Slow Brine fill on new Fleck 7000SXT

[snortindog]

Hoping to get some advice on my new Fleck 7000SXT softener.

I have a 12 x 48 tank. Softener has been in service for 4 weeks.

Everything works fine except in the 12 min. brine fill, it only adds 1.5 gallons. Brine draw works okay-6 gallon in 25 min. There is also a lot of bubbles in the line when filling. It has (what I think is) a .5 gpm BLFC, the hole measures .030 ". The numbers on it (34 123 F) do not match anything in the parts book. Furthermore, I removed it and got only 3 gallons in the 12 min fill time.

I could increase fill time, but worry it will start filling at .5 gpm and add way too much water.

Water pressure at Softener is 35-45 psi.

thanks for the help!

[Bob999]

There should not be much, if any, air showing up in the brine tube during the fill operation. The presence of continuing air suggests a problem in the head (unless you have lots of air in your water supply). Also, the fact that you only got 3 gallons with the BLFC removed suggests a problem with the head or air in your water supply. The fact that the unit seems to adequately draw brine suggests there is no obstruction in the brine line itself. You should contact the seller of the unit--there is a 5 year warranty on new Fleck Valves.

A couple of other thoughts--

BLFC buttons come in many sizes, including .125 gpm. The fill rate you are reporting is consistent with a .125 gpm button.

Usually there is a sticker on the unit that indicates the size of the BLFC button in gpm. Is there one on your unit and what does it say?

Have you checked with the seller of the unit to ask what size BLFC is installed?

Who did you buy the unit from?

[Gary Slusser]

Hoping to get some advice on my new Fleck 7000SXT softener.

I have a 12 x 48 tank. Softener has been in service for 4 weeks.

Everything works fine except in the 12 min. brine fill, it only adds 1.5 gallons. Brine draw works okay-6 gallon in 25 min.

There is also a lot of bubbles in the line when filling. It has (what I think is) a .5 gpm BLFC, ... I removed it and got only 3 gallons in the 12 min fill time.

I could increase fill time, but worry it will start filling at .5 gpm and add way too much water.

Who did you buy it from and what do they say about this?

What DLFC do you have?

What K of capacity are you using?

How many lbs of salt are you wanting to use?

[snortindog]

Thanks for the advice Bob999, the sticker does indicate .125 gpm! Possibly the tech at Aqua-Science told me it is a .5gpm 4 four weeks ago when I talked to him. He told me to wait a few weeks to see if air bubbles subside. I will contact them again to make sure it is a .5gpm BLFC.
I did check for air in water just prior to softener, there was just a few tiny bubbles. Nothing at all like what I see coming down the brine line.
Once a .5gpm BLFC is verified, I will see if there is still a problem. Looks like if there is, the unit should go back under warranty.

The DLFC is 2.4. I am not sure yet what capacity I will run the unit at. Will most likely be close to 48k and 16# salt. (has 2cu. ft. resin)

[Bob999]

The DLFC is 2.4. I am not sure yet what capacity I will run the unit at. Will most likely be close to 48k and 16# salt. (has 2cu. ft. resin)

With a 2 cubic foot softner the DLFC should be more like 3.5 gpm. Inadequate backwash flow will cause serious problems over time.

[Bob999]

I did check for air in water just prior to softener, there was just a few tiny bubbles. Nothing at all like what I see coming down the brine line.

During brine fill the water in the brine line is under low pressure because one end of the tube is essentially open to the atmosphere--this is particularly true with a .125 BLFC. So any air in the water supply will tend to expand as the pressure of the water decreases. Given that you have some air in your water supply this may explain the bubbles you are seeing.

[Gary Slusser]

Usually the DLFC is installed by the Fleck distributor, the dealers' supplier, when the cuft size of the softener is known; when it is ordered from that supplier. The distributor usually orders the control valve with the BLFC installed by Fleck; normally for most residential softeners, a .5gpm/1.5lb per minute. I don't know if I've ever heard of a .125 gpm BLFC.

Both are easily changed so there is no need to return the valve, and the size of the DLFC or BLFC is not a warranty issue/problem.

If you have a 12" x 48" (1.75 cuft) tank that many dealers use for a 2.0 cuft (that doesn't give you 50% free board; a true 2.0' is in a 12 x 52"), I'm not sure about the salt dose of 16 lbs and 48K but, in a 12 x 52", 17 lbs gets you 48K. IMO a 12 x 48" tank should have a larger than 2.4 DLFC or you should have a longer than normal backwash, brine draw and rinse.

[snortindog]

I called Aqua-Science and they are "checking into it".

I will re-install the 3.0gpm DLFC that came with unit and may also add a couple min. to backwash cycle per both of your recommendations. Aqua-Science had me swap the 3.0 out for the 2.4.

Thank you both for the information and advice. I really do appreciate it.

[Gary Slusser]

You should also have them go over the 48K at 16 lbs of salt, that usually isn't possible with regular mesh resin. In a 2 cuft softener.