What's the proper sequence for water well equipment?

[Red Green]

Hi, guys.

I need to replace the water softener and correct some other issues, so it's basically time to remodel the whole dang pump house. Currently I've got this:

Well > Pressure Tank > Chlorinator > Sediment Filter > Water Softener > 2500 gal Storage Tank > Jet Pump > Pressure Tank > Carbon Filter > House > and then an RO filter for the kitchen.

The chlorinator is a Stenner metering pump and the storage tank serves as the contact tank for the chlorine. The carbon filter removes the chlorine before the water goes to the house.

My first question is where should the water softener go? I'm thinking I want it after the carbon filter.
What do you guys suggest?

 

[Valveman]

Moving this to the softener forum as some of those guys don't look over here in the pump section.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

1. What determines the flow rate of the Stenner pump -- sensor or fixed?
2. Is the well pump controlled by a float switch in the 2500 gal tank?
3. Is the chlorinator injected into a pipe that then feeds right into a cartridge filter that you call a sediment filter, or is the sediment filter something other than a cartridge filter?
4. Is it the case that the 2500 gallon storage tank is there because the well does not have enough water to directly supply the water needs realtime?
5. What is the "carbon filter"? Is that a backwashing tank, or is it a cartridge filter?
6. Why chlorination? Is it to just kill bacteria, or is it also to remove iron and other things?

Chlorine is not good for softener resin. You usually want some means of keeping the level of the chlorine low by the time the water gets to the softener. This can be done by a backwashing carbon tank.

My thinking is that the softener would be after the jet pump, but also after a backwashing carbon tank. I am not a pro. The answers to the questions above may tell us more.

 

[Red Green]

Thanks for the response.

1. The Stenner is a single head adjustable pump. It's slaved to the float switch in the storage tank, so it only runs when the storage tank is being filled. http://stenner.com/products/pumps/single-head-adjustable-output
2. Yes, float switch.
3. Yes, chlorinator is injected into a pipe that feeds the a cartridge filter. This one:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Whole-House-Water-Filtration-System-GXWH40L/100669051
I'm using the pleated filter at present.
4. Our original well was at 450 feet and we had a H2S problem. It ran just about dry during the drought. I added the storage tank because we were buying water for a few months. Had a new well drilled in August 2011 at 640 feet, no H2S in the lower aquifer. The new well can supply our water needs (it feeds our yard circuit upstream of the chlorine injector), but I like the comfort of having the storage tank full just in case. I'm using the water from the storage tank because it feels like I should "turn over" the water in the tank, plus it's the contact tank for the chlorine.
5. Backwashing tank.
6. We originally got the chlorination system because of the H2S problem with the old well, using it now just to sanitize the water. As I understand it, you're not supposed to use a carbon filter unless the water is sanitized. The correct answer is "because that's what Spousal Unit wants".

"Chlorine is not good for softener resin." Thanks, I think that tells me what I need to know.

 

[ditttohead]

Your question is a little more complex than a typical DIY forum. I don't really feel like typing for half an hour...

Please call me, I sent you a pm.

In general, Hydra or similar, chlorine injection, Contact tank, backwashing gac or Katalox light, softener, uv light, each application, system design, and water quality desire can change this drastically. For many people a RO system is ideal, other a simple cartridge is acceptable... it really depends on what level of water quality you desire and what cost/maintenance you are willing to deal with.

 

[GTOwagon]

Well > Pressure Tank > Chlorinator > Sediment Filter > Water Softener > 2500 gal Storage Tank > Jet Pump > Pressure Tank > Carbon Filter > House > and then an RO filter for the kitchen.

Here is what I would do: (without water tests that we could see)
Well>pressure tank>chlorinator pump injection>2500 gallon storage tank>jet pump>second pressure tank>BACKWASHINGsediment filter>BACKWASHING carbon filter>Bypass to use for kitchen icemaker and cold>softener>house>OPTIONAL RO for kitchen and ice (I probably would skip the RO depending on what the deal was in my water. The Carbon filtered and unsoftened water is nice to drink usually. Unless it is hard off the chart then you want to deal with it)

NOTE IF YOU WANT ONE OF THOSE CSVs TALK TO VALVEMAN AND HE WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO PUT IT ON THIS SYSTEM.

 

[ditttohead]

A quick not regarding iron and atmospheric storage with chlorine...

Be sure to make the tank easily cleaned. I would highly recommend a tee at the lower bulkhead with a full port drain valve. You can also add an aerator ball or bar where the water enters the tank. Iron will quickly cause your atmospheric tank to run into a mess, this is not bad, but it should be cleaned.. and ease of cleaning is important. A solid ladder going up to the top access hole and a pool brush tend to work well.

 

[GTOwagon]

I was going to say, and this is probably why Ditto wants to send a pm, there are tones of little details one needs like that full port drain valve to flush the tank, and evacuate the flocculated and coagulzied solids that's have oxidized. I am not sure what your tank is? Open or closed? But being able to drain the clumps of crap that form out is important, and the drain valve helps you t do it regularly as lots of the stuff settles to the bottom. That takes some of the load off your filters, too.

(Is coagulized even a word?)

Best wishes