Gary Slusser
That's all folks!
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- Wherever I park the motorhome.
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- www.qualitywaterassociates.com
There have been a few here that simply love to disagree with most things I say. It's been going on for years. I'd hope you can get through it.I wish everyone would set aside the contentiousness. This is a great site but I don't know why there is always this low level bitterness going on. I for one appreciate everyones input, and its even better when it helps me Anyways:
In a way you're right that the brine draw will take longer with a higher salt dose (volume of brine refill) but it won't go for more than 10-20 minutes in the vast majority of residential softeners. The length of the time for the combination slow rinse/brine draw is set in the control valve and the air check, as part of the brine pickup/float in the salt tank (on most if not all common Autotrol valves) controls stops the brine draw part of the slow rinse/brine draw cycle position while the slow rinse continues. And that has little to nothing to do with the "efficiency" of a water softener unless yer anal about things.1) I think what lifespeed was saying is that the brine draw time is affected by the brine fill volume. More brine volume will result in a longer brine draw time. In my case, I'm stuck with the 0.5g/min BLFC, which also comes into play during the brine draw cycle.
Most fractions are rounded up to the next whole number.2) I don't see any fractions in what dittohead proposed. I did the math (for my own information)and came up with fractions, they are what they are.
That needless regeneration did nothing but use up salt, time and water that didn't have to be used. Well, it did remove any air that was trapped in the resin tank if the dealer's installation instructions didn't have you put the valve in Backwash before turning the water on etc. after installation. And it showed you the control valve stepped from one cycle position to another without leaking I guess. It also added some water to the salt tank if the instructions didn't have you do that specifically and if so, it usually is not enough for a regeneration's salt dose because there is always a 1/2" to a couple inches of brine water left in the tank when the air check shuts off the brine draw.I did a regen last night (first time for this install) using the new settings and everything seemed to work. Thanks everyone for the help so far!
I see you bought an H5 test kit. Do you think your hardness is different than the hardness you used to size and buy the softener for?
lifespeed.... the brine draw is controlled by the air check, not the slow rinse/brine draw cycle position time. The air check is set mechanically and usually permanently in many softeners so it is not adjustable in most cases. Cheap quality float controlled air checks can be adjusted mechanically. Usually Fleck valves have a permanent air check height as part of the brine pick up tube and that tube is cut off to the correct height for the salt tank being used. Usually a 1/2" to 2" off the bottom unless the dealer uses a salt grid and then adjusts it to allow an inch of water over the grid at the end of brine refill cycle position (which depends on the type of grid if that is necessary). And again, none of that has to do with efficiency unless yer into a very small amount of water efficiency.