Culligan System Leaking to Drain

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I have a seven year old Culligan water softener. The other evening I noticed a small steady stream of water coming out the drain hose. I can also hear a low hissing noise at the controller. I know it wasn't recharging so I put a service call into Culligan. They said they wouldn't be able to come out next week. Does anyone have an idea what they'll have to do to fix the problem?

Any ballpark idea on how much it might cost? If it's too much, I'm thinking about tearing it out and replacing it with a Fleck.

Thanks

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Re: Culligan System Leaking to Drain

HTS wrote:

I have a seven year old Culligan water softener. .... I'm thinking about tearing it out and replacing it with a Fleck.

When I serviced accounts in Maryland I replaced countless Culligan systems.

I hope you are able to get it repaired, but replacing it with a Fleck system is an excellent idea.
I prefer the 2510SE control valve from Fleck. It's not fancy, but it's durable, reliable and quiet.

HTH ~

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Re: Culligan System Leaking to Drain

HTS wrote:

I know it wasn't recharging so I put a service call into Culligan. They said they wouldn't be able to come out next week. Does anyone have an idea what they'll have to do to fix the problem?

Sounds like an internal problem with the stack or piston and/or maybe the motor or drive. Probably require a rebuild of the control valve.

HTS wrote:

Any ballpark idea on how much it might cost? If it's too much, I'm thinking about tearing it out and replacing it with a Fleck.

You should be able to get a non-binding ballpark estimate of the labor and parts cost to rebuild your control valve from Culligan over the phone before they come out.

If that preliminary non-binding estimate approaches one third the cost of a new Fleck based softener (because the repair cost goes up when the job is actually done because the non-binding estimate was blind) then a new Fleck based softener is a better move.

But, it's your money to soend and you should look at your options.

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Thanks for the info. Do you guys have any idea if the spacing on the bypass valve is the same, or close, on the Culligan and Fleck systems? Culligan ran pvc to the valve. I'm hoping I could just disconnect one and connect the other.

Also, I have a Culligan Rustmaster connected in series with the softener. Its sole purpose is to remove the sulphur smell from the water as neither the softener, nor a carbon filter, could. I'm assuming the Rust Master and the Fleck could co-exist?

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HTS wrote:

Thanks for the info. Do you guys have any idea if the spacing on the bypass valve is the same, or close, on the Culligan and Fleck systems? Culligan ran pvc to the valve. I'm hoping I could just disconnect one and connect the other.

You want to make sure the "inny" and "outy" are the same on the Culligan and the Fleck... don't want to hook up backwards and push resin into your plumbing.

If you have luck like mine, nothing ever lines up and a little plumbing will be required.

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Water running to drain when not in a regeneration usually means a new piston, seals and spacer kit is needed. Of course that depends on what control valve on your Culligan. They might want like $200+ for just the parts and time to replace them; plus a service call charge.

You may do better replacing it because of the age of the resin which in most Culligan softeners is very hard to replace by a DIYer so if you have to pay them $300-$450 to do it.....

Then I'd say replace it online with a new correctly sized softener for your water quality, family size and the SFR your house requires, using a Clack WS-1 control. The Clack WS-1 is the best DIYer control on the market because of its easy to repair design. Less than 30 minutes and anyone with the desire to can rebuild it totally with nothing more than a pair of channel lock pliers. Unlike the Fleck controls that require special control valve specific tools, with much higher prices for their parts. BTW, the only Fleck control valves that compares to the Clack WS-1, is the ProFlo or 7000. And they aren't that close to the Clack WS-1.

Are you absolutely sure your control valve isn't in a regeneration?

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Gary Slusser wrote:

BTW, the only Fleck control valves that compares to the Clack WS-1, is the ProFlo or 7000. And they aren't that close to the Clack WS-1.

You couldn't resist slamming the competition... Fleck valves do not require special tools and Fleck has a much better, longer proven track record with
H2O professional than Clack. As a matter of fact Clack is not all it's cracked up to be. Most professionals never have or no longer offer it to our clients...
I could sell Clack, it is readily available to me from several sources but choose to offer my clients a more reliable valve.

HTS, I hope things work out for you and it doesn't cost much.

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Sorry to see that you consider my opinions and explaining the differences between two similar products as bashing the competition.

You say Fleck controls don't need their special tools, I say rebuilding one, especially a 25x0 series, without the tools is very difficult to impossible. I've been rebuilding them since 1987.

Obviously you don't know of the national and international companies that for decades used Fleck that now use Clack. And I hear from more and more prospective customers that a local dealer or plumber, including a plumbing supply house last Thursday, are selling Clack.

You "professionals" should continue doing whatever it is you do, the way you do it and I'll do the same.

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Gary Slusser wrote:

You say Fleck controls don't need their special tools, I say rebuilding one, especially a 25x0 series, without the tools is very difficult to impossible.

Sorry to see that you had difficulties servicing equipment.

You are obviously spewing Clack propaganda here, but we are used to it.

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H2O_MAN wrote:

Gary Slusser wrote:
You say Fleck controls don't need their special tools, I say rebuilding one, especially a 25x0 series, without the tools is very difficult to impossible.

H2O_MAN wrote:
Sorry to see that you had difficulties servicing equipment.

What you should be reading into my posts is that I'm talking about DIYers servicing a Fleck control valve.

Those specific tools are for the Fleck 5600/6600/6700, 1500/2500/2510. That's two different sets of special tools. The 5600 series tools are used for the top piston, seals and spacers for the 9000/9100 and possibly the 8500 (TwinFlo 100e) and the hot water version (IIRC 3600 or somesuch).

Why don't you give us your best guess as to why Fleck would make special control valve model specific tools if they weren't needed...

H2O_MAN wrote:
You are obviously spewing Clack propaganda here, but we are used to it.

So you mistakenly think Clack tells me this stuff and puts me up to this.. LOL What I say is based on years of personal experience. You local sales/service/installation guys really need more and better information but.. you've got your heads in a position that doesn't allow that.

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Gary Slusser wrote:

why Fleck would make special control valve model specific tools if they weren't needed...

Because people like you have difficulties servicing equipment.
Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Gary Slusser wrote:

So you mistakenly think Clack tells me this stuff and puts me up to this..

I made no such mistake. It's obvious you are all about you.

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Culligan System Leaking to Drain

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