1 or 1.5 lb resin unit

[PW80]

Replacing my water softener:
City Water:
Iron: 0.1 ppm
Manganese: 0.02 ppm
Chlorine: 0.5-1.0 ppm
Fluoride: 0.5-0.9 ppm

Water Hardness: 19.2 grains per gallon
Water usage: 158 gal per day average , over 6 non summer months for just my wife and I.
50 gallon water heater.
Recent empty nesters (1 year).

2 1/2 baths 5 bedroom house, standard copper suburban plumbing 30 years old.
Occasionally we will have 9 people (family) in the house staying over a few days.

Clack WS1
We never move, and anticipate staying another 20 years.

Should I go with a 1 cu/ft resin OR 1.5 cu/ft?
$200 more for the larger unit.
Experienced installer says I could do either.

I am not sure which would use less water/salt overall.
My understanding is the larger unit would regen less often (12 vs 7 days), might last longer because of less wear and tear, and resin might last longer.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Bannerman]

To increase efficiency, most water softeners may be programmed to consume less salt when programmed to regenerate before all of the hardness capacity has been depleted.

For example: a softener containing 1 ft3 resin when new, has a total 32,000 grains hardness removal capacity. To regenerate all 32K grains capacity will require 20 lbs salt each cycle.
Hardness removal efficiency will therefore equal 32,000 / 20 lbs = 1,600 gr/lb.

Since some resin capacity will be lost due to resin wear and other factors, the usual maximum capacity when considered over the resin's lifespan will be no more than 30,000 grains which will therefore require 15 lbs salt to regenerate.

A 1.5 ft3 softener has 48,000 total grains hardness removal capacity, which would then require 30 lbs salt to regenerate, but to improve efficiency, only 12 lbs salt will be required when the Capacity setting is programmed to regenerate when no more than 36,000 grains has been depleted.
Hardness removal capacity will be therefore 36,000 / 12 = 3,000 gr/lb.


Using your numbers, 158 gallons/day X 20 gpg = 3,160 grains per day.

For a 1 ft3 softener: 32,000 capacity / 3,160 grains/day = ~10 days - 1day Reserve = an anticipated 9-10 regeneration frequency consuming 20 lbs salt.

For a 1.5 ft3 softener: 36,000 / 3,160 gr/day = ~11 days - 1 day Reserve = an anticipated 10 -11 day regeneration frequency while consuming only 12 lbs salt.

While a 1 ft3 softener maybe also programmed for the same 3,000 grains/lb efficiency, the Capacity setting would then be 24,000 grs which in consideration of your water consumption, will require a regeneration frequency of 6-7 days while consuming 8 lbs salt each time.

For efficient operation while requiring fewer regenerations, recommend obtaining the 1.5 ft3 unit equipped with 10% crosslinked resin which will better tolerate constant chlorine exposure from your municipal water.

Alternately, a backwashing carbon filtration system (1.5 ft3 +) may be utilized to remove chlorine prior to the softener. While either regular GAC (granular activated carbon) or premium Catalytic Carbon will effectively remove chlorine and disinfectant bi-products, if your water supplier utilizes Chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) as the disinfectant, then Catalytic Carbon will be most effective.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[PW80]

Thanks!!!

To increase efficiency, most water softeners may be programmed to consume less salt when programmed to regenerate before all of the hardness capacity has been depleted.

For example: a softener containing 1 ft3 resin when new, has a total 32,000 grains hardness removal capacity. To regenerate all 32K grains capacity will require 20 lbs salt each cycle.
Hardness removal efficiency will therefore equal 32,000 / 20 lbs = 1,600 gr/lb.

Since some resin capacity will be lost due to resin wear and other factors, the usual maximum capacity when considered over the resin's lifespan will be no more than 30,000 grains which will therefore require 15 lbs salt to regenerate.

A 1.5 ft3 softener has 48,000 total grains hardness removal capacity, which would then require 30 lbs salt to regenerate, but to improve efficiency, only 12 lbs salt will be required when the Capacity setting is programmed to regenerate when no more than 36,000 grains has been depleted.
Hardness removal capacity will be therefore 36,000 / 12 = 3,000 gr/lb.


Using your numbers, 158 gallons/day X 20 gpg = 3,160 grains per day.

For a 1 ft3 softener: 32,000 capacity / 3,160 grains/day = ~10 days - 1day Reserve = an anticipated 9-10 regeneration frequency consuming 20 lbs salt.

For a 1.5 ft3 softener: 36,000 / 3,160 gr/day = ~11 days - 1 day Reserve = an anticipated 10 -11 day regeneration frequency while consuming only 12 lbs salt.

While a 1 ft3 softener maybe also programmed for the same 3,000 grains/lb efficiency, the Capacity setting would then be 24,000 grs which in consideration of your water consumption, will require a regeneration frequency of 6-7 days while consuming 8 lbs salt each time.

For efficient operation while requiring fewer regenerations, recommend obtaining the 1.5 ft3 unit equipped with 10% crosslinked resin which will better tolerate constant chlorine exposure from your municipal water.

Alternately, a backwashing carbon filtration system (1.5 ft3 +) may be utilized to remove chlorine prior to the softener. While either regular GAC (granular activated carbon) or premium Catalytic Carbon will effectively remove chlorine and disinfectant bi-products, if your water supplier utilizes Chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) as the disinfectant, then Catalytic Carbon will be most effective.

Thanks!!!