Culligan Water Softener - Loss of Pressure


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Old 11-10-12, 02:32 PM
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Culligan Water Softener - Loss of Pressure

Hello!

I purchased a house last year with a system installed. I have been having an issue with water pressure - it has always been an issue since i bought the house but lately has gotten extremely bad, to the point where the shower just drips sometimes. Having no pressure is somewhat intermittent, but there is always low pressure. If I bypass the system the pressure is awesome.
The house was built in 2006 so the system is nearly 7 years old.

I have all the documentation for it, but of course it isn't a whole lot of help.

I have the Medallist series. A rustmaster and a 8" according to the invoice. I have 3/4" plumbing and according to the invoice my qater quality is:

Hard 12
Iron 0.8
pH 7.8
Sulphur 2
TDS 600

Here is a pic of my setup. (Notice two copper pipes running from the system to the rest of the house)
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So starting right to left, the water comes in from the well into the blue water tank (call this A), then goes into the small tank (B), which goes to the largest (C).
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One copper pipe is T'd to the inlet of the largest tank (C) - this is for my 3 outside hoses.
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The largest tank (C) outlet goes to the inlet of the next tank to its left (D). The outlet of this tank is the other copper pipe that runs everywhere within the house.
As you can see in this pic, both tanks (C & D) have drains which run to my sump pit. Only tank D is connected to the salt tank (E).
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these two pics are of tank D
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pics of tank C
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First, I was hoping someone could explain why I have so many tanks and what each one does.

I have been reading a lot on water softener issues and undertsand there are only a few things that can really be issues. The injector could be plugged, maybe a clogged screen. Brine piston. Or main piston.I am pretty handy and am not worried about taking these things apart but I am not familiar with the stages of a regen and what things I can check at what stage without damaging the system or soaking myself and the basement. Hopefully someone can explain this to m. Also, can I skip to various stages or do I have to go through the entire regen process and wait until it gets to that particular stage?

Also, any idea why the large tank C has black on it? It was like this when I moved in and doens't seem to be getting worse and it seems to only be this tank.

On the small tank (B) I did replace the air valve as the old one had become clogged up. I also cleaned out my salt tank completely, which didn't really help.

Thanks.
 
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Old 11-10-12, 03:48 PM
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Mama mea............... what a mess if you do not mind me saying so...
there is a little blue micronizer down by the pressure tank that is to pull in air, then the small 6x35 tank with the extra air release , then the culligan with an air pump........ good gravy.......
most likely the loss of pressure is because of the micronizer and air bleed tank and then the culligan with the air pump... build up of some thing most likely iron as there looks to be a little.

Check your pm....
 
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Old 11-10-12, 04:51 PM
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I would agree, YIKES what a mess! The pressure drop is through the iron filter and very possibly through the first aeration tank also. The iron filter has a multi media pack inside (different grades of gravel) to filter oxidized iron, manganese ,etc. Bypass the iron filter (push in the red button to the left on back of iron filter. This will shut the water off to iron filter, then check water pressure. Quite often the outlet manifold on aeration tank and the plumbing line into the iron filter will become almost totally plugged with precipitated iron. These iron filters are also famous for becoming so loaded up with precipitated iron there were be extreme pressure drop through the system in a matter of just a few years. Generally they are never set to backwash often enough, every other day at minimum and they were put on wells that do not have enough flow rate or pressure (10gpm / 30 psi min) to effectively backwash the media. If this is loaded with iron that means the water softener is also loading up with oxidized iron causing staining in the home.

You have two options: Rebuild it or replace it
RJ
 
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Old 11-10-12, 04:55 PM
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There is no Air Pump on this particular system. Nor do I see any micronizer or venturi nozzle on the line between well tank and iron filter. The air is simply drawn in by air nozzle on the contact tank.
RJ
 
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Old 11-12-12, 03:01 PM
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Yes, bypassing just the big tank - the iron filter - fixes the pressure problem.

I do not see the air pump on my system - though I do have the blue micronizer right by the wall as the water enters the house, before it hits the blue pressure tank.

I am up to the challenge of re-building this thing - it doesn't seem all that complicated. Especially when the original price tag from the previous owners receipt is 4K.

So what sort of media do I need in the iron filter? I found some carbon media:
Jacobi CX-MCA Catalytic Granular Activated Carbon | uswatersystems.com
is this what I need or something else?

As I understand the water softener tank would take regular resin. I was thinking of just replacing the big media for now since the system is only 7 years old the normal resin should be ok - or should I just do both?

What is in the first air tank? It is something that can be replaced?

I will figure out what gpm from my well is. Do you have some recommended settings for each unit? I have 2.5 baths, 2 people living in house...

Here is what they are now:
Iron:
buu 15
fr 10
cap (days to regen) 2

Water softener:
sltp 10
buu 15
br 71
capg (gallons to regen x10) 20 = 200 gallons

Also, I now have them staggered for regen. The iron goes off at 2ish and the water softener goes off at 4:30, this make sense? They used to be set for the same time.


Thanks.
 
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Old 11-12-12, 05:51 PM
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My bad, did a miss read on the one photo... there is no pump on the one, but there is the micronizer down just before the pressure tank.

I my self would remove the micronizer so that there is no air draw into the system and move the carbon to after the softener.

Just about any carbon will do as long as it is for drinking water.

There is some pricey carbon on the market and some does work, but standard carbon will work.

Having them clean at different times of the early morning is a good idea.
 
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Old 11-14-12, 04:48 PM
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I have been doing more research on carbon and alternatives.

Is carbon the best bet or should I go with something like birm or filox given my water quality?

Hard 12
Iron 0.8
pH 7.8
Sulphur 2
TDS 600

If I stick with carbon is it worth getting a centaur like carbon or just some basic carbon?

Also the manual I have mentions sand, then gravel, then media. Do I just need some 1/8 x 1/4 washed gravel and the media?

Thanks.
 
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Old 05-25-14, 10:09 PM
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Hi drew , I was wondering what you ended up using in your iron filter I have the same set up, my problem was every thing from the softener back was plugged and my media in my filter seems to be done thanks
 
 

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