Common problems and solutions for water softening equipment

I. Water softener no longer regenerates

1. Controller cannot control motor rotation

（ 1) Power adapter damaged (no display on screen). If there is a similar power supply, you can test it with another power supply.

（ 2) Short circuit in the connection line between the motor and the main board. This may occur if water enters the control board or valve core leaks during installation.

（ 3) Main board damaged, cannot control motor rotation.

（ 4) Motor damaged, mainly caused by valve core leakage.

2. Unreasonable regeneration time setting

The water softener program shows that the regeneration time or flow rate has not been reached, but the actual water output is unqualified.

（ 1) Time type: The regeneration time is set incorrectly, exceeding the water production cycle of the system.

（ 2) Flow type: The flow rate does not decrease, the flow meter is damaged, and there is no instantaneous flow rate.

（ 3) The main reasons for unqualified water output are:

A. The impeller is stuck or sucked by foreign objects or iron substances and cannot rotate.

B. The flow meter wire is damaged or the flow meter socket is loose from the main board.

C. The control valve impeller is eccentric and does not rotate smoothly.

D. Main control board failure.

3. Motor rotates but valve core does not

The water softener motor cannot drive the valve core to rotate:

（ 1) The small gear of the motor is damaged. This causes the motor to be unable to drive the large end gear on the valve core to rotate.

（ 2) For valves with manual handwheels, the intermediate transmission device slips with the motor gear or the end large gear.

（ 3) The valve core is stuck by foreign objects and cannot be driven by the motor.

（ 4) Foreign objects are stuck between the motor gear and the end large gear on the valve core.

4. Water softener does not operate

（ 1) Mainly for flow-type water softener valves, the operating flow rate is set to 0.

（ 2) Positioning plate component damaged.

II. Water leakage after water softener installation

1. Valve body O-ring not installed

There is a small O-ring at the connection between the valve body and the central pipe. This O-ring is clamped in place between the valve body and the central pipe. If it is not installed or falls off, water can seep directly through the tank.

2. Tank O-ring not installed

There is a large O-ring between the tank and the valve head. This O-ring seals the connection between the tank and the valve head. If it is not installed or falls off, it will cause water leakage between the tank and the valve head.

3. Valve head and tank screw joint not tightened

The valve head and tank have a long thread that must be tightened to eliminate any gaps, otherwise it will leak.

4. Central pipe cut off or too long

The central pipe should be about one inch above the tank. It will not work if it is shorter or longer than the tank.

5. Upper and lower water distributors

The lower water distributor should be firmly glued, and the upper water distributor should be clamped in the middle of the valve head and tightened, otherwise it will leak.

6. Water leakage from the inlet and outlet of the valve head

The inlet and outlet of the valve head should be wrapped with sealing bags. If not wrapped, it may also cause leakage.

When the water softener has excessive water hardness, it is mainly caused by the following reasons: mechanical failure of the water softener, causing the equipment to malfunction; resin aging or failure, reducing the working exchange capacity, and old or failed resin should be replaced regularly; due to changes in the incoming water conditions, causing incorrect parameter settings of the water softener. Several common phenomena are analyzed.

III. Water softener water hardness exceeds standard

1. The test at the sampling port of the water softener is qualified, but the water hardness in the water tank exceeds the standard. The reasons for this phenomenon are as follows:

（ 1) The regeneration cycle is set too large, or the flow meter malfunction causes inaccurate measurement, so that the resin cannot be regenerated in time when it should be regenerated, resulting in excessive water entering the water tank.

（ 2) The backwashing time is too short, so that the waste brine that should be flushed away during backwashing is partially brought into the water tank.

（ 3) Unstable water pressure causes insufficient water replenishment in the salt tank, insufficient salt absorption, and insufficient backwashing. Any of these can cause the water hardness to exceed the standard after regeneration, affecting the water quality in the water tank.

（ 4) When there is little salt in the salt tank, it is not added in time, resulting in poor regeneration effect.

（ 5) Improper operation, closing the water supply valve during a regeneration process.

Any of the above errors can cause a large amount of water exceeding the standard to enter the water tank in a short time. It takes a long time for qualified soft water to dilute the excessive water before the water in the water tank can meet the standard again.

2. The test at the sampling port of the water softener is unqualified multiple times. This situation is divided into the initial water hardness exceeding the standard for newly installed water softeners and the water hardness exceeding the standard for water softeners in use, which are discussed separately:

（ 1) Reasons for initial water hardness exceeding the standard for newly installed water softeners:

A. The O-ring seal at the junction of the central tube and control valve is not sealed. In this case, check:

a. Whether the length of the central tube is sufficient and whether the outer diameter meets the requirements;

b. Whether you forgot to install the O-ring;

c. Whether the O-ring is damaged.

B. Damage to the central tube, with cracks.

C. The ratio of feedwater TDS value to resin bed height is too large.

D. The ratio of feedwater TDS value to resin exchange capacity is too large.

E. Inlet and outlet ports are reversed.

（ 2) Reasons for exceeding the standard of softened water hardness in used water softening equipment:

A. The ratio of feedwater TDS value to resin bed height or resin exchange capacity is too large.

Compared with the initial water test of new resin, the used water softening equipment has stricter requirements for the feedwater TDS value. When the resin bed height is 1.5 meters, the total hardness is 13 mmol/L, and the feedwater TDS value is ≥900 mg/L, it will be difficult to ensure that the softened water hardness ≤0.03 mmol/L.

B. Resin poisoning, aging resulting in reduced resin exchange capacity.

The exceeding of softened water hardness caused by this reason is a gradual process, not a sudden obvious exceeding.

C. Insufficient salt in the salt tank. When the water level in the salt tank is normal, but the height of the salt is less than 1/3 of the water height, the brine sucked in the middle and late stages of the salt suction process may be unsaturated, resulting in the concentration of the brine diluted by the injector being lower than the regeneration requirement, affecting the regeneration effect.

D. Insufficient total water in the salt tank. Our experience is that for every 100L of resin in the resin tank, the required water in the salt tank is about 35-40L. Exceeding this standard will lead to insufficient regeneration.

E. Brine suction is too slow. Within the normal time, insufficient brine cannot be sucked in. The reasons are as follows:

a. Feedwater pressure is too low;

b. Serious blockage of mud and sand in the upper and lower water distribution;

c. Wastewater hose deformation, bending, etc., causing poor wastewater discharge;

d. Too many impurities in the resin bed;

e. Leakage point in the brine suction pipe, causing air to be sucked in;

f. Foreign objects in the injector;

g. Air check valve failure, premature closure or blockage;

h. The injector is too small.

3. A large amount of gas exists in the resin tank. This gas may come from the gas in the feedwater, or the air check valve is not tightly closed during the slow washing process.

（ 1) Non-iodized coarse salt was not used.

（ 2) Internal leakage of the control valve: When the internal leakage of the general control valve occurs, water often comes out from both the softened water outlet and the wastewater outlet.