How Water Softeners Work.

Water softener systems are basically an appliance that treats incoming water to the home to remove hardness minerals (Calcium, Magnesium) present in water and provide softened water for the home to protect plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances to prevent hard water scale buildup and iron staining. Making the home run more efficiently.

Water softeners/conditioners are not the solution to every water treatment problem. There is a myriad of water chemistry problems such as high iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and low PH along with many other water problems that require different types of water treatment equipment to correctly treat the water.  The first step in determining the proper water treatment solution is a complete water analysis to determine the hardness, iron, and other water chemistry issues that may need more treatment than a water softener.

Water softeners have six main components:

1. Control Valve
2. Distributor Tube
3. Water Softener Tank
4. Water Softening Resin
5. Brine / Salt Tank
6. Float Assembly

Water softener regeneration cycles:
1. Backwash
2. Brine draw
3. Slow rinse
4. Fast rinse
5. Brine refill
6. Service

Water softeners have to run/regenerate at some point to rinse off the hardness minerals the resin has collected and restore the sodium charge on the resin beads.  The regeneration cycles shown above are the most commonly used but may vary in their sequence depending on the particular water softener and manufacturer.  When not regenerating a water softener is normally in service mode.

Ion Exchange Process:  Sodium Chloride or Potassium Chloride (Water softener salt) is used to regenerate the water softener resin beads during the brine draw/regeneration cycle. Sodium or Potassium displaces the hardness minerals the resin has collected during the service cycle and the hardness minerals are flushed to the drain.

Resin Regeneration Process

Water Softener Resin Comes In Many Color Variations

Polystyrene Water Softener Resin

Every water softener has a given amount of "capacity".  The amount of resin in the softener tank and size of the softener tank determine the total capacity and how many gallons of water can run through the water softener before it has to regenerate.
For example, a 9x48 water softener tank will have about 30,000 grains of capacity (1 cu ft of resin) and a 10x54 tank is about 45,000 grains of capacity (1.5 cu ft of resin).  Single tank water softeners, such as the Fleck 7000 above (Blue Tank), are factory set to regenerate at 2 o'clock in the morning (This is referred to as delayed regeneration) and will take anywhere from 60 minutes to over 2 hours for a complete regeneration cycle. Depending on the capacity and size of the water softener. A certain amount of resin is always left out of the total equation to have a little extra capacity on days with heavy water usage. This is referred to as the "Reserve". Typically one full day of water use is left as the reserve.


Older water softening systems operated on a "Time Clock" basis

Fleck 5600 Valve with a 12 Day Time Clock

and ran a certain number of days per week based on how many pins were set for days to regenerate. Time clock systems have 6 to 14 pins that determine how often it runs/regenerates.  These time clock model water softeners were very inefficient and frequently ran out of softened water when the capacity was exceeded. Which was usually on weekends when we all use 2-3 times the water than during the week. When a water softener runs out of capacity the resin is exhausted of softened water causing hard water to service. With a time clock water softener, there needs to be at least one day's water usage left in reserve to prepare for those heavy usage days. With more modern water softeners reserve capacity is not as important because they are constantly metering the water usage and adjusting the regeneration cycles to accommodate the changing water needs (depending on the manufacturer and model).

Modern water softening systems regenerate on gallons used and are much more efficient as they only regenerate when needed and tend to have better consistency of softened water.
There are basically three types of water softeners "Cabinet Models", "Single Tanks" and "Twin Tanks".  A single tank water softener refers to any water softener with one softener tank and a salt tank.  This may be one as shown at the top of this article (Fleck 7000) or what is referred to as a cabinet model (Shown here on the right) where the water softener system is built into the salt storage tank. Cabinet model water softeners tend to be the least expensive, and are installed by many DIY'ers but also tend to only last 3-7 years so you get what you pay for with this style softener.  They also tend to be very inefficient at removing iron from well water.

An even more efficient option for your water softening system is a "Twin Tank" water softener as 

Twin Tank Water Softener

shown here. This style water treatment system actually has two water softener tanks.  One tank is in service (supplying soft water) while the second tank is in standby.  This type of water softener is a true on-demand water treatment system. When one tank becomes almost exhausted of softened water it regenerates immediately and switches to the standby tank that goes into service. Twin Tank softeners normally regenerate during the day when water is being used.  Twin Tank systems use a portion of softened water from the second tank to clean the tank that is being regenerated so they tend to be very efficient at salt usage, iron removal, supply the best quality water, the most consistent quality of softened water and have fewer service issues because they are regenerating with clean/soft water.

For the best, durability, serviceability, reliability, longevity, and quality of water, I recommend a separate water softener and brine tank system.  A separate water softener and salt storage tank can last well over 20 years.  If you decide to install your own water treatment system it pays to consult with a local plumbing supply house or local water treatment company that sells "cash and carry" water treatment systems, (NOT the box stores).  They can be a valuable resource to help you choose the proper system, setting it up, future technical/service support, and test your water to find the best water treatment system to treat your water.  Having a water analysis done by an independent water testing lab is also a good idea.  An independent lab can test for bacteria, arsenic, lead, and other concerns that a plumber or even a water treatment company would not normally do.  A thorough water analysis from a licensed lab can be a useful reference for the future.  If you seek help from a professional water treatment company be sure to check them out thoroughly online.  Angie's List, Google Reviews, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and various other sites can be valuable resources to check their work, reviews, and customer satisfaction.  There is a lot of advice online from so-called water softening sites and experts but I have found much of the information to be very misleading and quite often just uninformed advice from people who have never been in the water treatment business.

I hope this information and future blog articles can assist you in your search for the proper water treatment system for your home and family.  If you do choose the proper water softener system for your needs and maintain it properly there is a good possibility of it lasting 20 years or more.


I Wish You Good Water and Good Days!

Ray McConnell
The Water Softener Blog


More information is available regarding topics of this blog in the links below:

How Softeners Work - YouTube

Water Softener Facts

Wikipedia - Water Softening

Whirpool - Water Softener Basics

Water Softener Salt

PSU Extension - Water Treatment

© Copyright The Water Softener Blog. All rights reserved

"Water Filters" part 1 - When, What, Why and How to use a whole house water filtration system.

"Water Filters". Water filters cover the gambit from simple faucet filters, refrigerator filters, in-line filters to filter housings with a replaceable filter cartridge to all types of whole house backwashing / regenerating filtration systems that remove, iron, odors, manganese, radium, lead, turbidity and a plethora of other water problems.  This subject covers such a wide range of water problems it could take many blog articles to cover just the basics of water filtration.  One thing I know for certain though is what the typical consumer considers a water filter and what a water treatment professional would consider a water filter is totally different.

In the first "Water Filters" article we will look at filter housings and filtration cartridge options.  Water filters installed for the whole house are called, Point of Entry (POE).  Water filters used for specific locations, like under a kitchen sink, are called, Point of Use (POU).  The most basic filtration is a filter housing with a replaceable filter cartridge.

Filter housings come in almost any size for many different uses.  A standard filter housing for residential whole-house use would be 3" x 10" (lower left in the picture) up to 4" x 20" (upper right in the picture, here).

The problem is these replaceable filter cartridges are sold everywhere for rust, sediment, odor, and chlorine removal for water.  Although they will definitely help reduce those things, depending on what filter is used, cartridge filters are not always the best options to do so and can plug up quickly causing replacement of filters frequently.  This can become an expensive proposition as filter cartridges vary from a few dollars to over a hundred dollars.  They can also significantly reduce water pressure and water volume.  These style filters were very popular when well casings were steel.  With steel well casings, scale, sediment, and rust commonly come off the inside of the well casing causing service issues with water treatment equipment.  Cartridge filters, before a water softener, were a necessity to remove any sediment from this type of well.  Today most drilled wells use PVC casings so scale and sediment issues have generally been resolved to the point where filter cartridge housings typically are no longer necessary.  A good example where such filters are still an economical choice with good results would be the water issues in Flint, MI.  Using a simple filter housing, with a block carbon filter, under the sink and tied into the kitchen cold water will greatly reduce the lead content, chlorine, and turbidity issues for drinking water.  However, the filters would need to be replaced frequently, depending on how much water is used and the incoming water quality.

Replaceable filter cartridges are rated by "micron size" and/or specific contaminant removal.  Filter cartridges come in micron ratings from .35 mic, to .5 mic. 1 mic absolute on up to 50 microns.

 Cord wound, Pleated, and Polyspun Filter cartridges

Examples:
1.  A 10-50 micron sediment filter may be used before a water softener.
2.  An activated carbon filter may be used for chlorine reduction.
3.  A dual gradient filter such as a DGD 2501 removes larger particles on the outside (25 microns) and
increasingly smaller particles as it passes toward the center of the filter (1 micron) and is generally used as pre-filtration for laboratory use, machinery, and reverse osmosis systems.

The specific filter you may need depends on the water problem that needs addressing.  If it's for sediment removal, before a water softener, I would recommend a 20-50 micron sediment filter preferably in a 4"x 10" or 20" BB housing. Cord wound, Poly spun, or Pleated filter cartridges are recommended for sediment removal.

There are many types of carbon and carbon filters for different water problems. As discussed earlier block carbon filters are frequently utilized to reduce lead content in drinking water.  Another concern with municipal water supplies is "Chloramines" which are a combination of chlorine and ammonia additives added to municipal water supplies for disinfection.  There are specifically formulated carbons to remove chloramine from your drinking water.  Before using any filter for specific drinking water issues check the NSF guidelines for filter certification based on particular contaminant removal.

Block carbon filters 

Filter Changing Tips:
 1.  Always change filter cartridges at regular intervals.  Change the whole house filters every three months or sooner depending on the water quality and the amount of water used.
 2.  If you find you have difficulty removing the filter housing initially. Make sure the incoming water is off.  Open a nearby faucet to relieve the water pressure, hold the pressure relief valve down, close the outlet valve when the housing is loose, and remove the filter housing.

3.  Change the filter housing o-ring annually and use only silicone lubricant (never vaseline).

4.  Clean and wipe off the filter housing threads, on the housing and inside the head, at every filter change, and never lubricate the threads.
5.  Clean and sanitize filter housings whenever changing filters.  Simply wipe out the filter housing, add a small amount of household bleach (tablespoon), rinse the housing out, and install a new filter cartridge.
6.  When tightening the filter housing "never use a filter wrench".  Hand-tighten the housing only to seat the o-ring.  Using the wrench will flatten the O-ring causing it to leak and make even harder to get the housing off next time.
7.  When replacing the filter leave the water valve on the outlet side of the filter off.  Turn the water on slowly to the filter housing while holding down the pressure relief valve to release the air from the filter housing until all air is released then open the incoming water valve all the way. If there is no pressure relief button open a laundry tub faucet while turning the water back on to the filter to bleed the air off.

4" x 10" Big Blue Housing with a red pressure relief button.

There is also another class of whole house sediment filters commonly known as a Rusco or Blow Down filter.  These filters have a screen inside to filter sediment, sand, and debris from wells.  These types of water filters can be cleaned by opening a valve at the bottom and "blowing down" the filter periodically. Every 2- 3 months normally. These filters are a frequent choice for well drillers when sand is a problem coming from a well.

Rusco blow-down filter

*Warning: Never use a cartridge filter for drinking water on a non-potable water supply.

A small sample of filter housings and cartridge filters are available.

When installing a filter housing, for any purpose, it should always be mounted securely to a wall for ease of changing filters and to protect the plumbing along with shutoff valves before and after to isolate the housing when changing filters.  Some filter housings incorporate a built-in shutoff on top and a pressure relief valve to aid in the filter housing removal and filter change.

A properly installed prefilter housing before a water softener

In our next blog regarding "Water Filters", we will discuss whole-house filtration systems using backwashing filters and automatic regenerating filter systems to remove everything from sediment to iron, odor, arsenic, radium, and more.


I wish you, Good Days and Good Water!


Ray McConnell,
The Water Softener Blog

Below are links related to the topics discussed in this blog article;

What is a filter micron rating?

NSF - Contaminant Guide

What do carbon filters remove?

What are chloramines?

Pentair Water Filtration

Wiki How - Choosing a home water filter

WQA - Perceptible Water Quality Issues


© Copyright The Water Softener Blog. All rights reserved