Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - Help with softener

I currently have a system that was set up 17 years ago (Autotrol 155 w/electronic demand timer, 32k resin tank--current settings are 32k capacity, 10g hardness, + 18.5 lbs salt/per generation).

We have a private well and one of the primary reasons for the softener was to remove between 1.5-2 ppm iron. Water hardness was on the low side. Outside of cleaning the resin bed yearly with Iron Out, I haven't done any other type of maintenance. Lately, I've noticed poor softening after regeneration. So, at this point I thought it might not be a bad idea to replace the resin and also update the control to a 255 (flappers need replacing, etc.). I plan on keeping the tank adapter and timer.

I'm not sure what type of resin was used but I'm guessing it was the standard mesh. Would I benefit from using fine mesh resin for the iron removal? Any drawbacks?

Looking at the manual for the timer control , I find that if I set the capacity to 24k (w/1cu ft. of media), the salt drops to 8.5 lbs per regeneration. Based on my parameters, I would use ~40% less salt over the long haul (6-7 day to regenerate vs 9-10 currently). Are there any issues (i.e iron removal, etc.) that might cause the softener not to work properly with this setting?

I've read that you should adjust your hardness setting to compensate for iron in the water. What is the factor that you recommend (if you do)?

Appreciate the assistance!

Thanks

Loren

What you are thinking of doing is doable but... you'll spend 2/3rds of a new softener adn a 17 year old has basically earned retirement. You also have a 13/16" distributor tube and no safety brine system which prevents about 99% of all brine tank brine water overflow on to the floor problems that Autotrol is famous for. The Clack WS-1 and Fleck 7000 control valves are a much better choice.

Fine mesh resin costs more and increases the pressure drop across a softener, although it increases salt efficiency but... if the softener is sized correctly, the salt eficiency is already great.

Search for "softener sizing chart" (typed like that) and find one tha tgets into the SFR needed and read up on correct sizing, compensated hardness formulas for iron etc.. BTW, if you have a 1 cuft softener, the max salt dose is 15 lbs. and any more than that is totally wasted. And I suggest Iron Out more than once per year!, more like a 1/4 cup every 4-6 weeks.

Gary
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Company Name Removed Only
Doug Aleshire, Super Moderator 2

Gary, thanks for the info.