Should I increase resin volume?

[GravyEatingDog]

If I upgrade from a 9X48 resin tank to a 10X54 to increase resin capacity to 1.5 cubic ft, can my existing Fleck 5600 handle it? Seems like a reasonable upgrade for the cost of a larger tank and additional resin.

4 people
21.3 gpg

Would appreciate recommendations on settings for 1.5 ft resin.

Also, I would consider a 2.0 cu ft system, but believe a control valve to handle this would require 1" water line and I'm currently 3/4" out of the pressure tank.

Thanks

Current system is 20 yr old, Fleck 5600, 9X48 tank w/ 1.05" distributor tube - it has been bypassed for the past 7 years because the tap water tasted salty. I recently rebuilt the Fleck control valve and am in the process of putting it back into service.

2016 water test results (Virginia Tech Extension service):

364.8 mg/L hardness
0.007 mg/L Fe
10.5 mg/L Sulfate
8.56 mg/L Sodium
Mn, Ar & Flouride - not detected
Total dissolved solids: 476 mg/L
Nitrate-N 4.028 mg/L
pH 7.3

 

[Reach4]

If I upgrade from a 9X48 resin tank to a 10X54 to increase resin capacity to 1.5 cubic ft, can my existing Fleck 5600 handle it? Seems like a reasonable upgrade for the cost of a larger tank and additional resin.

4 people
21.3 gpg

With 2 cuft and 240 gallons of softened water per day, expect to regenerate about every 7.68 days.
Every 5.76 days for 1.5. The actual days are rounded down, however.

A 5600 does not have settings in the classic sense, so maybe you have a 5600SXT? Does your controller have a digital display that alternates gallons remaining with the current time? If so, I can post suggested settings. A plain 5600 is a timed mechanical controller.

Don't worry about a 5600 being able to handle a 2 cuft tank for softening. You would have to change the DLFC to increase the backwash rate, but a 12 inch tank only needs 3.5 gpm for backwash. For 10 inch, it is 2.4 and for a 9 inch tank it is 2.0. IMO, you would even be OK with a 13 or 14 inch tank. However a 2 cuft 12x52 would be a good size.

Note that new resin, plus new media tank, plus new DLFC, plus new bottom basket (because the old basket is glued to the old shorter distributor tube) together, plus gravel might not cost much less than a new softener with controller. A 12 inch tank uses about 78% more gravel. Some skimp by omitting gravel, but you don't want to skimp there.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[GravyEatingDog]

I have a 5600 Econominder metered-version. In my mind, settings include DFLC & BFLC sizing, salt setting (on back), capacity. I'm hoping to forestall upgrade to 2.0 cu ft resin (12" tank & 5600SXT) for economic reasons and go with less expensive option in the short-term (1-2 yr) - 10x54 tank runs about $100 and handles 1.5 cu ft, 12" tank significantly more.

Thanks - I appreciate your time & advice.

 

[Reach4]

I have a 5600 Econominder metered-version. In my mind, settings include DFLC & BFLC sizing, salt setting (on back), capacity.

I am talking about the DLFC, which is a rubber button-- not a setting.

To re-use the bottom basket, note that the distributor tube is 3/4 inch PVC (1.05 OD). You could cut the existing distributor tube, and glue a PVC coupling plus more pipe to get the distributor tube to the height you need. The reason I was thinking of cutting the old one is to avoid having the coupling up at the neck of the tank.

Good deal on the economizer. However telling you how to set that would take research that I think you can do. I am not a pro.

What I can do is to give you some data on the capacity numbers to use once you decide how much salt to use for each regen.
lb/cuft ; C=
4 ; 30.4
5 ; 36.4
6 ; 40.0
7 ; 44.1
8 ; 48.0
9 ; 51.3

EDIT: Looking at the manual, the Economizer does have a BLFC (part 38 in Figure 13). The DLFC is part 42 in Figure 13.\

No need to change the BLFC.