Water Softener Regen**More info added/question?
- Thread starter Davidson
- Start date
soapy
Senior Member
You can probably call your city or a local water softner company and find out how many grains of hardness water your area typically has. Then find out how big your softner tank is in grains. Divide the grains of the tank by the grains of hardness in the water and that is how many gallons the tank can soften. So a 30,000 grain tank divided by 10 should soften about 3,000 gallons. Hopefully you have a metered tank so it will only regen as needed. If you are on a set timer then you will have to guess at how many gallons you use in a set time period.
Calculations are pretty scientific based on water hardness test and size of softener. I hope it is a metered system as stated by MEP
My previous employer owned a water quality company and taught me quite a bit. Go with the facts and recommendations from manufacturer. You might buy a test kit to check your results from time to time.
https://www.amazon.com/Hach-145300-...499045010601&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0
My previous employer owned a water quality company and taught me quite a bit. Go with the facts and recommendations from manufacturer. You might buy a test kit to check your results from time to time.
https://www.amazon.com/Hach-145300-...499045010601&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0
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I measured the resin tank and looks like it is 14"x65", which I believe has a capacity of 96,000 grains. City water coming in looks like about 280 ppm, or 16 grains hard. From the outlet side of the softener, it is plumbed directly to the IBA HP tank and chemical tree, the SS mixing tanks/rinse tank, HW tank, and RO system. Does this sound right? The softener is currently bypassed. When I close the bypass, the HP tanks and SS rinse tank won't refill fast enough. Do you guys have a storage tank plumbed in for soft water? Trying to figure out how it all works and if it is plumbed right.
cantbreak80
Maybe I need new clubs
Ouch!
Based on your data that water softener can treat no more than 4,500 gallons. That would explain the frequent regenerations.
The softener is grossly undersized for the facility if its indeed feeding an IBA, SS bays and RO system.
Based on your data that water softener can treat no more than 4,500 gallons. That would explain the frequent regenerations.
The softener is grossly undersized for the facility if its indeed feeding an IBA, SS bays and RO system.
MEP001
Well-known member
Agreed, unless you're ready to replace the softener with a much larger unit, your next best plan might be to run all HP functions on your auto with hard water and soften only the chemical application, if that's possible. It's also likely that the media in the softener is broken down and inhibiting flow, which may be why it's bypassed now.
soapy
Senior Member
No reason to run soft water to the HP functions on the automatic. Many people say that a hard water rinse is better. I would estimate that probably 80% of your soft water is being used by the IBA high pressure functions. YOu would probably have plenty flow for the other function at the wash if you switched the IBA HP to regular water.
cantbreak80
Maybe I need new clubs
Pretty unusual for an experienced equipment supplier to undersize a softener system for the described facility.
Possibly, the system was intended as soapy stated...for chemicals and RO only?
If true, it’s the plumber’s fault for not following the plans.
Or, the equipment supplier was a dufus.
Possibly, the system was intended as soapy stated...for chemicals and RO only?
If true, it’s the plumber’s fault for not following the plans.
Or, the equipment supplier was a dufus.
Thanks for all the replies. Unfortunately the guy who installed most of my equipment passed away in January. It doesn't make sense why it's plumbed this way, there has always been an auto and 5 ss bays. The softener was added later from what I understood. I may have to do some re-plumbing or get a bigger softener.
cantbreak80
Maybe I need new clubs
0 is correct.
You might be able to use the one you have with a simple change. You really only need soft water to mix your chemicals and for RO, not the whole wash. Just redo the plumbing for that. Been doing that for 20+ years with no bad results. And use a single tank metered head with a timer so it only regens at night when needed.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Ideally hardness should be at 0 grains. Below 3 grains is usually considered soft enough to use.