pH EPA 150.1 6.76 su@23.8 C

TDS EPA 160.1 4,649 mg/1

Iron EPA SM18 3111B 0.115 mg/1

Manganese EPA SM18 3111B 0.483 mg/1

Nitrate EPA 300.0 0.67 mg/1

Total Coliform SM18 9222B <1.0 #/100ml

C02 SM18 4500-C02-B 150 mg/1
 

Bannerman

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In searching the net for information on a 2100-PF10, only information on an oxidizing filter device is shown. The unit does not appear to be a water softener but a back washing treatment device containing 1 cu/ft of media, intended for problem water conditions such as iron or sulphur.

http://www.ecowater.com/2100-series-p-14-l-en.html
http://delmarvawatersolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ETF-2100.pdf

When was the test performed? If you obtained the results you posted above from a paper document, are you able to scan or photograph the document to post here?

How many occupants in the house?

Any high volume fixtures? (ie: 6 head showers or a hot tub)

As it appears you use well water, do you know any specifics on your well, pump and water system? This would include continuous well capacity gpm, depth, pump type and output, pressure switch settings and your holding tank capacity.

Any concerns with drainage such as a small or problematic septic system?
 
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ditttohead

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TDS EPA 160.1 4,649 mg/1

That is very high and many water treatment companies would shy away from treating this bad of water. Your current system should simply be removed and a new system should be installed. We would need more information on your water to give you a good recommendation. Your hardness is excessively high and this will cause other problems (exchange of calcium for sodium, now your sodium is 3000 ppm...)
Can you post the complete water report?
 

Reach4

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What is the /10 in "Total Hardness EPA 130.2 2,520 mg/10CaC0 3" ?

2520/10 =252 would not be bad. I guess that is probably not what it means. I did figure out that EPA 130.2 is the test method.

Hugh, you might want to do a scan of the numbers part of the report so that formatting gets preserved.
 

Hugh Daiger

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Ok some of your question answered.

Thanks for all your help

1 - First Water test on 1991, Second Test in 2001 and third test 2015. I have not received the 2015
test as of yet but I was told not much has changed.
2 - 4 occupants in the house.
3 - No high volume fixtures just 2 1/2 baths.
4 - Well Water with 6" pipe I think and a submersible Pump but I do not know any of the spec's
5 - Pressure Switch cut off 55 and cut on 20 - 30
6 - No drainage or small or problematic septic system

upload_2015-7-1_2-34-57.png
 

Reach4

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I now understand the hardness is " 2,520 mg/l @CaC03 (2560 milligrams per liter of CaC03 equiv) = 147 grains. That certainly is excessively high.
Manganese is is high too.
 

ditttohead

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We are missing a couple thousand tds... sodium, chloride,... looks nasty.

A softener will replace the hardness ions with sodium, and your tds will be even higher. Manganese is high, and pH is unusually low for water with this high of hardness.

Don't waste your time trying to get the old unit working, it is not worth the effort.
 

Bannerman

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Hugh,

Thank you for providing clarifying information. The scan of the report does clear-up some items.

A few items which are puzzling:
1)
I have not received the 2015 test as of yet but I was told not much has changed.
As the test results have not yet come back, how can anyone know that not much has changed?
2) The area on the scanned report pertaining to where the sample was obtained, indicates 'Fort Edward, NY'. As your location is shown as 'Oklahoma', does the provided report actually pertain to the water you are requesting advice on?
 
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Bannerman

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Hugh,

Are your neighbor's experiencing similar water conditions as you? Assuming so, how are they conditioning their water so it is usable?

Are there any other alternate sources for water which could be considered as an option?

Dittohead and others in the trade,
Assuming the current test results are fairly consistent with that posted above and there are no practical alternate water source options, what do you recommend to effectively condition an extreme situation such as this?
 

Hugh Daiger

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Yes everyone in this area are experiencing similar water conditions, most are using water softeners and a couple have reverse osmoses systems.
 

ditttohead

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Twin alternating softener, possibly a polishing softener, absolutely RO with a booster pump and permeate pump, possibly an auto blowdown to try to keep the water relatively clean. Regular testing.

Test the water with a Hach 5B and make sure the water is "cut" with distilled water for accurate testing. You want to get the test sample below 30 grains for an accurate test. Also be sure to test the system regularly for the first few months to make sure it is dialed in and accurate.

A simple backwashing FerriLite (Katalox-Light) system would also be a good idea to clarify the water and reduce the iron and manganese ahead of the softener.
 
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