Need to replace water softener. Recommendations?

[Toxarch]

I have a 24 year old house and a 24 year old Bruner water softener. Recently the piston in the head got stuck and busted the timing wheel. I'm told Culligan bought out Bruner and they would be the only ones who MIGHT be able to get parts. Of course when I called they said, "Bruner? Never heard of them." Had them come out and check it anyway. That was an expensive service call ($175). They want to replace the system for $4995.

I have 2" pipes from the meter all the way through the water softener. But the city doesn't supply 2" valves. They offer 3/4" and I think 1.25" or 1.5". I was out of town when they replaced the old meter with new remote electric meters and so they put in a 3/4". Pressure was still good with the 3/4 and they charge more for the larger meter so I left it.

I can go to Lowes and get a 1.25" water softener and put that in myself for under $900. Or I guess I could go to the plumbing supply and order something. Any recommendations on which way to go? Or what brands to look for?

 

[speedbump]

I can go to Lowes and get a 1.25" water softener

What is a 1.25" water softener? Are you referring to the pipe sizes??? If so, that is a monster for a home. A softener for a normal home would be a 3/4" unit.

I remember Bruner from the dark ages. Didn't like them much, but I don't like Culligan either. They probably don't like me for that matter.

I would never consider trying to repair something that old even if parts were free.

$4995.00 and $900.00. I don't know what your trying to buy, but even Culligan should go a little cheaper than that. Unless the salesman is trying to send two kids to College on your dime. And Lowes stuff is usually less than that too.

I sell a one cubic foot unit with a Fleck Metered head and bypass (5600) for $750.00. My kids are all out of school now.

 

[Toxarch]

Yes, 1.25" line in and out. The original unit was 2" line in and out. 4 bath, 2 half bath. Previous owner was the neighborhood developer and I guess wanted really good pressure. He donated the neighborhood well system to the city and he got free water. I am fine with installing a 1.25" line water softener since that's the largest meter the city will install.

A local plumbing supply has a 70k grain unit with 1.25" lines and an Autotrol 255 head for about $950. That's their largest residential unit. Should be the one for me. Figured I would add an inline filter before it too.

 

[speedbump]

local plumbing supply has a 70k grain unit with 1.25" lines and an Autotrol 255 head for about $950.

The Autotrol 255 head which has been recently discontinued has either 3/4" or 1" plumbing connections. A 70K grain unit is a little bigger than a 2 cube unit, depending on how they are measuring it. Sometimes they get like boats. They add everything possible to come up with these numbers. The reason I say that is a 255 is good up to 2 cubic feet.

 

[havasu]

I don't know much about softeners but couldn't you save lots of money by reducing the fittings from 1.25" down to 3/4" where it enters the unit, then expand the pipes back to 1.25" out of the unit?

 

[Caduceus]

The only down side I can see to reducing the connections to 3/4" would be the reduction of volume to the bathrooms. Especially if there is a jacuzzi and a large shower in the master bath. It won't be much of a difference, but it's those little details that people notice. "Seems like it takes longer for the tub to fill " or " My body sprays don't spray like they used to." are from past customers.
I may sound like a broken record on this one, but when I hear people mentioning water softeners I always like to add that it is important to routinely maintain and service the hot water tank. An ounce of prevention....

 

[Toxarch]

I gave the wrong model. It's an Autotrol 268, not a 255.

Nugen SA-268/760I-70 if that helps any. System size: 12x12x59 and Brine Tank: 18x18x40

 

[speedbump]

The 268 has a higher flow rate than the 255 so it should work.

How many people in your family? Is it possible to use all 6 bathrooms at the same time? Or even three of them?

 

[Toxarch]

4 people in the house. On a regular day it's possible for 3 to be used at the same time. On a holiday weekend it's likely that all 4 showers are running plus at least one half bath and the kitchen sink.

Here's a picture of the old 2" Bruner system. That is about 6 feet tall. I'm picking up the new one today and probably installing tomorrow.

 

[Toxarch]

Picked up the new unit on Monday. Finished installing it yesterday but had a couple of threaded connections that were leaking despite having nylon tape on them. Fixed those two leaks and now it's all up and running. Added a filter too.

 

[speedbump]

It looks like 1" pipe to me. And that filter is useless unless your trying to restrict your flow even more.

 

[Toxarch]

That's 1.25", though it does drop down to 1" copper at the softener and filter. Still have good flow in all the bathrooms. The filter is there to catch sediment and calcium in the pipes that falls off from coming in to the house system. We are on a neighborhood well system with a main water tank. Hardness of 12 gpg measured at the house.