Water softener issues

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Blackhawk

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im having issues with my water softner, I'm not sure of the brand, it has no markings. I did a video showing the system and outline the issues.

Thanks

Lanham
 

Bannerman

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The tank to the far right which I assume the brine tank connects to, appears to be a water softener with a Fleck 5600 valve. I can't tell if it is a metered valve which regenerates after a specific amount of water is softened or a time clock model set to regenerate every so many days regardless of the amount of water softened. The Fleck 5600 is available in both variations so you may wish to post some close-up photos help with identification. Ensure a clear photo of the front settings as well as the rear of the valve. Also indicate the Brine Line Flow Control (BLFC) number and a Drain Line FC (DLFC) number, both of which should be shown on a label near the drain connection.

Did you obtain a water analysis at the time of purchase or since OR, did the prior owner provide water test results from when the water treatment system was installed? A current test report would be most useful but even an older one would identify the specific minerals and contaminants in the water as well as the hardness level.

You mentioned rotten egg smell (hydrogen sulfide (H2S)) and the possibility of iron. That would help to explain the chlorine pellet feeder as chlorine can oxidize and remove both contaminants, but iron removal normally occurs before a softener. Your description seem to suggest that water flows from the softener to the chlorinator. While a softener is able to remove some iron, it is susceptible to iron fouling and isn't as efficient as other iron removal methods including chlorine oxidation.

The tank to the left of the chlorinator, appears to be a contact tank to allow the chlorine time to oxidize the H2S and eliminate the smell before traveling to your faucets. That tank appears to be 10" diameter X 54" h whereas the softener appears as 9" d X 48" but those should be verified as the dimensions establish capacity and effective programming is dependent on capacity.

As softener regeneration is normally programmed to occur at 2am, often on a weekly basis, I would not expect you would hear it.

The softener's resin will now be exhausted and possibly iron fouled, the resin will need to be thoroughly cleaned and regenerated to hopefully restore its softening capacity.

Purchase a few bags of softener salt and an iron remover chemical (Iron-Out, Super Iron-Out or equiv).

In your newly cleaned brine tank, add one bag of salt to 5 gallons of water and let sit for 2.5 - 3 hours to permit 15 pounds of salt to dissolve (full strength brine is 3 lbs/salt per gallon). Mix the iron cleaner into 1 -2 gallons of warm water and add the mixture to the brine tank. Start a manual regeneration. After all of the liquid has been drawn into the softener from the brine tank during the 'brine' stage, pull out the softener's electrical plug and bypass the softener, thereby stopping the regen cycle and holding the brine and cleaner inside the softener. After 30 minutes, un-bypass and re-power, thereby finishing the remainder of the regen cycle. To make brine for the next regeneration, some water will re-flow into the brine tank at the conclusion of the regen cycle. Add another 1-2 gallons of water to the brine tank and add more salt. Let sit again for 2.5 - 3 hours and start another regen cycle. If you prefer, the second regen could occur just as you are going to bed. Remember to reset the proper time on the softener.

In the morning, you should start noticing soft water at cold faucets but hot will be delayed until the hard water in the water tank is eventually replaced with soft water.

The pellet feeder will need to be cleaned and refilled and you could also disconnect and flush-out the contact tank to remove any residue.

The other 'Big Blue' filters shown in your video, will need to be opened for cleaning and replacement of the filter cartridges contained. You'll need some food grade silicone grease to lube the O-ring seals.

Water used for irrigation is not typically softened or chlorinated as sodium and chlorine are not generally tolerated by plants, although you may wish to add a separate outdoor 'softened' faucet for washing vehicles and other items.

The softener draining to your septic system is not a great concern. Of greater importance is ensuring the system functions properly and as efficiently as possible as the regeneration cycle is vital to the operation of the softener. By not adding salt when it was needed, any further regeneration cycles that occurred after the salt was consumed, did not serve any purpose except to unnecessarily add more water to your septic system.

There are numerous knowledgeable members on this site which I expect may make recommendations to ensure the appropriate and efficient operation of your water treatment system.
 
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ditttohead

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Your system appears to be the following.

5600 timeclock softener (no meter behind the valve)
Chlorine pellet systems
Poormans contact tank, (nothing inside the tank, no accomodations for refilling calcite or other consumable media,)
the final filter... unknown, oper it up and see whats inside.

My opinion...

Time to upgrade/replace your water treatment system. The softener needs to be metered, your chlorine system tends to overdose/underdose, the contact tank, if that's what it is, should be updated... Do you have a budget for updating/modernizing your water treatment? Have you had a proper water test done recently?

Sanitize your plumbing.
 
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