u/WVSXSGuy

Since I sell cars, I am always getting asked how to get the best deal. Then they go and ignore what I tell them.

Here are two examples:

MIL totaled her car and got about $8000 from insurance and her son (my BIL) gave her $25000. So around $33,000.

So she and her daughter call me about how to get a good deal. So I tell them to see if you can get numbers before you go in. So they do this at a local dealer. They aren’t great, but not bad. MIL decides she hates the color and decides to go to a different dealer about an hour away.

I also told her to 1) tell them you are just looking and 2) don’t mention you are paying cash until you see at least the first pencil.

So she and SIL get to this distant dealer and she walks in the showroom pulls out her checkbook and asks who wants to sell me a car.

She got $500 off and doesn’t think she got a good deal. SMDH

Second. A friend is wanting to lease a new Honda. He tells me he wants to out $6k down to lower his payments and tell him not to put any more down than he has to to get the deal funded. Not a dime more. He said he wants to lower his payment and I say put the $6k aside and use $150/mo to supplement his payment.

What does he do? Puts the full $6k down.

One month in, he totals in and is fighting with the other insurance company over what they will pay him. Guess what? That $6k is gone. SMDH

Why do they bother asking…..?

In fact, it got a bit harder.

Ok, here is a rundown of everything I have done.

A month or so ago we noticed our water was not as soft as it had been. We have lived here for 3 years and the house is now 10 years old. Everything worked fine until a couple of weeks ago. In the 3 years it was working, I added a bag of salt (Diamond Crystals Bright and Soft) about once a month.

So when it started having issues, I started researching water softeners because I knew nothing about them as we didn't have one growing up as we didn't need it. The first thing that popped up was a resin issue. It was 10 years old and the water here is very hard 240ppm/14gpg and it said that is about the limit. So I changed it with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Water-Softener-Replacement-Exchange-Cation/dp/B079P7QCJF/ref=sr_1_5?c=ts&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.53VyHllDku-5n5RLjEv2-Vf2N0GK5gZh8iKmoHUhGxPa33vRvnLEQXTjipd6I6c9-bQZhjaIez3i6_Bl9TzlIK--TicmW3Hg8OUD8JZ_pbk6TQakBEaVXLY53DD7g2iCLe3qDSzdEuy7pUYZx2GFWcmtW-bLgFhn4WrYqZgGpQOPlISkUCtrRBN4XkpjyD1pxfuiMq9NeNCX7VXt7RKBlOLxvVj1WC1V-uQBVvK0EVAo45kZ6WebcxT0c7a9NtpD33W3aJPnTGPUJ_c2qbRXIOZsi1oW6hdIuhPh5J3QoTQ.T7a3Y5cfu7m7MceH54vIDVUcsGHB3Bhut6n9-lD4MfM&dib_tag=se&keywords=Water%2BSofteners&qid=1777603703&s=kitchen-bath&sr=1-5&ts_id=6810592011&th=1

Everything looked good. I did reuse the downtube and the thing at the bottom. I also put a few inches (it was there before, so I put it back) of small washed gravel 1/4"- and then the resin. I also cleaned the brine tank.

When I went to manually regen, the dial on my Fleck 5600 Econominder was VERY stiff. But it seemed to go into regen and rotate all the way back around to Service. My water was still hard. So I did some more research and learned the a stiff 5600 can mean it needs a rebuild. No thanks, so I bought a new 5600 SXT and installed it today. I got it installed this morning before work and then did a manual regen when we went to dinner.

I had previously posted that I thought I got a deal on the 5600 SXT, but it turns out it did not come with a turbine meter, but was told I could manually regen. So I did.

I was watching it before we went out to dinner and it did the 10 minute backwash and was starting to drain the brine tank as we left. Got home and it was filling the brine tank. Thought success.

Nope. Water is as hard, or actually harder that it was before. I am testing it with a Bluelab PPM meter that I just calibrated. It seems to work as it measures my RO water at 0 and the alkaline water in the water dispenser at . So the meter is working.

I did a quick test at the kitchen sink and let it run long enough to have flushed the line and it was 260/270 ppm. I went to take a shower and let the cold water run for 10 minutes and tested it from the shower head and it was still 260/270. It had been 230/240.

Everything seems to working fine and I have no idea what to do next short of calling a water company. For what I have spent (and will spend on a turbine meter and cable), I could have bought a whole new system at Home Depot.

I have read that sometimes it can take 2-3 regen cycles to get the water soft, so maybe that's it. I plan to run it again tonight and test again in the morning.

I am just tired of itching.

Thanks for any insight. I know this was lot, but I wanted everything I did listed in case I did something wrong.

At least temporarily.

Here is the situation. Thought I found a deal on a new 5600 SXT on eBay for about half the price. Unit is fine, but I am just now finding out it didn't come with the turbine meter and cable which half to be purchased separately (which would bring my total outlay to what the going price is). Oh well.

So here is my question. Can I use the old paddle meter off my 5600 Econominder until I can get a turbine meter in. I know I have to change the settings on the unit which is fine.

Or for now, can I just manually regen once a week or so until I can get these parts installed? We are both really starting to itch from our hard water and just want something/anything to get my soft water back.

Thanks!

Edit: Ok, the paddle meter I have will not work with the 5600 SXT. completely different way to connect to meter. So that is out.

So I just need to know if I can manually regen without a meter.

I have been troubleshooting my water softener for about a week and I think I have finally figured out my issue - the air check valve in the bottom of the brine tube.

Basically the ball no longer floats and as a result, the system can no longer suck the brine up into the valve to do the regeneration.

I have replaced all the media (10 years old in a very hard water area), I have a new digital valve coming next week and it looks like I will be getting new guts for the brine tube as well.

My question is if I do manual regeneration only, ie watch the system, can I get away with running the brine tube for a couple of cycles without the air check valve?

This hard water (230ppm) is driving us crazy and I just want to soften the water up a bit.

Thanks.