Water softener & sediment filter recommendations?

RE: Seasonal 650 Square Foot Lake Cottage

A new well is being drilled soon, and I need to choose a high quality softener and filter. Have learned long ago that price is not the best way to choose a unit. Have seen Whirlpool models at Lowe's, and GE models at Home Depot. Something tells me that these would not be the units of choice regarding quality. Have heard that their electronics (softener) often go bad?!

Also, these big box store softeners are single appliance units, i.e. the salt tanks are not seperate. Pro's and con's of that?

Any suggestions on the best quality brands for a softener and filter? Have read on some blogs that "salt" systems are not appropriate for drinking water. Comments, or are those remarks from the salt free unit sellers and advocates?

Will need to drain the water lines for the winter, as the cottage is left unheated. Not sure whether that presents a problem for draining the softener????? Anyone experienced with this issue?

Understand that the sed filter goes in first, then the softener. Is it a good idea to replumb the drain hose of the softener with copper? Wondering if the standard (plastic and "o" ring) bypass valves are good enough, or should I also sweat copper and full flow ball valves for by passes?

Thanks for the time to answer these questions. Although an outdoorsman, am a "city-boy" when it comes to water supply systems having used municapal water all my life... but I do know enough not to buy junk!

Softener suggestions

You will need a full water analysis of the water from the new well. I always prefer to plumb systems in with copper. If you go with a fleck valve for softener they make a one piece by-pass valve that bolts right to the valve. You can sweat to this or use MIP to compression fitting that makes install very easy. To close down system at end of season just take valve off and siphon water out of softener tank through outlet manifold. We do this a lot in our area with seasonal cabins. Depending on the water chemistry you can probably go with a 30k softener system. Fleck 5600 metered with mechanical meter is a good basic system for this application. You can use a small
square (11x11x38) Brine Tank. This combo will take up about 2 sq ft. Same footprint as cabinet model with a system that will last you a very long time (maybe till the kids inherit the cabin). Use a 20" or BB pre-filter to keep up the flow rates.
I hope this helps. Let us know about the water test.
RJ

Thanks

Appreciated the infomration. Very Helpful. The cabin in in Cheboygan county - just south of Mackinaw. Would the Health Department be the place for water analysis?

There are a number of places here that are summer use only , and there is a way that I have been done so that the softener is taken care of so that it does not freeze and bust..
It can be done.
Water test first to find out what you would like to remove from the water and just how often are you going to be using this place, once a week? once a month?

The best place for a water analysis is either a reputable water treatment dealer or an independent water lab. There is a dealer in Indian River PWS that can help. I realize some of these resources can be more difficult to come by in Cheboygan. Who ever is drilling your well will have to get a bacteria test done for inspection. Request to get a complete water analysis with hardness, iron, ph, nitrate, arsenic. You may have to pay for the difference.
RJ

A prefilter ahead of a softener is not a good idea and there is no need for one unless the water is visibly dirty. A prefilter can cause failure of the softener due to human nature and not changing the cartridge when needed; needed = a 15 psi drop across the filter.

PE drain line is what should be used for the drain line. There are no "o" rings but al control valves have rubber type seals including "O" rings and they last decades. No manual by pass or BP valves, buy the by pass valve for the brand/model control valve you buy.

HydroFLOW protect wells from limescale using radio waves in an electric field. they have sizes for all diameters of pipe.
you need to complement this with a sediment filter.
I wouldn't use a salt based softener,as they need maintenance and you can't drink the water.