Can Water softeners do this ? Clack or Fleck ?

[tototalitarian]

I am shopping around for either a Clack or Fleck.
1) I believe that there is a potential long term hazard with cast iron pipes rusting due to excess salt left during the last softener cycle. Is there a way to program the softener to flush out the salt liquid left in the pipes so water runs and clears the salt to the sewer line? (basically, I want to make sure that salt water does not corrode the cast iron waste pipes.

2) If I purchase a softener which as "over" capacity, it sounds like running a cycle > 1week is bad for the resin. What do you do then, just run it weekly , no matter if it needs to be run ? Do you just run it for a few minutes just to prime the resin?

3) Are softeners sophisticated enough to sense the hardness of the water and "automatically" cycle ONLY when the water hardness goes above a certain level?

Thanks all

[master plumber mark]

I think it would take a lot of salt left behind
to ruin any cast iron pipe...

get the clack unit, it has an internal calender
that automatically generates once every 15 days
and I think a entra rinse at the end of the cycle..


ask Mr Sussler about the Clack and other features is has..

[Gary Slusser]

I am shopping around for either a Clack or Fleck.

Clack is the latest revised version of the Fleck seals, spacer and piston design. It is a much better design than the Fleck with all their individual seals and spacers; they all come out of the Clack as one piece and there are no specials tools needed to replace them as with Fleck valves.

1) I believe that there is a potential long term hazard with cast iron pipes rusting due to excess salt left during the last softener cycle. Is there a way to program the softener to flush out the salt liquid left in the pipes so water runs and clears the salt to the sewer line? (basically, I want to make sure that salt water does not corrode the cast iron waste pipes.

That is an incorrect assumption and you are not understanding how softeners work. Or what it takes to have cast iron rust let alone cast iron drain lines, they are coated inside with all the left over stuff you put down the drain or toilet. Have you ever seen inside a cast iron drain pipe? It ain't clean at all.

Plus, if there is 'salt' left in your water after the final rinse, your softener is not working right and needs repair or it is not set up right.

2) If I purchase a softener which as "over" capacity, it sounds like running a cycle > 1week is bad for the resin. What do you do then, just run it weekly , no matter if it needs to be run ? Do you just run it for a few minutes just to prime the resin?

"over capacity".... the capacity is adjustable and based on the salt dose in lbs.. You size a softener correctly for the water quality, family size, peak demand for the house and the capacity needed for a regeneration on average every 7-9 days. You do not want to go longer than 9 days between regenerations, it is not good for resin, I size and set up for a regen every 8 days.

3) Are softeners sophisticated enough to sense the hardness of the water and "automatically" cycle ONLY when the water hardness goes above a certain level?

There are a couple control valves that have sensors, you don't want one, they usually fail and you must take the softener apart to clean the sensor. You want a demand metered control vale, they regen only when needed based on the number of gallons of water run through them. You set the capacity for that length of service run. You can visit the Sizing chart page on my web site to learn more about all that.