Autotrol 460i help

[AndrewSH]

Hi everyone, I’m new here. I’ve noticed my softener is going through salt a lot faster — it used to regenerate about every 10 days, but now it’s down to every 4–5 days. My water use hasn’t changed, and according to my calculations (based on actual usage on Badger D55 meter), regen should still be closer to every 10–11 days.

I did some testing and saw the flow indicator on the Autotrol blinking slowly even when no water is being used. I double-checked for leaks (none found, also confirmed by the Badger meter). When I unplugged the sensor from the turbine, the blinking stopped — so I don’t think the hall-effect sensor is bad, maybe the turbine assembly?

Also, a couple months ago I added an expansion tank before the water heater — not sure if that could be related or just coincidence.

Any ideas on whether replacing the turbine assembly makes sense?

 

[Reach4]

Also, a couple months ago I added an expansion tank before the water heater — not sure if that could be related or just coincidence.

It could be related. You may have "phantom flow".

Oops! We ran into some problems.

terrylove.com

You can minimize that by making sure that the air precharge is a bit higher than the max pressure from the water source, but it will take the check valve out of the softener to be rid of it.

If you have city water, I suspect the effect could be more pronounced if there is no check valve at the water meter. With well water, and no check valve, commonly no thermal expansion tank is used. There is phantom flow, but for me it is not so bad. Having a check valve after the softener and having a thermal expansion tank will eliminate it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[AndrewSH]

It could be related. You may have "phantom flow".

Oops! We ran into some problems.

terrylove.com

You can minimize that by making sure that the air precharge is a bit higher than the max pressure from the water source, but it will take the check valve out of the softener to be rid of it.

If you have city water, I suspect the effect could be more pronounced if there is no check valve at the water meter. With well water, and no check valve, commonly no thermal expansion tank is used. There is phantom flow, but for me it is not so bad. Having a check valve after the softener and having a thermal expansion tank will eliminate it.

Thank you for the suggestions and the search link.

I will try increasing the air precharge first -- any guidance on how many PSI I should add as a starter? (current pressure is the same as water pressure - 50 PSI). I'm on city water btw.

 

[Reach4]

Thank you for the suggestions and the search link.

I will try increasing the air precharge first -- any guidance on how many PSI I should add as a starter? (current pressure is the same as water pressure - 50 PSI). I'm on city water btw.

Set it to the maximum pressure that the city presents. If the daytime pressure is 50, the pressure at 4am might be 55 or so. How about that?

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

I had an expansion tank do that to me a long time ago with an Autotrol....probably back in
1993

throw a swing check valve into the out going line off the water softener or a spring loaded
check valve to stop the water from moving back and forth through the control...