New water softener vs. fix old?

15 years ago

We have been having trouble with our water sofener for a month or two now. It is a Mark 89 culligan water softener installed in 1983. The repair man cleaned a filter the first time out and after that failed retured in two weeks and told us the motor was weak and needed replacing at a cost of $200. I have a few questions. Is this old softener worth fixing? If so is it big enough for our family and water conditions? My hardness is 27 gpg, >.002ppm iron and manganese. We have 6 in our family (two adults, 16,9,8,5). We have 3.5 baths and a 1 inch main. If this system isn't worth saving, what are your recomendations for a new system. I've had 2 quotes from local companys. The culligan quote was for a 1.5 ft3 resin @ 30,000 grains for $1800. The other company used a clack valve and was a 37,000 grain unit for $1695 (not sure on the resin). These sounded too small and too expensive to me. What do I do?

Featured Answer

User

15 years ago

Based on your water conditions and 6 people I'd recommend a 3.5 cu ft softener. It would regenerate once a week and use about 20 lbs or so of salt each regeneration. That would be about two bags of salt each month.

You'd be getting about 3000 Grains of hardness removal capacity PER lb of salt which is VERY efficient.

Here's one you can look at for information... Fleck 7000SXT 3.5 cu ft softener

Are you planning to DIY or buy from a local water treatment pro? Any local company can order you exactly what I recommend although their prices will be higher cause they'll be installing and (hopefully) standing behind what they sell you.

If you have a local company you trust have them quote exactly what I linked to with no changes on their part.

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Comments (11)

echage
Original Author
15 years ago
Make that Mark 89 culligan installed in 1993. Sorry.
User
15 years ago
At 28 years your old timer based Culligan has earned it's retirement and it is time for you to move into a demand based softener that will be much more efficient to operate.

Both quotes you have are woefully undersized for your water conditions and would be regenerating every 3 or four days instead of the optimum every six or seven days. They both would be using salt at a very inefficient rate costing you more money than you should be spending.

A couple questions...

Iron .002 and manganese .002?
Well or water system?
PH of the water?
TDS of the water?
If well, have you tested for bacteria and nitrates?
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User
15 years ago
Same is true at 18 years...
echage
Original Author
15 years ago
Municipal water, unknown pH. What is TDS?
User
15 years ago
TDS is total dissolved solids...

Iron .002 and manganese .002 ?
echage
Original Author
15 years ago
Not sure on total disolved solids, but iron and maganese were virtually nonexistant.
echage
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm a fairly handy person, have done some construction and home remodeling, but haven't done any plumbing other than changing out faucets and toilets. Do you think its something a realitively handy home owner can do himself? I don't mind trying or just having a plumber install one that I buy online. I cant imagine what my local pros are going to want to charge me for this substantial water softener when they were quoting me about 2x the actual price for their woefully undersized units. I can't see paying 2x the cost just to get a 5-10 year warrenty. If I can install my self I could buy 2 softeners which i'm sure would last me more than there warrenty period. Thanks for you help and suggestions. I will be taking a serious look at the Fleck you suggested.
User
15 years ago
Take a look at this installation guide... click here

It's really pretty simple to assemble a softener and you already have electricity and a drain from the old softener and you'll need to provide a drain for the safety overflow on the brine tank.

You'll need to make the plumbing connections to and from the old softener (important you don't hook it up backwards). You'll get the 1" NPT connectors so it shouldn't be difficult.

You'll program the control valve differently than the seller tells you and I can walk you through that.

If you do everything right this softener will last you decades with minimal maintenance.
echage
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks again. I will be ordering in the next few days and with any luck will have it up and running shortly after. Will be back to get programing set up for control valve. Thanks.
User
15 years ago
You might want to take a look at this service manual for the control valve... click here for service manual

And here is the master programming manual... click here for master programming manual

You might look into these... click here for a super easy install.