Water softener issue?

[jackcmorgan]

I have relatively hard water (20 grains) and installed a new ecopure water softener about a year ago. While deposits have been reduced quite a bit, i still have some scale happening - specifically in the toilet, and the top of bathroom fixtures (need to use vim every couple of weeks to remove). The softener monitors flow and recharges every few days based on our usage. I changed the grains setting up to 30 grains to see if that would help and it didn't. I also cleaned (including ironout) and tested the operation of the system by cycling through the stages. Still leaving deposits - is this normal? Should I buy a better water softener? I looked into whole home RO systems but they're too expensive.

thank you

Jack Morgan

 

[bingow]

What would be a big help would be a hardness test reading, such as Hach 5B, near regen time.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

When softened water dries, it will leave a white residue-- not different-looking from when hard water dries. However those dried softened water spots/areas should wipe clean with a damp cloth.

 

[jackcmorgan]

What would be a big help would be a hardness test reading, such as Hach 5B, near regen time.

so this test will tell me how much caco3 is still in the water?

 

[jackcmorgan]

When softened water dries, it will leave a white residue-- not different-looking from when hard water dries. However those dried softened water spots/areas should wipe clean with a damp cloth.

yeah i know. most of the white residue wipes away easily but roughly 5% won't - so it seems it's not completely removing the lime.

 

[bingow]

so this test will tell me how much caco3 is still in the water?

Yes. It measures total hardness as caco3 grains per gallon. Google Hach.com for full explanation; I am not a chemist, but a DIYer also dealing with a hard water problem.
If you test a softened water sample just before regen, and get a low hardness reading, then your softener is doing its job. It would also be helpful to know what gallon capacity remained if you regen by the clock instead of by capacity.

 

[Reach4]

yeah i know. most of the white residue wipes away easily but roughly 5% won't - so it seems it's not completely removing the lime.

I was saying rinse away, rather than scrape away.
Note that softeners will not remove silica, and silica will not rinse away.

Hardness materials can usually be removed with vinegar. Silica cannot.

 

[jackcmorgan]

I was saying rinse away, rather than scrape away.
Note that softeners will not remove silica, and silica will not rinse away.

Hardness materials can usually be removed with vinegar. Silica cannot.

ok, yes 99% will rinse away while a trace amount remains. vinegar or clr doesnt seem to work on the residual - only vim (which is abrasive) with scrubbing so perhaps it's silica.