No good options where to run brine overflow line

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scoob8000

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Installing a used softener. I have just about everything planned out, except where to run the brine tank overflow line.

The nearest floor drain is about 20 ft away on the other side of a block wall (in the garage).

There's very limited options on where to install the unit in my house.

Without breaking cement and plumbing a drain, the only ideas I have are:

1. Extend the brine line and locate the brine tank in the garage. (Betting there wouldn't be enough suction during regen for this to work...)

2. Locate a bucket and small pump next to the overflow fitting to discharge up and over to a drain.

3. Run a very long run of pex or pvc from the overflow to the floor drain. In order to get past a door way, I need to go the long way.. (50ish ft)..

I know the likelihood of an overflow is low, but I've learned my model softener keeps the brine line pressurized all the time. A simple float is the only thing preventing a flood...
 

Akpsdvan

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What model of softener ?

Any chance of changing it to a timed refill and use the float assembly as the back up stop?

If I had to , run a line from the over flow from the elbow to a bucket.
 

scoob8000

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What model of softener ?

Any chance of changing it to a timed refill and use the float assembly as the back up stop?

If I had to , run a line from the over flow from the elbow to a bucket.

It's an older Kinetico model 60..

That thought has crossed my mind, but I've got a lot already tied up in this unit. :(

I dont even know if a 3rd party will fit their tanks. Or is the tank proprietary like everything else.. lol
 

Akpsdvan

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Kinetico.... yes it is a pressure filled and float that closes off the water flow... while another assembly might be used , not sure what kind of effect it would have on the workings of the rest of the unit.

Might keep an eye open for a used fleck 9000 or 9100 .. both valve set up's would fit on the tanks that you have in place right now. Kinetico does not use a different thread for their tanks ,, unlike Culligan.
 

scoob8000

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I actually saw an adjustable float assembly on fleabay for kineticos that claims to prevent overflows, but just having line pressure at all times in that brine tank makes me nervous.

I'll keep my eye open for the fleck valve.

Any thought if extending the brine line 20-30 ft would be enough to kill the venturi effect, keeping the unit from drawing up brine.. Seems like it would.


[edit]

Heres the float I was referring to: http://tinyurl.com/6auexox
 
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Akpsdvan

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That is the standard float that I use in any of the units that I do.. and have had them on the other side of the room from the softener because of room.. no space next to the softener so the brine tank is 8 foot floor distance but when you go up and over and side ways and then down... think that there is some 20feet....

There is one place that the north and south walls of the house are some 40 feet apart.... softener on north wall and brine tank on south wall... now this is in either a 3/4 basement,,,, or a large craw space....
Pressure tanks are by the softener.... but the entrance is on the other side or the south wall ... so to keep the movement of salt bags ... just open the hach and drop down the bags... and right there is the brine tank.


As for the Fleck twin, even if you need to do some rebuilding before you can bring it on line it would be good, and you would learn the valve at the same time.
 

Cacher_Chick

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I have used 3/4" pvc to go up and across the ceiling joists to a drain that far away without any problems.
As long as you go up a size on the drain line to prevent any restriction, 20-25 feet shouldn't be an issue.
 

Mialynette2003

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I have used 3/4" pvc to go up and across the ceiling joists to a drain that far away without any problems.
As long as you go up a size on the drain line to prevent any restriction, 20-25 feet shouldn't be an issue.

You can not go up above the salt tank. The over flow is gravity fed.
 

JKERN

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More than likely we are not all speaking of the same drain cacher is probably speaking of the drain of the softener itself. Is your brine bin next to an exterior wall?
 

scoob8000

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Sorry for the untimely reply. I have a broken arm so this whole project is on hold for now..


Akpsdvan,
That distance sounds reasonable. If I can get away with about the same distance I could leave the softener by the service entrance and put the brine tank in the garage with a floor drain.. Maybe in my downtime I'll run it past the manufactrer.

cacher_chick,
Sorry I didnt chime in sooner. I was indeed talking about the overflow elbow on the side of the brine tank. Before I got hurt I already ran the backwash line up thru the floor joists and to the was tub on the other side of the room,,
 

Akpsdvan

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I know what I have done in the past with out hurting the working of the system or the brine draw.

It might take one or two cycles to add alittle more water because of the run of 3/8 tubing ,,, but it will make the change.
 

Cabincrazy

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i would run it in to a condensate pump my sears softener just overflowed after 12 years with no issues and that prompted me to finally hookup the overflow to the condensate pump on my furnace since i dont have a floor drain nearby and have to pump it up to a drain the pumps are less than 60 bucks at ******* i believe
 

Akpsdvan

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And did you take care of the reason for the brine tank to over flow?

If a brine tank over flows then there is a reason and it needs to be looked at and fixed , putting a pump to deal with the over flow is not the answer.
 

scoob8000

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Well just an update..

I've decided not to trust the kinetico head. I picked up a Fleck 9100 and will use the kinetico tanks.

Then for a 3rd failsafe, I'm planning on using a condensate pump. The fleck brines at .5gpm, so even the cheapest condensate pump should do the trick. Hopefully it never has to though. :)
 
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