Softener settings

**bishoptf** · 03-04-2013, 08:17 PM

I have done the math but I want to make sure that I am in the right neighborhood in setting my new unit up, so please let me know if there is anything that I should change...still getting my head wrapped around the dosage etc...Here are my particulars...

1.5 cuft setup w/ ws1
3/4" city water feed into house
12gpg hardness
sfr- need to figure out
2 adults and 2 almost teenagers, Yikes

Using 60gallons per day per person, I need to look at my bill could be higher/lower but a starting point

Doing the math I come up with 2880/daily with 23040/week with one day reserve.

For this unit they list the factory default settings as: salt eff - 6# - 24,200, factory setting 9# - 32,000, and max 16# - 43000

Based on my numbers I am thinking I will go with the 6# salt eff dosage, and overide the number of days and set to 8.

That is what I think I need to do but open for someone to show me what I am missing something or offbase...Thanks in advance!

**Gary Slusser** · 03-05-2013, 05:49 AM

Their K of capacity figures are higher than you will get out in the real world with regular mesh resins.

So they may be BSing their numbers to make it look like their equipment is better than others or... selling fine mesh with its higher pressure loss or much more expensive SST-60 resin which is regular mesh size.

**bishoptf** · 03-05-2013, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by Gary Slusser

Their K of capacity figures are higher than you will get out in the real world with regular mesh resins.

So they may be BSing their numbers to make it look like their equipment is better than others or... selling fine mesh with its higher pressure loss or much more expensive SST-60 resin which is regular mesh size.

Yeah I get that but have I done my math right and dies this look like a good starting point?

**mialynette2003** · 03-05-2013, 12:05 PM

With 6 lbs salt, it will only get you 20K not 24K.

**bishoptf** · 03-05-2013, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by mialynette2003

With 6 lbs salt, it will only get you 20K not 24K.

So can you expand on why this is so I can better understand, just taking the information that is in the 3m manual.

Here is the spec sheet - http://www.3mwater.com/media/catalog...sSpecSheet.pdf

**mialynette2003** · 03-05-2013, 04:50 PM

It could be with upflow brining you can achieve 24K but not sure. With up flow brining, you have a higher chance of hardness leakage vs down flow brining. Also, I noticed the spec sheet calls for an 10x44 media tank for 1.5 CF of media. The standard size tank is 10x54. Either it is over packed and not much free board for expansion or it does not have under bedding. Not a good idea if on city water. Buy a 5B test kit. Set the unit to run on 24K with 6 lbs salt and test the water just prior to a regen. If it remains soft your fine. If it is hard water, you have to back down the gallon count.

**bishoptf** · 03-05-2013, 06:56 PM

This is what I have found - Our mineral tank offering in diameters may not be like other manufacturers of water treatment products, as we utilize a turbulator distributor tube with the mineral tank which does not require as much free board (space above the resin). This has been a standard our company has used in the mineral tank sizing for over 25 years.

**ditttohead** · 03-05-2013, 07:10 PM

The turbulator does use a lower freeboard. I am not a big fan of the turbulator. There is nothing wrong with them and we stock and sell them, its just in 25 years of field service, I have never seen that the turbulator actually does anything that a standard design does not do. I just took a video of a system in backwash with a natural tank. you can see the aggessive action that the resin sees without a turbulator and with a proper backwash flow control. I will try to post it this weekend if I can find the time. I have used them on water with iron issues and had the same fouling problems with and without it. Specialized resins also worked minimally better than standard resin. Regular resin cleaning seemed to be the only way to maintain the resin, but the cost of the cleaners quickly outweighs the cost of the resin. Same goes for high salting. The additional cost of salt is more expensive than the resin. Citric acid seems to be the best option. it can be bought in bulk, very cheap!

**mialynette2003** · 03-05-2013, 07:30 PM

In the 23 years I have been in the water treatment industry, I have never heard of any company using a turbulator on city water. There is no need for it. The under bedding most companies put in their filters helps prevent premature failure of distributor tube caused by chlorinated water. IMO, having a turbulator or distributor tube with no under bedding on chlorinated water is asking for trouble.

**ditttohead** · 03-06-2013, 08:23 AM

I agree, but a lot of companies sell it to differentiate their equipment from others. It is a neat little device that only adds a very small amount of money to the cost of a system which is partially offset by the smaller tank heights lower cost, and the saving on shipping costs by not allowing the use of a gravel under-bed which save about 10-15 pounds. Fortunately, the turbulators are built very well, so I have only seen a couple of failures in my 25+ years in this industry.

Personally, I would not use one even in water with iron.