Refurbish Your Water Softener and Save Big $$$

This Instructable will cover how to refurbish your old water softener to run like new for the fraction of the cost of replacing it with a new one.

History
My water softener quit softening quite sometime ago and I just never had the extra money ($600+) to go out and spend on a decent one. I had a feeling there had to be a way to fix this thing without having to buy a new one. Finally after conducting throurough research. I came across a few websites that talked about how the resin beads wear out after years of use. This peaked my interest so I called one of the overpriced water softener salesman and got the low down. Sure enough it was confirmed, the resin goes bad after a certain amount of time and usage. I have a generic G.E. softener and it is typical of this brand.

I knew I needed to conduct more research. After a while I finally found a couple of places that sold just the resin beads. Not only that but it was a very reasonable price, compared to buying a new system. qualitywaterforless.com The stuff I bought was only $95 for a cubic foot and they had free shipping. They were supposed to provide instructions and a funnel tool, but somehow I didn't get them.

Only one place gave the actual instructions on their website Ohio Pure Water
of how to replace the resin . The instructions were not for my model but worked out well enough that I got through the process and it seems to be universal.

It is actually very easy to do, so easy in fact I will show you how to do it in this Instructable.

Step 1: Supplies, Tools, Safety

Safety
Beaware of heavy lifting and resin beads getting into your eyes

1. I guess you could wear goggles
2. I suppose you could wear a back brace
3. Don't choke when getting a drink from your water hose.
4. Be aware that water and electricty don't mix well

Supplies
1 A Cubic foot bag of Resin beads, or what ever size your tank is. Look in your manual in the parts section and it should tell you what size the resin tank is.

2. Some 90% waterproof silicone grease Ace Hardware For rubber and synthetic "O" rings

That's it for supplies!

Tools

1. A Common screwdriver (flat)

2. A Water hose connected to a spigot outside

That's all for tools!

Comments

[TruthHunter]

From the Ohiopurewater.com site, I found the following

tank sizes.
9 x 48 = 1 cubic foot
10 x 54 = 1.5 cubic foot
12 x 48 = 2
13 x 54 = 2.5

...So now you know how much to order!

I am confused as to what I have There are 2 tanks in series. One is obviously
calcium and Magnesium, but what it the other? Could it be for sulfur? Something
has stopped working as the sulfides have gotten really bad. It can't be for
the Tannins as the water has always been pretty brown. The price we pay
for nice weather in florida is horrible well water.

[Mr. Rig It]

That is all beyond my Jedi knowledge :-)

[bpwagner]

Thanks for the nice instructable!  I just finished replacing the resin in my water softener.  I cannot wait for my shower tomorrow!

[Brian73]

I am considering doing the same myself as I have an older commercial-type; tall resin tube with the timer, valves, etc. mounted at the top. The separate salt tank holds 6 40-lb bags. It is not the self-contained type sold at Sears, etc.

As I am weighing the costs, does anyone know the average cost to refurbish one like mine if I had a company come to my home and do it?

Thank you. - Brian

[helibobber]

Very nice project. I have a 10 year old Kenmore softener which has lost much of it's softening ability.  I was thinking of replacing the entire unit but now may consider replacing just the resin. I never knew this was even possible.
Thnks very much for the information.

[jmkese]

Hi, just another "Thank You" for the information. I have a 10 year old Kenmore softener that quit making soft water. I could tell it worked a little, so I took it apart to check every thing and it operated fine, just not much soft water. Then I read your article. Your step by step and pictures were perfect. I got the resin from the company you suggested. The best part was when I first turned the water back on and it turned brown, while my wife was watching. It was great!!! Now I have SOFT water. Thank you and God Bless, Jim

[Mr. Rig It]

Your welcome. I am glad it helped you and glad you have soft water again. Brown water is yummy :-) They guy at the resin told me to take the old resin and put it in my garden and that it would keep the soil loose. I didn't do it, I was unsure about doing it. But I spilled some on the ground and sure enough the dirt in the area is still loose with the resin in it. Next time the old stuff will go in the garden. Enjoy the soft water! Craig

[crowcam]

Thank you for the info I followed your steps and just saved myself $600 the only trouble I had was getting the old head off and when putting it back on was scared to tighten it up too much so I always had a leak, took a chance and went an extra turn was a bit tricky because you have limited access but now all fixed THANK YOU

[Mr. Rig It]

You are welcome. I am glad I could save someone else some big money. I had the same problem with pulling the head off, but a little extra muscle and it popped right off. Did yoiu get your resin from the place I suggested? Can you believe how simple it is to do and how much money it saves?

[crowcam]

No i did not replace the beads but probably should have the reason for pulling it apart was my salt container was leaking have tried to patch it before but can't get access to the inside of the container to patch it properly so patch did not last,in the end made one good softener out of two. With the resin beads being a tight arse that I am emptied them through a sive into a wheel barrow and then ran water into that and stired crystals around and every now and then dumping the dirty water of the top until I was getting only clear water. Thanks from Australia

[theburn7]

Is water softener for wells?

[Mr. Rig It]

Yes "if" you have hard water. Do you have your well water tested? If your parts per-million are high enough it may be of intrest to you to get a softener. Arizona has very hard water, some wells back east have very soft water. So you really need to have your water tested. Hope this helps.

[GorillazMiko]

Wow, those resin beads look nasty! :P