Clack WS1 CI: Pre- or post fill for 10 days?

[DetRack]

Hi, I got my softener running with a brine fill of 10lbs per cft.

At the current low consumption, I expect the softener to repeatedly reach the 10 day override before the capacity is used up. The unit is configured for post-fill, so the brine will stand in the tank for 10 days. Should I reconfigure for pre-fill, is there a positive effect concerning hygiene!

When I use pre-fill, what happens during the service period when the brine forms, is the bypass active or does the unit deliver softened water?

 

[Reach4]

Usually, with NaCl salt, post-fill is recommended. Pre-fill is usually used with KCl salt.

You can sanitize your brine tank with a little chlorine bleach. Fleck suggests for Polystyrene resin, use 1.25 mL 5.25% Sodium hypochlorite bleach per 1 L of resin.

When I use pre-fill, what happens during the service period when the brine forms, is the bypass active or does the unit deliver softened water?

I think with the Clack, like with the Fleck 5810, the softener is softening during brine fill, and the brine tank gets filled with softened water.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

I expect the softener to repeatedly reach the 10 day override before the capacity is used up.

Why not utilize all of the programmed capacity? If you are not using all of the programmed capacity, the reserve capacity will probably be irrelevant as it will likely never be used.

The unit is configured for post-fill, so the brine will stand in the tank for 10 days.

Should I reconfigure for pre-fill, is there a positive effect concerning hygiene!

Some people choose to use Potassium Chloride (PC) as a regenerant as opposed to Sodium Chloride (SC, aka salt). Potassium Chloride is more temperature-sensitive than SC so if brine-fill is the final stage of the regen cycle, depending on where the brine tank is located, the brine fluid temperature will probably change numerous times before the next following regen cycle and so some potassium will likely re-crystalize which may lead to bridging and other issues. When programming Fill First, there will be a 1-2 hour delay to follow which will allow the PC to dissolve before the remaining regen cycle is performed. During the 1 - 2 hour delay, the brine fluid temperature does not have much opportunity to change so there is less potential for bridging and other problems, but the total regen cycle will require 1-2 hours more time.

As SC is far less temperature-sensitive, Brine Fill is commonly performed as the final stage of regeneration, so brine for the following regen cycle will be prepared for use, and no delay will be needed.

There is not generally an issue with the brine sitting in the brine tank for up to 30 days. Salt brine has long been used as a food preservative prior to refrigeration, including in the preservation of raw meat and fish.

 

[DetRack]

Here in Germany, the technology is not as established in households as in the USA. There is not that much knowledge, but quite a lot of common belief and recommendations. Our potable water is not chlorinated, so we need to pay even more attention to hygienic handling. The manufacturrr recommendation is to regenerate after 10 days to assure that no germs grow in the resin. Some premium manufacturers like Grünbeck will even regenerate every 3 days and adjust the amount of brine. That's a feature to justify prices beyond 2200€ for small units, though,

I understand you will generally aim for a capacity that allows one week between regenerations. What if the regeneration happens after 14 days, is this considered safe?

 

[Reach4]

Our potable water is not chlorinated, so we need to pay even more attention to hygienic handling.

They must do an annual sanitizing or something, I would think. No ozone either, I guess. Pasteurizing (heat treatment) maybe?

I understand you will generally aim for a capacity that allows one week between regenerations. What if the regeneration happens after 14 days, is this considered safe?

Yes. Wells mostly don't have chlorinated water, and 30 days is fine if there is not significant iron.

Sanitizing the well and plumbing every few years is a good practice.

 

[DetRack]

Afaik, sanitizing with chlorine is done ad-hoc if there is a reason due to bad samples or if there is a damaged line. They will flush it out afterwards. But I'm no expert on this.

Your answer on well-water helped me a lot. I will set the override a bit higher.

 

[Bannerman]

generally aim for a capacity that allows one week between regenerations. What if the regeneration happens after 14 days, is this considered safe?

7 days is generally desirable as the minimum time between regeneration and 30 days as the max. As mentioned above, this includes private well supplies that do not typically utilize chlorine or other disinfectants.

In some areas of North America, exchange tanks had been common. With these, larger resin tanks were regenerated at a central facility which were then delivered and connected to customer homes every 30 days, in exchange for the tank that was utilized for the previous 30 days.

 

[Reach4]

Your answer on well-water helped me a lot. I will set the override a bit higher.

I expect the override to not come into play, unless you take a vacation.

 

[DetRack]

My current override is 10 days. Based on the softener statistics, our water consumption is about 220l or 58 gallons per day. I know that sounds ridiculously low, but as I said in the other thread, our water is very expensive and we use as many water-saving appliances as possible.

With a capacity of 2300l per regeneration, the consumption is about par with the current override. From what I learned here, I will dial it up to 15 or 20 days and still enjoy safe water.

Thanks for all your explanations