Gary, part of my research was to read the comments made in this forum. You seem to berate people when they don't agree with you. Biermech, on the other hand, seemed to want to help people solve there problem and did not "push" for a sale.
He quoted a 2 cu ft softener with a 5600 metered. He said I should regenerate every 727 gallons. With 3 people in the family, that's about 3 days. When I talked to my neighbors, they said that was about average. I even talked to hubands a co-worker's wife. She said they had a Clack valve and have had trouble with the electronics twice in 3 years.
We are happy with our decision. Biermech answered all our questions without "beating around the bush". Thanks again for your input.
Cathy
OK, fair enough, although I see myself as debating people to have them support or prove their claims, not berate them as you see it but now, you're sounding like you've been talking to someone other than reading posts here; kinda like lyingAndy pretending to be ChrisJ with a wife and bed'n breakfast a few years ago.
But be it what it is... yes, I'm not into being a PC feminized American male, I think it is ruining our country, and maybe it has already and it's totally unhelpful to those wanting accurate information. Just look at what being like that did too Jon of Jon'n Kate + 8! The first half of his marriage and their TV show he says he was passive (read PC feminized) and when he finally started to speak up, it was all over. I saw it but he didn't know it. You can't want me to be like that! again, would you? Six yrs was enough for me and now I scratch'n such, again, like men are supposed too!
But I'll bet there isn't a single thing I told you about softeners and your water quality issues that is untrue. Or any untruth in what I'm going to tell you now.
I'd tell you to ask PC Andy, or Sammy but they dont know this stuff or refuse to help, they like stirring things up.
Let's see, first
you can not program a 5600MM to 727 gallons. It is physically impossible. And... that three days between regenerations is going to be 4 days if he hasn't taken a number of gallons off the 727 to provide a 24 hour reserve capacity (as he is supposed to). Or he is taking the reserve out of the resin bed instead, which means he has to use more salt which I'll get into later. He has said here or somewhere else that that is what he does, like 20% reserve IIRC. Or, he is using more than 60 gallons per person per day but that can't be because..... here's the math you say he gave you.
Now 727 * 55gpg = 39985, or 39.985K of capacity, which can not be programmed into a 5600MM. That's a mechanical meter version called the Econominder, that's all Biermech says he sells.
So he is probably using 12 lbs of salt for 40K of capacity, which sounds great but if he is, he isn't regenerating any reserve capacity. And unless he subtracts a days worth of gallons from the 727, (9900/55=180 gals = 547 gals, which again, can not be programmed on a 5600MM control valve) the outcome of that is hard water shortly after the meter counts down to 0 gallons remaining on the meter. And if he is using more than 12 lbs/regeneration, your salt efficiency decreases. That means you use more salt.
Here is all the math; you have 3 people in the house and 55 gpg of hardness,
3people * 60gals/person/day = 180 gals/day, * 55gpg = 9900 grains used/day, * 4 days =39600 rounded up to the next thousand = 40K. And 40,000/55 gpg = 727 gallons on the meter. Meaning no reserve... OR, he missed telling you something of importance because math doesn't lie. He said 3 days but hasn't set the meter to get 3 days, he gets 4 days with 727 gals.
How am I doing Cathy, it seems I'm right on huh? Well if not, it should because I am using my best hand held calculator. You can call Fleck tomorrow to check me out.
Now me, using a 5600MM on a 2.0cuft, I would have done it different, you would have a 24 hr reserve built in and regenerate based on the meter setting but really, I would have used more resin meaning a larger tank, meaning a larger softener not using the 5600 in any of it's version due to the spec sheet. A 2510SE, a better valve than the 5600 that I sold for 18+ yrs all but exclusively, or a Clack WS-1, much better than the 5600 or 2510. I've sold over 1220 of them and have had only 22 problems.
Finally, you didn't answer these questions that I asked;
What did he suggest for the bacteria caused hot water only odor? Hopefully not a Media Guard. Or removing the anode rod as my good buddy Sheza something1 suggests. That only works IF you don't scrape any of the material off into the tank as you pull and bend the 5' rod to get it out in a 3' space above the tank.
How many lbs of salt are you to use per regeneration?
How many K of capacity is the softener programmed to provide?
Did he determine your peak demand flow rate or tell you how many constant SFR gpm your family size and the number of bathrooms and the type of fixtures in them require?
His 2.0 cuft softner has a 13 gpm constant SFR meaning every time your peak demand water use gpm exceeds 13 gpm, the softener will not be able to remove all the 55 gpg of hardness, and you get hard water right through it. So I hope you don't have more than 2.5 bathrooms or, 2.5 or fewer with any large tubs or showers.
I wish you well and please let us know how the softener does like a month or two after it has been in service.
p.s. removing an anode rod voids water heater warranties.