Fleck 5600SE 4 stage water level issues

[dunkinidaho]

I had a new resin bed placed last summer. 4 cycle times set up are 12min rinse-- 60 min brine rinse---8 min rapid rinse---13min refill.

2 people 2bath 42000grain resin tank and brine tank is 16x16x36

Problem: I've noticed while observing the water level in the brine tank that it only drops an inch after an hour of brine rinse. It seems that it's less than a gallon of brine water. This doesn't seem normal to me. We are noticing an iron smell in the water even after a cycle. Another weird thing, the water in one of the two toilets is "dirty" after a cycle and takes several flushes before clearing up.

I was told that the 60 min brine rinse is really only 30 min of brine and 30 min of water. Is this correct?

Thanks

Brian

 

[Bannerman]

Your terminology is a little off.

1st - BackWash - 12 minutes. 10 minutes is often programmed but if your well water contains sand, silt or other visible contaminants, BW is often extended to eliminate the contaminants to drain.

2nd - Brine Draw - 60 minutes. The brine will normally be transferred from the brine tank into the resin tank within approx 15 minutes, leaving the remaining ~45 minutes for slow rinse flow to continue to push the brine through the resin and to rinse the resin.

Rapid Rinse - 8 minutes. The RR cycle will compact the resin after it was loosened during the BW cycle. Compacting the resin will reduce the spaces between the resin granules so as to increase water contact with the resin to reduce hardness leakage through the softener.

Brine Fill - 13 minutes. This is the amount of time water will flow into the brine tank. The time will be conditional on the flow rate (BLFC rate is normally specified on a label located nearby to the brine line location). The BLFC rate X the BF minutes = quantity of water to enter the brine tank.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[dunkinidaho]

I guess my settings are pretty good. The 13 min refill has dumped about a gallon out the overflow so I'll cut that time back. How much actual brine water is used during a brine draw? I thought it would be a few gallons but I guess not.

Brian

 

[Bannerman]

How much actual brine water is used during a brine draw?

All of it.

The amount of Brine to be produced is directly related to the amount of capacity to be regenerated. Each 1 gallon water entering the brine tank will dissolve 3 lbs salt. The salt amount will determine the amount of capacity to be regenerated, regardless of the Capacity setting programmed. No fluid should discharge from the brine tank overflow, or cause the safety float within the brine tank to be lifted.

You said your unit has 42,000 grains capacity which I anticipate you are referring to the resin"s total capacity, not the usable capacity. The total capacity should not be programmed and regenerated each cycle as the amount of salt needed will be excessive and inefficient. If your resin tank size is 10" diameter X 54" high, it will likely contain 1.5 cubic feet of resin whereas if the 10" tank is only 48" high, it will probably contain 1.25 ft3.

For 1.5 ft3 of resin, the usual recommended usable Capacity to be programmed is 36,000 grains which will require 12 lbs salt each regeneration cycle. For 1.25 ft3, the Capacity setting will then be 30,000 grains which will require 10 lbs salt to regenerate.

If you state the BLFC number and the tank size, we can assist with proper programming. We would also need to know the actual hardness test amount and also the iron quantity.

 

[Reach4]

Problem: I've noticed while observing the water level in the brine tank that it only drops an inch after an hour of brine rinse. It seems that it's less than a gallon of brine water. This doesn't seem normal to me. We are noticing an iron smell in the water even after a cycle. Another weird thing, the water in one of the two toilets is "dirty" after a cycle and takes several flushes before clearing up.

I was told that the 60 min brine rinse is really only 30 min of brine and 30 min of water. Is this correct?

Typically expect the first 15 (±~5) minutes of a BD to draw out all of the brine. You either have a suction leak, or more likely, something needs cleaning.

You need clean your injector (2 parts -- throat and nozzle) and your injector screen. I would also treat your system with Iron Out. Use the search box above, and search for old posts in the softener forum that contain "iron out".

https://www.menards.com/main/grocer...mover-9-5-lb/io10n/p-1444444183163-c-7097.htm

When you use a softener for significant iron removal, you are signing up for extra cleaning.

While there was something called a 5600SE, it did not have an LCD display. Often there is a sticker that says 5600SE inside of a 5600SXT. My 5600SXT, used in my H2S+iron filter, has such a sticker.