So you own a Water Softener….
Water Softeners remove contaminants from the water using a process called Ion Exchange. Basically, Cations such as Iron, Manganese, and Hardness are attracted to Resin Beads with the opposite Ionic charge. As the contaminants become attached to the Beads, Sodium Molecules will be released into the water stream. Eventually, the Resin Beads become saturated with Cations and they need to be Regenerated with a Salt Brine solution. This is a very basic overview of how Ion Exchange works.
One major difference between most Water Softeners is how the regeneration process is initiated. Some use timers, or meters. Some measure conductivity of the Resin Bed, and some use all of the above.
One key component shared by most Water Softeners is the Brine Valve (also called Throat Valve or Venturi). This small valve is basically a passage way that water flows through during the Brine draw process. As the water flows through the valve the passage gets smaller and smaller compressing the water and causing it to speed up. Then the passage way suddenly gets big, which causes a Vacuum. This Vacuum is what causes the suction on the Softener brine line, pulling Salt from the Brine Tank to Regenerate the Softener.
One of the most common service items on a Throat Valve is the Brine Valve. On most Water Softeners the water flowing through the Brine Valve is dirty. All it takes to plug one up is a large piece of Sand, or some Iron. You can tell that this is happening because the water In the Brine tank starts to come up to the level of the Brine Float Safety Valve. If you don’t know what that means that’s okay. Just know that the water should not be more than about 18 inches deep in most residential systems. If it is, call your service provider. Cleaning these is not something that an average homeowner wants to perform.
Also, if the Brine Valve does plug up a lot you may want to install a Filter ahead of your Water Softener to cut down on service calls.
So until next time, keep an eye on the water level in your Brine tank, get it serviced quickly, and enjoy your great Water!
Related posts:
