I have a Kenmore "Super Capacity Genius +" water softener that is almost 7
years old and (knock on wood!) still seems to be working fine. Its raw
water input has a hardness of 10 grains per gallon and a clear water iron
content of about 2 ppm. Our water usage rate probably averages about
150-200 gal/day.

The owner's manual states that, in order to keep the iron from shortening
the life of the resin bed, Kenmore Water Softener Cleaner should be used.
This chemical is a white powder that comes in the 20-oz plastic jar and is
used as a solution of 10 oz in a gallon of water. Sears sells the stuff in
its store, of course, but its price seems to increase every year.

My question concerns the frequency with which this cleaner should be used.
Sears provides three different answers, depending on where you look: (1)
The water softener owner's manual states that the cleaner should be used "at
least every 6 months." (2) Sears' Web site states that it should be used
"several times a year." (3) The label on the bottle containing the cleaner
says it should be used "monthly."

To be on the safe side, I have been using the cleaner almost every month
over the lifetime of the softener, and I have therefore spent almost as much
on cleaner as I did on the water softener itself. Given its increasing
price of the cleaner and the fact that Sears only stands to gain from
over-prescribing it, I wonder if it is really necessary to use it as often
as I have. Does anyone have any experience and/or advice in this matter?


Dwynn

--
****************************************
L. Dwynn Lafleur
Professor of Physics
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~ldl6737/
****************************************

I have a 15 year old super 70 Sears water softener. The well water here is
50 grains hardness with a serious amount of iron. I've never used the
cleaner and never had a problem related to iron.

Steve

--


Remove "zz" from e-mail address to direct reply.



"L. Dwynn Lafleur" wrote in message
...
I have a Kenmore "Super Capacity Genius +" water softener that is almost 7
years old and (knock on wood!) still seems to be working fine. Its raw
water input has a hardness of 10 grains per gallon and a clear water iron
content of about 2 ppm. Our water usage rate probably averages about
150-200 gal/day.

The owner's manual states that, in order to keep the iron from shortening
the life of the resin bed, Kenmore Water Softener Cleaner should be used.
This chemical is a white powder that comes in the 20-oz plastic jar and is
used as a solution of 10 oz in a gallon of water. Sears sells the stuff
in
its store, of course, but its price seems to increase every year.

My question concerns the frequency with which this cleaner should be used.
Sears provides three different answers, depending on where you look: (1)
The water softener owner's manual states that the cleaner should be used
"at
least every 6 months." (2) Sears' Web site states that it should be used
"several times a year." (3) The label on the bottle containing the
cleaner
says it should be used "monthly."

To be on the safe side, I have been using the cleaner almost every month
over the lifetime of the softener, and I have therefore spent almost as
much
on cleaner as I did on the water softener itself. Given its increasing
price of the cleaner and the fact that Sears only stands to gain from
over-prescribing it, I wonder if it is really necessary to use it as often
as I have. Does anyone have any experience and/or advice in this matter?


Dwynn

--
****************************************
L. Dwynn Lafleur
Professor of Physics
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~ldl6737/
****************************************

"L. Dwynn Lafleur" wrote
I have a Kenmore "Super Capacity Genius +" water softener that is
almost 7
years old and (knock on wood!) still seems to be working fine. Its
raw
water input has a hardness of 10 grains per gallon and a clear water
iron
content of about 2 ppm. Our water usage rate probably averages about
150-200 gal/day.

The owner's manual states that, in order to keep the iron from
shortening
the life of the resin bed, Kenmore Water Softener Cleaner should be
used.
This chemical is a white powder that comes in the 20-oz plastic jar
and is
used as a solution of 10 oz in a gallon of water. Sears sells the
stuff in
its store, of course, but its price seems to increase every year.

My question concerns the frequency with which this cleaner should be
used.
Sears provides three different answers, depending on where you look:
(1)
The water softener owner's manual states that the cleaner should be
used "at
least every 6 months." (2) Sears' Web site states that it should be
used
"several times a year." (3) The label on the bottle containing the
cleaner
says it should be used "monthly."

To be on the safe side, I have been using the cleaner almost every
month
over the lifetime of the softener, and I have therefore spent almost
as much
on cleaner as I did on the water softener itself. Given its
increasing
price of the cleaner and the fact that Sears only stands to gain from
over-prescribing it, I wonder if it is really necessary to use it as
often
as I have. Does anyone have any experience and/or advice in this
matter?


Dwynn

There is no right or wrong answer, so cut it back to every 2nd or 3rd
month.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

"Steve Stone" wrote
I have a 15 year old super 70 Sears water softener. The well water
here is
50 grains hardness with a serious amount of iron. I've never used the
cleaner and never had a problem related to iron.

Steve

Your unit and the newer ones are like two different animals.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

Gary,

Please elaborate. I have one that is about 10 years old and so far have
had no problems. Does it fall on the good or bad side of the divide
(Old vs. new)?

RB


Gary Slusser wrote:
"Steve Stone" wrote

I have a 15 year old super 70 Sears water softener. The well water

here is

50 grains hardness with a serious amount of iron. I've never used the
cleaner and never had a problem related to iron.

Steve


Your unit and the newer ones are like two different animals.

Gary
Quality Water Associates