Advice Needed for Softener Settings

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DanInAZ

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Hi,

First time poster here. I recently purchased and installed a water softener in the home we have owned for 17 years. We are the sole owners, so the home has never had a softener before. We did have a softener loop installed at initial build, but just got around to putting one in.

Facts about the house and usage: 3,000 square feet, one level, 2.5 baths. As i believe is typical, soft water is not plumbed to the cold water tap in the kitchen. Just 2 of us living in the house, and we could have a guest or 2 for a few weeks a year. I don't have a good idea yet of our water consumption.

Softener Details:
Fleck 5600 SXT controller
Envirotec ET50H softener, 1.56 cubic feet capacity, which I believe translates to 48K grains
Brine Tank: 11" x 11" x 34"
Water Type: City
Location: Chandler, AZ
Hardness:
- From City's website: 5-20GPG, with an average of 16.5
- Using my pool's test kit: 220 ppm/17.1 = 12.9
Iron: None
BLFC: not sure where to get this info, but would appreciate knowing.

Looking for the right settings to achieve optimal salt and water consumption, with above average softening. Water does not have to be ultra-soft, but would like to eliminate water spots on glasses, fixtures, and shower doors.

Current settings (derived mainly from internet research:
DF = Gal
VT = dF1b
CT = Fd
NT = 1
C = 30
H = 18
RS = SF
SF = 10
DO = 14
RT = 2:00
BW = 10
Bd = 60
RR = 10
BF = 6
FM = P0.7 (I have validated that I have a paddlewheel flow meter)

Currently my softener regenerates after 1,500 gallons. I believe this is because C/H = 1,667, and I have a 10% reserve?

Thanks for your help!
 

Reach4

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Here is my take, but do feel free to fiddle with H. Use your Hach 5-B test as the gallon countdown gets low, and see if there is breakthrough.

I upped the suggested salt use from your current 6 to 7 to give your water a little more softness. There is a tradeoff between salt use and silkiness.

System info (not programmed)
salt lb/cuft = 7 ; A choice ( efficiency vs capacity)
BLFC = 0.5 ; Brine Refill rate GPM
cubic ft resin = 1.5 ; ft3 resin = (nominal grains)/32,000
Compensated hardness = 20 ; including any compensation
People = 2 ; gallons affects reserve calc
Estimated gal/day = 120 ; 60 gal per person typical calc
Estimated days/regen = 13.77 ; Computed days including reserve

Fleck 5600SXT Settings:
DF = Gal ; Units
VT = dF1b ; Downflw/, Single Backwash, black cam
CT = Fd ; Meter Delayed regen trigger
NT = 1 ; Number of tanks
C = 33 ; capacity in 1000 grains
H = 20 ; Hardness-- compensate if needed
RS = rc ; rc says use gallons vs percent
RC = 120 ; Reserve capacity gallons
DO = 30 ; Day Override (30 if no iron)
RT = 2:00 ; Regen time (default 2 AM)
BW = 5 ; Backwash (minutes)
Bd = 60 ; Brine draw minutes
RR = 5 ; Rapid Rinse minutes
BF = 7 ; Brine fill minutes
FM = P0.7 ; Paddlewheel.

I prefer the RC reserve where you tell it how many gallons to reserve to make it until 2AM.
While a 5600sxt could in theory have any of several BLFC buttons, they seem to mostly be 0.5 gpm. An exception may show up some day.
 
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Bannerman

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A pool hardness test kit will typically measure calcium hardness, not total hardness. Suggest to obtain a Hach 5B kit to measure total hardness. Because your water source is municipal, the softener will need to be programmed for either the maximum possible hardness (is: 20 GPG) or the hardness level will need to be measured at your location and if less than 20, suggest programming 2 GPG higher than the measured amount to anticipate occaisions when hardness will be higher than the measured amount.

The BLFC information (brine line flow control) is normally printed on a label located nearby to the brine line connection. That flow rate determine the amount of water to refill the brine tank each minute. Each 1-gallon to enter the brine tank will dissolve 3 lbs salt. The Brine Fill setting (minutes) X the BLFC rate = the total volume of water to enter the brine tank each cycle.
 

Reach4

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A pool hardness test kit will typically measure calcium hardness, not total hardness.
I think pool kits, like the Hach 5-b, read out total hardness, but in units that are calcium equivalent.
 

Bannerman

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I think pool kits, like the Hach 5-b, read out total hardness,
I'm not referring to calcium equivalence.

He said he utilized a pool hardness test kit.

The pool kits I have seen, most measure only calcium hardness, not total hardness, so since the standard wasn't specified, I prefer not to assume the kit utilized, actually measures total hardness.
 
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Reach4

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The pool kits I have seen, most measure only calcium hardness, not total hardness, so since the standard wasn't specified, I prefer not to assume the kit utilized, actually measures total hardness.
I was unfamiliar with those.

I suspect some pool tests total hardness, but that Hach 5-B test sure is nice.
 

DanInAZ

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The BLFC information (brine line flow control) is normally printed on a label located nearby to the brine line connection. That flow rate determine the amount of water to refill the brine tank each minute. Each 1-gallon to enter the brine tank will dissolve 3 lbs salt. The Brine Fill setting (minutes) X the BLFC rate = the total volume of water to enter the brine tank each cycle.
I finally found the the label. I was looking inside in/outside the brine tank. DUH. Yep it says 0.5 GPM, and 1.5 lbs salt/minute
He said he utilized a pool hardness test kit.

The pool kits I have seen, most measure only calcium hardness
You're correct, Bannerman; I used a pool calcium hardness (CH) test kit. This likely explains why my tested hardness of 12.9 gpg is lower than what's reported on my City's website.
DO = 30 ; Day Override (30 if no iron)
Why so high on the Days Override? Thought 14 or so was prudent, so that the system would regenerate if usage was low(er).
 
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Reach4

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Why so high on the Days Override? Thought 14 or so was prudent, so that the system would regenerate if usage was low(er).
because you can. Without iron or manganese, you can stretch it out. So if you go away for 2 months, there will be less regenerating.
 

DanInAZ

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So if you go away for 2 months, there will be less regenerating.
Thanks. That brings up another question. We typically go away for about that length of time in the summer. Before doing so I turn off the water to the home. What should I do with the softener? Unplug it?
 
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