Best Salt Brand for Water Softener

[Greg Pack]

Just about to order some salt. Ouch- I remember when this stuff was three bucks a bag or less. Current pricing in my area is 6.47 for 40 lbs of diamond crystal. Mortons is not even locally available. I can order Morton's from Ace with a one week lead time for 6.99/bag.

 

[cantbreak80]

Just about to order some salt. Ouch- I remember when this stuff was three bucks a bag or less. Current pricing in my area is 6.47 for 40 lbs of diamond crystal. Mortons is not even locally available. I can order Morton's from Ace with a one week lead time for 6.99/bag.

Might have something to do with transportation/fuel cost?
Diamond Crystal:
HD in Birmingham $6.47/bag
HD in Salt Lake City $4.97/bag
HD in Denver $4.47/bag

 

[OurTown]

Home Depot here is $4.47 for Diamond Crystal and Morton is $6.47. They knock off 10% for more than 6 bags.

 

[mjwalsh]

Lately we have been using Morton "Clean & Protect" pellets. Our local Walmart has them for $5.96. Our local Menards 11% rebate sometimes beats that. We tend to go with stores who will load a pallet for us on a 3/4 ton pickup.

 

[Overachiever]

I use bright & soft, it's 5.99 for 50lbs at Costco.

 

[BrianLorenzen]

In your opinion what is the best Salt brand out there to use for Water Softeners? I'm currently using Diamond Crystal Solar Salt and my distributor is discontinuing his salt delivery business so I'm seeing what to switch to or stay the course and have a pallet drop-shipped which is probably going to be outrageously priced.

I’m new so this might be a dumb question. What about using a salt free water softener system? Do they work w car washes?

 

[MEP001]

They don't work, period.

 

[Greg Pack]

They might help reduce scale. But I tried one and it affected the ability of the touch free to clean, so I returned it.

 

[water guy]

Coach,
I suspect you’re softener was improperly set up resulting in overdosing and or too frequent regeneration.
A cubic foot of standard resin can be regenerated to 75% of its capacity with 6 pounds of salt. The remaining 25% requires nearly 12 more pounds of salt. Its extremely inefficient to regenerate a softener to 100% capacity. Some fine mesh resins can achieve 75% capacity with 4 pounds per cu ft.

Nearly every system I’ve serviced is grossly over salting...probably due to installer negligence, inexperience, or profit motive, i.e. they work for a company that sells softener salt. No names mentioned but...it starts with C.

Unless your raw water is so hard you get bruises when you shower, there’s no way a “real slow wash” should ever use 80 to 120 lbs of salt per week.

Just sayin.

What kind of Carwash Equipment are Using and what type of Softeners do you have?

 

[water guy]

6.00 dollars @ bag from Lowes in Tx

 

[cantbreak80]

What kind of Carwash Equipment are Using and what type of Softeners do you have?

I work on a variety of systems...Livingston, Mark VII, Southern Pride, Coleman, Hydrospray, HPWS.
Most softeners are equipped with Pentair (Fleck) valves...some Clack...and a couple of Bruners that are just barely alive.

 

[Greg Pack]

can'tbreak80 what is your brand preference?

A local dealer said the clacks are easier to work on than the flecks.

 

[cantbreak80]

Greg,
My fav was Bruner with IQS-3 controllers. They were awesome...easy to maintain, service, and set up.
I've never had to repair a Clack valve. Mainly because there are very few in my area.
I like Pentair 9500 Twin Alternating with the SXT controller for smaller facilities (up to 21GPM service flow rate) and the 2900s with NXT2 controllers for larger, higher demand facilities.

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks, I just bought a 2900S replacement head for my old one which had the first generation electronics.
Earlier in this thread you talked about salt dosing efficiency. I've looked online and tried to find a table that would show various settings. Do you have any reference.?

 

[cantbreak80]

Greg,
Maybe this link will help. A bit tech heavy but it does a good job of explaining.
Basically, it comes down to doing "the math"...something the electronic timer/controllers will do for you (if it's programmed properly).
Some key numbers:
8 lbs of salt per CuFt of resin
1 gal of water will absorb 3 lbs of salt.

Achieving Brine Efficiency (watertreatmentguide.com)

 

[MEP001]

Is 8 lbs per CuFt the most efficient now? How many grains capacity per CuFt does that yield?

I was taught 6 lbs per CuFt was best efficiency .

 

[2Biz]

From what I've read lately, 6# yields 20,000 grains and 8# yields 24,000 grains per Cubic Foot...About 10% loss in efficiency going from 6# to 8#. Here is a link that has a table that shows efficiency at different salt settings.

Expected Softener capacity with different salt settings

 

[MEP001]

I'll have to do the math to be sure, but I might have to use the 10 pound salt setting. My water/sewer bill is as much as $1200/month. It's going to be much worse this month, my RPZ valve is gushing water down the drain and I can't replace it myself. Plumbers are backed up for three months.

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks for the links guys!

I'm going for salt efficiency. I don't have to haul bags of water from Lowes and dump them in the tank

 

[I.B. Washincars]

my RPZ valve is gushing water down the drain and I can't replace it myself.

Can you not repair it? I've worked on a couple of mine. They are pretty simple. Who's going to know that you put a kit in it?