7000sxt - Sizing For Now vs Sizing For the Future?? Rapidly Growing Family

[Mikey]

Unfortunately the T'd the refrigerator line off of the cold line under the kitchen sink.

Figures. You could have switched it over to the hot line -- I know someone who insists that ice cubes made with hot water taste better and freeze faster.

[ditttohead]

Freeze faster? Possible due to variances in mass, gas content, and about a thousand other factors, but in general the premise is false. I think it was the mpemba effect. Dont quote me though.

Now to the softener programming.

[Mikey]

I agree - mpemba effect, most likely. I'll keep THAT term handy...

[ditttohead]

If I recall from way too many years ago, it had to do with warmer water having less mass than colder water. Same reason colder water backwashes medias so much better. Mass and density. Guess I will have something to research tonight after hockey practice.

[Mikey]

I think the fact that nobody has been able to explain the mpemba effect in 50 years is telling...

[ditttohead]

hahah, I tried it as a science experiment in 5th grade. It didnt work, and I tried to do it with a lot of different variables. The colder water always won in my tests, I also concluded that it really had little practical application even if it were true since the enrgy required to heat the water up exceeded the energy saving that could be gained if it froze faster. I am sure there are more reasons or applications that the mpemba effect could be used for, but I am not coming up with much.

[Philadd]

Thanks Ditto!! Looking forward to getting this thing up and running tomorrow.

[Mikey]

I am sure there are more reasons or applications that the mpemba effect could be used for, but I am not coming up with much.

There's a good spy thriller by Desmond Bagley called "Running Blind". The opening paragraph really grabs you, but the underlying story is one of a small electronic gadget that seems to defy the laws of physics. It was built solely to be stolen by The Enemy and drive their top scientists nuts, wasting a lot of time, trying to figure it out. I should have paid more attention in thermodynamics.

[Philadd]

The unit is getting installed tonight and I'm confident that I know everything I need to know with the exception of one thing. If I have a .25 blfc and Ditto's settings sheet has me setting my brine fill for 27 minutes how many gallons of water should I pour into the brine tank when I startup the system?

[ditttohead]

I would put in 5-10 gallons of water, and after you install the system, put the valve into backwash and open the inlet valve very slowly! Just crack the valve and let the air purge out of the system. When you hear only water running to the drain, you can open the water up fully and let the system go through a complete regeneration. I would recommend sanitizing the system, but most people dont do that. A small amount of bleach in the brine tank is all that is needed. a few tablespoons will do.

After that, you are good to go.

[Philadd]

Well, I got everything up and running but I'm not sure if I have a problem or not so I need some more help. After getting everything put together I kicked off a backwash and after it finished I was getting some hissing coming from where the brine tube attaches to the valve. No leaks but it was making a bubbling and hissing noise and I could see occasional air bubbles making their way down to the brine tank. Not knowing what to do I went in to the house and opened up all faucets tubs and showers to see if there was still any air in the system. Doing this made it better but it still makes a very faint hissing nose and if you stand there long enough you can still see occasional drops of water escaping from the valve. Is this normal? If not, any ideas what I should check out?

[ditttohead]

On any new install it is common to get some minor "debris" into the valve assembly. A tiny piece of teflon tape, a few grains of resin, I have even taken apart valves to find packing peanuts inside of them on new installs. Run the system through another regeneration to try to clean out all of the "stuff" from inside the valve. The Fleck valves all use external brine valves that are easily serviced and tested.

Remove the cover from the valve and confirm it is syncronized correctly. Watch myy video in the link below, it shows how the valve position should be sync'd.

If needed, you may need to remove the backing plate, and check the brine valve and the o-ring behind the ceheck valve. This is also shown in the video.

[Philadd]

Just watched the video. That is awesome. Thank you so much for everything you do here!!!!!

[Philadd]

Unfortunately I'm back. I watched your video and I've disassembled the valve twice now trying to figure out why I still have a steady stream of water filling the brine tank when I'm in service mode. When you pull the safety pin and brine tube out of the valve you can see a trickle of water coming out. Its just a little bit but it's enough that after a full day and night the level of water in my brine tank was almost to the overflow. Not sure what to do next. Think I may have to see if I can find someone to come and take a look at it.

[ditttohead]

If water is running out of the brine line, it is eiher a damaged or missing o-ring under the brine valve, or the brine valve itself has a leak, possibly a damaged seat. You could also remove the Brine valve and o-ring and take a very good look with a flashlight inside the brine valve area to see if there is any scratches inside the brine valve seating area.

PM sent.