Fleck Valved Multiple Tanks -"What's Your System Number?"

The Problem:
Many water treatment end users can wind up inheriting an orphaned treatment system. Usually it was part of a package supplied by a car wash or a boiler treatment company. The situation becomes more confusing when there are multiple tanks with elaborate wiring and piping that resembles knotted intestines. Also, the owners manual provides little guidance or is lost. The following will provide a link to enlightenment and will help ID your multiple tank system and un-knot your intestines.

History:
In the days before reliable electronics, softener manufacturers demanded Fleck design a control valve system that could operate multiple tanked softeners and filters. Fleck labeled them "systems" and assigned them an elaborate numbering ID System 4,5,6,7 & 9. What no 8?

Here is what they mean:
- System 4 was the most simple, one tank time clock or water meter regeneration.
- System 5 multiple tanks, meter on each valve, operates parallel, regenerates sequentially.
- System 6 multiple tanks, only one meter at the end of the system, "split flow". - Systems 6 is popular for filters with heavy media that need to "SPLIT" the flow between 1,2 or 3 tanks to provide enough backwash water.
- System 7, the most popular, called the alternator. System 7 keeps one tank in service and one tank in stand-by. When the on-line tank is spent, the standby tank is put on-line. They alternate.
- System 8? Poor system 8, never happened.
- System 9 is like system 7, the altenator, but with more tanks.


Confused? Here is the link to Pentair Fleck Valve enlightenment.

For a minimal cost you can convert the "Wire Monsters" to state of the art electronics by adding NXT power heads.

The NXT have all these systems plugged in. Just select the one you need. Also here is information on the Aquamatic 962 NXT controller

Pentair NXT Electronics to the Rescue to a Field Customization Catastrophe

Recently, a customer called Res-Kem looking for assistance with troublesome Fleck 2900 valves at a car wash. The system was a hodge podge of "borrowed" components. There was a Fleck 2900 analog valve system 9, Autotrol 2" turbine meters, and a Autotrol 480 electronic controller. This set up was like someone putting a Ford motor, in a Chevy car, with Dodge transmission and expecting it all to work without any problems!

Solution:
Pentair NXT to the rescue! The new Pentair NXT electronics package is so adaptable we were able to economically convert the existing 2900 analog powerheads over to NXT powerheads (Res-Kem Part Number VLVFL29ULPHNXT). The conversion saved the customer from trashing otherwise perfectly operating 2900 valves and salvaged the existing 2" turbine meters. Astonishingly, the job was completed with no plumbing changes and only 1 hour of service disruption.

Most valuable tid bit:
When using Non Pentair meters, program the NXT to accept the "generic" meter. You will need to input the max meter flow rate and pulse count. BTW, Autotrol 2" turbine is 250 gpm max flow and pulse count is 14.