Fleck 5600SE settings

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BurleyMike

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I have a Fleck 5600 SE water softener that I have a few questions about.

When I put it in a few years ago our water came from a different well on the city system. Since we got moved to a new well out water went from 20 grains to 15. Our softener is a 48000 grain capacity unit.

We use about 4000 gallons a month so I set it to regenerate every 2900 gallons used. Did I do the math correctly on that. Is there any harm in having a system that is oversized or will it just regenerate less? Here is my numbers
130 gpd x 15GPG = 1950
1950/48000 = 23 days between regeneration
23 days times water usage of 130 gallons per day = 2990 gallons.

I have noticed before making this adjustment that we still get some etching on our glasses that go through the dishwasher and hard water spots around the sinks. Is this normal even with a softener? The water feels soft still I just wonder if it is supposed to still leave some spots on the fixtures.

Also how high should the water be in the brine tank, the tank is 18x33"? Any advice greatly appreciated. Mike
 

Akpsdvan

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Have the programing guide for the SE? let me know if you don't.
here is How I would do the programing with your 2 people and 15 grains.
12 minute backwash
60 minute brine/rinse
6 minute rapid rinse
6 minutes at .5gpm to give 9 lbs.
meter for 1800 gallons
day defalt if wish.. 18 days.

brine tank
if there is a salt plate at the bottom then water about 2-3 inches above the plate, if no plate the about 6 inches.
 

Akpsdvan

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Oh ,,, don't worry about the height of the water? what if it is just below the over flow?

Would that not be a problem? or should it be over looked?
 

Gary Slusser

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If he has a grid, and the water is above the grid and below the overflow, what's to worry about? I guess he wouldn't want to add more salt just yet and he might want to check if he has something wrong, which he would if that level of water isn't normal; otherwise no problem. My point was that he didn't need water above the grid just because he has a grid.
 

BurleyMike

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I just made the changes you suggested. While doing this I noticed a tag near where the drainline connects that says "injector - 1" and "drain flow 2.4gpm" I thought I would post this in case it matters for your calculations.

The water level is about 6" total 3" above the grid. I apologize if this is a double post. My first reply seems to have disappeared.
 
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Skip Wolverton

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If he has a grid, and the water is above the grid and below the overflow, what's to worry about? I guess he wouldn't want to add more salt just yet and he might want to check if he has something wrong, which he would if that level of water isn't normal; otherwise no problem. My point was that he didn't need water above the grid just because he has a grid.
With no water above the grid, how will the unit use salt? With the round grids, they have hollow legs which the salt can contact the water, but a square grid, if the water is below it, the salt can not contact the water.
 

Akpsdvan

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I just made the changes you suggested. While doing this I noticed a tag near where the drainline connects that says "injector - 1" and "drain flow 2.4gpm" I thought I would post this in case it matters for your calculations.

The water level is about 6" total 3" above the grid. I apologize if this is a double post. My first reply seems to have disappeared.

white injector and 2.4 gallons per minute when it cleans.

Water in the brine tank soundls good.

Maybe run the system through an extra cycle , then let the unit take over, go for about a month and see how the water does.

See if the water spotting goes away.
 

BurleyMike

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I am back, Gary's settings did help with the spotting but did not eliminate it completely. I have been working on the basement and spending some time around the softener I got to thinking about it again. I realized that it goes through a bag of salt in two regenerations which seems like a lot to me. Does that sound right? Here is all the info I know about my water and softener maybe some of it will be of some use to you.


Water pressure 80 PSI
Hardness 15 GPG
Use 4000 Gallons a month
drain flow 2.4
injector 1
resin tank 10"
brine tank 18"
4" of water above salt grid
 
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Akpsdvan

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Sounds like you are using 20lbs per regeneration..
How tall is the resin tank?
what is the max capacity of the system?
 

Akpsdvan

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I already laid down what time settings I would set the unit for... you are free to use or not use.
 

BurleyMike

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I was going to go with the settings you recommended but wanted to first give all the info about my setup to be sure it would not change anything. Thanks for your expertise.
 

Akpsdvan

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From what you have said, the settings needed changing because the water was not good 24/7...
Now if the water is good for x number of days and then for a day or two the water is not and then it is good again ,,, regens needs to be moved closer together.
While I will use max salt settings from time to time , that is last on the list... more times than not I try to work with the setting on the best part of the curve... and that is 6-7lbs per cubic foot.. and about 20k depending on the Resin getting used.

Does the etching stay or can you remove it?
 

BurleyMike

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I thought I had replied to your last post but something went wrong. Maybe I forgot to actually post it, oops. Actually the water never seems perfect. After it regenerates the spotting in the dishwasher is less but it is still there. You can really see the little white spots on teflon pans. I have tasted them before thinking if the softener is working they should be salty. They do have a salty yet bitter taste. The shower stall, counter tops and the toilets have some scale that has built up. It is nothing like what I see in friends houses that don't have softeners though. I take it this small amount of build up is not normal if one has a softener?

If I wash my hands with the softener in the service position the water feels slippery. If I put it in the bypass position the soap feels sort of sticky. I take it that means it is working or at lest somewhat?
 

LLigetfa

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The amount of sodium (not salt) put into the water is commensurate with the amount of hardness taken out. The ion exchange is just that, exchanging hardness for sodium. Also, there are some things it just wont take out.
 
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