Leaky pipe on iron filter
The chlorine batch connection to the iron filter started leaking few months ago. I didn’t have time or inclination to figure out what was wrong with it after a few quick tries to tighten the connection didn’t work. I was worried that something major was cracked in the Fleck 7000 controller and didn’t want to deal with that. So I reprogrammed the control to leave out the chlorine rinse. This is an optional feature anyway.
But it seemed like the drain for the filter was getting black and there was a sizable amount of iron getting through the filter into the whole house carbon filter that follows it. Also some iron was staining the older toilet, although not the newer one. So I decided to take another look at the chlorine batch system.
I cleaned out the side tank that holds the chlorine rinse water and refilled it with fresh water. Then I took apart the connection and tried over and over to reconnect it without a leak. But no matter how hard I pushed on the pressure connection and the clip, it still leaked.
Batch Hose Connection
So I called the Clean Water Store where I purchased the system. The support person was very knowledgable and recalled working on the systems and having a problem with the batch control valve that pushes into the controller head and to which the hose attaches. So I tried again to push the valve into the system and look for a leak–it still leaked. But I partially broke the clip pushing too hard and I just asked if I could order another one. I was able to buy a whole new valve for about $18 with shipping.
Batch Flow Control
The vendor added the clip which he told me to ask for in the notes. When I got the new valve I connected it with the new clip and it STILL leaked. Back to the drawing board–or the installation instructions.
The instructions showed the order of placing the hose onto the valve by demonstrating the correct layout of the gaskets on the hose. Somehow I had installed them out of order! Of course it worked for the first 2 years like that, or at least I think it did as I don’t remember removing and repositioning the gaskets. But they were upside down and after I turned them over and reconnected the hose, it no longer leaked. Sometimes I wonder how these errors can escape notice for so long.
Batch Hose Gaskets