Own a 1988 Water Refining System water refiner - problems

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I purchased a water refiner in 1988. It has worked perfectly until just a couple months ago. In the past two months I have had water overfill the salt tank and leak onto the floor. My dealer is a EcoWater dealer. He said the timer is not replaceable. He suggests I replace the unit. He has two units he suggests. One is $1300 and the other is $2000. I have liked the idea of having my water refiner taking impurities out of my water. Sounds like the only option to continue this is the more expensive units. I have looked at systems on the web but don't know if I am comfortable buying a system and installing it myself. I am trying to be frugal but wise. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Our water gurus will be along soon futy. In the meantime it would be handy to have a brandname and model for your existing system. Upload some photos of the unit and associated pipe work. That might be handy as well.

I think you are wise to get some independant advice. A 20 year old water filter has done pretty well i would think.

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Re: Own a 1988 Water Refining System water refiner - problem

Futy wrote:

I am trying to be frugal but wise. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Seems that your last purchase proved to be a good investment. Twenty years of service is a long run.

The current generation of water softeners are more water and salt efficient than your present unit and more cost effective to operate.

Whatever methodology you used when you bought your last softener has served you well so use the same mental tools and shop for a new one locally where you'll get service after the sale.

Your Ecowater dealer seems to have treated you well so start your search there for an industry standard softener rather than a prebuilt one from a big box store.

Remember, you bought your old softener with 1988 dollars so the current, more "expensive" softeners may seem higher priced but are they really?

It would be interesting to know what brand and model you old softener is.

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Re: Own a 1988 Water Refining System water refiner - problem

Futy wrote:

I purchased a water refiner in 1988. It has worked perfectly until just a couple months ago. In the past two months I have had water overfill the salt tank and leak onto the floor. My dealer is a EcoWater dealer. He said the timer is not replaceable. He suggests I replace the unit. He has two units he suggests. One is $1300 and the other is $2000. I have liked the idea of having my water refiner taking impurities out of my water. Sounds like the only option to continue this is the more expensive units. I have looked at systems on the web but don't know if I am comfortable buying a system and installing it myself. I am trying to be frugal but wise. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And I'll bet your unit has a Fleck 5600 or 2500 on it. If so it is rebuildable. And you probably have an industry standard resin tank and that means you can put a new valve on it but....

Excessive water in the brine tank is usually caused by the control valve not sucking the brine out of the salt tank as it should. The causes are a blocked/kinked drain line, loose brine line connections allowing air to be sucked into the brine line, a blocked injector screen or injector or injector throat, or rarely, a seal/piston leak to the brine tank during service. I suggest it's not the seals/piston, it probably regenerated, didn't suck out the brine and then refilled the amount of water into the brine tank it should have taken out causing the over flow of the tank.

Installing a softener is very simple plumbing and you have a model to follow but, you can buy online and hire a plumber to install it saving hundreds to a couple thousand.

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Re: Own a 1988 Water Refining System water refiner - problem

Futy wrote:

I am trying to be frugal but wise. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Without knowing exactly what control valve is on your old system I can't comment on
it's repair, but I can tell you the ECOwater system is both a wise and frugal investment.

Good luck ~ H2O MAN

_________________
WHAT CAN H2O MAN DO FOR YOU?

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Pictures of 20 year old water refiner

dadpad wrote:

Our water gurus will be along soon futy. In the meantime it would be handy to have a brandname and model for your existing system. Upload some photos of the unit and associated pipe work. That might be handy as well.

I think you are wise to get some independant advice. A 20 year old water filter has done pretty well i would think.

Here's some pictures of my 20 year old water refiner. The company names is actually Water Refining Company located in St. Paul, MN. My Ecowater dealer said Ecowater purchased this company some time ago. My Ecowater dealer said he can replace the diaphram and pistons? I can't remember if those are the correct names but he said I can't replace the timer. Appreciate all your replies.

http://www.chokecherrypickins.com/Images/Emailer/DSC07580.gif

http://www.chokecherrypickins.com/Images/Emailer/DSC07581.gif

http://www.chokecherrypickins.com/Images/Emailer/DSC07582.gif

http://www.chokecherrypickins.com/Images/Emailer/DSC07584.gif

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The timer plate is a version of the ones InterMatic made for RainSoft and Fleck. It uses an index lever and that particular replacement part is unavailable.

If your ECOwater dealer is willing to take your antique system in trade for a new ECOwater system at a fair price I would not hesitate to retire the old system.

HTH ~

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What about North Star?
I talked to a plumber this morning in my city who is a dealer for North Star. He claims that North Star makes product for Ecowater, Sears, Home Depot and Lowes. His system is $900 installed. Is North Star a good brand?

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Re: What about North Star?

Futy wrote:

I talked to a plumber this morning in my city who is a dealer for North Star.
He claims that North Star makes product for Ecowater, Sears, Home Depot and Lowes. His system is $900 installed. Is North Star a good brand?

ECOwater makes North Star and the others and yes, the North Star softener is very good.

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Own a 1988 Water Refining System water refiner - problems

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