Brine suction line to two control heads

[Benjamos]

Hello,

I am working on a design of a brine suction line to deliver brine to a dual softener set-up. I may be making this too difficult on myself, but here is where I am tripping myself up. I have seen most dual softener set-ups run only one control head on one of the resin tanks, and the other tank just tees into that control head.

However on the set-up I'm working on, each resin tank has its own control head with an inlet port for a brine suction line. So, I am wondering how to design a brine line that is routed to both control heads, but coming from one brine tank.

Obviously I could just install a tee in the brine line, but what I am wondering is when one tank goes to regenerate and the other is fully regenerated and online, the brine will still be delivered to both tanks right? I just don't know if the vacuum from the one tank that is in regen mode will be enough to not allow the brine to be delivered to the other tank that is online.

I am new to softeners so like I said, I may just be making this too difficult on myself but wanted to throw it out there to see what input other people had.

I appreciate any input!

 

[Bannerman]

Is this setup for your home? What is the application which requires two softeners being utilized at the same time?

As twin tank softeners are commonly available, why are you attempting to develop one on your own, especially by your own admission, you have little to no experience with softeners?

Twin tank softeners are normally configured to alternate between each tank so as to provide soft water on a continuous basis. Only one tank is In-Service at one time while the other tank can be regenerated when required. The second tank is not just 'teed' into the control valve on the other tank.

Brine is only needed during the regeneration cycle. No brine is utilized by a softener while In-Service.

There would be problems experienced if both softeners required regeneration at close to the same time. With a common brine tank, there could be not enough brine to regenerate one or possibly both units.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Benjamos]

Is this setup for your home? What is the application which requires two softeners being utilized at the same time?

As twin tank softeners are commonly available, why are you attempting to develop one on your own, especially by your own admission, you have little to no experience with softeners?

Twin tank softeners are normally configured to alternate between each tank so as to provide soft water on a continuous basis. Only one tank is In-Service at one time while the other tank can be regenerated when required. The second tank is not just 'teed' into the control valve on the other tank.

Brine is only needed during the regeneration cycle. No brine is utilized by a softener while In-Service.

There would be problems experienced if both softeners required regeneration at close to the same time. With a common brine tank, there could be not enough brine to regenerate one or possibly both units.

The application does not require using two softeners at the same time, I did not say that. I understand how a twin tank set-up works as I've done quite a bit of research. My question was simply relating to the routing of the brine line to two control heads. I also understand that brine is not needed while the softener is online, that was why I posted this question.

If you have one tank online (done regenerating, doesn't need anymore brine) and the other is now is regeneration mode, and you have a brine line running from one brine tank to two control heads (brine line comes out of brine well, then tees to both control heads) will the tank that is online still be trying to pull brine into the resin tank because all you have is a tee in that brine line in order to feed it to the two resin tanks? Is a check valve needed anywhere in that common brine line to stop the flow of brine to the tank that is online? That was my question. I looked through the manual though of the set-up I have and there is no check valve in that brine line before it enters the two control heads. There is a valve in the control head itself that is not allowing brine to enter the resin tank that is online, even though there is brine being pulled to the other tank that is in regen mode.

But thanks for the reply though.

 

[ditttohead]

Just out of curiosity, what is the application? In general, if it is a modern Fleck or a Clack you can use a tee between the two systems on the brine. It will work just fine. Be sure to set the regeneration times apart by 3-4 hours in case they try to regenerate the same night.

 

[Reach4]

It should go without saying, but this simple teeing presumes the brine fill amounts on both softeners are the same. If you were to want different-sized units, then you would have to go to a brine-first setting where each unit fills the brine tank a measured amount of time before it draws brine.

A check valve in a brine line would mess things up for sure because each softener passes liquid through the brine line both ways.