Choosing water softener size: check my work

Users who are viewing this thread

Acurax04

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
South Dakota
I’ve been searching for a water softener and would appreciate if you guys would check my work and give me feedback before I make a purchase. Any problems with my thinking or anything else I need to consider?

I found a local dealer that offers this model:

Hellenbrand ProMate 6.0
Clack WS1 valve
10% cross linked resin
Can choose from 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 cu ft resin size
(more specs attached below)

Most dealers in my area seem to just throw a 1.0 cu ft softener out there for everyone, but reading this forum I am thinking a 1.5 cu ft may be better for me.

Details:
City water supply, contains chlorine. No iron.
Measured hardness: 17 gpg (Hach 5B)
# of people in home: 5 (2 adults + 3 young kids [10, 4, 1 year old])
Water usage (last 15 months): Average 125 gallons/day; several months peaked at 150 gallons/day (Yes, I excluded irrigation). I do expect this to increase as kids grow up; however, I will be surprised if we exceed the 60 gallon/day/person.

Here’s are the calculations I did ranging from our currently very low peak 30 gal/person/day usage up to presumed max 60 gal/person/day. Highlighted the values that changed.
Screen Shot 2023-01-11 at 12.36.50 AM.png


Link to the above Google spreadsheet I made:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mh0Ne4e4CHqZhBXwDl_qM7CccQ3Wa_8K4Mb0ntxruBE/edit?usp=sharing

Link to Resin capacity chart posted elsewhere on the forum:
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?attachments/resin-chart-jpg.54819/

The 1.0 cu ft looks undersized to me. It would need to regenerate every 4-5 days at 50 gal/person/day usage.

The 1.5 cu ft size would handle my estimated max water usage @ the 8 lb/cu ft of salt regenerating every 6 days. If usage remains lower, could use the 6 lb salt setting and/or a few days longer regeneration frequency. I think it makes sense to have the added flexibility of the larger size.

A 2.0 cu ft seems overkill for my needs.

Below are a few more things I decided when researching softeners. Maybe this will help somebody else.
- Useful place to start learning here: https://www.aquatell.ca/pages/learn
- Chose a local dealer over online retailers to ensure a high quality product and warranty service.
- Looked only at units with Clack, Fleck, or Autotrol valves.
- Chose 10% cross linked resin (this seems to be fairly standard recommendation, especially if chlorine in water)
- Opted against a dual softener setup for simplicity and hopefully less potential issues.
- Did not go with the Hellenbrand “EcoMax” model which claims better efficiency (supposedly better resin), but costs more and uses upflow regeneration which I read can be finicky.
 

Attachments

  • Promate 6 Specs.png
    Promate 6 Specs.png
    310.7 KB · Views: 80

Bannerman

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,795
Reaction score
768
Points
113
Location
Ontario, Canada
Municipal supplied water will not contain Ferrous iron so the regeneration frequency maybe anywhere between 7 days and 30 days.

Programming will usually only allow the hardness setting to be a whole number with no decimal.

Municipal systems frequently obtain water from multiple sources, each source often providing a different hardness amount. Because the hardness amount within the system can vary due to time-of-day water demand, maintenance and other reasons, the general recommendation will be to program the softener's hardness setting for 2-3 GPG higher than the amount as tested to anticipate occasions when hardness maybe higher than the tested amount. Since the Hach test identified 17 GPG at your location, suggest basing your estimates on 19 or 20 GPG hardness.

For the best balance of useable capacity, water quality, water and salt efficiency, 8 lbs per cubic foot is the usual recommendation.

A softener containing 1.5 ft3 resin will provide 36,000 grains useable capacity per cycle when regenerated with 8 lbs/ft3 salt.

40 gals/day X 5 ppl = 200 gal/day X 19 GPG = 3,800 grain/day softening load. 36,000 / 3,800 = 9.47 days - 1-day Reserve Capacity = 8-9 days anticipated regeneration frequency

50 gal/day X 5 = 250 /day X 19 GPG = 4,750 load. 36,000 / 4750 = 7.57 days - 1 day = 6-7 days anticipated regen frequency

60 gals/day X 5 = 300 /day X 19 = 5,700 load. 36,000 / 5700 = 6.3 days - 1 day = 5-6 days anticipated regen frequency


A softener containing 2.0 ft3 resin will provide 48,000 grains useable capacity per cycle when regenerated with 8 lbs/ft3 salt.

40 gals/day X 5 ppl = 200 gal/day X 19 GPG = 3,800 grain/day softening load. 48,000 / 3,800 = 12.63 days - 1-day Reserve Capacity = 11-12 days anticipated regeneration frequency

50 gal/day X 5 = 250 /day X 19 GPG = 4,750 load. 48,000 / 4750 = 10.10 days - 1 day = 9-10 days anticipated regen frequency

60 gals/day X 5 = 300 /day X 19 = 5,700 load. 48,000 / 5700 = 8.4 days - 1 day = 7-8 days anticipated regen frequency


Regardless of the quantity of water needed each day per person, of the 3 sizes specified, recommend the 2 ft3 sized softener to be the most appropriate choice for your 5 person household.
 
Last edited:

Acurax04

New Member
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
South Dakota
Municipal supplied water will not contain Ferrous iron so the regeneration frequency maybe anywhere between 7 days and 30 days.

Programming will usually only allow the hardness setting to be a whole number with no decimal.

Municipal systems frequently obtain water from multiple sources, each source often providing a different hardness amount. Because the hardness amount within the system can vary due to time-of-day water demand, maintenance and other reasons, the general recommendation will be to program the softener's hardness setting for 2-3 GPG higher than the amount as tested to anticipate occasions when hardness maybe higher than the tested amount. Since the Hach test identified 17 GPG at your location, suggest basing your estimates on 19 or 20 GPG hardness.

For the best balance of useable capacity, water quality, water and salt efficiency, 8 lbs per cubic foot is the usual recommendation.

A softener containing 1.5 ft3 resin will provide 36,000 grains useable capacity per cycle when regenerated with 8 lbs/ft3 salt.

40 gals/day X 5 ppl = 200 gal/day X 19 GPG = 3,800 grain/day softening load. 36,000 / 3,800 = 9.47 days - 1-day Reserve Capacity = 8-9 days anticipated regeneration frequency

50 gal/day X 5 = 250 /day X 19 GPG = 4,750 load. 36,000 / 4750 = 7.57 days - 1 day = 6-7 days anticipated regen frequency

60 gals/day X 5 = 300 /day X 19 = 5,700 load. 36,000 / 5700 = 6.3 days - 1 day = 5-6 days anticipated regen frequency


A softener containing 2.0 ft3 resin will provide 48,000 grains useable capacity per cycle when regenerated with 8 lbs/ft3 salt.

40 gals/day X 5 ppl = 200 gal/day X 19 GPG = 3,800 grain/day softening load. 48,000 / 3,800 = 12.63 days - 1-day Reserve Capacity = 11-12 days anticipated regeneration frequency

50 gal/day X 5 = 250 /day X 19 GPG = 4,750 load. 48,000 / 4750 = 10.10 days - 1 day = 9-10 days anticipated regen frequency

60 gals/day X 5 = 300 /day X 19 = 5,700 load. 48,000 / 5700 = 8.4 days - 1 day = 7-8 days anticipated regen frequency


Regardless of the quantity of water needed each day per person, of the 3 sizes specified, recommend the 2 ft3 sized softener to be the most appropriate choice for your 5 person household.
Bannerman-thanks for taking the time to evaluate this for me. And for all of your contributions here. I have read many of your posts.

I had not taken reserve capacity into consideration. I'll be going with the 2.0 cu ft resin tank.
 

Taylorjm

Active Member
Messages
362
Reaction score
50
Points
28
Location
Saginaw, Michigan
I think your water consumption per person is low. Very low. I'd figure more in the 75 gallons per person, per day. I know your going by your meter/bills, but I think you are being really conservative. Once your kids are teenagers, you'll be lucky if they don't use 60 gallons just for one shower per kid.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks