I want to install a water softener and also keep hard water to 1 outside hose bib for gardening. I have a bladder tank with only 1 inlet/outlet, so all the pipes are pressurized even to the well. If I I cut the line and put in a loop to the softener, I won't have hard water to the outside faucet unless the (submersible) well pump is running, and if I add tees the well water will be mixing with the softened water... Am I missing something or is this scenario impossible? Hope this diagram explains the system as it is now.

Well _______________ bladder tank and controls
I
To house

Did something similar at my house.

Using your diagram:

well _______________ bladder tank and controls
I
To house


Somewhere in the long line from the well to the bladder tank there shoud be a backflow valve. If not I'd install one as part of your planned improvements. Usually very close to the pressure tank.

http://www.google.com/search?q=well+pump+backflow+valve&hl=en&gbv=2&prmd =ivnsfd&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u

A softener will install in series on your short verticle line between the bladder tank an the "house". Any additional tee branch added from the inlet to the softener (before the softener) will be pressurized non softened water.

The "tricks" come with layout needed for the items added. In your case the softener. You'll have to wisely choose the best balance of cost requirements to interconnect the softener relative to the plumbing layout of your house. In my case everything went into a basement closet near the pressure tank. And since the ceiling is unfinished and I simply replumbed the outside spigot on its own branch to connect before the softener.

I would suspect such is usually the case, but there will be individual layouts that would be simpler (and cheaper) to do differently. It will all depend on the specifics of each system and the available space / access for the required changes.

HTH!

John K. Bullock

A picture is supposed to be worth a thousdand words. But a few well chosen words in addition can be worth millions.

I see now that your diagram shows a rather different set-up. Essentially if I am now interpereting it correctly your well head is "midpoint" of your system tee'd with one branch to the pressure tank the other to the house.

Option 1:

Ok, so if the above is correct my answer still is correct _except_ for the part about the backflow valve. You'll have to leave it out. My understanding of the benefits of such is to reduce head pressure on pump start and therfore increase pump service life. There are many variables in such savings so as always YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

I would assume that there are space / placement / access limitations for your pressure tank in the house? If not then the time for a more conventinal placement of these components would be with the water softener addition.

If the pressure tank has no space to move to, then a suitable water softener location will also be problematic since it _must_ be in series from the pressurized supply to the points of use that desire softened water.

Option 2:

For your system _if_ the location for the softener needs to be at the bladder tank or otherwise remotely located from the house then additional undergound lines must be laid.
If your willing to walk a bit, a hard water spigot could be installed at the well head with 1 new line laid from the well head to the bladder tank. Then bypass the existing line interconect at the well head and reuse it as the pressurized softened supply back to the house (not the direct path or the first choice for a new installation but it could save costs).
A design requiring hard water at the existing house spigots means 1 line laid from the softener to the house (a new soft water supply line). Use the existing house - well head - pressure tank plunmbing as a hard water supply line and interconnect these lines to the house as required.

However, the age / condition of the existing lines in question should not be left out of consideration. You'll be going to quite a bit of effort (sweat equity) or expense either way and reusing something that is already in poor condition _is_ a recipe for even greater costs rather than doing it right the first time.

I would also expect that there may be code violations in some of what I've suggested. If for no other reason to limit plumbers nightmares. And help a homeowner limit future expenses in repairing such a zigzaged monster.

HTH! :)

John K. Bullock

Why wouldn't you simply put a T fitting between the pressure tank and the softener? Run an outside faucet from one branch of the T and the other branch goes to the softener. You can even put the T between the wellhead and the tank as long as there is not a checkvalve after the T fitting.

Agreed.

Such was in my first answer.

But unless nknier33 replies we'll never know for sure. His layout is a bit unusual. Why would you remotely plumb the pressure tank if there was available space at the house? Craizer things have been done. My guess is that it was the main feed from the well at one time and what we have to the house now is an add-on.

If space at the house for a pressure tank is the problem then locating a softener there will be "impossible". If not, then IMO now is the time to polish up his layout.

Sincerely,

John K. Bullock