Review on 💦 High-Performance Replacement Fleck Stainless Steel Bypass - Enhance Water Filtration Efficiency by Will Bremer

I have a Fleck 5600 water softener and I have noticed that the bypass valve is leaking quite heavily (a few drops per second). Even after turning the bypass knob (bypassing the softener) the leak continued, albeit at a much slower rate. This seal looked very similar to the original and as soon as I replaced the original with it the leakage stopped. If you're having the same problem, you can determine if the gasket needs replacing by looking at where the leak is actually occurring. If water is leaking from the maintenance bypass housing or the plastic center piece in the bypass housing, the most likely cause is a seal. To replace it, the bypass knob must be unscrewed. I suggest turning off the water supply to the house and then noting the position of the bypass knob before unscrewing it (you'll need to put the knob back in the same position). After the handle is removed, there are 4 screws on the top metal plate of the maintenance bypass that need to be removed, after that you need to remove the 4 screws on the bottom. At this point both panels can be removed by hand (or with a flat head screwdriver). You will need to push up or down on the plastic piece in the center that connects to the handle, at which point you should be able to pull the gasket out. I suggest putting some silicone grease on the new gasket (inside it) and then sliding it back into the case. Make sure the gasket is installed correctly. At this point all you have to do is insert the middle plastic part (a little force is required) and reattach the plates and handles. Note that the plastic piece doesn't have to be perfectly positioned, when you start screwing on the top and bottom plates, they automatically push the plastic piece into place. A simple fix for just over ten dollars compared to what a plumber would charge you. I'll keep an eye on the plasticizer and sealer and will update the review if there are any problems with premature sealer failure.