Fleck 5600 SXT Water Softener Ships Loaded With Resin In Tank For Easy Installation (32,000 Grains, Black)

We have VERY hard water and looked into many of the popular options for installing a water softener. We were quoted everything from $1600 to $4000 and became confused as to what we actually needed and what they are trying to sell us. Ultimately, six months ago I ordered this softener and scheduled the install through Amazon. The local plumber who came was punctual, polite and very helpful. The process was very easy and several hundred dollars cheaper than our alternatives even after install. Our dishes actually come clean and our skin is not as dry so we are very happy. Highly recommend.

Water softener is relatively compact and easy to install. Easy to change all the digital settings. Has been working great so far. No noticeable drop in pressure. I would recommend you do research to make sure you buy the correct size. The seller recommended a size way too big based on my house size and number of baths without even considering water consumption which I was able to find on water bills rather than estimate. Also they told me not to change settings, which when I contacted the manufacturer advised to change to make it more efficient. If you have a well you want to regenerate once a week to prevent bacteria build up so it isn't a good idea to get a larger unit and regenerate once a month. The problem with getting a water softener that is too big is you are either wasting salt by regenerating when you don't need to or you are wasting water by requiring nearly twice as much water during the regeneration stage. Good product. I would recommend

After significant research on whole house softeners, I chose the Fleck 5800 LXT 32,000 grain based on the excellent reviews. The product arrived at my door quickly and undamaged. I'm in a single person household, and a call to the water department verified that the water is only moderately hard at 6 grains per gallon. Still, my faucets, shower heads, vehicles, etc. have terrible calcium build up on the surfaces after years of use without a softener. When washing the car (even in the shade), I used to have to dry sections with a towel before washing the next section. Otherwise, the spots that would immediately form could only be removed with a semi-abrasive polish, which is harmful to the paint. The first time I washed the car with the Fleck operating, I couldn't believe it. No adhering spots! The few that I did see wiped off with a towel. I'm very satisfied with this product. I only have two complaint so far after a month of use. The instructions are not home owner friendly, so getting the correct settings programmed into the control head took quite a bit of time investment online. The other problem I've had is that if not enough water is used before a preprogrammed 30 day max regen cycle occurs, the control unit goes into an error mode, which disables all functions. After more on-line research, I learned that this can be reset with a button on the back of the control head. Kind of a nuisance, and hope it doesn't continue to happen. That is why I took off one star from what could easily be a five star rating otherwise.

I had to replace a 23 yr old Hague Watermax that was extremely difficult to get parts for. After doing some research and chatting with friends who'd installed this unit, I decided to go ahead and order it. Delivery was ahead of schedule which was fine. I had to modify some hard plumbing because this unit is quite a bit taller than the old one. Got it hooked up and went on-line to get the manual so I could do the initial controller set up. Got all that squared away and everything worked just fine. It's nice to have soft water again and be able to source replacement parts rather quickly if needed. I'm very pleased with this purchase.

The brass compression nut needed to connect the brine hose to the control head was missing. A brine connection kit was included but the compression nut was the wrong size...too big. The manual seemed to indicate that the compression nut should have been screwed on to the fitting on the control head when it was packaged, but it wasn't there. I will need to go to the hardware store to purchase what I think is a 3/8" compression nut to complete the installation. Also, I'm used to seeing a salt grid plate on the bottom of the salt tank but this unit apparently doesn't have one, so the float assembly tube just sits on the bottom of the tank.

Water Softener (5600sxt 30,000 Grain) arrived a couple days ahead of scheduled date, which was nice. Very thorough youtube video explaining and showing step-by-step installation. However, there are TWO youtube installation videos available. The one dated in 2018 is the one you should watch and follow. After the installation and first "manual regeneration" was completed. I thought the water height now in the salt bin was a problem. I called the selling company, and discovered everything was fine. They were VERY helpful on the phone call. Thanks for the great product, and willingness to spend a little time on the phone when needed by a customer. Thumbs-Up all the way around.

This stopped working after a few months and the plumber was unable to fix it. Unable to return since it had been over 90 days.

Within a month, likely 2 regeneration cycles into ownership post install it started flooding our basement (thankfully in unfinished closet and luckily we were able to point the pipe into floating basement seam that drains to our sump, after cleaning up what leaked before we caught it). Pentair, the manufacturer, tried to provide fixes geared towards something being wrong with the pressure in our pipes, none of which solved our problem. Our plumber had to come back out and rebuilt the inside of the brine tank--the thought is the float assembly was loose. We are hoping the float assembly is not faulty but if it fails again we will know it is. This is not a pricey softener but it's still not cheap enough that failing in less than 30 days and leaking gallons of water is acceptable! 😠