This article describes water softener resin beads: the different resin types, bead sizes.

We include a list of manufacturers of and sources of water treatment resin beads or similar products along with the product specification data sheets for various resin products.

Just as the water softener resin bead size is generally given as a size range by the manufacturer; you can actually see from our lab photos shown on this page that the actual resin bead sizes vary within the manufacturer's specified range - they are not identical in diameter.

Water Softener/Treatment Resin Properties & Sources

Sizes of Water Softener Resin Product Specifications & Resin Bead Sizes

The greater total resin bead surface area provided by fine-mesh water softener resin beads increases the softening capacity of a water softener by about 10 percent over regular mesh resins but the softener's filter that keeps the resin beads from leaving the softener must be sized appropriately as well.

• Definition: Regular mesh water softener resin beads: bead size is between 16 mesh (1.2mm) and 50 mesh (0.3mm) and the water softener resin retaining filter or stack distributor will use slots in the .010-.013 mm range.
• Definition: Fine mesh water softener beads: bead size is between 40 mesh (0.4 mm) to 50 mesh (0.30 mm) and the water softener filter or stack distributor will use slots in the .007-.010 mm range.

 

Water Softener Resin Product Data

• Purolite PRODUCT GUIDE - CHARACTERISTICS & APPLICATIONS [PDF] Lenntech info@lenntech.com www.lenntech.com Tel. +31-15-261.09.00 retrieved 2021/11/17 original source: https://www.lenntech.com/Data-sheets/Purolite-Product-Summary-Guide-L.pdf
  Excerpt: Inside this Characteristics and Applications summary you will find a broad overview of all Purolite Products.
• PUROLITE C100E WATER SOFTENER PRODUCT DATA SHEET [PDF] (2021) Purolite Corporation 2201 Renaissance Blvd. King of Prussia, PA 19406 T +1 800 343 1500 T +1 610 668 9090 F +1 800 260 1065 americas@purolite.com retrieved 2021/11/17 original source: https://www.purolite.com/product-pdf/C100E?MATCHTYPE=.pdf
  
  Also find Purolite C100 EFM Cation Softener Resin, Fine Mesh
• PUROLITE C100FM FINE MESH RESINS [PDF] (2021) Particle Size Range 250 - 600 µm, Screen Size, U.S. Standard -30 + 70
  
  Excerpts: Used in some "mini" sized softeners, and some larger high iron applications ( usually requires a gravel underbedding and special fine mesh distributor ).
  
  Only recommended for special applications.
  
  We recommend using the ResinTech CG8, Sybron C249, or similar "standard" mesh High Capacity resins for residential water softener applications.
• PUROLITE SSTC60 WATER SOFTENER RESIN PRODUCT DATA [PDF] (2018) Purolite, Op. Cit., https://www.purolite.com/dam/jcr:93bd98dd-de72-47a4-b678-3f31f03ae318/SST60%20Engineering%20Bulletin%20_2018FINAL.pdf
  
  Excerpt: SSTC60 is a high-performance gel strong acid cation resin for potable and non-potable softening applications
  
  Purolite's largest SST water softener bead size is 0.187mm in diameter in the bead active core.

• Purolite BASICS of ION ECHANGE [PDF] Purolite Corp., Op. Cit., https://www.purolite.com/index/Company/Resources/ion-exchange-resin-glossary/what-is-ion-exchange
  Excerpt:
  
  Ion exchange is a method for decontamination and purification of water and helps to remove unwanted compounds in water.
• ResinTech, Resin Tech CG8 SOFTENER RESIN [PDF], ResinTech Inc, 1801 Federal Street Camden, NJ 08105 USA Tel: 856.768.9600 email info@resintech.com web resintech.com, 16 to 50 US Mesh (297 - 1190 μm)
  Excerpts:
  Strong Acid Cation Resin, Polystyrenic Gel Crosslinked with 8% Divinylbenzene, Sodium Form
  CG8 has good capacity for ferrous iron. Iron content in the feedwater should not be more than 1 mg/L Fe per each 17 mg/L of hardness.
• Sybron, Sybron IONAC C-249 WATER SOFTENER RESIN PRODUCT DATA [PDF] Sybron Chemicals Inc. A LANXESS COMPANY 200 Birmingham Road Birmingham, NJ 08011 Phone: 1-800-678-0020 Fax: 609-894-8641 www.sybronchemicals.com
  Sybron is a Lanxess company. Resin bead size US Mesh 16-40.
  

The largest standard water softener resin bead size is 1.2mm in diameter

Purloite's UPS water softener bead size is 0.71mm in diameter

Sources of water softener tank resin to replace original material

...

Shown above: mixed bed ion exchange water softener or water treatment resin from CarboChem - cited just below.

Typical water softener resin is sold in bead-form, as a conventional gel polystyrene sulfonate cation exchange resin that is ready for use in household or industrial water conditioning equipment such as a water softener or water conditioner.

The resin should meet the specifications of your water softener manufacturer, and/or the U. S. Food and Drugs Code of the Federal Regulations section 21 paragraph 173.25.

• Contact your water softener manufacturer, since as we note: there may be other parts that you also want to replace at the same time: the riser tube inside the treatment tank, O-rings, Seals, Gaskets and possibly check valves
• APS Water: water softener resin beads, APS Water Services Co., 7320 Valjean Ave., Lake Balboa CA 91406, USA, Tel: U.S. 800-460-9011, Website: http://www.apswater.com/ Email: public@apswater.com

• Carbochem Ion Exchange Resins, CARBOCHEM INC. 308 E. Lancaster Avenue Wynnewood, PA 19096-2145 USA Phone: (610) 645-9200 Fax: (610) 645-5501 E-mail: HQ@carbochem.com Web: https://carbochem.com/
• DOW HCR-SS Water Softener Resin, DOWEX™ HCR-S/S cation exchange resin

• General Technologies, SPC, Nelson Cation Resin [illustrated in 1 cubic foot bag, just above] Email: support@nelsencorp.com Tel: (800) 362-9686 Web: https://www.nelsencorp.com/
  Locations at Ohio - (800) 362-9686 3250 Barber Rd., Norton, OH 44203
  Arizona - (866) 445-4299 14035 West El Cielo, Goodyear, AZ 85338
  Texas - (855) 674-0357 1012 Assembly Circle - # 100, Schertz, TX 78154
  Florida - (866) 712-6796 4410 E. Adamo Dr. Suite 102, Tampa, FL 33605
  
  Excerpt:
  CATION Standard resin is a high capacity, conventional gel polystyrene strong acid cation exchange resin designed for use in residential or industrial water softening equipment. Cation resin in sodium form removes hardness ions such as calcium and magnesium by replacing them with sodium.
  
  When the resin bed is exhausted the hardness ions begin to pass through the bed. Functionality is returned by regeneration with concentrated sodium or potassium chloride solution. The capacity obtained depends largely on the amount of salt used in the regeneration. Typically 15 lbs. of chemical per ft3 is used to obtain maximum capacity of up to 33,000 grains per ft3. Our standard mesh cation exchange resin provides for economical softening capabilities of both household and commercial water softeners. WQA Gold Seal certified against NSF/ANSI 61.
• PurOLite Ion Exchange Resins, Purolite Water Softener Resin, 8% Crosslink - this is the water softener resin product used in our illustrations above.
  
  Purolite Corporation 2201 Renaissance Blvd. King of Prussia, PA 19406 T +1 800 343 1500 T +1 610 668 9090 F +1 800 260 1065 americas@purolite.com
• Purolite RESINS for POTABLE and GROUND WATER TREATMENT [PDF] Product Bulletin Lenntech info@lenntech.com www.lenntech.com Tel. +31-15-261.09.00 retrieved 2021/11/17 original source: https://www.lenntech.com/Data-sheets/Potable-and-Ground-L-pdf.pdf
  
  Important excerpt:
  While ion exchange resins can be used to selectively remove specific contaminants, it is recognized that membrane and other broad-based removal technologies are suitable alternatives for reduction of high total dissolved solids (TDS) in brackish water supplies.
  
  Membrane fouling from colloidal particulate matter, TOC and scale forming compounds can limit the percentage of permeate water that is recoverable. Purolite’s membrane pretreatment resins can reduce colloidal particulates, TOC and scaling potential, to give a lower silt density index (SDI) and increase membrane operating efficiency and recovery rates.
• Purolite, WATER SOFTENER RESIN PERFORMANCE & LIFE FACTORS [PDF] retrieved 2021/11/17, original source: https://www.purolite.com/index/core-technologies/application/softening/factors-effect-softening-resin-performance-life
• Res-Kem General Water, Aston, PA Location 2 New Road Aston, PA 19014 USA, Phone: 800-323-1983, Website: http://www.reskem.com, Email: sales@reskem.com
• Sears Water Softener Resin Cleaner, an iron-removing chemical treatment available from Sears and sold through Sears Distributors. Sears Item# 04234427000 | Model# 34427 Website: http://www.sears.com
• Online sales stores such as Amazon

Diagnose & Fix Water Softener Problems: this article series describes procedures for diagnosing and repairing water softener or water conditioner problems including water conditioner control settings and adjustment or repair, brine tank and brine tank float cleaning and repair, and the proper amount of water softening or conditioning that is needed.

Also see WATER QUALITY & QUANTITY San Miguel de Allende.

...

Continue reading at WATER SOFTENER RESIN LOSS, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• WATER CONDITIONER / SOFTENER MANUALS
• WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS - topic home
• WATER SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CONTROLS
• WATER SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING
• WATER SOFTENER RESIN LOSS
• WATER SOFTENER RESIN PROPERTIES & SOURCES
• WATER SOFTENER RESIN REPLACEMENT

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