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Brine tank inteiror with no salt (C) InspectApedia.com DavidWater Softener Brine Tank FAQs-2
Q&A Water Conditioner Salt Tank level too high

Water softener brine tanks diagnostic questions & answers:

FAQs on what causes too much water in the water conditioner brine tank or salt tank & how do we fix it. Problem diagnosis & repair with brine tank float control & other salt tank level controls.

How to 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.

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Water Softener Brine Tank Diagnostic FAQs - Too Much Water in the Brine Tank

Water softener brine tank in normal condition (C) Daniel Friedman Mark Klug

These questions and answers about the salt in water softener brine tanks were posted originally at BRINE TANK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - be sure to review that article.

On 2019-04-25 by (mod) - can a damaged brine tank float well cause abnormal water levels in the brine tank?

Perhaps yes if due to the crack or salt falling into the brine tank well the brine float is jamming

On 2019-04-25 by tom

I have a crack in the brine well. Would that account for the excess water after regeneration in the brine tank?

On 2018-04-23 by (mod) -

Agreed with your plan. I would not call the plumber again to pay him for two hours of sitting to watch your water softener

On 2018-04-23 by Anonymous

Thank you for responding. On a Sunday, no less! It is indeed confusing to read that the water level should be above, or below, the salt level. My concern is that once the regeneration is done, all activity should stop (or so said my elusive plumber)...and mine continues to sneak in.

For a few cycles awhile back, it appeared there was no water
remaining at all, and I questioned that any water was getting into the brine tank as the salt appeared untouched...

although I could tell water had run off to the drain. Plumber did a full regeneration (and billed me for the 2 hours he sat around and watched it cycle), and said all was ok. Guess I will keep checking it each month and if it gets extreme will go to the hardware store where the system was purchased and ask for their in-house specialist. Like my plumber, but he's got one foot out the door, I fear.... thank you, again!!!!

On 2018-04-22 by (mod) - how much water should be in in the brine tank at the end of a water softener regen cycle?

Sue

This topic has been driving me crazy too. Some water softener brine tank controls leave virtually no water in the brine tank until the next regen cycle. But others regularly pump water into the tank and leave it there, fully dissolving salt into that water dose, to be at hand for the subsequent regeneration cycle.

Provided the water softener control is set or programmed correctly for the hardness of water and water softener tank size, the amount of water left in the brine tank is determined by the volume of brine needed to regenerate the resin tank - in turn thus depending on the water hardness and resin tank size and amount of resin charge in the tank.

That means that the volume of water may range from small and not even visible if the brine tank salt pellets are near the tank top, to large and visible, reaching the top 1/3 area of the tank volume or height.

I have not found one "right answer" to say the brine tank should or should not contain visible water. But indeed if you see water right up to the top of the tank, or if the brine tank water level seems higher after each regeneration cycle I suspect the control head or brine tank float valve is not working properly.

On 2018-04-22 by sue

Hi. I hope I'm not being repetitive with my question. Have a Pentair Fleck 5800 LXT water softener system. Noticed that about a week after a regeneration cycle, water starts to enter the brine tank, getting to 1/3 to 1/2 full by the time the next regeneration due (set to 29 days). Seems water should not continue to enter the brine tank once the regeneration is done. Can't reach my plumber! Thanks in advance.

On 2018-03-31 by Heather

The salt in my brine tank is low and I see there is a build up up of very fine salt sediment at the bottom of tank.
We removed the water and tried to remove the sediment. It appears to be very mucky like glue ? We removed some and there still is About 6 inches in the bott9me of the tank.

We then added more water and left it overnight . We have not added more salt yet. Should this be cleaned out completely before adding more salt and water ? Can you help ?
I believe the softener is still doing it’s job

On 2018-03-16 by (mod) -

Often the assembly can be removed, cleaned, and re-installed. I would not simply dump some product into the brine tank as that risks contaminating your water supply.

On 2018-03-15 by Matty

My Brine Tank Float Valve is probably stuck since the water flow keeps running, what is the best solution to clean it and which products to use to make it come back to life.

On 2016-11-22 2 by (mod) -

Briny

Your brine tank float valve is probably stuck, or the brine drain line is crimped.

NO, a water softener won't work properly without salt or without enough salt. The regeneration cycle won't regnerate and you'll have hard water.

On 2016-11-22 by why does my brine tank always have water up to the overflow?

Is it in part due to my lack of adding salt? Will these systems not function properly if you use too little salt?

On 2016-10-07 by arnold casey

I have a sears water softener and the salt holding tank has a small leak in the seam what can be used to fix the leak?

On 2016-05-08 by (mod) -

Thanks for the question Anon.

No there is not normally always water in the brine tank.

At the start of a regeneration cycle the water softener pumps water into the brine tank, then pumps salty water back out of the brine tank and through the water softener's resin tank and then onwards to a drain.

If you see a lot of standing water in the brine tank then something is probably wrong, perhaps a crimped plastic drain tube or a sticking brine tank float control valve.

On 2016-05-02 by Anonymous

I just installed my Aquapure today. I was confused about when there should be water in the brine tank and, from reading the comments, it appears that many others are also. I assumed that the brine tank would always have (significant)water it in order to have brine available when time for a regeneration. From reading some of your answers, I may be mistaken.

Could it be that the brine tank is mostly empty of water until a regen starts. Then water is pumped in and brine made for that cycle? What would be really helpful is a step by step description of a full regen cycle. Also, it is interesting to note that NOWHERE in my assembly manual does it say to fill the brine tank with salt.

I think that the industry assumes the owner knows more than we do.

On 2018-10-04 by (mod) -

Nilesh I really want to help but don't understand the situation.

If water enters the brine tank but never exits it I suspect a stuck brine tank float control (water level will just keep getting higher)

or

There can be an air leak or stuck control valve in the control head such that the unit's pump cannot draw brine from the tank.

On 2018-10-03 by Nilesh A Mahadane

I'm from India Maharashtra I'm working water softener work fild my problem softener manual water softener suck salt water in regeneration time for back water problem please solved

Regeneration time back water problem please solved problem

On 2018-07-15 by Amanda

My system only works when it wants to and never for very long! I dont know how old it is, it was here when we moved in. We back washed it twice now. No water in the brine tank.

On 2018-07-08 by (mod) -

Addition:

Some water softener models such as the Culligan High Efficiency Water Softener include a sensor probe that

"... detects detects the presence of salt-bridging, eductor line plugging and brine tank overfilling."

Below we show the location of the Water Softener Eductor Valve parts (on a Culligan High Efficiency Softener) that may need to be cleaned or replaced.

Watch out: when replacing an eductor, the parts need to be matched to the specific model of water softener

- the backwash flow control, eductor nozzle, and eductor throat sizes must be matched to the tank size.

David

When a water softener won't draw brine out of the brine tank (brine tank eduction failure) to use in a regeneration cycle check the following:

Fkeck DLFC Button Retainer at InspectApedia.comPhoto: Fleck 5600 model Drain Line Flow Control Button Retainer [Click to enlarge any image]

1. Check that the brine tank float valve moves freely, is not stuck, not blocked

2. Check that the tubing between water softener brine tank and the softener itself is not kinked, disconnected, leaking.

An air leak in tubing can be enough to keep the system from drawing brine.

3. Try a manual regeneration cycle and watch the system: if the softener works in manual regen then the issue is the control head or clock or programming of the unit. If the softener still won't draw brine, then

4. Check the manual for your softener to see if there is a backwash restrictor or check valve or DLFC restrictor/flow control (this is the Drain Line Flow Control button I will illustrate by a photo here)

- a DLFC may also be used on the brine tank system as a BLFC or "Brine Line Flow Control" that could be clogged or damaged - try operating the system with this part removed.

5. Check that the brine pick-up - aka brine injector - possibly labelled an injector on some instructions - is un-blocked and properly connected.

Look for cracks in the plastic part(s), or a torn or nicked O-ring gasket - either of which will prevent brine pick-up from the brine tank.

On many Culligan softeners the Brine eductor nozzle and throat (that's the brine pickup) can become clogged with sediment, scale, debris.

Find this part on your softener's manual parts diagram, remove it, inspect it for cleaning, clean it or if visibly torn, cracked, damaged, replace it.

6. You may need to replace the brine piston and seal cage (look for these parts on the parts explosion for your softener)

7. You may need to re-build or replace the control valve in the control head on the softener

Some water softeners use an "autotrol" control valve.

If the two large valves in this component don't close fully during the brine-rinse stage of a softener regeneration cycle (also called "brine draw cycle") the softener cannot pump or draw brine out of the brine tank.

Instead, leaky valves can cause water to leak into the brine tank when the control should be removing brine from the tank.

Older rubber or vinyl gaskets, valve parts, seals, can also be damaged if your water supply is high in chlorine.

It may be necessary to re-build the valve assembly which, depending on softener model may be labelled in your parts explosion as "Valve Disc", "Rotor Disc", "Rotor Disc Valve", or "Piston Assembly".

As will be obvious, it's helpful to take a look at the installation, operation, repair manual for your specific brand and model water softener.


On 2018-07-08 by davidbell3

Culligan water softener brine tank, empty (C) InspectApedia.com David@David, seems like some posts suggest that water is not drawing from the brine?

Hi,
I have a Culligan water softener. My water softener brine tank is filled about halfway with water. Whenever the softener tries to run in regeneration, it runs for about 5 seconds and stops (the wheel inside the assembly turns and then stops).

I have tried to put a broom handle in the bottom to no avail.

There appears to be no salt inside the tank, just water. I have cleaned off a lot of small pieces and washers inside the assembly. The drain pipe is not clogged.

On 2018-01-09 23:11:06.953084 by (mod) -

Alysia

If we're talking about the brine tank serving a water softener, we fill the tank to near the top with salt or salt pellets or equivalent.

During a water softener regen cycle the water softener / water conditioner will pump water into the brine tank to a depth of as much as several feet, then pump that salty water back out of the tank and through the water softener to regenerate its sodium content.

If you see standing water in the water softener, chances are it needs adjustment or repair, perhaps to a stuck brine level float control. But start by simply running an extra regeneration cycle to see what happens to the water.

On 2018-01-09 20:51:31.585911 by Alysia

How full of water should the tank be?

On 2017-12-29 22:52:29.867841 by (mod) - Waterite Technologies contact information

Lucy,

Brine tanks are typically rather generic and replaceable - it's a simple plastic container with a float control.

I would contact the company that sells Fusion2 softeners directly at

On 2017-12-29 21:06:30.124542 by Lucy

HI have a fusion 2 water softener and the brine tank has accumulated salt at the bottom ... anyone know where a replacement can be purchased?

On 2017-12-16 01:07:15.530290 by (mod) -

JOe

The softener may be simply going through a deferred or needed regeneration cycle.

But if the cycle doesn't stop after the usual interval then that sounds as if the unit control head is stuck.

Try a manual regen cycle to see if the control can recover.

If not it's time to call for repair.

On 2017-12-15 21:40:24.257590 by Joe

My water softener ran out of salt turned it back on with salt now it is constantly draining?

On 2017-12-05 02:15:25.624765 by (mod) -

Perhaps excess brine

Perhaps calciuim or mineral deposits.

On 2017-12-05 02:08:06.011942 by Sue

?hot water white,

On 2017-11-22 21:06:44.472308 by (mod) -

If by pellets you mean the water softener resin, and most likely a filter strainer in the bottom of your water softener has failed and will need to be replaced.

On 2017-11-22 13:43:47.493076 by Joyce Boehm

I'm getting pellets in the faucets. Had the softer for 10 years without a problem.

On 2017-10-15 13:33:56.258078 by Chris

My brine tank keeps filling halfway up lately. I took off the brine line from the float assy and placed the line directly into the tank. Set unit to Brine dn. The suction is very strong. The after 15 min....the brine line is pushing water (weak, but still enough to pour out of line if you hold it above water) into the tank. What is causing this?

On 2017-08-05 11:57:26.683379 by ricky kieper

I installed a water boss softener new in may it has not used any salt also installed 2 whole house filters prior to well pressure tank then softener. Home is on a well 100yds from a river so well water may be pulled from there

On 2017-08-01 13:56:56.323264 by Dan Theel

how do you adjust the float on a whirlpool

On 2017-06-26 09:22:59.315445 by Anonymous

Douglas,

Typically when you find resin beads escaping the water softener it's because the bottom pickup tube filter screen has become damaged. Unfortunately to fix that requires emptying the softener pulling out the tube replacing the bottom screen and then refilling it with resin Etc

On 2017-06-26 05:18:56.502659 by Douglas

Resin beads just started showing up after about two months on my Fleck 5600. I noticed when filling my kids pool the resin. Also found it in my shower and sink screens. I did have water in my brine tank also.

On 2017-05-02 01:30:26.357107 by Steve

Why does water come out my brine tank overflow drain when my well pump runs?
Well tank is at the proper pressure. Well pump runs fine.

On 2017-05-01 21:56:00.041917 by Donna

My water boss system had been working well but just last night it is holding water more then half full


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