Water Test - Iron Symptoms but no Iron

[Gary Slusser]

One thing I did learn is that my softener seems to be undersized. I worked through the capacity calculations - my softner is a Hellenbrand 1200 with .75 cu feet of resin. With 22 grains of hardness and the current salt setting of 8, my math is telling me the capacity is around 700 gallons. Whoever set it up set the capacity at 600 (assuming I'm reading it right - the white dot on the dial is on the 6). Throw a reserve in there, and with four people I'm regenerating every other day.

The white dot says it is a Fleck control valve, probably a 5600 or maybe a 25x0. If there is a People dial, Fleck uses 75 gal/person/day, so that is reserve capacity plus if your calculation says 700 gals while it is set at 600, there's more reserve.

The SFR of that size softener is about 6.5 gpm. So the unit is undersized over all. A few years ago Hellenbrand switched to Clack valves.

[Gary Slusser]

The minimum size would be a 1.5 Cu. Ft, but a 2 Cu. Ft. system would probably serve you better.

A simple calculation to determine system capacity. 4 people x 60 gallon x 22 grains hardness x 7 days between regenerations = 36,960 grains. A 1.5 cu. ft system has a real world rating of 30,000 - 36,000 grains depending on salt efficiency settings.

Really, no less than 30K... man I must have a lot of unhappy customers that haven't told me their 1.5' softeners, that are set for less than 30K, aren't working well.

[ditttohead]

This was not meant to start a weird, convoluted debate, nor was it a dig at you, please stop trying. The 30K is a generic number, you are allowed to set it for less, I dont care. These are simple numbers based on approximately 6-8 pounds per cu. ft., if you want to go less, please do so. The real meaning of the comment was that a a 1.5 cu. ft. system should not be considered a 48K system.

[Gary Slusser]

This was not meant to start a weird, convoluted debate, nor was it a dig at you, please stop trying. The 30K is a generic number, you are allowed to set it for less, I dont care. These are simple numbers based on approximately 6-8 pounds per cu. ft., if you want to go less, please do so. The real meaning of the comment was that a a 1.5 cu. ft. system should not be considered a 48K system.

I can't reply to what you wanted to say but didn't, so I replied to what you said; "A 1.5 cu. ft system has a real world rating of 30,000 - 36,000 grains depending on salt efficiency settings.".

That is not a true statement and has nothing to do with considering or not considering a 1.5' softener as a 48K. But I do agree that no one should think of a 1.5' as a 48K.

[F6Hawk]

Now I am no "pro" as some of you on here are, and so perhaps I am speaking out of turn, but here's what I took DH's comment to mean...

"A 1.5 cu ft system can regenerate 30,000 grains using 6 lbs of salt per cu ft, and 36,000 grains using 8 lbs of salt per cu ft"

He could also have added that it can regenerate 24,000 grains using 4 lbs of salt per cu ft, or 45,000 grains using 15 lbs of salt per cu ft, but those settings aren't quite as practical for the average house, I'd wager. One would waste water and border on hardness bleed thru, the other would waste salt. But he was speaking in simple terms for the average user, IMHO. (DH, feel free to slap me down if I got any of this wrong)

But what do I know? I just live in a house with slightly hard water, and an awesome softener.

[ditttohead]

Now I am no "pro" as some of you on here are, and so perhaps I am speaking out of turn, but here's what I took DH's comment to mean...

"A 1.5 cu ft system can regenerate 30,000 grains using 6 lbs of salt per cu ft, and 36,000 grains using 8 lbs of salt per cu ft"

He could also have added that it can regenerate 24,000 grains using 4 lbs of salt per cu ft, or 45,000 grains using 15 lbs of salt per cu ft, but those settings aren't quite as practical for the average house, I'd wager. One would waste water and border on hardness bleed thru, the other would waste salt. But he was speaking in simple terms for the average user, IMHO. (DH, feel free to slap me down if I got any of this wrong)

But what do I know? I just live in a house with slightly hard water, and an awesome softener.

Yup, you said it perfectly. I am at a loss as to why some people need to dig for contreversy in such a simple and accurate statement. The numbers I gave are fair, reasonable, and the most commonly used numbers. If I was wrong, then so is everyone else who does not use the grains capacity removed from 1/2 pound of salt per cu. ft to 32 pounds of salt per cu. ft., but people with common sense would consider that silly.