Replace the resin in my softener

[Kamisn]

Hi everyone. I have a 48k watts (clack ws1) softener with Vortech tank installed in 2018 (6 years old). Recently we have started observing water pressure drop let say when washing machine is working and we have another faucet running. I read in this forum that old chlorine damaged resin can cause resistance against water flow. In addition seen that water doesn’t stay soft long enough as when washing hands after 500-700 gallons use it feels like hard water.

The question is shall I just replace the resin with high quality new resin? Is there any complication in doing so with Vortech tanks? Or shall I buy a gravel bedded tank and replace my entire tank (keep the valve), since I read sometimes the Vortech plates after few years break and let the resin in the plumbing?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Just unscrew the control head and leave the tube alone....

get a wet vac and rig up a smaller radiator hose to it and just suck
out the old mineral bed down to when you hit gravel... You will get 99%
of it....

plug the vortech tube with
a cork or duct tape so the resin wont go down the center
and pour the new resin into the tank....

its fairly easy to do.....

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

just suck
out the old mineral bed down to when you hit gravel...

As the tank is equipped with a Vortech bottom plate, no gravel should be present.

As the riser tube will be connected directly to the bottom plate, the tube will not be removable.

If using a vacuum cleaner to remove the old resin, ensure the tank opening does not become blocked, preventing air entry as the tank will collapse if subjected to negative pressure (as shown below).

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

As the tank is equipped with a Vortech bottom plate, no gravel should be present.

As the riser tube will be connected directly to the bottom plate, the tube will not be removable.

If using a vacuum cleaner to remove the old resin, ensure the tank opening does not become blocked, preventing air entry as the tank will collapse if subjected to negative pressure (as shown below).

What in the world are you talking about....??
If it is a Clack control on the unit you just
pull the head off the unit and you are looking down into the tank..
Get a wet vac and rig up a hose and suck out the water and resin down
to the bottom.... some units have gravel in the bottom and others do not

When the resin gets destroyed by high levels of chlorine in the city water
the resin literally expands like bread yeast
and rise up through the tank and it comes out the top.....
You want to repair this long before it gets this far along....

I usually just install a new unit and only have rebuilt a few due to the troubles
and time involved trying to bring the old unit back to life again and hope it works
properly

 

[Bannerman]

some units have gravel in the bottom and others do not

Since Kamisn's tank is equipped with a Vortech bottom plate, no gravel will have been necessary and should not have been used.

I mention as a warning of not restricting air flow into the tank while using a vacuum to suck out the old resin as, the negative pressure created inside the tank, can cause the tank to collapse. As long as the air is not restricted from entering the tank to replace the air and resin being sucked out, there should be no issue.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Since Kamisn's tank is equipped with a Vortech bottom plate, no gravel will have been necessary and should not have been used.

I mention as a warning of not restricting air flow into the tank while using a vacuum to suck out the old resin as, the negative pressure created inside the tank, can cause the tank to collapse. As long as the air is not restricted from entering the tank to replace the air and resin being sucked out, there should be no issue.

How will you have negative pressure if you remove the control head and have a wide open tank >>??