Softener Recomendations

[Jed1154]

I am serving a home that has 4 adults and 2 children. At my old house, I had a Fleck 9000 dual tank system, It was 10 years old, I rebuilt the valves once due to leaking, but otherwise, it gave me no trouble whatsoever. I didn't realize how pricey those system are.

Anyway, Im now looking at the same type of thing. I need 48,000 capacity based on 20 grains of hardness. Maintaining pressure in the house while using two showers at once is very important. We are on a well.

What I am looking for is advice on whether I should stick to dual tank, or switch to a single tank design. Thoughts?

This is being used on a farm. Piping in the well house is at least 1".

I'm kind of leaning toward the 9000 or the 9100SXT. Any reason not to? I'd definitely like to stick with metered, be it single or dual tank.

But these look pretty solid as well:

5812SXT
5600SXT

I don't know which is the way to go.

 

[Bannerman]

advice on whether I should stick to dual tank, or switch to a single tank design.

How much water do you anticipate using, and will soft water be required 24 hours/ day?

I need 48,000 capacity based on 20 grains of hardness.

How was that capacity determined?

leaning toward the 9000 or the 9100SXT. Any reason not to?

Mainly cost, since you would in essence be buying 2 softeners.

Production of the Fleck 7000SXT stopped several years ago.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jed1154]

My capacity was loosely calculated...

20 grains of hardness (estimated from city water since we pull from the same aquifer, I need to test my well water shortly)
6 people, estimating 70 gallons a day (just found this online)

That got me to 48,000 grains with 5.7 between regen. I might need to be at 64,000?

I don't require soft water 24 hours a day, but it sure is nice to just kick over to another tank ready to go and not have a regen. If I want soft water always with a single tank, then it seems it would have to regen early morning BEFORE it has reached 0% capacity. In that case, it seems as though it wastes salt and water.

 

[Reach4]

You or your softener determine how much water to have in reserve to make it through the next day. You count down the remaining capacity.

Each night at 2 am (that is the default), the softener checks if there is enough capacity remaining to make it through the next day. If not, it regenerates then. So the remaining capacity at that point could be thought of as wasted.

Worst case, you waste almost a days's capacity. Worst case, near zero waste. On average, figure 1/2 day. You select the softener size so that you expect to go 7 days or more without regenerating. If you do that, figure you waste 0.5/7= about 7%. People often calculate 60 gallons per day per person, but a lot of people use a lot less. Toilets use less water than they used to.

Be aware that if the advertised size is 48000, you don't get 48000 grains of softening if using efficient settings. You get around 32000 -- about 2/3 of the advertised value.

You would like to have 3 cubic ft of resin, but 2.5 would be pretty good. Even 2 cubic ft ("64000") would not be bad. "32000" would be too small for you.

 

[Taylorjm]

You or your softener determine how much water to have in reserve to make it through the next day. You count down the remaining capacity.

Be aware that if the advertised size is 48000, you don't get 48000 grains of softening if using efficient settings. You get around 32000 -- about 2/3 of the advertised value.

You would like to have 3 cubic ft of resin, but 2.5 would be pretty good. Even 2 cubic ft ("64000") would not be bad. "32000" would be too small for you.

Not to hijack the thread, but I encountered this with my new softener and found out about how the 48,000 grains doesn't equal that, it's more like the maximum setting and not an efficient setting. Can you explain what is meant by an efficient setting verses using it at the maximum setting?

 

[Bannerman]

Can you explain what is meant by an efficient setting verses using it at the maximum setting?

Compare the capacity of various sizes of softeners when regenerated using different salt doses by review of the chart linked below.

At the bottom of each salt dose column, salt efficiency is indicated as # of grains per lb of salt. Also shown is the amount of hardness leakage to be expected when using each salt dose. Higher salt efficiency will result in higher hardness leakage so lower quality water.

For a good balance of salt efficiency, capacity (regeneration frequency) and water quality, 8 lbs salt per ft3 of resin is recommended. If higher salt efficiency is wanted with a slight decline in quality and capacity, then 6 lbs per ft3. These settings will apply to not only single tank softeners but also twin tank units.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?attachments/resin-chart-jpg.53316/

 

[Bannerman]

6 people, estimating 70 gallons a day (just found this online)

Average consumption is usually between 50-75 gallons per day per person. Even if your usage estimate is high, that should help to ensure the softener capacity will be sufficient to satisfy your requirements. As almost all softeners sold today regenerate by demand (metered). automatic regeneration will occur only when the softener's programmed capacity has been consumed.

A lab report will be needed for your well water as the presence of iron, manganese and some other elements may consume additional softener capacity beyond the 20 gpg you are anticipating. For example, each 1 ppm iron will consume additional capacity equivalent to 5 gpg hardness.

A softener containing 1.5 ft3 of resin will have a total capacity of 48,000 grains. To regenerate all 48K in 1.5 ft3 of resin would require 30 lbs salt each cycle which would be extremely inefficient. 2 ft3 of resin will deliver 48K usable grains in a more efficient manner as that would need only 16 lbs salt. For a clearer comparison of the relationship of efficiency, capacity and salt settings, see the chart at the link included above in post #6.

Assuming there will be no iron for the softener to remove, as Reach4 mentioned, for overall efficiency, it is desirable if the softener's capacity is sufficient enough to provide at least 7-days usage before regeneration will be needed using efficient settings.