Water softener with the drain outlet upstairs problem

[rocktheroad]

Hey everyone,

I've been on a bit of a water softener adventure, and I need some advice! Last year, I replaced my old Whirlpool softener (which was pretty much toast when I bought the place) with a new smart Rheem Preferred softener. I even felt like a pro after all the DIY troubleshooting I did on the old one – cleaning the venturi, checking suction, replacing the flow meter, you name it! I was so confident I knew what I was doing and was focused on picking a similar model to avoid messing with the plumbing. It fit perfectly, which was a huge win for me as I live in a townhome with a single garage and very limited space!

Fast forward a year, and I've noticed the tank's been holding onto a lot of water. I went through all my troubleshooting steps – checking for leaks, cleaning the drain hose, checking suction, cleaning the brine valve – and everything seemed fine. Then, I stumbled upon the installation manual and realized the drain line shouldn't exceed 8 feet vertically. I checked the old Whirlpool manual, and it was the same. That probably explains why the old one gave up, although it was also pretty corroded and probably had electronic issues as well. I don't know the exact length behind the walls, but I have 12' first floor and at least 6' on top of it where the current laundry outlet is.

Unfortunately, I don't have any other drain options in my garage. The closest outlet is upstairs in the laundry room, which is nicely set up with an air gap. I can't really run the drain outside because I have nice pavers that would probably get stained from the salt, and HOA will kick my ass. I've drained the tank and refilled it with salt, but it's still filling up halfway after a month.

Here's what I've found:

1) The drain line is completely clear. I've tested it with a hose and an air compressor.

2) When starting excess water drain procedure by starting manual recharge and turning off unit after a few presses of button, the water drains slowly.

3) When I turn on the unit, and it gets to the high-flow cycle, the water drains quickly ( I guess this is water pressure, not pump working?)

It seems like the drain line pump just doesn't have enough oomph to push the brine water upstairs during the low-pressure cycle. I am unable to drain the tank with this method, even by leaving it in long period... Water just slowly goes, but the water level stays the same?!

It seems like the performance has been getting worse over the year. As everything was the same and it took 1 year for this problem to become obvious.

So, here's my question: Does anyone know of a solution where I could add some kind of booster pump between the softener and the drain line wall outlet?

I've looked into a few common pump types, and I am leaning toward Sink pumps, but they cost almost as half of my softener

• Sink Pumps: They have flow rate and head capabilities, they come into 6-gallon tanks - but I have concerns about their long-term corrosion resistance to the salty brine. (https://a.co/d/cb4e7kb)
• Condensate Pumps: These generally have lower flow rates and struggle with the kind of vertical lift I need (typically rated for 10-15 feet max).
• Sump Pumps: These usually require a larger pit installation and might be overkill for just handling the softener's discharge.
• Macerator Pumps: These are designed to chop solids, which isn't necessary for the relatively clear brine water and feels like an expensive and complex solution for this application.

Thanks!

 

[Reach4]

Fast forward a year, and I've noticed the tank's been holding onto a lot of water. I went through all my troubleshooting steps – checking for leaks, cleaning the drain hose, checking suction, cleaning the brine valve – and everything seemed fine. Then, I stumbled upon the installation manual and realized the drain line shouldn't exceed 8 feet vertically. I checked the old Whirlpool manual, and it was the same. That probably explains why the old one gave up, although it was also pretty corroded and probably had electronic issues as well. I don't know the exact length behind the walls, but I have 12' first floor and at least 6' on top of it where the current laundry outlet is.

What is your water pressure? That may seem irrelevant, but the higher the water pressure, the higher I expect the drain line to be able to go.

Are you saying that during the brine draw cycle, there is still a lot of brine in the brine tank 1/2 hour, or even one hour, into the brine draw? Is that what you mean by holding onto a lot of water?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[rocktheroad]

What is your water pressure? That may seem irrelevant, but the higher the water pressure, the higher I expect the drain line to be able to go.

Water Pressure seems constant; I didn't notice any changes before. I just ordered a water pressure gauge. I also have iSpring WSP-50 Whole House Spin Down Sediment Water Filter, which I changed from 50 to 100 microns. But that is there from the first day I moved in, and for one year everything worked okay...

Are you saying that during the brine draw cycle, there is still a lot of brine in the brine tank 1/2 hour, or even one hour, into the brine draw? Is that what you mean by holding onto a lot of water?

I’m not entirely sure I understand how brine cycles work. There are two modes for the drain line: one that drains slowly and quietly, and another that forcefully pumps water, making a loud noise with a strong water flow.


In the Rheem troubleshooting steps, to eliminate excess water, I need to manually recharge the system by holding the recharge button.

I should continue draining past the 90-minute timer. I’ve tried this, but water slowly drains out of the drain outlet, and I don’t see the water level dropping significantly, even after extending the draining period for 4-6 hours.


I suppose in a month, the water will gradually fill the tank to half its capacity. For now, I have to manually connect the hose and drain the tank every two weeks.

 

[John Gayewski]

Sink pump they change out easy. There's no great way to do what you need unless you can run an underground pipe to your softener.