Lets talk water softeners
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Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Any one change out the resin in the tank? That is why I need to get new ones.
Yes, it's a reasonably simple task to perform. You can purchase new Cation resin beads online. Remember, that the tank is not completely full of resin beads, but only 50%-60% full of beads.
One cubic foot of Cation softener beads can be found for around $100 on Amazon. I think a standard 9 inch tank uses about 1 cubic foot of beads.
If you have arsenic or tannins in the water (as sometimes happens with well water) you can also add some Anion beads in the same tank.
Any one change out the resin in the tank? That is why I need to get new ones.
Yes, it's a reasonably simple task to perform. You can purchase new Cation resin beads online. Remember, that the tank is not completely full of resin beads, but only 50%-60% full of beads.
One cubic foot of Cation softener beads can be found for around $100 on Amazon. I think a standard 9 inch tank uses about 1 cubic foot of beads.
If you have arsenic or tannins in the water (as sometimes happens with well water) you can also add some Anion beads in the same tank.
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Yes, it uses about 1 cu. ft. of resin. However, although it is reasonably easy to do it is also messy and requires you to have a place to dump the resin and water out of the existing tank. I did it once but like sanding wood floors, once is enough.
Did it with an industrial one once. Yes, it's monumentally messy.
Well, with an industrial one throwing it away isn't a very good option. At home, though, if it saved me $500, I'd be leaning to saying that's not enough. If I could take it outside and do so, fine, but considering the trouble it would be to take it outside, well, you get my drift.
I take mine out once every couple years to clean out the salt tank. Dumping the resin every 10 years would not be that much more of a mess. If the resin is fouled and you throw it away for a new one every 10 years or so, to me it's doable and economical enough.
Guys, I have a quick question... What would make my water have a "salty" taste? This happened several months ago, when I had some medical issues, so I just bypassed the system and unplugged the timer and the problem cleared up.
This is a rainsoft system, that I have had for about 18-20 years.
We would normally have them come out once a year and change/service the o-rings in the softener and change the filters in the RO unit. Its been about 3 years since I've had them come out to do it, and the guy last time tried to upsell me into a new unit. He said eventually this one would fail, and that the brass in the valves wear down and they do not have replacement parts. I don't know how true that is, but I'm thinking that my unit is going to have to be replaced.... so what is a good unit for a 4 person household?
This is a rainsoft system, that I have had for about 18-20 years.
We would normally have them come out once a year and change/service the o-rings in the softener and change the filters in the RO unit. Its been about 3 years since I've had them come out to do it, and the guy last time tried to upsell me into a new unit. He said eventually this one would fail, and that the brass in the valves wear down and they do not have replacement parts. I don't know how true that is, but I'm thinking that my unit is going to have to be replaced.... so what is a good unit for a 4 person household?
The salt tank is a little less unwieldly, though. Depending upon the softener design, getting at the resin can involve playing with plumbing. One of my business contractors rents out water softeners, and when my twenty year old unit went on the fritz, he sold me an off rental reconditioned one for $200 installed. That's pretty hard to beat.
The last three I've had had the resin tank in the salt tank. Then the resin tank just slides out once the whole thing is laying on it's side. The resin tank top is a quick disconnect plastic ring. Really looked easy to do. Stick a water hose in it and flush the resin out onto a screen.
Well, that would definitely be much easier. The industrial one I mentioned was a two head design with a giant salt tank, so obviously, that's different, but there was space, hoses, and a drain to deal with cleaning, and replacing resin, in the room. My current and previous softeners, too, had the separate tank. In fact, my current one is just using my old salt tank.
It's not unusual for people in the country to simply wash out the old beads into the lawn. I'd never do this, as I'm sure my dog would find them delicious, or some other animal. However, it's one commonly used method.
And, yes, you can save $500 or more by DIY.
And, yes, you can save $500 or more by DIY.
Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Ha, I have a deep ditch, probably go there and then covered in cat litter.
When I do the salt tank clean out it goes on a tarp laid out on the driveway.
Yeah the one time I did it, I dumped the resin beads on the back part of my property. They aren't toxic but they won't break down either. I'm sure they are still there doing nothing.
Ha, I have a deep ditch, probably go there and then covered in cat litter.
When I do the salt tank clean out it goes on a tarp laid out on the driveway.
Yeah the one time I did it, I dumped the resin beads on the back part of my property. They aren't toxic but they won't break down either. I'm sure they are still there doing nothing.
I've been looking at sears and thinking about the hyrbid model. Its on sale for 559.99. Thoughts?
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-hybri...mp;blockType=G3
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-hybri...mp;blockType=G3
Originally Posted By: volk06
I've been looking at sears and thinking about the hyrbid model. Its on sale for 559.99. Thoughts?
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-hybri...mp;blockType=G3
It will likely work just fine. In a typical system, carbon tanks are placed after the softener. The carbon is generally regenerated with chlorine. (kills bacteria and removes some contaminates from the carbon media)
This unit seems to have carbon mixed in with the 1 cubic foot of resin beads. (from what I can tell) . They claim a carbon lifespan of "greater than 10 years".
I've been looking at sears and thinking about the hyrbid model. Its on sale for 559.99. Thoughts?
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-hybri...mp;blockType=G3
It will likely work just fine. In a typical system, carbon tanks are placed after the softener. The carbon is generally regenerated with chlorine. (kills bacteria and removes some contaminates from the carbon media)
This unit seems to have carbon mixed in with the 1 cubic foot of resin beads. (from what I can tell) . They claim a carbon lifespan of "greater than 10 years".
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