ChrisBeall
Member
I'm about to replace a 35+ year old water softener. About the only thing I'm sure of is that I want one with a separate brine tank so it can be cleaned out from time to time.
I like the idea of a demand-based regeneration system. I don't like that they are necessarily more complex than the timer-based system I have now, so I want something that is both reliable and maintainable (which means parts and technical documentation are available LONG after the sale).
The Fleck 5600SXT controller seems to be VERY popular. Actually surprisingly so, in a competitive market with 3 major players and many minor ones. Are there any downsides to that model?
I read that a round brine tank is stronger than the rounded-corner rectangular ones. True or False?
My drain line has to go UP to a 7' ceiling, then about 10 feet horizontally to where it descends and drains. Are there any units that WON'T handle this?
There seem to be more different resins than I'd thought possible. Is that really a critical choice or is just about anything OK?
There are two types of demand meters. One is called turbine, the other is called ????? (but it's a vertical vane in a domed housing). Any difference in accuracy, longevity, or ???
My current resin tank is about 7.5" around and 38" high. Many that I'm reading about seem to be significantly larger, especially in height, though the packaged units I saw at Lowes (not of interest because the brine tank isn't separate) seem to be about the same size as mine. Am I mistaken or are current units larger than old ones were?
I've been using solar salt. Some units seem to want more-expensive pellets. Is that really necessary?
What did I forget to ask about?
It's a bit challenging to answer the usual questions about my water, since I'm on an 800-user system that sources from 4 wells, blending them according to astrological signs and the price of tomatoes, but they tell me to use 17 grains-per-gallon. Detailed company report at http://rollingmeadowswater.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AWQR_Hurley_2014.pdf
The third paragraph discusses blending of the different sources.
Current usage is 5000-6000 gallons per month, with 2 adults, a dishwasher and clothes washer, but it's a 4-bedroom house... When I ran some standard calculations I came up with either a 32,000 or 48,000 grain model, but I'd be glad to hear other opinions.
I like the idea of a demand-based regeneration system. I don't like that they are necessarily more complex than the timer-based system I have now, so I want something that is both reliable and maintainable (which means parts and technical documentation are available LONG after the sale).
The Fleck 5600SXT controller seems to be VERY popular. Actually surprisingly so, in a competitive market with 3 major players and many minor ones. Are there any downsides to that model?
I read that a round brine tank is stronger than the rounded-corner rectangular ones. True or False?
My drain line has to go UP to a 7' ceiling, then about 10 feet horizontally to where it descends and drains. Are there any units that WON'T handle this?
There seem to be more different resins than I'd thought possible. Is that really a critical choice or is just about anything OK?
There are two types of demand meters. One is called turbine, the other is called ????? (but it's a vertical vane in a domed housing). Any difference in accuracy, longevity, or ???
My current resin tank is about 7.5" around and 38" high. Many that I'm reading about seem to be significantly larger, especially in height, though the packaged units I saw at Lowes (not of interest because the brine tank isn't separate) seem to be about the same size as mine. Am I mistaken or are current units larger than old ones were?
I've been using solar salt. Some units seem to want more-expensive pellets. Is that really necessary?
What did I forget to ask about?
It's a bit challenging to answer the usual questions about my water, since I'm on an 800-user system that sources from 4 wells, blending them according to astrological signs and the price of tomatoes, but they tell me to use 17 grains-per-gallon. Detailed company report at http://rollingmeadowswater.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/AWQR_Hurley_2014.pdf
The third paragraph discusses blending of the different sources.
Current usage is 5000-6000 gallons per month, with 2 adults, a dishwasher and clothes washer, but it's a 4-bedroom house... When I ran some standard calculations I came up with either a 32,000 or 48,000 grain model, but I'd be glad to hear other opinions.