Opinions on water softener


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Old 12-31-17, 07:23 PM
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Opinions on water softener

I think I finally decided that we need to get a softener because the hard water sucks. We had someone come out almost a year ago to test our water and gave us a quote on one of their products that they install. They ended up recommending a CareSoft Pro RC which is the one with the carbon and resin in one tank separated by a metal divider plate (with the carbon on top). His installed price was $2195. This seems kinda high to me.

So I started looking at the Fleck 5600SXT for comparison purposes. The unit is significantly cheaper and doesn't have the carbon to remove the chlorine (which we don't notice too much anyway). It looks like I can get a Fleck 5600SXT with the 10% crosslinked resin for in the $600 ballpark.

I would have to probably get some help installing the Fleck if I went that route. Anyone have any opinions on the Fleck vs something like the CareSoft recommended by my local company?
 
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Old 01-01-18, 04:46 AM
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I have never heard of CareSoft but Fleck is a well known.

I also do not like anything that combines components as it just adds complexity, but that is just me.

I can highly recommend Ohio Pure Water, the owner Charlie, is so easy to work with I'v purchased equipment from him for the last 3 houses. This is my current set up, everything from Ohio!

https://www.ohiopurewater.com/

https://www.doityourself.com/forum/a...1&d=1514810763
 
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Old 01-01-18, 10:16 AM
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There are pros and cons of doing it your self or having some one else do it for you.

Self often is lower price but one needs to be handy in figuring out challenges because they often happen when the place is closed.

A company would have that challenge if it is evening or weekend but They can deal with it and fix it.
What kind of service comes with that price? How many years of coming out at no cost to fix?

Now there is nothing really wrong with having to medias in the same tank, carbon plays well with resin and if there is a divider then that is even better.

There is one on the market today that has a mid plate of plastic and one could have carbon or kdf on the top part. One less valve to work with.


What valve is that system using?


I like the simple is better.. or fewer means fewer things to go wrong.
 
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Old 01-01-18, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Akpsdvan
There are pros and cons of doing it your self or having some one else do it for you.

Self often is lower price but one needs to be handy in figuring out challenges because they often happen when the place is closed.

A company would have that challenge if it is evening or weekend but They can deal with it and fix it.
What kind of service comes with that price? How many years of coming out at no cost to fix?

Now there is nothing really wrong with having to medias in the same tank, carbon plays well with resin and if there is a divider then that is even better.

There is one on the market today that has a mid plate of plastic and one could have carbon or kdf on the top part. One less valve to work with.


What valve is that system using?


I like the simple is better.. or fewer means fewer things to go wrong.
Here is a link to the CareSoft one they recommended:
Water Care | CareSoft Pro® RC

I am fairly handy, but plumping is probably my least favorite thing to do. I don't recall if there was really any service that was included other than workmanship type things and warranty issues, but their selling point is that their units are better built and therefore require less service. I can't find information on if it is a Fleck or a Clack valve. There was some things I read online that leads me to believe it is a Clack valve, but nothing concrete to confirm that.
 
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Old 01-01-18, 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Marq1
I have never heard of CareSoft but Fleck is a well known.

I also do not like anything that combines components as it just adds complexity, but that is just me.

I can highly recommend Ohio Pure Water, the owner Charlie, is so easy to work with I'v purchased equipment from him for the last 3 houses. This is my current set up, everything from Ohio!

https://www.ohiopurewater.com/

https://www.doityourself.com/forum/a...1&d=1514810763
That looks like a pretty nice setup. I can take a look at their website and see what they have to offer, but given that I live in NY state, I would only be able to order the parts from them and would have to either hire someone or do some research on how to plumb it correctly.
 
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Old 01-01-18, 04:39 PM
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You will like the valve as it is a Clack with their brand.

Much better programing than the Fleck valve.

Find out who is making the media tank and if you can have KDF 55 over the carbon.

I would go with them and the valve over the Fleck valve.

Clack valves are showing to be a bullet proof valve down the road.

With the programing of auto and capacity and comp hardness it takes care of its self in the programing , a really sweet deal.
 
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Old 01-03-18, 10:01 AM
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OP.....did CareSoft rep test your water with a pool test kit ? If so, you might want to bring a sample to a water test lab and see what they find. Might also ask to test for pH....iron.....bacteria, etc. (Unless you are on city water that will give you a readout of their past testing)
 
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Old 01-03-18, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by YaddaYadda
OP.....did CareSoft rep test your water with a pool test kit ? If so, you might want to bring a sample to a water test lab and see what they find. Might also ask to test for pH....iron.....bacteria, etc. (Unless you are on city water that will give you a readout of their past testing)
I don't know that it was a pool test kit per se, but yes, they did test my water. Here are the results that they found:
Hardness: 11gpg
pH: 7.5
Iron: Traces
TDS: 495-620
Chlorine: 1.5
 
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Old 01-04-18, 09:31 AM
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And what is Traces? just how many ppm of iron is that?

If it is City water what does the City water Test show?
 
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Old 01-04-18, 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Akpsdvan
And what is Traces? just how many ppm of iron is that?

If it is City water what does the City water Test show?
He didn't write down what the trace amount was, he just said it is nothing to worry about. We have never had any brownish/orange stains or anything like that and I don't taste it in the water. I could try and find the latest city water test results to see what is in there. I assume that if I call them out again, they will have to test the water all over anyway and I will get new results as well.

EDIT: I found something that looks like it was a sample from 2010 that had 91ug/L in their testing. That was in a 2016 report.
 
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Old 01-04-18, 07:12 PM
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Is there a Lowes or Home Depot there?
Cheap systems.
 
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Old 01-04-18, 07:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Akpsdvan
Is there a Lowes or Home Depot there?
Cheap systems.
Yea, I have both Lowes and Home Depot around, but if I go with a cheap system, it would be the Fleck 5600SXT. I am just trying to figure out if it is worth it to go with the CareSoft for about $2k installed whereas the Fleck would cost me $550ish plus additional parts to install it, and either pay someone to install it or get help, etc.
 
 

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