Unfamiliar territory..... MasterMech uses a nail gun...

the filter backwash cycle should not happen that often and should happen at night like your softener?

 

Another good addition was the turn offs, all quarter turns. This time, we put them in near every thing they went to. Not just this end or that end of the house. My 40 yr. old copper pipe system was sprouting leaks. Turns out, the water ph was on the low side. We had to add a treatment system that didn't didn't use salt. So far, all is well.

 

Okay so you have a 5 gpm well and need to run 8 gpm for 10 minutes. It will be tough with that single pressure tank without experiencing a significant drop in pressure. My iron filter needed 7 gpm for the same 10 minutes and we have 4 of those giant pressure tanks on a 20 gpm well. Still get pressure drop as the tank pressure drops from 60 to 40 when the pump kicks on. I actually measured the backwash flow rate as the iron filter was backwashing, at the outlet to be sure I was getting the 7.

Oh and when you first fire that iron filter up the water will be nasty. Black like coffee. The black funk will take a while to wash out so be ready to bypass and dump a lot of "treated" water until it gets clear.

My iron filter is set to backwash at 2 am. Every 700 gallons or every 7 days, whichever comes first. Our usage is less than 700 gallons so it is once per week. The backwash and rinse water dumps to the storm system and NOT my septic. Septics aren't made for this flow.

3/4" is fine in the house. I fed my hot and cold manifolds with 3/4" and then 1/2" to each fixture. I only use one inch when I'm out in the dirt doing long runs of HDPE pipe. The old days with water hungry appliances are gone. Modern shower heads, dishwashers, faucets, toilets, etc. use so little now that big pipes aren't necessary unless you like filling bath tubs.

 

Acidic water is notorious for eating copper and lead from the solder. Curious about your salt free treatment system. You don't need salt to remedy the pH issue. A softener without salt is often a gimmick, lots of scam softeners out there. Iron/mang/sulfur filters do not use salt.

 

I replumbed the whole house this year to get rid of copper. The whole house was 100% half inch! Used copper manifolds from HD that were all crimp connected so no shutoff valves and no compression fittings. I like them for their simplicity and don't plan on shutting off individual fixtures at the manifold, we have shut offs at the fixtures for almost everything.

 

Yes, another 900$ is high. Just know that you can always add another if you need to. Same with the softener. I do believe you are right and with further updates to your plumbing I expect your water needs, instantaneous flows, will go down due to modernization. You might use more gallons per day however as families grow.

Watch that Lakos filter. I had a couple of them warrantied out for leakage. There are O-rings that allow you to rotate the head and dump the accumulated grit. The O-rings and inner seals leaked out of the top on mine. I ended up tearing the last one apart, cleaning it, and applying a heavy dose of silicone grease lube (keg lube, plumber's grease) to the inner seals which eliminated leaks. I still only twist-to-clean when I think I need to. Minimize this. Installing is a bitch because that filter uses ABS male threads. You have to use compatible pipe dope or you can use Teflon tape but don't overtighten to distort, don't undertighten to leak. You won't be able to see the filter screen once your iron water stains that bowl.

Can I assume you bought from cleanwaterstore.com? I did and recommend them. Good stuff and good prices. I have the previous model of this one

Pro-OX Iron Filters

and have been very happy for a family of four including preteen daughters. We are not bath tub people, and I irrigate with raw water.

If you got this one:

Pro-OX 5900-AIR Iron Filters

It needs 7 or 10 gpm. Not 8. Hmmm.

 

Great posts, Highbeam!
good info

 

OK mm what does your well produce for water? and how many feet of head? my concern is you could blow up your pump.. don't ask how I know... you well head should have a cover with a date and ref. number.. your state should have a database online that when you punch that in gives you that info... see bunch of people put in bigger tank increase pressure and kill pump in well thats yeah replacing a pump is easy until it's 300 feet down a 6 inch hole..

 

Slow but sure. Your project is coming along nicely.

 

Looks great Brian. You're doing fine on the time frame too considering "life" has a way of making work stoppages. Life is waaaay more important anyway...