Fleck Iron Pro 2 vs Iron Pro 3 vs Fleck 5600sxt (Pros & Cons)

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Let me clarify one thing at the beginning. All of these three water softeners use the same control valve which goes by the name 5600SXT and it’s made by Fleck systems INC which is a subsidiary of Pentair plc. 

Fleck Controls INC not only supplies control valves but also makes its own brands of water softeners. Fleck Iron pro 2 and Fleck 5600SXT water softeners are manufactured by Fleck INC.

On the other hand, Iron Pro-3 is made by Abundant Flow Water Systems (AFW) which is water equipment supplier based in Pfeifer, Kansas.

Fleck Iron Pro 2 Water Softener Reviews

When you buy the Fleck Iron pro 2 water softener you get two things at the same time. You get a water softener and iron filter at the same time. This system uses an Iron filter to reduces iron from unbearable highs to as low as 6gpg. ‘

Due to its iron filter, Fleck iron pro 2 is able to remove iron up to 8 ppm or milligrams per liter (mg/l) and 80 grains of hardness per gallon.

Bear in mind that one grain of hardness is equivalent to 1/7000 pound of rock, so if you have water whose level of hardness is very high, it will be able to remove the hardness without requiring to regenerate quickly.

The Fleck IRONPRO2 Pro combination also has tons of great features. Due to its  Fleck 5600SXT Digital Control Head, it regenerates automatically; it is able to treat water at the rate of 18 gallons per minute.

Lots of verified buyers mentioned that they really love the bypass valve which ensures that you don’t run out of water when it is regenerating.

It uses a special fine mesh resin that is able to filter iron better, and the special resin is able to eliminate limescale from hard water.  It weighs 110 pounds, dimensions are 65 X 13 X 13 inches, and the color is almond.

On buying, it’s shipped in two big boxes and one smaller one. The big box contains the resin tank and the other the brine tank and another small box for the control valve.

Now before we start looking at installation, you should know that Fleck Iron Pro 2 comes with 10 years warranty for the tanks, 5 years warranty for the control head and 30 days satisfaction guarantee.

The main features of Iron Pro 2

• It uses fine mesh resin to effectively eliminate hard water.
• Has flow rate of 15 gallons per minute
• It uses a Fleck 5600SXT digital control valve.
• User-friendly interface that comprises an LCD display.
• The price is quite reasonable when you take into consideration the added feature of an iron filter.
• Incorporates a system for removing chlorine from water.
• 10-year warranty for the tank and 5-year warranty for the valve and the head.
• It has an electronic digital control on a backlit LCD display.
• Easy assembly and installation, and therefore, you can install it yourself. In addition, it comes with a very detailed manual that illustrates how to install it step-by-step.
• Great after sale service from the seller.
• Certified by Water Quality Association and NSF International.
• Able to handle 64,000 grains of hardness before it requires regenerating.
• Uses meter based regeneration; if you use a large amount of water, the softener will regenerate more frequently.

Fleck Iron Pro 2 Installation

When it comes to installing this unit, you will require basic plumbing skills. If you are installing it at home that has never had a water softener, it might be a good idea to seek some help.

Having said that, it does come with great installation instruction that is easy to follow. On buying this unit, you get free phone tech support. Email assistance is always there from the tech support team.

Installation steps

1. Load the resin in its tanks( take care not to load it into the brine tank)
2. Attach the control head by screwy it in.
3. Set up the brine tank and add salt
4. Set up the control head
5. Then the inlet/outlet connection.

The requirements for installation are incoming water pressure of between 20- 90 PSI at the point you’re going to install and temperature of 35-110 F to protect the system from freezing or overheating.

Fleck 5600 SXT

For a long time, Fleck 5600SXT was one of the most marketable water softener on the market. This simple system has withstood the test of time. If all you need is a simple softener without all the fancy add-ons, you will not go wrong with this unit.  The main features of Fleck 5600SXT are.

• Fleck 5600SXT is a simple water softener and it does not have any additional filters such as iron filters or KDF.
• It uses the principle of ion exchange where the unwanted ions which make water hard are removed and replaced with harmless ions from sodium through a process of ion exchange.
• It has a 48,000-grain capacity. Meaning it has the ability to remove 6.8 pounds of dissolved calcium and magnesium before it requires (Dissolved calcium and magnesium are the once that cause water hardness)
• It operates with a flow rate of 12 Gallons per minute at a pressure of 90 PSI
• Has a squared shaped brine tank which can handle 250 pounds of salt.
• Metered based regeneration- The regeneration is based on water usage. Having meter based regeneration makes it easy to use because the system regenerates according to how much water you use
• 10 years warranty for the tanks and 5 years for the control valve.
• The dimensions of the tank 10″ X 54″
• Dimensions Brine Tank 14″ X 17″ X 33″

Fleck Iron Pro 3 Reviews

Fleck iron pro 3 is not a just simple water softener. It can do three things at the same time by combining the functions of an iron filter, sulfur filter, and water softener. Iron pro 3 filter water with the follow

Fine mesh resin

Iron pro 3 has 2 cubic feet of fine resin which capable of removing 64,000 grains of hardness.

 KDF85 media

Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF) is a mixture of copper and zinc that is capable of filtering sulfur and hydrogen sulfide. It’s also capable of removing chlorine and a little bit of iron.

• For maximum performance, it uses a Fleck 5600SXT Control Head.
• Uses a simple LCD display with touch pad controls.
• It has a maximum flow rate of 16 gallons per minute.
• The tank is made with poly-glass material which is very durable.
• The Brine tank is round and measures 18″ X 33″ and can hold 300 lbs of salt.
• When it comes to installation Iron pro 3 is super simple to install. In addition, there are detailed instructions that allow for DIY installation.

Pro and Cons

Conclusion

Fleck 5600sxt, iron pro2 and Iron pro3 use the same type of control valve which is known as 5600sxt. This valve is made by fleck INc.

• Fleck 5600sxt has been one of the most popular water softeners. It is just a basic water softener that uses fine resin to remove dissolved calcium and magnesium which causes hardness in water. It has a 48,000-grain capacity.
• Fleck Iron Pro 2 acts as both a water softener and iron filter. It is very effective in removing iron.
• Iron Pro 3 does three things it is water softener, iron filter, and sulfur filter. It uses two methods of filtration which are fine mesh resin and KDF85 Media.

Best water softener

Thanks for stopping by and reading this post. If you are looking for more information on the best water softeners check out our extensive water softener Guide