Where should I put my carbon filter?

[Maxforwardspeed]

Trying to figure out the best location to put in my 20" carbon filter. I know it needs to go after the softener and before the water heater, but there isn't much room directly above the softener. I'm thinking the best thing to do is put it to the left of my water heater so it will be easiest to access there, but the only problem is I'll need to use a lot of elbows and fittings, possibly negatively impacting my water pressure with all of that extra friction.

What do you guys think?

 

[Reach4]

A big carbon filter usually goes before the softener. A smaller carbon filter for drinking water goes in the supply pipe for cold kitchen water, and may be softened or unsoftened, depending on the water.

What is the purpose of your carbon filter?
Is the water well water or city water?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Maxforwardspeed]

A big carbon filter usually goes before the softener. A smaller carbon filter for drinking water goes in the supply pipe for cold kitchen water, and may be softened or unsoftened, depending on the water.

What is the purpose of your carbon filter?
Is the water well water or city water?

Community well. Total dissolved solids after the softener is very high, around 450ppm. Also water has an odd smell. Trying to eliminate that aspect more than anything, and assumed the best place to install the carbon would be after the softener. We have an under sink RO for drinking water so that's not a concern.

Just trying to get any smells out of the water before it gets to appliances and fixtures, while also making sure the softener isn't contributing to the smells.

 

[Reach4]

I suggest you sanitize your well, storage tank, and plumbing. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my sanitizing writeup.

I would not call 450 ppm dissolved solids very high. A softener does not reduce TDS.

 

[Bannerman]

There is too little carbon media within a cartridge for a whole house application.

Sufficient contact time with carbon media is needed for effective contaminate reduction. The usual recommended flow rate through carbon is no higher than 1-3 GPM per cubic foot of carbon. The flow variance is with regard to the contaminant(s) to be removed since some contaminants require longer contact time than others.

For effective contaminant removal, a back washing carbon system containing 1.5 ft3 media is the minimum recommended for a modest home. A larger quantity of carbon will further increase the contact time or will suppport a higher flow rate.

Post a current lab test report for your raw well water. While granular activated carbon (GAC) will be effective for reducing many contaminants, if the water contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S = rotten egg odor), then premium Catalytic Carbon is recommended since the media's catalytic action will be enhanced.

 

[Maxforwardspeed]

I suggest you sanitize your well, storage tank, and plumbing. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my sanitizing writeup.

I would not call 450 ppm dissolved solids very high. A softener does not reduce TDS.

That sounds like a great solution for sanitizing your well, but unfortunately it's a community shared well that is delivered through a metered city connection. I've tried sanitizing the softener brine tank with bleach as the manual suggested but it didn't change anything.

 

[Maxforwardspeed]

There is too little carbon media within a cartridge for a whole house application.

Sufficient contact time with carbon media is needed for effective contaminate reduction. The usual recommended flow rate through carbon is no higher than 1-3 GPM per cubic foot of carbon. The flow variance is with regard to the contaminant(s) to be removed since some contaminants require longer contact time than others.

For effective contaminant removal, a back washing carbon system containing 1.5 ft3 media is the minimum recommended for a modest home. A larger quantity of carbon will further increase the contact time or will suppport a higher flow rate.

Post a current lab test report for your raw well water. While granular activated carbon (GAC) will be effective for reducing many contaminants, if the water contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S = rotten egg odor), then premium Catalytic Carbon is recommended since the media's catalytic action will be enhanced.

So it sounds like the heavy duty carbon cartridge won't help my situation at all.

I had an untreated water quality analysis done a few months ago when we replaced our water heater and this is what they came up with:

 

[Maxforwardspeed]

So it sounds like the heavy duty carbon cartridge won't help my situation at all.

I had an untreated water quality analysis done a few months ago when we replaced our water heater and this is what they came up with:
View attachment 84233

Actually I also found a city-generated report from 2019. I thought there may be a chance that the smells in the water could be from iron related bacteria because we also see an orange-pink water ring that forms in toilet bowls after a few weeks. But, the water is chlorinated from the city, so maybe that's not related.

 

[Maxforwardspeed]

A big carbon filter usually goes before the softener. A smaller carbon filter for drinking water goes in the supply pipe for cold kitchen water, and may be softened or unsoftened, depending on the water.

What is the purpose of your carbon filter?
Is the water well water or city water?

So the carbon filter goes before the softener to reduce the chlorine going into the resin, right? Our water is chlorinated, even though it's a municipal well.