Low Pressure with Kinetico System

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

Since having a Kinetico soft water and whole house chlorine reduction system over 3 years ago our water pressure at the shower has been low. I am now sick of it and am trying to find a solution. So far, i have tried the following:

Pulled Delta valve apart and checked for debris restricting flow. No problems found.

Installed new Shower Massage head and pulled out the 2.5 gal restrictor. Still not enough pressure to make full use of the message settings.

Pulled head off and checked flow. Goofd arc but not a high pressure stream.

Diverted flow from the Kinetico system by using bypass function. No change to low pressure, but only ran about a minute.

Any ideas on what can be done?

How about a pressure pump and tank system?

Thanks

Keith
Phoenix, AZ USA

[GaryPurolite1Participant]

Since you bypassed the unit and still have low full it is likely that you have some other flow restriction in your plumbing system and it is not caused by the softener. Suggest you contact a professional plumber to find the cause. There could be any number of them.

[daveroconnParticipant]

Keith, since we both live in Phoenix this may be what’s wrong. When the softener was added to your home the line into the front of your house was cut and then a new copper supply and return plumbed all the way around to the back of the house to the location of the water softener. I believe that this run of pipe beginning and returning to the front of the house would be 80’+ or so. The line supplying your house is 3/4″ copper and so would be the divert run, you are dealing with friction pressure loss. This is why bypassing your softener won’t make much difference since the bypass is where the softener is. Since we never freeze in AZ the installers of this system just dropped some pipe in a shallow trench. This is easier than plumbing through your house it’s a longer distance around your house than through it also a lot cheaper to install it this way but it sacrifices your pressure. I would call the AZ registrar of contractors and place a complaint against the company that installed this system in your home. I have seen this type of install done in many homes. Unfortunately in AZ we have many fly by night company’s that end up doing these types of installs. I am sure that no building permit was used for this work.

Respectfully David F. Walling

[GuestParticipant]

Dave:

Thanks a lot for the info and suggestion.

quote:

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Originally posted by daveroconn:
Keith, since we both live in Phoenix this may be what’s wrong. When the softener was added to your home the line into the front of your house was cut and then a new copper supply and return plumbed all the way around to the back of the house to the location of the water softener.

With our house the whole house had been constructed with a soft water loop installed. The Kinetico guys simply tapped into the loop and did not cut into a supply line in front of the house. The Kinetico and loop connections are in the garage which is in the front of the house and did not necessitate a long run of new pipe. If I am misinterpreting what you say please let me know.

I believe that this run of pipe beginning and returning to the front of the house would be 80’+ or so. The line supplying your house is 3/4″ copper and so would be the divert run, you are dealing with friction pressure loss. This is why bypassing your softener won’t make much difference since the bypass is where the softener is. Since we never freeze in AZ the installers of this system just dropped some pipe in a shallow trench. This is easier than plumbing through your house it’s a longer distance around your house than through it also a lot cheaper to install it this way but it sacrifices your pressure.

The soft water loop installed goes to all faucets and toilets in the house except the kitchen sink and front and rear hose bibbs.

I would call the AZ registrar of contractors and place a complaint against the company that installed this system in your home. I have seen this type of install done in many homes. Unfortunately in AZ we have many fly by night company’s that end up doing these types of installs. I am sure that no building permit was used for this work.

Respectfully David F. Walling

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Any additional thoughts are welcomed, Dave.

Keith

[daveroconnParticipant]

Your system sounds to be installed correctly. Has Kinetico been made aware of your low pressure/low flow problem?

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