Can a Fleck 7000 be converted?

[Lazy Days]

Can a Fleck 7000 be reprogrammed from a water softener valve to a backwash valve?

Also, there appears to be two versions of the 7000 valve, a SE and a SXT. Are they about equal or is one more desirable than the other?

Long story short, there is a water softener with fleck 7000 valve on it in my local want ads for cheap. The resin tank has car bumper damage and it leaks. His homeowners replaced the entire softener.

I was thinking it would make a good upgrade to a calcite filter I want to install this spring that has a manual 2510 valve on it now.

Any thoughts?

[somedumbname]

The SXT is the current version of the electronics. The SE was the previous version.

You can download the current version of the 7000SXT service manual here... http://www.pentairwatertreatment.com...al%2042775.pdf

That will tell you what the valve can and can't do and list all the parts. There are different piston assemblies for Softener or Filter listed.

[Lazy Days]

Somedumbname:

Thanks. These suffixes seem to be used interchangeably on the web. It would appear the SXT is fairly new and there is still a supply of SE’s out there.

I drove over to look at the unit last night. It was junk. There wasn’t a single part that was undamaged on the control head and the valve housing was cracked at the inlet fittings. It was also outside in the snow, frozen. The guy failed to mention that the car bumper damage was caused by the unit being driven through a cinder block knee wall. I was a bit ticked.

I had studied the master programming instructions in the service manual, which is why I asked the conversion question. I was interested in what it wasn’t telling me. The manual appeared to be aimed at the water professional, not a DIY type like myself who lacks much of the basic experience.

In my research, I had found that the 7000 was available in 6 basic versions. One each in: timed & metered of filter, softener, and hi flow softener, plus the SE / SXT suffixes, which you have kindly answered that question for me.

A side job I had prior to my retirement, I was using a circuit board/controller that could be used for vastly different applications. On the first power up, the micro would learn the system configuration, and lock. The dealer had rights to update software and calibrations much like the Fleck master programming. Only on an engineering level could we re-green the controller via the CAN bus to be reused or reconfigured.

My concern is that I don’t buy a used unit and spend more money buying a circuit board/controllers and parts to convert it, than a shiny new 7000 would cost. If it is only replacing a piston and pushing a few buttons, I will keep looking.

Again, thanks

[Akpsdvan]

Would the 7000 that you are looking at go from softener set up to filter set up?
If that is what you are looking at doing, then the only thing really that would need to change is the brine pick up... ie the line for the brine line would have to either be capped or changed out with a plug.

The 2510 has an injector block for softener and just the cap if it is a filter valve, also the injector piston would be removed if it was to be just a filter.

The digital boards are the same now on filter or softener..
Not sure if there has been any other changes to the current 7000 over ones that have been out for years other than the face plate for the different control board that they are now using.

[Lazy Days]

Akpsdvan

This goes back to the failed iron filter at my cottage that you and Andy had helped me with at the end of last year. I have been gathering materials and I am ready to reinstall the softener, iron filter, and a calcite filter I was given. My PH is 6.8. That is OK for iron removal when using Birm, but a little low for manganese removal per Clack. The calcite filter Is about 2 cu.ft. in a 13x54” tank and has a Fleck 2510 lever operated manual valve. After reading the 2510’s specs on the Pentair site and taking in to consideration the pressure drop through the calcite, I am a little concerned I may not be able to backwash the Birm correctly.

My plan was to install the calcite filter and measure the GPM holding some reasonable amount of pressure on the system. If I had enough water volume to properly backwash the Birm, I would build the iron filter using Birm and redo my plumbing to add the extra filter. If not, I have Filox as a backup. I can build the iron filter using it and the iron filter will fit in place of the calcite filter with no plumbing changes. The PH range Watts/Alamo gives for Filox is more forgiving.

Then along came the want ads with this broken Fleck 7000. I thought its high flow rate would give me an advantage. The calcite filter is dry. So if there was ever a time to change to a larger riser tube size, it would be now when I can sift the gravel out of the calcite and reuse everything.

I would really like to make use of the calcite filter. I believe my water gets a little aggressive in mid-summer. The water pits the flatware when it is left standing in it during the summer.

[Akpsdvan]

You should be ok with the 2510 manual but if you would like a 2750 manual let me know.
The 2510 can handle up to 17gpm... before the pressure drop really starts to come into the picture.

I run 2.0 and 2.5 cubic calcite under a 2510 any number of times..

The manual set up can be done on most of the fleck valves from the 1500 through the 3150...

[Lazy Days]

Akpsdvan

I will add the 2750 valve to my backup plan. I could gain about 40% flow and still use the same seal kits and tools I use on the 2510 and not have to change the riser tube. Thanks, that’s a good idea!

I would very much like to use the calcite filter.

[Akpsdvan]

Akpsdvan

I will add the 2750 valve to my backup plan. I could gain about 40% flow and still use the same seal kits and tools I use on the 2510 and not have to change the riser tube. Thanks, that’s a good idea!

I would very much like to use the calcite filter.

The 2750 has 2 different pistons.. the one that the 2510 uses and there is a higher flow piston for the 2750.
The valves hook up different, 2510 is all at the back, while the 2750 has the in at the back and the out on the top just between the injector block or flat cap and control plate.

Your ph is below 7 so if you have it , it would be a good idea.. also there are some benefits with the calcite filter... if there is iron as the ph is corrected often some of the iron will drop out of the water and the calcite filter will hold on to it then backwash it out.
Also the calcite will in part act like a sediment filter... it is not for that but it is some thing that can at times happen..

[Lazy Days]

Akpsdvan
I looked at the 2750 on the Pentair site. I missed the piston selection. I do see that it come in up and down flow styles. It’s METAL! I am old enough that I like metal, even though I know the advantages of plastic. I thought I read the inlets were 1”NPTT, I assume they are female?

My well is big around and shallow. When we get to the cottage, the first 100 or so gallons of water is very orange. It clears some after that.

I was going to try the calcite filter without the upper distributor basket to avoid catching all the partials coming out of the pump/well.

[Akpsdvan]

Akpsdvan
I looked at the 2750 on the Pentair site. I missed the piston selection. I do see that it come in up and down flow styles. It’s METAL! I am old enough that I like metal, even though I know the advantages of plastic. I thought I read the inlets were 1”NPTT, I assume they are female?

My well is big around and shallow. When we get to the cottage, the first 100 or so gallons of water is very orange. It clears some after that.

I was going to try the calcite filter without the upper distributor basket to avoid catching all the partials coming out of the pump/well.

The 1500,2500,2750 are all metal and with male threads for the in and outs.
There is the part that screws into the tank that would be the deciding up flow or down flow.
They also have a piston that is called no hard water bypass or that when the valve is cleaning there is no water getting past the valve.
Running the calcite with out the upper basket would be a very very good idea.. looks like you are learning quickly.

[Lazy Days]

Akpsdvan

Do you advise using a pre-filter or strainer to protect the lower distributor basket during backwash?
Are there any tricks to keep to lower distributor basket from plugging during backwashing or is it somewhat self cleaning when the unit returns to service mode?

What caught my eye on the Hydrus valves was that two or more were used in parallel. The unit that was regenerating would block its inlet port and use conditioned water from its outlet port supplied by the other parallel units.

[Akpsdvan]

What is in the water that would plug the lower part of the distributor? Sand?

[Lazy Days]

Ferric iron mostly. I drain the water system when I leave in the winter time. (The place had frozen up once) I have 4 ball valves I open and the system drains of pressure in about a minute, except the hot water tank and filters. That seems to break soft ferric iron deposits loose in the pipes that show up when I re-pressurize. The well has no screen or anything like that. It is a 24” ID crock pipe about 15 FT. deep that I have hung a 4” style submersible pump on the supply line In order to gain space in the utility room. I don’t believe I get any sand up from it.

I had intensions of heading to the cottage this morning and getting started on remodeling my utility room. The Weather Channel reported it was -18 up there at 9am. Tuesday is looking better.
I am sure I will have more questions when I return.

[Akpsdvan]

lower baskets do build up, there not much that one can do to get around it.. but more times than not it takes longer for it to build up on the lower than on the upper.

-18, sounds like Fairbanks Ak right now or was it yesterday... here where I live it is 20 some thing with the wind up and snow on the way..
Just another day around here.