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.
This water softener repair article describes what to check first if the softener is not working properly.
Also see the FAQs at the end of this article for examples of water softener problems & solutions.
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Questions & answers about troubleshooting & repairing a water conditioner or water softener, posted originally at DIAGNOSE WATER SOFTENER PROBLEMS - home.
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On 2020-12-16 by Chuck
Have grey water after regen, Flushing 3 toilets 4-5 times water clears up. Have fleck 5600 10 years old. Have cleaned brine tank, and manual regen seems to run correctly. Grey water only occurs after regen.
On 2020-09-09 - by (mod) -
Jim
I'm baffled myself; is it possible that the bypass is leaking?
Where is water exiting? From the brine tank? If so, consider that we need water pressure coming in to push water out of the brine tank drain, as the tank drain is near the top of the tank - it wouldn't normally drain by gravity unless you've got some sort of siphoning issue going on.
On 2020-09-04 by Jim
I hear water running out of softener even when unplugged and on bypass. Just changed well tank would that have any thing to do with it
On 2020-04-09 - by (mod) -
Ken
I suspect that the control head or main control valve on your Clack softener needs to be rebuilt or repaired. It could be something as simple as a bad clock timer motor but more diagnosis is needed.
the key control for your Clack WS1 water softener, by Aqualux can be downloaded if you don't have it, at
CLACK WS1 & WS1.25 WATER SOFTENER SERVICE MANUAL [PDF]
and an extensive set of Clack softener service & repair manuals are at inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Water_Softener_Manuals.php#C
On 2020-04-09 by ken
Clack ws1 will not automatically regenerate, manual OK.
On 2020-04-09 by ken
Clack ws1 will not automatically regenerate, annual OK.
On 2020-04-09 by Dave
I have a Rain Soft EC24. System Stus shows Mt/Sw Failure. Brine tanks is half full of water.
Any advice to repair?
On 2019-11-18 - by (mod) -
David,
Some (more advanced) water softeners may regen in time or salt dose depending on the softener's monitoring of actual water usage or water hardness.
To understand what's meant by "not changing the numbers in display screen" we need to know what numbers and what settings are in question as well as details I'll outline in a moment.
About "taking so much time to change" I am guessing this is re-stating the first remark.
Tell us the brand and model of your water softener and together we can review what the manual says to expect.
Tell us also the specific settings you have made on your softener - each parameter.
That will let us figure out if the equipment is acting normally or not.
On 2019-11-18 by David
My automatic (time based) softener is only one month old.it does regeneration,using salt etc.it is not changing numbers in display screen and taking so much of time to change
Karo • a month ago
What are the steps to take after installing water softener backwards and all the pipes fill up with resin. Already flushed all the pipes. Do we need to do anything specific with the softener once its hooked up correctly?
You will have had to empty the water softener treatment tank and assemble it all over again with a proper resin charge and gravel charge.
Search InspectApedia.com for WATER SOFTENER RESIN REPLACEMENT to see details.
On 2019-03-11 by (mod) - WaterBoss 380 Plumbred backwards
It should be ok, Bob, as you haven't run a regen cycle, right?
And you haven't seen resin beads appearing at the sink or tub, right?
On 2019-03-13 by Bob
Waterboss 380 plumbed back ward is it damagedOn 2019-03-11 by (mod) - Fleck 5600 plumbing error effects
As long as the basket strainers in your resin tank are intact you would not expect to have lost resin down the drain. You will however probably need to run a normal complete regen cycle to be sure that you're not leaving excessive salt in the resin tank. You'll know that's the case if the water coming through the system tastes incredibly salty.On 2019-03-09 by Oops
Hooked up supply line to wrong side of Flek 5600 during set up. Started regen, caught it about 5 minutes intonfirst cycle. Did I blow all my resin down the drain?(Sept 29, 2014) Mark Louis said:
Soft water system has recently regenerated but way too much salt is coming through drinking tap cold water
(Oct 7, 2014) Ervin said:
The softener has regenerated and a little water is still coming out the drain and the tap water is very salty!
(Nov 2, 2014) tom said:
have salt water softner system and the water is very salty .help
(Oct 7, 2014) (mod) said:
Ervin it sounds as if your softener is stuck in "regen" cycle. Try powering it off then back on.
Then check the salt dose and regen frequency against the actual hardness of your water supply.
Tom,
Check the salt dose setting on your water softener. Also check that the brine tank float is operating freely.
(Oct 7, 2014) Michelle said:
We have a commercial Braswell water softener that's supposed to automatically regenerate on-demand. It has had all of the heads rebuilt as it is 10+ years old and wasn't producing soft water.
It now produces soft water however it counts down the gallons for awhile but then never regenerates on it's own and I start to get hard water until I manually regenerate all three tanks. Any suggestions? I'm guessing it's not counting down properly and doesn't know when to regenerate but not sure which part needs to be replaced so it will count down the gallons used.
(Oct 9, 2014) kevin said:
I have a sears water softener, 10 years old. After softener operates, cold water has a salty taste. After water runs for 10-15 minutes salty taste disappears. should i be concerned about this?
Kevin I don't know if you should be concerned, but I would check the salt dose to be sure it's set properly.
(Oct 11, 2014) Jennifer said:
We replaced our salt free water softener media and realized that the upper basket had fallen down which allowed the media to roam freely in our plumbing and reducing the flow. We had a plumber come out to flush the system but it's still not clear in some of the faucets. The media float so they have gotten into the valves. The plumber said we will need to replace the fixutures that aren't flowing. Has anybody had this problem and what was your solution? Thank you for ANY help!
See WELL PIPE RETRIEVAL TOOLS -
and see OIL TANK RETRIEVAL TOOLS - for examples of grabbers and retrievers.
A simple mechanic's bolt & nut grabber may work if it's long enough. If not you'll need to empty the tank of media while fishing out the basket.
Oct 29, 2014) rlmathern@centurylink.net said:
water is rusty through out the house after recycling. Tends to clear up right before it is time to recycle again. Used redout to no avail. Your imput would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou. rlmathern@centurylink.net
RLM
You want to first look at and test your incoming water supply to see if the rust or iron or other contaminant is from the water source. If incoming water is clear of those problems the you'd look for rusty iron water pipes, water tank, etc., or for contaminated water treatment, water heater, water pressure tank, water softener equipment etc - such would then be cleaned and sanitized.
If the trouble is in the incoming water you may need additional steps of water treatment.
(Nov 4, 2014) Daniel said:
I have a Harvys water softener which is two years old, it is not using any salt or regenerating. any idea what i can do?
Daniel,
First try running a manual regen cycle. If that works, and assuming the controls are properly set, then I'd look for a failed timer.
(Nov 4, 2014) Linda said:
Question;
I resenting had my water heater replaced and since then the brine tank to my Rainsoft water conditioner does not fill with any water
. It is an old unit, but worked perfectly before that. I cleaned the tank and tried to regenerate, but no water in brine tank. I can hear water in the softener running. Help!
Linda
A water heater ought not to have much to do with a water softener - I'd first try running the water softener through a manual regen cycle, watching to see what it does. If no water enters the brine tank, check for a stuck brine tank float.
(Nov 7, 2014) Bill said:
The salt reservoir of my Kenmore UltraSoft 175 softener fills with water whenever the softener is put into service. Is there a fix for this without calling a repairman?
Bill
Check for a salt tank float that is stuck;
(Nov 11, 2014) Bill follows up and said:
water heater was supply with hard water.
Cut in a new line to the cold water supply side of heater, to supply soft water. Cut new line in after old hard water supply shut off. shut off old valve, and only have new soft water line supply it. tested with test strips, the cold water at the sink is soft and the hot water is hard.
(Nov 16, 2014) joe c said:
water presser very low on system
This is a salt system
(Nov 16, 2014) Claudette said:
We are having a problem with greatly reduced water flow on the lines in our house that are connected to our soft water system. All non soft water lines are fine. Do you have any ideas as to what could cause this?
(Nov 26, 2014) Anonymous said:
not much water pressure from system
Joe and Claudette, diagnostics for your problem are at WATER PRESSURE LOSS DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR - home
Claudette
Indeed it sounds as if piping at the water softener is clogged. I can't guess if it's a debris clogging - repairable by cleaning and flushing the system or mineral clogging. Try cleaning and flushing the system.
(Nov 26, 2014) Frank W. Barry said:
15 year old Water Soft Model WSCB-32D appears to work fine but makes very loud water flow noise during recycle.
Frank
Do you think there's air in the lines - if so look for a leak in the brine tank tubing
(Nov 28, 2014) Anonymous said:
Hi. I own a SXT 5600 water softener and I am wondering what would be the cause of the Volume remaining display not counting down (always stuck at 939 GAL) even after I do a manual regen. I have done some research and some people say it could be the meter stopped working. Is there anything I can do to try to fix this without calling someone in? Thanks.
Anon
The Fleck SXT 5600 water softener control has replaceable head parts - you most likely do need to replace the meter, perhaps a common failure if one reads between the lines of service and repair instructions.
I advise against disassembling a water softener control unless repair parts - at least a full set of o-rings and gaskets - are at hand. Others of the same view are probably the reason they just replace the control when symptoms are as you describe.
www.pentairaqua.com can give you both instructions for the 11-step process to replace the meter and also the parts you need.
(Nov 29, 2014) Anonymous said:
Thanks for your response. Even though the meter has stopped working does that mean our water softener is not functioning at all? Everything else seems to be working fine just the volume remaining display is not counting down. Thanks again for your help.
Reply:
I speculate that the softener is working but not the meter.
12/7/2014 dawn said:
hi we own a WHES40 water softner that we noticed this morning is holding about 12 inches of water covering the salt. we never noticed this happening before and not sure what to make of it. could you please help us. very important we have this working properly due to disabled children in the household. thank you
Dawn
CHeck for a stuck brine tank float valve in the vertical tube found inside the tank. Let me know.
Air leaks in the tubing between tank and softener or a problem with emptying the tank can also be a problem.
Sam
If you have the installation/operation manual for your softener (or give us the brand and model) you should find a troubleshooting chart special for that appliance in the instructions.
I'd start by checking the brine tank float if the water overflowed from the brine tank, then I'd run an extra regen cycle to watch what happens to see where water is leaking or overflowing.
(Jan 23, 2015) Jerry Welner said:
I have a 10 year old Kenmore UltraSoft 180. It just had its resin replaced. After being put back in service no soft water reached the house. The system is not in bypass. Water is definitely running through the system as evidenced by a counter run by a turbine at the inlet.
I have tried a complete regeneration twice figuring that there might be a problem with the resin. The rotary valve goes through a complete cycle when regenerating and ends in the service position. Every indication is that the softener is in bypass, though the indicator on top of the rotary valve shows otherwise.
Jerry
If the water softener is NOT in bypass mode, try putting it there; if you get water then you know the blockage is in the control or in the softener itself. If that's the case I suspect a snafu in control re-assembly.
(Feb 15, 2015) bob said:
Question? water softener not working, put on bypass and lost water in tolet and one sink and low water pressure in another sink?
putting the softener on bypass ought not explain loss of water at some fixtures in the home - I'd look for a supply piping blockage closer to the problem location
(Mar 1, 2015) julie said:
large quantity of salt in bottom of softener has turn into one large chunk of salt. have been using a stick to try and break up the salt. I say the softener is not working properly but my husband says it is. Any advice?
Julie I' m on your side in this one. IF the salt is a big solid chunk then it's likely that not enough salt is being dissolved during the regen cycle - in turn that means water's not as soft as intended. I'd toss the big chunk onto an ice driveway, clean the salt brine tank and start with new salt. While you're at it be sure the brine tank float is moving freely
(Mar 8, 2015) Woody said:
Where can I purchase the white plastic gasket between the valve head and tank?
Identify the softener brand and model and serial number. Then you can easily get the specific gasket from the manufacturer or from your local plumbing supplier.
14 March 2015 Deb Phillips said:
My husband and I (senior citizens!) spend our winters in Acapulco, Mexico. Last year, we had a water softener installed (hot water line only) in our condo. Because nothing electronic lasts very long here, we opted to have a manual valve put on the system.
Our valve is Runxin model TM.F64.
Our resin tank in Instapure 10 X 54. Our brine tank is 25-30 gallons total capacity, about slightly less than 1/2 full of salt. Can you tell me the proper sequence and approximate times that I need to set the valve at to regenerate the resin?
The incoming water hardness is 250-350 ppm. The settings on the valve are "service", "backwash", "fast rinse", "brine & slow rinse", and "brine refill".
Also can you tell me how long after the regeneration I should wait before I check the hardness of the water (to see if I need to repeat the regeneration). I am a chemist but never had a water softener before and the "language" here is making it difficult for me to find the "right" regeneration process.
Deb Phillips
Please see WATER SOFTENER SALT DOSE SETTING
then let me know if questions remain
15 March 2015 Richie Olivares said:
Hi, I just installed a water softener. After a few days of use, the valve ran last night its first regeneration cycle; I noticed this morning that the tap water had a salty taste.
For what is worth, I checked the softened water for hardness and it's at 50 ppm (might be the saltiness I'm tasting).
Should I manually turn the knob to a rinse cycle? Will the taste go on its own? Any advise? Thanks.
Richie
I'd run an extra regen cycle
If you still find noticeable salt in the water then the salt dose may not be set properly
15 March 2015 Marty Petrone said:
I had a water soften installed in my home. It turns out the plumber put in what he called an industrial grade softener. After each time it cycles, when I turn on a faucet or flush a toilet it sounds like it there is an explosion. I am very fearful that it will burst my pipes.
I have had the plumber back several times but he says there is not a problem.
The other issue is that I have to put in an entire bag of salt each week which seems ridiculous to me. I don't live in a mansion; it is just a townhouse around 1850 square feet. Please advise me.
We answered this question at another article where you posted it in duplicate. Shortly: test the water for hardness to see what the correct salt dose is, estimate your daily water usage to see how often to set the regen cycle. Once those controls are set, run a manual regen cycle.
The banging noise you describe may be a valve closing suddenly - see WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE
16 March 2015 Anonymous said:
I have a Waterboss 900 that's stuck in regenerate mode. How do I remove valves to check for obstruction?
Anon,
We posted your question and wrote a detailed reply at our article on water softeners stuck in regen cycle mode. See
To disassemble the control you'll want to take a look at the parts explosion and to have an o-ring repair kit on hand.
If you don't already have an owners and installation manual for your Water Boss water softener, contact the company
http://www.waterboss.com/
to obtain that document. That will give you a parts explosion and repair procedures specific to that machine.
Meanwhile I'd put the system on bypass and turn it off so you stop wasting water and perhaps flooding a septic system.
(July 5, 2015) Frances said:
My block salt water softener has stopped working. Couple of inches of water is static in the bottom of tank and salt not going down. Any comments?
Frances
Start by checking the brine tank float to be sure it's not stuck.
10 Aug 2015 Greg said:
The WHE S40 continues to cycle, had a storm in the area and a power outage, once power returned the motor started cycling and never stopped, unplugged it restarted it again and it ran continuously. Checked the board and saw markings on it and replaced the board and it still continues to run non stop.
The Whirlpool WHE S40 water softener has some built-in diagnostics that will display an error code.
Unplug the power transformer for the water softener where it connects to the wall receptacle. Wait a minute. Plug the transformer back in. This should re-set the equipment and either clear an error code or display a new one. Let me know what happens.
If you don't have the Whirlpool WHE S40 series service manual [PDF] you can click the preceding link or use our page bottom CONTACT link to send me an email request and I'll send you a copy.
(Sept 17, 2015) pamela k lewellyn said:
Is the IN SERV selection on the gear wheel the same as BYPASS? My softener has been stuck in regen for over 12 hours and I unplugged it but it didnt stop running... Thank you
In-service means water is flowing through the water softner.
(Oct 16, 2015) Yandra said:
We bought our rainsoft water softener and filter like 8 months ago, we put new blocks of salt about two weeks ago, i forgot to reprogram it, but Today when i tried to, the computer was not turning on, my husband made sure it has power and everything is fine, but it just not turning on , what can we do to fix it?
Check that the unit is plugged-in and that there is power to that electrical receptacle. It may be as simple as plugging a table lamp in at the receptacle to confirm power.
(Dec 27, 2015) Ken said:
I have fleck 5600 water softener seems like brime tank does not drain all water.it does drain but not sure how much water should remain after cycle is complete.
then when tank refills it goes over drain hole.and I have no float in tank just water line with screen on the bottom.checked everything I can think of. Please help don't want to call in repairman.
Check for a crimped brine line between the tank and doftener.
Check for a stuck brine tank float
(Jan 3, 2016) Mark said:
My Sears water softener, ultra 800, is beeping. It did it about a month ago so I unplugged for 24 hours. Now it is doing it again. Any suggestions??
Thanks
The beeping is probably a control message indicating that cleaning, salt, a re-set or other maintenance is required.
If you don't have a manual that decodes the error message or signal, call the Kenmore Water Line 1-800-426-9345 and they will be glad to help you out. Let me know what you're told as that may help other readers.
(Jan 13, 2016) Donna said:
For the last 3 or 4 months our water has been so salty we can't drink it. When showering you can taste it. We have had two different companies try to fix it. The last person put in a new system and it is still not working properly. We are at our wits end. Any suggestions? Please help!
Donna:
With a whole new water softener installed I'm really surprised that this problem continues. What tests were done on your water supply?
Robert:
(May 5, 2016) Robert Dean said:
Flex 5600SXT 4 mths old. About once a week (for last 4 mths) water would have salty taste when I first turn on faucet and air would come out of line for about 2 minutes, it used very little or no salt out of brine..
I finally found out the water line flow was hooked up backwards at the softener. No resin or anything has come out of the faucets and there has been no hard water(rust stains gone). I just connected water lines correctly and manually started regeneration, is there anything else I should do or be concerned about? Thanks in advance for any advice.
(Feb 20, 2016) No water in brine tank said:
No water in salt tank
You should not see water in the brine tank unless the salt level is quite low. o
Try running an extra or manual softener regeneration cycle while watching the brine tank.
Using a flashlight if that helps, watch the brine tank float inside its tube. You should see water level rising and the float rising.
If it doesn't, then either the brine tank float is stuck or the control head for the water softener needs cleaning or repair or the tubing between the softener and the tank is blocked.
(Feb 23, 2016) Anonymous said:
I have a rainsoft water softener system and the water pressure in our home is very low. If someone is taking a shower upstairs and I turn the facet on in the kitchen they loose more pressure, works if another person is taking a shower in another bathroom.
Is this because of he water softer or do I have another issue with pressure and I should call a plummer?
In addition, recently the tank is full with water although we have salt in the tank. What do I need to do to drain this water. I have never seen this water level like this usually there is a little bit of water on the bottom of the tank if we let the salt empty but not much. What do I need to do? Thank you
Anon
It's easy to diagnose and answer the question you ask. SImply put the water softener in BYPASS mode. If the home water pressure increases noticeably then I'd suspect a problem in the softener.
2016/03/23 Colby said:
My water softner makes vert loud noises when I turn on any water facuets in the house, also reduces my water pressure by at least 50%. I recharge it and it seems to be ok for a while then it will happen again weeks later. Water bill is high from rechargeing all the time. Have the softner by passed now but need it on real soon. Please contact me via email. Colby.creighton@yahoo.com
Colby:
Please search InspectAPedia.com for WATER HAMMER NOISE DIAGNOSE & CURE to read how to diagnose and cure the noise problem you describe.
When a water softener significantly reduces house water flow rate (or "pressure") I suspect that its resin media is clogged or that there is a blockage in the control head. Try BYPASS mode. If that fixes the water pressure problem then indeed the trouble is in the softener.
2016/07/08 John said:
Question- i have a fleck 5600 every 2 days when the water recycles i have to let the water flush out in the bathtub for 5 mins to get the foamy water out, then the wayer is fine. What could be happening? I have already cleaned the screen.
John,
Have you tried cleaning the brine tank and checking the water softener settings against the actual measured hardness of incoming water?
If there is not a setting problem I suggest cleaning and sanitizing the system. Search InspectApedia for SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING to read details.
Then I'll have some more suggstions.
2016/07/08 (3 days ago) John said:
No I have not. I just bought the house 2 months ago and they had a company service it every month. Settings are all good, but I have not tried cleaning yet. It seems like its not totally draining during regen/rinse and drawing into the house.
2016/07/11 John said:
Did the brine clean and still foamy water. Anything else I should look at?
John said:
I did a brine clean and sanitize. I used about a quart of bleech in brine talk after now water has a weird fish smell in house. Any ideas? It still has the foamy water after regen as well. Im not sure where to look for air leaks.
Sanitize the system;
Look for air leaks in the system piping;
Look for resin beads or resin loss in the system water supply
See WATER SOFTENER RESIN LOSS - causes and cures
Then take a look at WATER SOFTENER CLEANING & SANITIZING
and see if that leads you to want to do anything different in the cleaning procedure.
Other sources of foamy water output from a water softener include
Check your water softener manual for the procedure for cleaning the injector. If someone worked on the system and left component of an internal check valve out, or work, on the system left an air leak in tubing or connections that may be the problem.
...
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