Installing Fleck 5600SE

[BobNagrom]

Need some help.

Purchased a Fleck 5600SE water softener.

The guy I purchased it from delivered it and was to return the following weekend to install.
That was months ago.

I decided to tackle the job myself.
Plumbing went fine. Softener installed. No leaks.

Problem is programming. My old one had a chart for hardness, people and how often it should run.

I don't know the capacity of this unit. No documentation with it when I unboxed it.

Resin tank is 55" tall. 52" to where the tank curves to the neck. 10" diameter.
Resin comes up to 41" in tank.

Water hardness is 24 grain? untreated.

This unit is supposed to monitor usage and regenerate when # of gallons is used. Correct?
How do I determine number of gallons? What else do I need to program?

Thanks in advance.
Bob

 

[Reach4]

Purchased a Fleck 5600SE water softener.

Probably a 5600sxt (LCD display) despite a sticker that says 5600SE.

Probably a 10x54 tank with 1.5 cuft of resin.

This unit is supposed to monitor usage and regenerate when # of gallons is used. Correct?

Which one, if either, do you have on the back of the softener where the water hooks up?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[BobNagrom]

Sticker does say 5600SE but it does have LCD display.
That makes it a 5600SXT? Would Part number help?

Your tank dimensions are correct.

It has the Turbine Meter Assembly

Bob

 

[Bannerman]

Internally, Fleck continues to refer to SXT controllers SE. Some SXTs are shipped with SE labels, but the true SE models when they were produced, were equipped with LED displays. Here is an example:
https://www.softenerparts.com/Valve_Fleck_5600SE_Metered_Softener_Valve_p/3405600se.htm

Fleck 5600SXT example: https://www.pentairaquaeurope.com/products/fleck-5600-0

 

[BobNagrom]

You guys have been helpful.

What I don't know and need to find out are the details to program the unit.




JOB SPECIFICATION SHEET
Model Number:_____________________________________________
Water Hardness: ___________________________________ppm or gpg
Capacity Per Unit:___________________________________________
Mineral Tank Size:____________Diameter:_________Height:_________
Salt Setting per Regeneration:_________________________________
1.
Type of Timer:
A.
Time Clock
B.
Meter Initiated
2.
Downflow: Upflow Upflow Variable
3.
Meter Size:
A.
3/4-inch Turbine
B.
3/4-inch Paddle Wheel
C.
Electronic_____Pulse Count____Meter Size_____________
4.
System Type:
A.
System #4: 1 Tank, 1 Meter, Immediate, or
Delayed Regeneration
B.
System #4: Time Clock
5.
Timer Program Settings:
A.
Backwash:_______________________________Minutes
B.
Brine and Slow Rinse:_____________________Minutes
C.
Rapid Rinse:_____________________________Minutes
D.
Brine Tank Refill:_________________________Minutes
E.
Pause Time:_____________________________Minutes
F.
Second Backwash:________________________Minutes
6.
Drain Line Flow Control: gpm
7.
Brine Line Flow Controller: gpm
8.
Injector Size#:

 

[Reach4]

Sticker does say 5600SE but it does have LCD display.
That makes it a 5600SLT? Would Part number help?

5600sxt.

Need the number of people the softener regularly serves, and the hardness of the water, and the amount of iron if on a well.

 

[BobNagrom]

Thanks for the replies

2 people except when the kids visit.
24 grain
No detectable iron / Yes to well

Picture of head attached

 

[Bannerman]

The most common recommendation to provide the best balance of efficiency, capacity and water quality is 8 lbs salt to regenerate 24,000 grains capacity per cubic foot of resin. For your 1.5 ft3 unit, this translates to a usable capacity setting of 36,000 grains while consuming 12 lbs salt each regeneration cycle.

Your 5600SXT is likely equipped with a 0.5 GPM BLFC (brine line flow control) (BLFC flow rate typically specified on a label close to the brine tube connection). That 0.5 X the Brine Fill setting, = the total quantity of water to flow into the brine tank. Each 1 gallon will dissolve 3 lbs salt so for 12 lbs, 4 gallons will be needed. (0.5 BLFC X 8 minutes BF = 4 gallons X 3 = 12 lbs)

 

[Reach4]

Did you find the 5600SXT service manual?

System info (not programmed)
salt lb/cuft = 7 ; A choice ( efficiency vs capacity)
BLFC = 0.5 ; Brine Refill rate GPM
cubic ft resin = 1.5 ; ft3 resin = (nominal grains)/32,000
Compensated hardness = 27 ; including high-hardness compensation for 24 grains
People = 2 ; gallons affects reserve calc (before kids visit, consider early regen)
Estimated gal/day = 120 ; 60 gal per person typical calc
Estimated days/regen = 10.2 ; Computed days including reserve

Fleck 5600SXT Settings:
DF = Gal ; Units
VT = dF1b ; Downflw/, Single Backwash, black cam
CT = Fd ; Meter Delayed regen trigger
NT = 1 ; Number of tanks
C = 33.1 ; capacity in 1000 grains
H = 27 ; Hardness-- compensate if needed
RS = rc ; rc says use gallons vs percent
RC = 120 ; Reserve capacity gallons
DO = 30 ; Day Override (28 if no iron)
RT = 2:00 ; Regen time (default 2 AM)
BW = 5 ; Backwash (minutes)
Bd = 60 ; Brine draw minutes
RR = 5 ; Rapid Rinse minutes
BF = 7 ; Brine fill minutes
FM = t0.7 ; https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?attachments/img_fleck5600sxt_flow-png.31592/


Revised based on numbers from
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/help-for-programming-fleck-5810.82673/#post-595983

The less salt per cubic ft, the more salt efficient, but more hardness breakthrough.

Revised based on number from https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/help-for-programming-fleck-5810.82673/#post-595983
BLFC = 0.5
cubic ft resin = 1.5
Alternative C and BF pairs:

lb/cuft ; C= ; BF=
5.000 ; 28.7 ; 5; leaner salt than most
6.000 ; 31.5 ; 6; a little more salt-efficient.
7.000 ; 33.9 ; 7 ; Used in above numbers. Truncate . 5600sxt only does whole numbers
8.000 ; 36.0 ; 8 ; a little softer -- Bannerman's suggestion.
9.000 ; 37.7 ; 9; uses more salt, but softer still.
10.000 ; 39.3 ; 10 uses even more salt, but softer still.

 

[BobNagrom]

Thank you for the replies.
It will take me a bit to digest all the info, but appreciate the explanations instead of just numbers.

I believe I have the right manual now.
That is where I got the JOB SPECIFICATION SHEET

Sticker by Brine tube
.50 GPM
1.5 LB
SALT/MIN

One more question.
Resin tank did not completely fill with water.
It is about 7" above resin level but still 6-8" below top.
Is this an issue?
Will it correct itself during a regen?

Thanks again

 

[Reach4]

Resin tank did not completely fill with water.
It is about 7" above resin level but still 6-8" below top.
Is this an issue?
Will it correct itself during a regen?

See page 3:

11. Slowly place the by-pass in service position and let water
flow into the mineral tank. When water flow stops, slowly
open a cold water tap nearby and let run until the air is
purged from the unit.​

 

[Bannerman]

Sticker by Brine tube
.50 GPM
1.5 LB
SALT/MIN

Because 1 gallon water will dissolve 3 lbs salt, then with a 0.5 GPM BLFC, each 1 minute change of the Brine Fill setting will effect the salt amount by 1.5 lbs.

The brine tank should not fill to the top with water. The specific amount of water to refill after each regeneration is directly conditional on the amount of softening capacity that is programmed to be regenerated.

As Brine Fill is most commonly the final stage of regeneration, the brine prepared will be utilized during the following regeneration cycle which could occur 1-4 weeks after the water entered the brine tank.

Because a new softener installation will not contain any water to prepare brine for the 1st regen, water will need to be manually added to the tank. If you plan to set the usable Capacity to 36,000 grains, then 4 gallons will need to be manually added. As there will be a small quantity of fluid that always remains within the brine tank, suggest adding 5 gallons initially.

When the brine tank contains salt, water to be manually added should be poured into the Brine Well (4" plastic tube that houses the safety float and valve).

 

[Bannerman]

My preferred method during startup of a new softener is to bypass so there will be no incoming flow. Manually advance the controller to Backwash then remove the power plug to prevent the controller from advancing to the next stage. Open the incoming bypass valve slightly to allow a stream of water to slowly fill the resin tank from the bottom, which will push air upward and out through the softener's drain line. Once the drain flow becomes a solid water stream with no further air pulsations, then close the incoming valve and manually advance the controller back to the Service position. The softener can then be un-bypassed for normal use.

With a new softener, particularly when it will be conditioning unchlorinated well water, the usual recommendation is to initially sanitize the system internally by adding a small quantity of unscented laundry bleach to the water in the brine tank, then perform a manual regeneration. 3-4 ounces of bleach should be sufficient.

 

[BobNagrom]

Reach4 and Bannerman

First, Thank you for all your help.
System programmed and using soft water this week with precharged resin.

Could not get air out of resin tank until I followed Bannerman's suggestion using the Backwash cycle.

Finally ran a manual regeneration.
Wanted to observe and check all connections.

Put 80 pounds of salt and 5 gallons of water in salt tank

BW Backwash 5 min.

BD BrineDraw? 60 min.
Drew brine from salt tank but never sucked all the water from tank.
Water in the resin tank slowly went down but couldn't tell how far after it went below the resin.

RR Rapid Refill? 5 min.
Quickly refilled tank but seemed to stop at the neck.
Similar location as before.

BF Brine refill 6 min
During this cycle the resin tank appears to have completely refilled.
There was a period that controller seemed to rapidly turn value controlling the water to the salt tank on and off.
Very jerky. Was afraid the hose would come loose.

A lot of water in Salt/Brine tank.
Much higher than the 5 gallons I started with.
Probably 12" of water.

Looking for your thoughts and opinions if every thing is normal or there may be an issue.

Thank you again for your help.

 

[Reach4]

BD BrineDraw? 60 min.
Drew brine from salt tank but never sucked all the water from tank.
Water in the resin tank slowly went down but couldn't tell how far after it went below the resin.

Water is expected to suck down to about the middle of the air check valve. Expect the brine to be drawn out in about the first 15 minutes of the BD cycle. It would be worthwhile checking that if there is a problem with the softening.


You can use a dowel rod or a yardstick as a dipstick down the brine tube

RR Rapid Refill?

RR is Rapid Rinse. The resin is packed down.

A lot of water in Salt/Brine tank.
Much higher than the 5 gallons I started with.
Probably 12" of water.

BF should have added 3.5 gallons of water during 7 minutes.

Did you add the water before or after the 80 lbs of salt? Makes a big difference in the liquid level.

 

[BobNagrom]

I added 5 gallons after the salt but poured it into the tube with the float and tube connection. Could see water in tube but not in the main tank.
Now the water is visible around the salt. BF set to 6 minutes.

Any thoughts about the "jerkiness" during BF.
I was concerned about the tube becoming dislodged especially with the quick connect fitting in the brine tank.

 

[Bannerman]

It sounds as though there may be no BLFC flow restrictor installed.

The BLFC will appear to be a black plastic washer with a hole in the middle which will limit the flow to a specific rate such as 0.5 GPM when refilling the brine tank. The BLFC should be located directly behind the fitting where the brine tube connects to the control valve.

Without a flow restrictor, a non specific quantity of water will enter the brine tank at a high flow rate. The BLFC restrictor is directional so the flow rate numbers embossed into it, need to face toward the control valve.

 

[BobNagrom]

I will open up some fittings tomorrow and see what we have.

I appreciate your input.

 

[Reach4]

I will open up some fittings tomorrow and see what we have.

Expect a "50" and some other number.

 

[BobNagrom]

Not wanting to create more problems ...
Any trick to remove retainer?

I can see a flow restrictor but cannot read any numbers without removing it.

The water in the brine tank is at about 11" measured in the float chamber.
Or about 2 1/2" above the salt. Originally put 80 pounds of salt minus whatever was used during one regen.