Water Softener Resin Loss FAQs
Q&A about water softener resin beads

Why does water softener discharge briefly after a toilet is flushed?

My water softer discharges briefly when toilet is refilling after use. I recently serviced unit because water was about half way up my salt tank. I'm sure parts were reinstalled correctly. Softener is a kenmore. May help would be appreciated - On 2020-01-04 by Bob

Reply by Mod

Bob

There is not normally any relationship between flushing a toilet and the operation of a water softener.

Really? Well no. Look for a relationship between a change in supply system water pressure (such as when a toilet is flushed) and a malfunctioning check valve in or at the water softener's control head.

Separately, If a toilet runs incessantly that will use a lot of water and in turn could, with automagic water softeners, cause the softener to cycle through a regeneration cycle more-often.

What about brief leaks from the softener when other plumbing fixtures operate?

However (I am absolutely making this up) there could be an obscure relationship.

For example, a small drop in water pressure when a faucet is opened or when a toilet fill valve starts to re-fill a toilet cistern, OR a slam or bang or impact of water in the piping system (search InspectApedia.com for WATER HAMMER) might cause a loose valve or control to open or move a bit.

Try putting the softener in bypass and see what happens when you flush the toilet.

Listen to see if there is water hammer in your system.

See if slightly opening a faucet, instead of flushing the toilet, causes the same effect.

by Bob

@Anonymous,
Found my problem to be float valve was not seating.

When opening a faucet or flushing toilet, the drop in water pressure caused softener to push small amount of water into the brine well , as well as out the drain line.

Lowered my float stop by 1" under the 10" recommend distance and it works fine. Thanks anonymous your input rebooted my thinking process🤓

by (mod) - problem was float valve not seating

Bob

Thank you so much for following up. That detail documents and then usual problem that will certainly assist other readers in the future.

Separately we have written about the problem of brine tank float valve is getting stuck. Sometimes you can descale the valve parts or it may be better to just replace it.

The Problem with lowering or changing the float height is that you may be changing the dose or volume of brine that the water softener obtains.

Gravel showing up in top basket of water softener

Getting gravel in the top basket of my softener. Both bottom and top basket appear to be normal and no breakage
What could be the cause? On 2019-08-26 by Jeff

Reply by (mod) -

Jeff

You may know that at the bottom of a typical water softener resin tank is a layer of gravel intended to keep resin from being drawn into the plumbing system; if the gravel in the top basket matches the softener gravel then either there's basket damage somewhere or you have very unusual water pressure and turbulence in the softener.

(Or there's another source we've not considered.)

Diagnose orange slime in the water softener system

Bob said [paraphrased]

I'm seeing orange slime in the water system and on fixtures - is that due to water softener resin beads escaping the softener

Reply:

Bob

Great question. No it's not "normal and its probably not coarse resin beads.

Resin beads will show up as large round particles, or for old deteriorated resin, possibly as very fine granular debris.

Slime is probably something else.

When you see an orange slime coating in water treatment equipment there's a good chance that you're seeing a deposit caused by iron or magnesium-loving bacteria.
We discuss this problem, its cause and cure at

WATER STAINING CONTAMINANTS

Other colored slime could be an algae contamination problem in the softener.

See WATER SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING

OK to use Purolite C100E as a fine mesh resin in a water softener?

Is purolite c100E resin considered a fine mesh resin On 2021-11-16 by Reggie

Reply by Inspectapedia Com Moderator (mod)

@Reggie,

We've added Purolite's product data sheet for the company's C100E water softener resin beads - now in the article series at WATER SOFTENER RESIN LOSS. (Clear or refresh your browser cache to see the updated page).

Purolite C100E beads are in the Particle Size Range 300 - 1200 µm making it a fine-mesh bead size.

See details at

WATER SOFTENER RESIN PROPERTIES & SOURCES

Thank you for asking you're helpful question

Cloudy water and dark gray "sand" in my bath tubs: coming from my North Star water softener?

I have recently started having cloudy water and a very fine black/dark grey “sand” in the bottom of bath tubs could this be caused by my water softener? I am on a well but have a cartridge filter water before it goes into the softener.

Below is a photo of my North Star water softener.

It’s about 11 years old

I have no idea what make/ model. Would there be a label on back?

Reply by (mod) - source of cloudy water and gray sand in water supply

Water softeners don't normally contain sandy particles but they do contain small round resin beads like the ones shown in the photo I"ll attach.

If you're seeing sand I suspect there's debris coming out of your well.

Or your water heater anode has deteriorated and needs replacement.

Our photo shows what water softener resin beads look-like.

Softeners normally contain

- resin beads and
below the resin beads
washed gravel

It's odd IMO but perhaps your softener set-up used a sand bed - or it's not just a softener.

What's the brand, model, age?

ANyway in general if we are getting particles out of a softener we figure that a basket/filter at the pick-up tube in the softener is probably loose or damaged.

by Amy

There is a filter before the softener and if I draw a bucket at a faucet right at the well there is no black sediment present there. .

by (mod) - how to identify your North Star water softener model

North Star water softener manuals are available from the company at

https://www.northstarwater.com/technical-support/owners-manuals/

Look on your control or on other labels or documentation to find your model number so that you can be sure you have the right manual to download.

by Amy - North Star model number NSC30UD

Found label it’s a North Star model number NSC30UD. About 11 years old

by (mod) - How to get manuals and parts for North Star Water Softeners

It occurs tome that if your sofener has not been regenerating properly or even if it has it might have accumulated debris over its years of service and its resin tank may need cleaning and new resin installed.

Let me know what the company tells you.

NORTH STAR WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS
1890 Woodlane Drive
Woodbury, MN 55125
1-800-972-0135
info@northstarwater.com