FAQs about how to diagnose & fix a water softener - set #9.

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.

Recent Water Softener Diagnostic FAQs #9

Recent questions & answers about troubleshooting & repairing a water conditioner or water softener, posted originally at DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS - home.

Be sure to review the diagnosis and repair advice that is organized on that page.

On 2019-07-03 by (mod) - water softener making slimy water

You can change the salt dose or the recharge or regeneration frequency. Usually those are simple pins on an older water softener on a mechanical dial + on a newer one that's programmable electronically by pushing buttons in the correct sequence

Exactly what you need to do to change the settings depends on the brand and model of your water softener. If you don't have the instruction manual you can find one in the ARTICLE INDEX

On 2020-04-09 - by (mod) - Kinetico softener used up salt while we were away

Jim

Responding to: Kinetico softener brine tank was 3/4 full of salt. We were gone for one week, so no water was being used. When we returned, no salt in brine tank and softener started to regenerate without anyone using any water. What could be the problem?

...

That sounds to me like a control head failure leaving the water softener stuck in "regen" mode or repeatedly cycling through regen.

The risk is more than wasting salt; if you are connected to a private septic system the risk is inadvertent flooding of the septic drainfield.

Give me the model of your Kinetco softener so we can see what the manufacturer suggests short of starting wholesale parts replacement or "shotgunning" the repair by spraying your money all over the place.

I might try a power-off reset followed by a manual regen cycle - before adding any salt - combined with watching the system to see what it does.

On 2020-04-09 by Jim

Kinetico softener brine tank was 3/4 full of salt. We were gone for one week, so no water was being used. When we returned, no salt in brine tank and softener started to regenerate without anyone using any water. What could be the problem?

On 2020-04-09 - by (mod) - Crown double-tank block salt water softener is not working

Martyn

Regarding your " Crown double tank block salt softener" - that is not providing soft water, please find your question and what is now a detailed answer offering several suggestions,

specifically under

- H - for Harvey Water Softeners & Manuals - UK

or found in

WATER SOFTENER MANUALS

and don't hesitate to post follow-up questions or comments

On 2020-04-09 by Martyn Kebbell

I have a Crown double tank block salt softener . ID N,. NEWS/1. Serial number 21776. service meter 750. We recently renovated the kitchen and to do so had to disconnect it and then when finished the renovation reconnect it . All buy a professional plumber. Since then we have been unable to get soft water . The plumbing work looks good and the by-pass is closed. The virus has meant the plumber cannot come back immediately. What might the fault be and how can I fix it?
Thanks
Martyn

On 2020-01-22 - by (mod) - water softener is dumping much water into a drain.

Anon

Check to see if it's running continuously - perhaps from a stuck control; if so un-plug the softener and then after 30 seconds or longer restore power and see if you can reset it.

On 2020-01-22 by Anonymous

My water softener is dumping much water into a drain.

On 2020-01-03 - by (mod) - need details to decode water softener error number

Chris

I can't say what the water softener error is from just our note; but if you identify the water softener brand and model then you can download the manual for your softener at

WATER SOFTENER MANUALS

and you'll usually find a table of error codes and malfunctions near the end of that document.

sounds as if we need to disassemble the bypass valve, clean it, and replace the O-rings

On 2020-01-02 2 by Chris

Hi my septic water softener says error what is the problem?

On 2019-12-29 by John

My 263/740f pentair filter won't stop running.

As of now I have cleaned the brine tank, tearing down the valve I found the injector and the screen filter were really dirty with black dirt.
Also when I turn the bypass valves on the back I hear friction like dirt grinding when I turn the valve

On 2019-12-11 - by (mod) -

Lori,

1. it's possible that the water softener bypass valve is not actually closing fully.

You might be able to check this by watching the controls on your water softener if it's a newer one whose display indicates actual water usage, or you might feel cooler pipes or hear water running through the softener piping - but that can be difficult.

You could simply replace the bypass valve assembly

OR

With the bypass valve closed (and being prepared to shut down the whole water supply system if necessary) ask your plumber to actually disconnect the water softener, OR to install a small piping loop with new valves that bypasses the entire water softener system by connecting ahead of the present softener inlet .

2. it's possible that there is salt in your water supply. Collect a water sample from a point ahead of ALL of the water treatment equipment and have that checked by a lab for salt, and while you're at it, check for bacteria, nitrates, nitrites. Let me know the result.

On 2019-12-11 1 by Lori

I have well water. My main comes in to an expansion tank, goes to a pre-filter, then my water softener. After the water softener it goes to a 4 stage filter system and then to hot water tank before entering house system.

My plumbing is set up with a Pex manifold and Pex piping throughout. When I bypass the softener I still get salt in my water. What can be causing this problem?

On 2019-06-30 by Peggy

Water softener makes it too hard to get softener off
What setting can u change it to in order to make it better

On 2019-06-14 by (mod) - brine tank that fills half of its height with water could be normal

A brine tank that fills half of its height with water could be normal depending on the water softener settings and the hardness of your water and the size of the resin tank.

On 2019-06-13 by Doug

I am getting like a half tank water! I drained and cleaned everyting in tank! It filled back up fine like 8 in orso so i added salt,it cycled over night and i have about a half thing of water

On 2019-06-02 by (mod) - possible link between Culligan water softener regen cycle and water backup in tub.

I tend to be suspicious of coincidences myself. It's possible that you have a failing a septic system with a clogging drain field. If that's the case it could be that the volume of water being sent into the waste system when your water softener goes through a regeneration cycle is saturating the septic drainfield field and causing slow drains or even a backup

On 2019-06-01 by Rob

I have a culligan system in my basement, every Wednesday night the system regenerates, every Thursday when someone tries to get a shower, the tub fills up and drains extremely slow until I plunge it, then it's good for a week. This past Thursday I spent an hour with the plunger nd still can't get the tub to drain properly. Any ideas if it's related to the water softener system or what else it could be?

On 2019-04-26 by (mod) - foam in the dishwasher

Foaming is usually caused by detergent and water but it can be caused by other contaminants as well.

You might look in the ARTICLE INDEX and find out article on water softener sanitizing and try that procedure.

On 2019-04-26 by kay fowler

Why do I have foam in my dishwasher after it runs a full cycle? It is not soap.

On 2019-03-05 by (mod) - Why is my water softener using all the salt overnight?

If we assume for a moment that your water softener programming is correct and the quantity of salt held in the salt tank should be sufficient for more than one regen cycle,

I have to assume that your system is getting stuck and recycling through the brine generation and brine backwash cycle repeatedly. So you want to check the programming and check the operation of the timer and control.

On 2019-03-04 by Drew

Why is my water softener using all the salt overnight?

On 2019-01-17 by David

Why would the Rock Salt in my Softener be freezing ??

On 2018-12-29 by (mod) - water softer was running non-stop so I pushed the bypass

putting the softener on bypass simply sends water that was going into the softener past it instead - that ought not foul up the kitchen sink. I suppose there could be some odd piping arrangement that we can't see nor guess at from your text. Follow the pipes back from the kitchen to your water supply source. Look for a closed valve first.

You can also see our diagnostic articles at NO WATER PRESSURE if you search inspectapedia.com for that phrase . Some of those deal with clogs at pipes, elbows, valves.

On 2018-12-29 by Bob

My water softer was running non-stop so I pushed the bypass to stop the water flow. This worked fine, except now I have no water coming to my kitchen sink. All other faucets are working fine. Is this normal?

On 2018-07-10 by (mod) -

I will take a look.

You might find if you're just replacing washers that they are probably a standard part that you can buy from a hardware supplier. It would be unusual for a manufacturer to design a unique general type washer for their product as that pushes the cost up unnecessarily.

On 2018-07-10 by Glen

Have a Nationspure Water System / RO. Need to replace some washers on the control valve units on top of tanks. I am unable to locate a manual and Nationspure believes they are the only game in town and won't provide a service manual. Any ideas where to locate Nationspure Service Manual?

On 2017-10-30 by Bill Durfey

I have a Morton Water Softener which produces ) hardness in the water when tested, but I still get a buildup of a white substance in my whole house humidification system. The media is to be changed one time yearly.

When I open the door, the water distribution tray which is just above the media pad, shows a white powder in it and when I remove the media pad I see a granular stuff in the bottom of the unit that resembles beach sand.

I have done a taste test to check for salt and there is no taste to the stuff.

This material is plugging the water valve which has very small passages. The heating system is under warranty today, but when I have to start paying the cost of replacing the valves, the cost is out of sight. ($400.00) I wonder if this can be filtered out of the water? I don't want to begin grasping at straws for an answer to my problem and install extra equipment. In addition, I have to check with the heating company that I purchased the system from, for permission to add equipment to the system, while it is under warranty.
Any Suggestions?

On 2017-05-05 by (mod) -

Jade Brunet said:
It is good to know that if your water softener is not making your water soft, you could be out of salt in the brine tank. I did not realize that the brine tank drain hose being plugged could also pose problems. Asking friends and family members about a quality water softener maintenance worker would be a good thing to do before hiring.

On 2017-03-20 by (mod) - Could be the heater needs to be sanitized

Could be the heater needs to be sanitized; taking out the anode rod doesn't assure that bacteria or other contaminants don't appear there, and of course you removed a device intended to protect the heater from corrosion and damage.

On 2017-03-20 by Debra Weidner

I just had a Whirlpool water softener installed which replaced my Culligan system that we had for 18 years. Now unfortunately we have smelly cold water (the hot water is fine we took the anode rod out a few years ago). What could be the problem? It is a new softener?

On 2016-12-08 by Cindy Tesler

Thanks for mentioning that water hardness refers to the level of unwanted minerals in your water supply.

More specifically you said that these unwanted minerals are usually calcium and magnesium. I think it's a good idea to choose a space for your water softener so that it is accessible from all sides.

On 2016-09-28 by David Davies

Any info on an SPG ISG 31215FKA control? This thing is mounted on the top of the resin tank, but I cannot locate instructions on how to adjust the timing, etc.

On 2016-09-18 by (mod) - unusual condensation on a water-containing tank

When there is unusual condensation on a water-containing tank I suspect that water is running continuously somewhere in the building. Check for that problem first;

Then you might consider a combination of

- insulation on the tank exterior

- identification & removal of any unusual indoor water or moisture source

- dehumidifier

On 2016-09-18 by Amy

Are Culligan medalist series water conditioner is condensating excessively on the tank and the water fittings on top of it to the point that it is rotting the plywood floor underneath of it how can I fix this problem we have tried putting a fan running on it but I can't keep up with you? The system is one year old.

On 2016-07-29 by (mod) -

A control head problem or a failed timer.

On 2016-07-29 by Gary

My water softener will only regenerate on manual what could be the cause/or what to do to fix.

On 2016-07-27 by Daly

My water softner stopped automatically regenerate, what could cause that?

On 2016-06-22 by Anonymous

I would like to find out the manufacturing date for a Medallist water softener - model mark 100 (Culligan)- serial number 1150137. Can you help me with this please?
Thank you
Ruth

...

Continue reading  at DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS - topic home, where you'll find a helpful water conditioner troubleshooting table, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Water Softener Diagnosis & Repair Articles

• DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS
• WATER CONDITIONER / SOFTENER MANUALS
• WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS - home
• WATER SOFTENER ADJUSTMENT & CONTROLS
• WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS - home
  • BRINE TANK BRIDGING or CRUSTING
  • DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS
  • BRINE TANK WATER TOO HIGH
  • BRINE TANK WATER TOO LOW
  • WATER SOFTENER BACKUP, FLOODING, LEAKS
  • WATER SOFTENER OPERATING CYCLES
  • WATER SOFTENER RUNS TOO LONG
  • WHITE MINERAL SCALE DEPOSITS on FIXTURES
• WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES

Suggested citation for this web page

WATER SOFTENER DIAGNOSTIC FAQs-9 at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

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