Fleck 9500 water softener issues

[Detbjr]

Hi all - I’ve got a water softener (fleck 9500) that keeps leaking to the drain. I’ve replaced pistons, seals, spacers. I’ve had it apart and put back together 3 times. Still leaks to drain. Yes the spacers and seals are in right order. I replaced the valve body casting. Still leaks to drain. I’m thinking that the seals/ spacers are defective. I’ve seen the fleck service video and the guy was way less careful assembling the seal/spacer stack than I was. Has anyone experienced a defective seal / spacer kit?

My replacement set had brass spacers. The original set was plastic.

this thing really has me stumped…

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Welcome to the unpleasant world of Fleck valve maintenance. Flecks work fine when they are new, but maintenance is like working on an engineering dinosaur.

Did you replace all three seals/spacer assemblies?
Did you replace all the pistons?
When you replaced the seals/spacers and pistons did you have the valve off the tank and have the stack oriented vertically?

Are you up for replacing that valve instead of struggling with the maintenance? We try to replace these when customer allow - there is a much better, American-made valve option available (Clack).

Russ

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

After rebuilding a fleck 6 or 8 years ago I had a similar leak - I dont recall the exact details but I think it was the same.
Anyway although I thought I was super careful, it turned out that I didnt get the seals/spacers alighned perfectly, I couldnt see it the first couple tries. So one of the seals (?) was pinched or something like that. Easy fix once I knew what it was.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

After rebuilding a fleck 6 or 8 years ago I had a similar leak - I dont recall the exact details but I think it was the same.
Anyway although I thought I was super careful, it turned out that I didnt get the seals/spacers alighned perfectly, I couldnt see it the first couple tries. So one of the seals (?) was pinched or something like that. Easy fix once I knew what it was.

Common... very common with Fleck valves. With Clack brand valves the entire seal/spacer unit comes out and goes back in as ONE PIECE. Takes all of 30 seconds.

 

[Detbjr]

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, all seals and spacers are new. Pistons are new. I’ve assembled it vertically on the bench. I was very careful to turn and center each piece as I assembled - done this multiple times.

the guy in the service video was way less careful. That’s why I’m stumped here and have to believe some is out of spec even though it’s new.

the other theory is the replacement spacers were brass but the original were plastic. Is the plastic more reliable/easy to install?
Also I thought of either making a stuffer tool or buying one but 300 for a one use tool is frustrating…

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Have you verified that the piston is actually moving during the different phases of the regen?

 

[Detbjr]

Yes the pistons move - the thing leaks to drain during standby mode. The gears and wheel are in good shape.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Did you reinstall the seals/spacers out of order, as in putting the correct item in first?

 

[Detbjr]

Regrettably yes because then I’d have a simple if I did it wrong.

No it’s in the correct order - I’ve taken it apart and reassembled enough that I could do it blindfolded.

the question here is whether anyone has encountered “new” seals/spacers that came out of spec. That’s the only thing I can see.

 

[Detbjr]

Sorry meant to say they were installed in correct order.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

the question here is whether anyone has encountered “new” seals/spacers that came out of spec. That’s the only thing I can see.

I put a call into my tech contacts at Fleck to check for you but they are closed for Christmas.

 

[soonermajic]

Id switch to Clack

 

[Detbjr]

Thank you so much!

I watched this service video which shows the 9000 series Fleck. It’s really good about detailing how the system works.

What kills me is that the guy just pulls it apart and puts it together really fast with not much care. And he does it horizontally.

what I wonder is whether the plastic upper valve seals and spacer is more robust, less sensitive to assemble than the brass?

The upper plastic ones appear to be faced with a kind of flange, so perhaps that makes them less sensitive to any misalignment?

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Alignment is always an issue with Flecks - I've rebuilt many. Such a bad design. But so many vendors sell them and so many customers buy them. Go figure.

 

[Detbjr]

At about 1:10 is when he’s taking apart the valve body. Not much care. Horizontally done - replicating the in service position. Total head scratcher here. Either I have defective / wrong seals & spacers from the plant, or they should be plastic upper spacers. Or Im dealing with ridiculously unlucky odds.

 

[Detbjr]

Alignment is always an issue with Flecks - I've rebuilt many. Such a bad design. But so many vendors sell them and so many customers buy them. Go figure.

Did you find the ones with plastic spacers were easier to align? Or didn’t matter…?

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Did you find the ones with plastic spacers were easier to align? Or didn’t matter…?

shouldn't matter

 

[Detbjr]

Then I’m really stumped…there’s some I’ve seen where they are black plastic kind of with a broad flange that I figured might be more forgiving. But aside from that it doesn’t make sense

 

[Detbjr]

Does anyone have a stuffer tool they could lend or rent me?

 

[cantbreak80]

I've suffered through many a failed rebuild with the 9000, 9100, and the 7000 valves.
I tend to give up and just replace them with a Clack.

I have never purchased anything from US Water Systems or Chandler Systems Valves, but I do find them interesting.

Synergy Plus Twin-Alternating Commercial Metered Water Softener - 1.5 Flow (uswatersystems.com)

A couple of blogs from US Water Systems:
US Water Systems
About Chandler