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Posted by Gary Slusser on March 2, 2007, 10:40 pm
> About a year ago I installed a large Whirlpool whole-house filter
> housing (model WHCF-DWHBB) before thesoftener, using carbon-based
> filters that have a 3 gallon-per-minute flow rate. My question is,
> what is the general opinion on using this filter before thesoftener,
> as opposed to after thesoftener? Our water has a lot of iron (2
> ppm), as we get the rotten egg smell at the farthest faucet and orange
> stains in the sinks, etc. I installed this filter before thesoftener
> thinking that I would extend the life of the resin. But lately I have
> read some posts that mention this drops the water pressure and can
> cause the resin to fail over time. Mysofteneris a 1 cu ft model, if
> that helps any. What is the general opinion on installing a filter
> like this before thissoftener?? Should I remove it??
>
> Thank you very much for the feedback!
> --
> Chris
Unless you have a softener using centuries old technology (read
Kinetico) water power, you don't need a prefilter unless you have
visibly dirty water. The Kinetico needs one because their water
powered softener control valve has MANY small close tolerance gears
and any buildup of invisible dirt chokes them.
Note the 3 gpm flow rate of those cartridges? Depending on the number
of people in the house and the number of bathrooms, your peak demand
gpm is WAY over 3 gpm. And carbon cartridges can plug up quickly and
replacing them on a time basis usually is long past when they should
be changed. Then the softener can be starved for backwash water and
that kills resin.
Carbon is a great media for bacteria growth. Carbon is not to be
installed on water of unknown biological content. It can cause odor
problems or may make someone sick. That 'stuff' in the fliter housing,
it sounds like it could be IRB (iron reducing bacteria), a nonharmful
group of bacteria that colonizes softeners etc. and that prevents a
softener from working. Check the toilet tanks for a slime at the water
line or an oily film on the water. If it is IRB, and enough to cause
the softener a problem, you must kill it with a disinfectant and
sanitize the softener.
All the water in a house should be softened. The formula for added
sodium by a softener is 7.85 mg/l (roughly a quart) per grain per
gallon (gpg) of exchange (includes hardness iron and manganese). Ten
gpg hard water adds 75.8 mg of sodium and a slice of white bread
usually has 140-160 mg of sodium. An 8 oz glass of skim milk, 530 mg,
V8 juice has 560 mg. Check the labels for per serving sodium on food
and drink packaging/containers in your house.... If you used potassium
chloride instead of salt, you have no added sodium.
Gary
Quality Water Associates
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