Water Softener

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ctwo
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Water Softener

Post by ctwo »

Any tips on brand or model? We are probably medium hard.

There is a culligan model installed for about 12 years. It has been dribbling out of the drain tube but works. This model has a large plastic valve body that sort of resembles a skeletal series of spaced discs with o-rings. I tried replacing the o-rings with closest match and it's just been getting worse. I was going to give it another go and ended up breaking the valve body in half when trying to pull it out. The culligan business model is that they hold all parts hostage and require a guy to come out to repair the unit. Normally you pay the guy about $300 to install new o-rings. No idea on a new valve body and I'd expect it to be just as unreasonable or not even available anymore.

I looked at HomeDepot and saw a few brands, read some reviews around and counts of cheap china quality. One (probably paid) review site listed Fleck as top brand.
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ctwo
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Re: Water Softener

Post by ctwo »

Well, I'm reading more good about the Fleck 7000. I may order one.
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GlennW
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Re: Water Softener

Post by GlennW »

I have a Kinetico and it's been great.

It needs no electricity, so there is nothing to set up or monitor other than keeping salt in the hopper.

May be a bit pricey in comparison to others though.
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warmstrong1955
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Re: Water Softener

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I took a look in Consumer Reports for ya, but they haven't tested them. :(

We have hard water here....like real hard, but have not bought a water softener.
We do have a reverse osmosis filter in the Kitchen though, which has paid for itself in coffee makers. Works well for mixing up KoolMist too. :)

Bill
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Russ Hanscom
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Re: Water Softener

Post by Russ Hanscom »

We are running mid range Sears, at least 12 years old and still going strong. The previous one was still going after 10 years when we moved.

Get one that bases regeneration on water used and not just time between cycles, that will save a lot of salt.
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Steggy
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Re: Water Softener

Post by Steggy »

ctwo wrote:Any tips on brand or model? We are probably medium hard.
I've got a Water Boss unit, which has been in service for 18 years with absolutely no problems. Our water is 14 GPG and we get 1100 gallons per regeneration. It holds three 40 pound bags of salt.
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ctwo
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Re: Water Softener

Post by ctwo »

Thought I would try to save even more money. I was looking at the piece of the valve I got out and some pictures of other valves and then I decided, I can make that out of aluminum!

I spent another hour trying to pull the remaining piece out of the valve body. I think one of the o-rings must have come off and gotten wedged.

I'm about to just order a Fleck unit. I read that the 7000sxt is a good borderline commercial unit, but was just discontinued. I guess those will dry up soon.

What's wrong with Amazon? I search this model last night at home I see a couple I wanted to buy, now at work I cannot find the same ad and all the ones coming up are more expensive. One system looked good for $717 and there were 19 in stock. Can't find it now. It had the round brine tank and was 80k grain media. I see one with the square tank and 64k media for $707, but free shipping. That might be the one I get then.

Our current media tank is ~9x40 and this one is 12x48. I do not know what was packed into our old tank though.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
Russ Hanscom
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Re: Water Softener

Post by Russ Hanscom »

You probably want to forget about aluminum unless it is a marine grade - most aluminums and salt water do not mix well.
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ctwo
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Re: Water Softener

Post by ctwo »

I am going to forget about the aluminum.

I have learned some about softeners. Mostly that there are really only a few companies that make the valves. I read Culligan uses a Fleck valve. The rest of the pressure media tank and brine tank are made by a few other companies. Culligan just buys these components, and with mine only had the lid of the brine tank and plastic housing embossed with their logo. Maybe they contracted the control. The point was that these softener companies don't make their own stuff.

I started thinking that maybe I could just by a valve and control and screw that onto my media tank.

Otherwise, I'm trying to figure out what are differences between the two Fleck 7000 systems. One is ~$700 model with a square brine tank and then there is the same system with the round brine tank, which an ~$200 price increase. I can hardly believe the cost is just for the 'better' brine tank (which only bumps the price $10 on the website of the supplier), and the descriptions are much more lacking than the more expensive versions. This supplier also seems to supply the Fleck systems on the Walmart/Sears sites. Aplus or 602abcwater - I think it's the same seller, and it must be the same system just with a slightly cheaper brine tank.

My brine tank is already better than all of them, but not sure about the resin tank. The tank to the the neck is only ~9x40. I think I would get a 12x48 (not specified, and that is a hair small for the 2 cu-ft they are supposed to fill it with). And then the fill, is it filled full and do they use a top basket of quality? etc...

It's only $700. I'm sure it works. Would much rather put that towards a surface grinder...
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
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Richard_W
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Re: Water Softener

Post by Richard_W »

I have been using the kinetico for over 20 years. Parts are inexpensive. Every so often a plastic gear wears out, but they are only a few dollar each. I find it much better to have the guy come out to fix it. They send a guy and he has all the parts and can just about tear the vale body apart and put it back together in his sleep. Service call is cheap since the office is close by Usually less the $200 for a service call. Off hand I can't remember when the bill was for more than $200. Also it can be reset to regenerate for more or less gallons if needed. We have high iron and had to set it to regenerate at 700 gallons.
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ctwo
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Re: Water Softener

Post by ctwo »

I have been procrastinating on purpose!

I suppose I should get a new water test and not use the results from a few years ago, because I am sure to test the water again next year and replace the whole system, because the water chemistry changes seasonally. I have not noticed the softener is out of service. I mean, the water felt hard the first day, but I think all the recent rains we've been having has watered down the hardness quite a bit. Water softeners are overrated.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
Anvlhrdrzsuk
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Re: Water Softener

Post by Anvlhrdrzsuk »

Ctwo-I know this thread is somewhat stale, but In my case, with our local conditions & being on well water, a water softener is really needed. I have iron biofouling in my water along with a bunch of yucky tasting minerals. I have reduced iron by regularly doing anti bacterial treatments with Chlorine bleach or chlor pellets. For in house I have a turbine style filter, a large pleated GE whole house filter, another filter that is a string / yarn type, then a Kenmore Ultrasoft 800 softener. for drinking/cooking I exclusively use a reverse osmosis system with a spigot mounted on the kitchen sink. The entire system fits under the kitchen sink. Now, if you want to talk about DIY well surging & rehabilitation, I have had experience with that also.
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