Water softener next to water heater

[tgnj]

I'm planning my DIY install of a new water softener. I've seen a couple of places online that said a softener should be at least 10 feet away from the water heater to prevent hot water from backing into the softener. Really? Is this something I need to be concerned with? I'd like to put the softener right next to the water heater (electric, if that matters).

Thank you all for the advice given on these forums.

 

[Reach4]

I don't know the impact of WH water expanding toward the softener, but I figure 10 ft of pipe in a U is worth 10 ft of distance. And 2.5 ft of 2 inch pipe is worth 10 ft of 1 inch pipe.

You could put a spring loaded check valve in the path, but also make sure you have a working thermal expansion tank at the WH. That check valve has been the cure for some people on city water where the incoming water has unusual pressure pulses, and creates false usage counts for the softener.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[tgnj]

I installed my softener. if anyone cares to suggest some programming changes for efficiency, it would be appreciated.

Just a 1 person household, on a well. From the well, hardness is about 6 grains per gallon. Iron is .106 ppm.

Fleck 5600SXT 32,000 grain
9x48 resin tank
8% resin

Drain flow (from label) = 2.0 gpm

DF - gal
VT - dF1b
CT - Fd
NT - 1
C - 32
H - 10 (should this be lower?)
RS - SF
SF - 15
DO - 14 (thinking of changing this to 21)
RT - 2:00
BW - 10 (change to 5?)
BD - 60 (does this need to be this high?)
RR - 10 (change to 5?)
BF - 12 (too high?)
FM - PO.7

Thanks.

 

[Reach4]

C - 32
H - 10 (should this be lower?)

C should be lower, but DO is usually going to be the overriding number.

Usually you make BD at least 60, tho there could be some tweaking. If you are short on water and want to minimize BD, what color is your injector?

=======================
System info (not programmed)
salt lb/cuft = 7.5 ; A choice ( efficiency vs capacity)
BLFC = 0.5 ; Brine Refill rate GPM
cubic ft resin = 1 ; ft3 resin = (nominal grains)/32,000
Compensated hardness = 8 ; including any compensation
People = 1 ; gallons affects reserve calc
Estimated gal/day = 60 ; 60 gal per person typical calc
Estimated days/regen = 45.91 ; Computed days including reserve

Fleck 5600SXT Settings:
DF = Gal ; Units
VT = dF1b ; Downflw/Upflw, Single Backwash
CT = Fd ; Meter Delayed regen trigger
NT = 1 ; Number of tanks
C = 23.0 ; capacity in 1000 grains
H = 8 ; Hardness-- compensate if needed
RS = rc ; rc says use gallons vs percent
RC = 60 ; Reserve capacity gallons
DO = 14 ; A guess. Day Override (28 if no iron)
RT = 2:00 ; Regen time (default 2 AM)
BW = 5 ; Backwash (minutes)
Bd = 60 ; Brine draw minutes
RR = 5 ; Rapid Rinse minutes
BF = 5 ; Brine fill minutes
FM = ____0.7 ; https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?attachments/img_fleck5600sxt_flow-png.31592/

==================================================
The less salt per cubic ft, the more salt efficient, but more hardness breakthrough.



Revised based on number from https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/help-for-programming-fleck-5810.82673/#post-595983
BLFC = 0.5
cubic ft resin = 1
Alternative C and BF pairs:
lb/cuft ; C= ; BF=
6.000 ; 21.0 ; 4
7.500 ; 23.3 ; 5 ;** used in above... slightly different C here, but close.
9.000 ; 25.2 ; 6
10.500 ; 26.6 ; 7

 

[tgnj]

Thanks for the info, Reach4. I think he injector is black, because everything is black.

 

[Reach4]

It will probably be brown, violet, or red. White and blue are unlikely and unsuitable.

There is no black. You may have the injector number, 000, 00, or 0 listed on a white paper label. A #1, (white) would be for a bigger softener.