Water Pressure & Bob Float Issues

[Blanco]

I buy test strips off amazon. Dip them in the tank and match color and it's done. Im sure the actually kit is better but the strips are cheap, easy to use. and tell you what you need to know. Im not a chemical or softener guy but ive always been told and went by this for TOUCHLESS car washes:

Soft Water
0-3 grains - Cleans cars and uses the least amount of chemical

Moderately Hard Water
3-7 grains - Can still clean a car but will use more chemical

Hard Water
7-10 grains - May be able to clean a car with excessive chemical usage but also depends on soils. Probably need a softener.

Very Hard
10 grains and above. Absiouletly need a softener.

Maybe @buckeyehydro can chime in and he is definitely more knowledgeable.

 

[cantbreak80]

Blanco's hardness numbers are pretty much spot on.

I find that “Busy” SS car wash’s pumps are generally operating 40 minutes per hour…
(Considering foam brush, foam gun, SFR usage, idle time between customers, and lollygaggers!)

If that busy car wash enjoys:

8 hours of steady business per day​

4 bays at 3.2 GPM per pump​

Equaling 512 gallons per hour – 4,096 gallons per day
Add 1,080 gallons for SFR production of 6 GPM for 3 hours per day and​

Daily water consumption is 5,176 gallons - maximum capacity.

Under this scenario, with 6 grains of raw water hardness…
A single 3 cu ft water softener (with a 10% reserve capacity of 1,500 gallons) will provide 2.6 days of soft water.
With efficient salting, that softener will consume ~24 lbs of salt per regeneration.
IF that car wash business is consistent, every day of the month, the softener will regenerate 11.5 times per month and consume (7) 40 lb bags of salt.

To ensure 24/7/365 soft water, a twin alternating 3 cu ft system would be ideal.

With the possibility of adding a touchless IBA sometime in the future, consider preparing for the installation of a third 3 cu ft softener…with *parallel progressive* operation.
With thoughtful planning, and enough floor space, a professional plumber could assemble the piping, bypass valves, and adaptors during the replacement of the existing system. As new equipment is added, the manifolds are pre-plumbed and ready to hook up. This would allow staged equipment purchases.


*Parallel progressive operation means one softener is in service as the lead. As flow rates increase to a programmed set point, the 2nd softener joins the party, ensuring sufficient volume output. When the lead softener’s capacity is exhausted, the 2nd softener becomes the lead softener, and the third softener comes online to serve as the lag softener. The exhausted softener then regenerates and waits it’s turn to become the lag softener.

 

[BobbieB]

Blanco - Thanks for the info!

cantbreak80, wow a lot of info there!

I currently do not know the water usage, my water bill is a little confusing. I will clarify with the water department tomorrow before I post incorrect info. But I do know all of the water usage at my place is softened. While I know that's unnecessary, its just how they plumbed it back then. Sink, toilet, weeps, soap mixing, all HydroMinder's, literally everything goes through the softner.

No I do know we do a re-gen at least daily. I usually hear it, and you can hear the salt drop. Unless we are dead. Also, I'm certain we use more than 7 bags a month. But your numbers are spot on, in 2 days I know I used 1 full bag. But I would say we average 10 to 15 bags a month.

I greatly apprecite your time and insight!

 

[Greg Pack]

would definitely test myself 99 is either in ppm or also sounds like possibly “we didn’t test for that so we plugged in this number” my goal for touch free chemical or SFR feed is 1 grain or less but I don’t address it unless it’s over 3 grains Not really worried about water under ten grains for anything else