Joshua2639
New Member
Hello everyone-
I have a current system (installed new in 2012), Fleck 5600sxt metered, that has stopped softening. The resign is 1.5 cubic ft (8%) from discount water softeners .com. Softener tank is 10" (Clack 1054). Worked fantastic, but recently seeing degraded performance (soap and wife telling me her hair is not as soft/skin dry tests)
I have only used Morton System Saver rock salt (green bag). Last week tried to give the chem cleaning a shot, 2 cycles of treatment- no change (Pro Products Res Care).
Background-
Family: 2 adults, 1 pre-teen, and a baby
City water: Hardness is 15 to 17 grains per gallon. Iron content is 0.4 to 0.6 parts per million. Calcium and magnesium make up most of the hardness. City reports average ph is 7, although I usually test higher at 8/9 (self test strips from amazon). House was built in 2002. Have 3/4" water lines.
I would prefer to error on the side of overengineering (where reasonable)
I Like to maintain things - but not when the value to maintain does not add up versus a new unit.
I am either considering maintaining or just putting in a new unit. If I do put in a new unit, would you suggest the Fleck 5600SXT again, or should I bump up to the 5800 series (5810/5812 - but not really sure what the difference is). I would have like the system to last more than 8 years, but 8 years that it did work it worked well. Would stick with Fleck again unless you all have a better recommendation.
Maintaining -
Pros: not wasteful, "as far as I can tell" the head unit/brine tank, softner tank "seems" to be working fine (no experience in testing and troubleshooting), Chip on the shoulder from fixing it/impresses the wife
Cons: Resin is expensive (would go with 10%, and can I bump it up to 2.0Cuft?), it is cold outside so rinsing the tank sounds like a pain (Minnesota), I am on limited time (would like to have the solution in place by next Wednesday - I am headed out for National Guard military deployment (more COVID related than traditional military), Head end warranty is expired- risk in replacing the resin if the head end is on its way out. I see some other common parts for the head end - if I do replace the resin should I also be looking to replace/update other parts?
Buying new -
Pros: New warranty, can order with 10% resin, possibly upgrade the head end unit (?), replace all the parts at once so I am not chasing problems
Cons: Waste, cost, less pride in replacing with new then keeping something running (for me), have the extra tanks sitting around until I find a place to get rid of them (what do you do with them?)
I did read (on here) that the 5600 SXT has a limitation in the volume it can use for salt wash - I did not fully understand that from the other posts. Is this a limitation I should be concerned with?
DYI level: pretty decent. I was a carpenter/contractor as a younger man. Built my own house (hired out the plumbing, but comfortable doing smaller projects (on my own houses).
If you have a supplier I should consider please let me know. Otherwise I used discountwatersoftners in 2012, and also looking at greatwatersoftners .com
I asked a lot of questions! Thank you for taking the time to read through it!
I have a current system (installed new in 2012), Fleck 5600sxt metered, that has stopped softening. The resign is 1.5 cubic ft (8%) from discount water softeners .com. Softener tank is 10" (Clack 1054). Worked fantastic, but recently seeing degraded performance (soap and wife telling me her hair is not as soft/skin dry tests)
I have only used Morton System Saver rock salt (green bag). Last week tried to give the chem cleaning a shot, 2 cycles of treatment- no change (Pro Products Res Care).
Background-
Family: 2 adults, 1 pre-teen, and a baby
City water: Hardness is 15 to 17 grains per gallon. Iron content is 0.4 to 0.6 parts per million. Calcium and magnesium make up most of the hardness. City reports average ph is 7, although I usually test higher at 8/9 (self test strips from amazon). House was built in 2002. Have 3/4" water lines.
I would prefer to error on the side of overengineering (where reasonable)
I Like to maintain things - but not when the value to maintain does not add up versus a new unit.
I am either considering maintaining or just putting in a new unit. If I do put in a new unit, would you suggest the Fleck 5600SXT again, or should I bump up to the 5800 series (5810/5812 - but not really sure what the difference is). I would have like the system to last more than 8 years, but 8 years that it did work it worked well. Would stick with Fleck again unless you all have a better recommendation.
Maintaining -
Pros: not wasteful, "as far as I can tell" the head unit/brine tank, softner tank "seems" to be working fine (no experience in testing and troubleshooting), Chip on the shoulder from fixing it/impresses the wife
Cons: Resin is expensive (would go with 10%, and can I bump it up to 2.0Cuft?), it is cold outside so rinsing the tank sounds like a pain (Minnesota), I am on limited time (would like to have the solution in place by next Wednesday - I am headed out for National Guard military deployment (more COVID related than traditional military), Head end warranty is expired- risk in replacing the resin if the head end is on its way out. I see some other common parts for the head end - if I do replace the resin should I also be looking to replace/update other parts?
Buying new -
Pros: New warranty, can order with 10% resin, possibly upgrade the head end unit (?), replace all the parts at once so I am not chasing problems
Cons: Waste, cost, less pride in replacing with new then keeping something running (for me), have the extra tanks sitting around until I find a place to get rid of them (what do you do with them?)
I did read (on here) that the 5600 SXT has a limitation in the volume it can use for salt wash - I did not fully understand that from the other posts. Is this a limitation I should be concerned with?
DYI level: pretty decent. I was a carpenter/contractor as a younger man. Built my own house (hired out the plumbing, but comfortable doing smaller projects (on my own houses).
If you have a supplier I should consider please let me know. Otherwise I used discountwatersoftners in 2012, and also looking at greatwatersoftners .com
I asked a lot of questions! Thank you for taking the time to read through it!
