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5 Steps To Water Softener Troubleshooting
This water softener troubleshooting guide will help you get the most of your model.
If you notice a difference in the performance of your water softener and wonder what to do, use these five troubleshooting steps:
1. What are some indications that my water softener isn’t working properly?
There are several signs. Water will leave water spots on glasses or a film on ceramic surfaces. Soap won’t lather as well and it will leave behind a film or scum.
When you wash your hair, it may still feel sticky after it has been shampooed and it won’t have the normal shine. Salt pellets have to be refilled on a regular basis in order to keep the soft water flowing.
2. What should I do once I determine the water softener isn’t working correctly?
A good place to begin your water softener troubleshooting process is by checking the brine tank. Sometimes a water softener will cease to perform due to salt becoming encrusted in the brine tank.
Wash the crust away using soap and water and rinse completely. It’s also possible that salt has formed a crusty plug at the connection between the resin tank and mineral tank. Clean it in the same manner.
High iron content in water can leave deposits on the bead bed which will hinder a water softener’s capability. Use an iron-removing product to clean the bead bed.
3. I don’t have soft water, my salt storage tank is full of water and while the unit is in soft water cycle, water is running to the drain.
You are likely seeing the results of no brine draw. Disassemble and clean the nozzle and venturi. Using a soft tooth brush, clean the parts with mild soap and warm water. Rinse completely.
If the parts are iron coated use a resin bed cleaner. Your valve drain hose also may be plugged. Check for kinks, sharp bends or blockages in the hose.
Another explanation might be a leak between the valve and resin tank assembly. Using a simple kit, replace the tanks’ O-valve rings.
4. I don't have soft water and my salt level isn't dropping.
A salt bridge can sometimes form in the brine tank, causing a space between the water and the salt due to high humidity or from using the wrong kind of salt. The salt won’t dissolve in the water to make brine and the resin bed does not regenerate.
To loosen a salt bridge, use a broom handle and carefully push down on the salt in several areas. Do not use any sharp objects or you could puncture the tank. Make sure also to select and program a regeneration schedule with the timer.
5. I sometimes have hard water.
Check to make sure your time setting is correct. Next, set a regular regeneration schedule. You may be using more water than originally expected, so check the regeneration chart to make sure you’re performing that process often enough.
You may have a leaky faucet or toilet valve, which can waste hundreds of gallons of water in just a few days. Correct these problems immediately.
Water softener troubleshooting takes some time, but it’s well worth the effort to do it yourself instead of calling in a repairman.
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Water Softener Installation menu
Transcript
I’m Joe Fiorani, I work with Carroll Water, and I’m one of the Senior Techs here.
Today I’m going to show you how to setup your Wi-Fi on your EcoWater 3700 Softener or Refiner System.
To start, you’re going to want to hit the center button. The center button is going to be your main menu.
You’re going to then scroll down all the way to the bottom to Advanced Settings. Once you’re in Advanced Settings, you’re going to want to scroll down until you find Wireless Setup.
Once you’re in Wireless Setup, you’re going to have two options. One is going to be a WPS button, which is found on your router. The next option is going to be your Browser Mode. Browser Mode is what we’re going to use today.
From there you’re going to want to log on to your account using your EcoWater App on your smartphone or you can get on your computer and type in wifi.ecowater.com.
Once you’re logged into your account, you’re going to hit Add System. Once you are in Add System, it will say “Place your device in browser mode or connect mode and see instruction manual.” Basically, this goes through everything that you need to know. Once you’re in there, you’re going to hit Settings and get into your Wi-Fi Settings, go all the way up, and find your Wi-Fi. Once you’re Wi-Fi, you’ll see something called H2O and then a couple of numbers behind it. You’re going to connect to that.
It should redirect you. You’re going to open your app. Once you’re in here, it’s going to say “Select the local Wi-Fi”, which is your Wi-Fi. Once you’ve selected the WI-FI, you’re going to go down to the password. After entering it, you’re going to hit “Next”. Sometimes this process can take a couple of minutes.
At this point you’re going to look on your softener and it’s going to give you a keycode.
Once you’re at this menu, you’re going to notice this is where you enter the keycode to continue, so you’re simply going to look at the keycode on your softener, enter the same keycode, hit “Next”, and at that point it’s going to register your device.
Once you’re done registering your device, you’re going to set a nickname. Typically, I just put “Softener”. Then, as you go down, set your System Units in “English”, Hardness Units in “Grains per Gallon”, and then you manually adjust your hardness depending on what’s going into your house.
So, let’s say this [Hardness] is a “24”. For Iron I will just make up a number and say “1.2”.
For Salt Types, usually this is going to be “Sodium” unless you use potassium. The Date Format is totally up to you. The Time Format is up to you, as well. Typical Unit Recharge is at 2 am.
At this point, you’re going to put your email address in and a cell phone number. These are what you will get your alerts sent to in case there is a problem with the unit.
The first one you run into is a Low Salt Warning. Typically, I tell customers to turn that one on. You can choose between “Email” or “Text”. What I usually tell customers is to set it at about 30 days – it’s really just your preference, but I figure 30 days out gives you plenty of time to go ahead and get more salt.
Flow Monitor – I usually turn that on. You can hit “Text” for that too.
Excessive Water Use – I always turn that on. What Excessive Water Use is going to say is the unit counts gallons, what will happen is if a toilet is running or you’re using too much water in some area of the house, the unit will actually let you know and then at that point you can try to figure out what the situation is.
Water to Drain Alert – I always turn that on.
Error Messages is totally up to you. We can turn it on.
So the next one’s going to be your Service Reminder. I always recommend that customers turn Service Reminder on. Next, you’re going to notice that you can select either RO Service, Service Reminder, or Filter Service. I say for a softener just leave it on Service Reminder.
Now you’re good to go.
Typically, we recommend yearly services on these units, so I usually tell a customer to leave it at a reminder for 11 or 12 months. That way if we don’t contact you, at least you guys get a little reminder and say “Hey, it’s about time for us to come out and check your unit”. At that point, we’ll come out and we’ll test your water and we’ll see how well your softener is working.
Next is Lost Connection, which you can turn it on or off – it’s up to you. Lost Connection just basically says if all of a sudden your unit is unplugged or there is a Wi-Fi issue in your house, it alerts you that they no longer have access to your softener. You can send that in a text or email. Then, you’re going to hit the “Next” button.
Ecowater Water Softener Manual
At this point, your device has been added to the Wi-Fi. If you have any further questions or issues, just give us a call at Carroll Water. Thank you.