F&W Salt water conditioner

[ditttohead]

LOL, in the brine tank, what a bummer. I was fortunate to get trained on the broken gear problem during my first week of training over 25 years ago. I have still lost my fair share of the springs and bearings, but I always kept a few extra on the service trucks. Since most of my work was commercial, that is where I saw the broken gear, but I have seena few residentially, including my dads house about 15 years ago. He has since been upgraded to a 5800LXT. I ave also seen a few on 4650, but these are the same powerhead, typically for hot water applications.

Most of these were hard water complaints, and the control valve was never touched by the restaurant, hospital etc. They just simply break sometimes.

The gear is cheap, and most distribution companies still stock tons of them, even thought the breakage problemn has slowed down considerably since most of the gears that are going to break, have broken by now. Either that, or the plumbers have learned how not to cheat their customers by intentianally breaking the gears in the middle of the night while they are driving around towns randomaly looking for 5600 valves.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Is your father a ham handed plumber or well driller LOL

 

[Sponsor]

 

[ditttohead]

That goes without saying since his 5600 main gear broke.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Hmmmmmmmm so all those past service calls, where the valve has been in and working for months and even years before the gear broke are the fault of plumbers and well drillers. Yes indeed they found a way to weaken those gear teeth so that eventually they would break and then they could sell a whole new valve rather than replace the gear.

Of course not silly (or were you into the adult beverages again, or attempting humor?), they, the techs, plumbers and drillers, did that when they got out to the house on a service call because it was easier than learning how to troubleshoot. Otherwise they would have known to replace the piston, seals and spacers and/or more likely the brine piston and/or the white salt dose cam. The majority of homeowners not wanting to break something wouldn't crank on the knob and they usually mentioned a hard turning knob when they called for service. With all the service you did you must have forgotten that.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Of course not silly (or were you into the adult beverages again, or attempting humor?), they, the techs, plumbers and drillers, did that when they got out to the house on a service call because it was easier than learning how to troubleshoot. Otherwise they would have known to replace the piston, seals and spacers and/or more likely the brine piston and/or the white salt dose cam. The majority of homeowners not wanting to break something wouldn't crank on the knob and they usually mentioned a hard turning knob when they called for service. With all the service you did you must have forgotten that.

And I'm the one consuming adult beverages LOL.

So it's easier to break the gear and replace the whole valve ?

But.... thanks, I haven't laughed this hard in quite awhile.

 

[Gary Slusser]

No, you know, like you've said here in the not so distant past, it's more profitable to sell a new valve or whole softener.

Also, again not in the to distant past here you said your service call was $100+ more than the $25 you mention in this thread.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

the $ 25.00 is for the gear, labor is of course extra but.....show me where I said its more profitable to sell a new system than repair or replace a minor part.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Oh, the $25 is the cost of the part huh.... then go back (your post #20) and correct the part in red below where you say the $25 is for the service call.

About 50/50 on the hole in the sticker LOL. The first time I tried replacing the gear I did it in place, dropped bearings and springs in the brine tank. Fished the springs out easily but had to methodically empty the brine tank for those damn balls. You learn from your mistakes LOL. I'd say that most of the gear replacement has been on commercial units but occasionally we get a residential one too. Maybe the ham handed owner cranked the knob, hard to tell because few will admit to doing so. I find the notion that plumbers and well drillers are sneaking around breaking main gears to be absurd at best especially when you'd have to have one pretty dumb owner not to question buying a new valve as opposed to a 25 dollar service call.

And it would help if you and your good buddy ditto kept your comments to residential unless commercial equipment is being asked about.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Oh, the $25 is the cost of the part huh.... then go back (your post #20) and correct the part in red below where you say the $25 is for the service call.



And it would help if you and your good buddy ditto kept your comments to residential unless commercial equipment is being asked about.

This is fun LOL

Ok, ya got me, I didn't clarify that part about the service call but, I also doubt that anyone thinks they can get a service technician to come out and do a service call for 25 bucks either.

I get way more than a hundred bucks to show up on your door step too. As of today we're at $239.00 and hour.

The only mention of commercial anything here was ditto saying that gear breakage is more common on commercial units than residential and me agreeing with him, which is true and also which though may not directly relate to the OP, is worth noting. You seem to have something against commercial water treatment. Did you have a bad experience early on LOL or are commercial installations beyond your scope of expertise? You got hang ups man, you need to take deep breaths and learn to relax before you get stroke LOL Go help the poor guy with his GE unit, you know all about them don't you?

 

[ditttohead]

Commercial applications are a better test for a systems durability than residential. A system can take an amazing beating in a commercial application compared to residential.

Not relating to the original OP??? LOL, who drags these threads into 2-10 page discussions with their nonsensical attacks on every post by the guys who have true experience, licenses, and certifications?

Anyway, back to the topic.

Is the main gear unable to be moved at all? If so, tha main gear is probably broken (common problem) and is fairly easy to replace. Let us know if you need help with changing the main gear.