Upgrading to large capacity Water Softener; should we upgrade plumbing and or Pressure tank as well?

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Valveman

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I've never noticed any difference in the shower between 40 or 60psi. I can't tell when the pump kicks on so constant pressure wouldn't make any difference to me.
You pump certainly feels it when cycling on and off. But I have heard that from a lot of people. Some install a Cycle Stop Valve anyway for other reasons like their pump isn't lasting long enough or they need space and want a smaller tank. Then they call me back and say, "WOW! I just never realized the shower pressure was so low until I experienced constant pressure". That is where I heard the phrase, "I no longer even need soap in the shower". Lol! But I guess you won't know what you are missing if you don't know what you are missing. But even if you don't care about constant pressure, the CSV is still the best thing you can do for your pump and system.
 

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I am attaching images of my existing set up for clarity.
That will clarify what I means by I have 1/2 inch everywhere . It reduces right at the output of Pressure tank then all the way to iron filter and the softner it is 1.2 inch. I will post images/link of my new system in the next post. Sorry I am newbie. I am trying to understand how to best do this pluming from a futuristic perspective. This will be my home for life. Approx 45 years to go :)
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This is my new system

It has a Fleck 5810SXT

My resin capacity is 2.5 cubic feet so cylinder dimensions are 13" X52"

The Threads at the back on Bypass valve supplied with the control valve has 1 inch Male threads as input and output

So I bought these connectors
 

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Looks like a few black iron fittings? They need to be replaced. With such small pipe leaving the tank and then going through a softener, you won't get much pressure to the shower. Again, if you want it to last, stop the cycling or you will replace that system many times in 40 years. Yesterday I had a customer bring in a Cycle Stop Valve from 1994. Could have repaired it, but he decided to replace it, as the CSV is the reason the pump is still working after all these years.
 

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Thanks valveman, i appreciate your passion about CSV. I am fairly new to this and right now , my main focus is to plug in new softener system in there. I can always install CSV afterwards. Right now my main decision points are
1) Is there anything needed on output side? I do not want to change anything on output and my current output pipes are 1/2 inch . Softener will give 1 inch output and then I have that flex connector that is 1 inch to 3/4 inch . Then do I need a 3/4 inch pipe and then another connector 3/4 inch to 1/2 inch ? How to handle that
2) Considering that the final output to the house will be 1/2 inch, do I gain much if I upgrade the input pipe ( pressure tank to the softener) to 1 inch. I was thinking about upgrading to 3/4 inch because I got the connector handy. Stupid logic but it is what it is. I can buy another connector . That is no problem. Dont want to cut corners as this is long term solution for me.
 

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The further you go with larger pipe the better. Wherever you start with small pipe is where your restrictions start. I go with at least 1" from the well to the softener. Might leave the softener with a 3/4 main through the house, and only go down to 1/2 on the lines that branch off. Again, depends on the type of pipe as Pex with inserts needs to be larger than pipe with no inserts.
 

Reach4

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I would say 3/4 to the well tank is enough for most, but expanding after the tank to 1 inch is not a waste. My well supplies water thru 3/4 SIDR polyethylene that was inserted into the old 1-1/4 galvanized. My submersible 7 gpm 3/4 hp submersible pushes about 10 gpm into the pressure tank.

In my case, I only go up to 3/4 after the well tank, but if doing new then 1 inch would be better for a larger house.

1/2 inch before teeing off to the outside faucets seems wrong.

1/2 inch will backwash a softener just fine. That's probably only 3.5 GPM for a 12 inch tank. But the filter may not backwash near enough. Depending on the filter, that could be 10 gpm or more.
 

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I would say 3/4 to the well tank is enough for most, but expanding after the tank to 1 inch is not a waste. My well supplies water thru 3/4 SIDR polyethylene that was inserted into the old 1-1/4 galvanized. My submersible 7 gpm 3/4 hp submersible pushes about 10 gpm into the pressure tank.

In my case, I only go up to 3/4 after the well tank, but if doing new then 1 inch would be better for a larger house.

1/2 inch before teeing off to the outside faucets seems wrong.

1/2 inch will backwash a softener just fine. That's probably only 3.5 GPM for a 12 inch tank. But the filter may not backwash near enough. Depending on the filter, that could be 10 gpm or more.
YEs , this set up is from 70s so ofcourse things are wrong. I am trying to make it right for next 40 years.
I am not touching pipe coming from well to the tank as you see that in picture. It will stay as is. Then the Pressure gauge and the drain of the pressure tank will also stay as is. I will disconnect that 1/2 inch pipe from next point and put either 3/4 inch or 1 inch. Now listening to you guys I am leaning towards 1 inch. Just that the other end near the softener I would need a proper connector.

When you say to wash the filter, you meant my iron filter that is first cylinder? That is going out ? I dont need that in the new system. Both these Softerner and Iron filter will be replaced by a single softener system that I posted above. Iron contents in the well water is very less and this 50 year old filter is not needed anymore.

Should I go pex pipes or copper?
 

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When you say to wash the filter, you meant my iron filter that is first cylinder? That is going out ? I dont need that in the new system.
Yes, that is what I was referring to. An iron filter before a softener is often a very good thing. Depending on how much iron you are asking the softener to deal with, there will be various amounts of extra treatment and cleaning needed for the softener. Do you have a number for iron? (PPM is the same as mg/l)
 

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Yes, that is what I was referring to. An iron filter before a softener is often a very good thing. Depending on how much iron you are asking the softener to deal with, there will be various amounts of extra treatment and cleaning needed for the softener. Do you have a number for iron? (PPM is the same as mg/l)
0.12 mg/L
I guess they had that iron filter because the old well had iron casing which rusts and rots. Then they upgraded to a PVC based well. Now that filter is redundant . In any case, I am removing that softener as its not working ( resin is done I guess) so I dont trust that iron filter as well and It uses potesium permagnate. I dont like that stuff as well.
 

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Hello All,
back again. Some friends arrived to help and they suggested 3/4 inch connections using Pex from the Pressure tank to the Softener but they left the final decision to me if I want to do 1 inch.
Can you please review the below pictures. At the pressure tank side, they mentioned to disconnect at point 1 and asked me to buy 3/4 inch Male NTP to 3/4 inch Pex fitting. If I want to go 1 inch option, can I not disconnect that entire 90 degree elbow and put 1 inch FNTP at thread no 3? That thread no 3 is part of a fitting that connects everything, input , output, pressure gauge, relief valve, drain for the pressure tank.
What I do not understand is that thread 2 is what goes inside thread 3. Will it cause any issues because the female part of thread 2 which is inside of thread 3 , water will be running through that if I put FNPT on thread 3 and then other end connect to 1 inch PEX. Anyone sees any problems or have any suggests , how to best achieve 1 inch connection here.
View attachment 80468View attachment 80469View attachment 80470View attachment 80471
 

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Update - Getting 1 inch fittings is being difficult at where I live in Canada (Manitoba). I guess I will have to live with 3/4 inch between Pressure tank and Softener. Not sure if it was possible for me to quantify how much I will lose in terms of pressure etc compared to 1 inch. It is 1200 sq feet house single story. When I make additions to house ( after 10 or so years) then I will add another story but till that time, I think I can live with 3/4 inch and may be the upgrade to 1 inch. Any comments?
 
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