water softener question

lwood · 08-25-2010, 01:56 PM

I bought a 2 year old GE water softener from a family moving out of state. We loaded it in the van sideways after emptying it as best we could. On the way home there was a crash sound inside and then it started leaking more salt water. Now a plumber friend tells me it is junk because we transported it sideways. Is that true? The water plumbing fittings also wiggle in the back rather than being rigid as I would expect them to be.

**speedbump** · 08-25-2010, 04:37 PM

When you lay one on their side the only danger is possibly unplugging the distributor tube from the head. The salt water coming out will only hurt metal.

GE in the first place is junk, but that's another story.

lwood · 08-25-2010, 05:08 PM

How do I plug the "distributor head" back in to use the water softener? Thanks.

**speedbump** · 08-25-2010, 05:55 PM

Are you sure it came out of the head???

It's not something that happens a lot. If it did, you wouldn't be getting soft water.

If you had to plug it back in, you would have to remove the head to reinsert the tube.

lwood · 08-26-2010, 11:31 AM

Thanks for your replies.

I don't know anything about water softeners except that I need one. I have not plumbed this one since I thought it to be defective after the event described above. The two connection pipes in the back will wiggle freely rather than being stiff as I would think hard plastic pipes would have to be-non moveable. Is this normal, or is something broken loose inside causing the pipes to be loose?

**speedbump** · 08-26-2010, 02:07 PM

Quite a few units have pipes that move freely since they are O-ringed and not real rigid.

Give it a try, it's free and you have nothing to lose except possibly a few gallons of water.

lwood · 10-13-2010, 02:25 AM

Okay I'm ready to install the water softener. Our hot water heater which is only 2 months old has half eaten it's sacrificial rod and the hot water stinks like sulfur so I need the softener. My question: What to do with the drain coming from the water softener? I don't want to dump the briny water into the septic system and kill all the bacteria. What kind of hole do I need to dig and how much gravel, how deep to keep the drain from freezing in Michigan? Thanks.

**speedbump** · 10-13-2010, 02:10 PM

First of all, the softener isn't going to do anything about the smell. Secondly, it sounds like you have acidic water which may be eating your sacrificial rod and the softener again will do nothing for that either.

I have family in Kazoo.

lwood · 10-14-2010, 12:15 PM

Water softener won't take out sulphur?

**speedbump** · 10-14-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Water softener won't take out sulphur?

Nope! It won't even touch it.