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Water Softener check

Solid_Fuel_Man
Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
in THE MAIN WALL
Don't know if this is the right place to post this.  I'm looking into getting a water softener, my house is 3yo built by me.  Our well water is "moderatly hard" I believe around 8 grains of hardness.  We do get a small amount of buildup on the shower head, but not much for three years.  I have found several used softeners locally, and wanted to know if there is any way to tell if they are any good.  I know they are pretty simple with a bead bed in a tank, and a valve system to regenerate, controlled by a timer or water useage meter.  Is there any way I can tell if they have reached the end of their useful life.  I'd prefer not to but a new $500 if I can get one for less then $100.



Thanks to the experts!

Taylor 
Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!

Comments

  • stev0
    stev0 Member Posts: 11
    softner

    i really wouldn't waste my time on a used softner.you have no idea whats been thru it or the condition of the valve head. some people dont even soften that level.just do some research online
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    I've been reading alot........

    about softeners and thats why I asked you guys.  I respect the advice offered here and have read a good deal of the posts here.  W/O saying it's a waste of time, is there any way to tell if it's any good?  My wife keeps complaining about the film on the shower walls, and I've seen a bit of scailing on my really expensive 115gal dual coil SS indirect which I heat with a wood gasification boiler to 190F and mix to 120.  I'll buy new if I have to, but 400 bucks will buy alot of diapers.....

    Thanks all!

    Taylor   
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
    Treated Water:

    IMO,

    The PH of the water is as important if not more. If the well water is below 7.0, or into the 6.0 range, the softener will need a neutralizer to work well. Depending on where you are, iron, which is a form of hardness and low PH is the real problem.

    I've done some water treatment. Once you open the can and find the worms, you will need to open another can. Then another.

    You need to get a tested water sample and see what they recommend.

    There is no such thing as a good deal in used water treatment equipment. If it has been used for any decent amount of time, it has had the snots beaten out of it,

    IMO.
  • Jean-David Beyer
    Jean-David Beyer Member Posts: 2,666
    Once you open the can and find the worms ...

    Ah! Yes! One of Murphy's laws goes, When you open a can of worms, to recan them takes a larger sized can.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited September 2012
    Sure about hardness causing scale?

    8 grains is not very hard water at all. I'm dealing with 28 grains city water. You know right away when you are out of salt in the softener.
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    I'm going to have it

    retested and get the breakdown of minerals.  The testing lab closed shop up here, so I'll have to find another lab and mail the sample in.  All I have is the origional test that was done after I had pumped it for a month while I was building the house.  It was a new well and I was told to run the pump with a throtteling valve to 10gpm for several hours a day.  Had it tested and all was good.  Now the house is built and we have lived here for 3 years.  I just don't want to scale up my indirect since the coils are not removeable.  I know that heating the water to such a hot temp makes the metals come out of solution faster aggrivation the problem.  I'm going to pass on the used softener anyway...... I'd rather have a newer one with some type of water metering so it will only regenerate when needed reducing the salt used and lower the overall operating costs long term. 

    Thanks for the help, and any other info is much appreciated.
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    edited September 2012
    Dupe

    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    Water boss

    Is a demand generation softener. I have owned one for 10 years plus no troubles
  • Bio
    Bio Member Posts: 278
    Water softener testing

    Softening beeds get exhausted every so often (years) depending on the size of the tank and can be replaced by any dyi'er, but you can test it with a "water softener test strip "(search it online) 1gr/gl or less is ideal, I maintain RO systems in health care and water softening is one of the components with maintain, having a brine tank to regenerate is a plus to keep beeds at working condition without having it to replace it so soon
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