Looking for a better whole house filter

[Rusty Bumper]

I currently have a Dupont whole house filter. It filters prior to my Kinetico water softener as I want to protect the softener as much as possible. I live in the country. My well water hardness is 3.5 gpg, the iron is 5 ppm, and the pH is 6.9.
The pressure runs 45 to 65 psi. It used to be lower but my Kinetico guy says it needs to be 65 to push any sediment particles through the softener. I had the service guy out twice because of this.

Also I am in need of having the well pump looked as it has not been looked at since it was installed in 1999.

So that is the rundown. I use a 5 micron string filter in the Dupont unit purchased from Menards. The filters say they have a 5-7 gpm flow rate.

The system works fine for maybe a week then it is nearly impossible to use two outlets at the same time. Flush the toilet downstairs and you had better not be in the shower as it turns to a trickle. I go through a lot of string filters.

I need a filter system that does not loose the pressure. Any Ideas?

Rusty

EDIT: As I look over my Kinetico information, the manual recomends a 30 micron filter. Maybe I should try that instead.

 

[38Chevy454]

Sounds like your filters are getting plugged up, they flow good when new and then become restricted. Maybe a two-stage filter set-up, like a 20-30 micron initial and then the 5 micron secondary?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I had a course sediment filter followed by a 30 micron filter and tried a finer filter after that. I could plug a 5 micron filter with one shower, a 10 or 20 micron within a week.
The 30 micron filters would last a month.
I took all of those out and installed one of these:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_31217-43353-WHELJ1_0__?productId=1082883

Works fine and no more cartridges.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Are you getting sand in the filter element?

I have an old well that produces sand and I placed a 100Micron washable SS screen element in front of my softener / iron filtration unit and removed the spun filter element from that housing.

So the SS screen takes out any suspended solids and the resin bed takes out the iron and fine solids. Look in the lawn / irrigation supply area of your local farm store. Mine came from a previous employer.

Limping it along until a new well can be installed this summer.

 

[chops101]

I was where you are now, and this setup works for me:
From pump, to:

[Pre-filter] Rusco spin down filter w/ 100 mesh screen (50gpm), to:

[Pre-filter] "Big Blue whole house filter", 20" model, with Pentek 20 micron filters, to:

A new large 5 media, air injection filtering tank 6' tall, to:

A new water softener tank.

Buy the largest connections you can, nominally 1" or whatever is coming out of your pump.

You can even put these big blues in parallel if things are getting that nasty to cut your gpm down.

I set mine up at 40/60 cut in/cutout and have 4 baths, it's working great. The two pre-filters above keep sand, sediment and traps some iron out of the big 6' tank. Amazon had the best prices.

 

[Rusty Bumper]

Some good options. Thanks. No sand in the filter. Just large 1/6" chunks of sediment and black/dark fine soot penetrating 3/4 of the string filters.
Good to hear what others have and is working for them.
Keep 'em coming.
Rusty

 

[58Yeoman]

I had a course sediment filter followed by a 30 micron filter and tried a finer filter after that. I could plug a 5 micron filter with one shower, a 10 or 20 micron within a week.
The 30 micron filters would last a month.
I took all of those out and installed one of these:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_31217-43353-WHELJ1_0__?productId=1082883

Works fine and no more cartridges.

I've got this same filter, and it doesn't filter out lime/calcium. Otherwise, I really like it, and I'm in the country on a well. No water softener here, just the filter.

 

[TLCObsession]

I pull my water from a lake, so I go through a 1.5cu/ft auto backwash filter, the pressure tank, a 5 micron filter and then the UV system. My backwash filter uses a media to remove particulate and I could add carbon as well but the water tastes great so no real need.

You can find several good online source who can help you design a system. Easy to install if you are handy, and it will cost you 20% of what a well guy would charge you and 10% of what a Kinetco dealer would.

If you have any dangerous contaminants, get a pro (barium, arsenic etc).

 

[rcktpwrd]

what is the size of the whole house filter element?
You want a large size element, 20x2.5" or the big blue style 10x4.5" or 20x4.5" filters.

I also have well water. two and a half bath with 3 people in the house.
I have a 20x2.5 prefilter then the softener then two 10x4.5 carbon filters. I was using a 50 micron sediment filter and they would last about 3 months. I also tried a 25 micron filter and they lasted about the same 3 months before noticeable pressure reduction. I got some 5 micron filters for free so I started using them and they only last about a month or so. I will probably go back with which ever is cheaper between the 50 and 25 micron filters.
If I get ambitious I might change out the sediment housing for a big blue style and go with a 20x4.5 filter.
I usually get my filters from www.filtersfast.com they seem to have the best prices and they have a huge selection.

 

[gml1998]

The Water Boss water softeners have a built in filter system . you do not have to replace any filters, it cleans itself during the regeneration process by back washing through the filter. I have installed several and the customers seems to like them. You would need to do research on the type of filter etc that it uses.

 

[chops101]

No sand in the filter. Just large 1/6" chunks of sediment and black/dark fine soot

The black soot is iron residue.
A carbon tank removes the iron completely but the Big Blue will strip some out prior to the carbon tank.

 

[reader2580]

Kinetico also makes a whole house filter, of course not cheap. I am surprised the Kinetico guy did not try to sell you one. I have a Kinetico softener on a well and they never said I need 65 PSI to make it work. (I don't have 65 PSI.)