Recharging water softener cartridge

[PatRi]

In a previous post http://www.rimpo.org/wforum/viewtopic.php?t=242 , I indicated I had to recharge my softener cartridge. I have the standard setup (blue housing) from Chris installed in the following order: From main watersupply, to a shutoff valve, to the softener, to the filter, to another shutoff valve, to regulator, to S1.
Before recharging I was getting hardness of 80 ppm (almost 5 grains) and municipal water is 100 ppm ( 6 grains).

The blue tank is approximately 2 litre total, with cartridge there is less than 1 litre fluid ( 1 us gallon is approx 4 litres). Also the space between the cartridge and the tank wall is real small thus not much space to put salt. It is a good idea to dissolve salt to saturation point in water to help start the process.

1) Put 450 g ( 1 pound) of Softener salt in 1 litre of hot water for a few hours to get

[TruthBrew]

Thanks for the write-ups. While I still use a flojet and bottled water due to my crummy water supply, I some day may switch over.

Jeff

[Weska]

I haven't recharged a softening filter yet. (Still waiting for the machine to arrive.) But I have been wondering how exactly to go about it, and your description helps me picture it much easier, PatRi.

Thank you.

It made me think of a possible variation: Suppose you take out both cartridges and set the carbon filtration one aside. Now you have two tanks to work with. Fill the one nearest the water source with salty water, possibly a slurry of salt, and screw it in. In the next housing put the softener to be regenerated and then flush the salt slowly from the first to the second.

When the softener is regenerated and rinsed, put it back first in line and the carbon filter after it.

What do you think? Would it work?

[admin]

A while back someone actually posted a hidden link on the Chris Coffee site that had recharge instructions and this is exactly how they recommended doing it. I just rechecked and, unfortunately, this FAQ on the Chris Coffee site is not longer there.

[Weska]

RIght, admin. I too went hunting down that link, but there was no longer any guide to regenerating a softener cartridge.

The cartridge that I purchased here, made in St. Petersburg according to its packaging, also has regeneration instructions, but they are very sketchy (or my ability to understand them is).

[PatRi]

The idea of swapping the tanks is real good. In fact with this, it is a lot easier to install a permanent setup and not having to disconnect anything when you have to recharge your softener. I bought an additional T and a valve to put that in place next time I recharge my cartridge.

1) Put 450 g ( 1 pound) of Softener salt in 1 litre of hot water for a few hours to get

[chas]

This is actually how I already have my setup plumbed in. However, in my case I installed the addtional spigot connection so I can refill the 5 gallon jugs I use on my water cooler!

Good to know I can also use it for recharging as well.

[PatRi]

Yeah, you are right that could be used for quick access to filtered water.
I was buying filtered water , not thinking what I already had.
Thks for sharing,
Pat

[chas]

I have about 6' of extra hose. My filters are under my kitchen sink and I stuck one of those plastic stick-on hooks on the right side of the cabinet under the sink. I just keep the extra hose coiled there between water cooler jug fill-ups.

I also use a John Guest cap to place over the edge of the hose when not in use. That adds extra protection against drips and also keeps bad thingees out of the tube between uses.

[Barry]

I believe one other point should be made. The reason it is ready when the exiting water no longer tastes salty is because all of the salt is gone from the first tank. It is not because something has happened in the resin (softner) cartridge. The time this takes will vary depending on a number of factors including flow rate, amount of salt, water temp, crushed or uncrushed salt, etc.

Barry