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Service
When the
water softening system
is providing soft water, it is called “Service.” During service, hard water flows
from the house main water pipe into the
water softening system
. Inside the
water softening system
resin tank is a
bed made up of thousands of tiny, plastic resin beads. As hard water passes through the bed, each bead attracts
and holds the hard minerals. This is called ion-exchanging. It is much like a magnet attracting and holding
metals. Water without hard minerals (soft water) flows from the
water softening system
and to the house pipes.
After a period of time, the resin beads become coated with hard minerals and they have to be cleaned. This
cleaning is called regeneration, or recharge. Regeneration is started at 2:00 AM (factory setting) by the
water
softening system
control, and consists of five stages or cycles. These are
FILL, BRINING, BRINE RINSE, BACKWASH
and
FAST RINSE
.
About the water softener system.
12
Automatic Hard Water Bypass During Regeneration
For emergency needs, hard water is available to the
home during the regeneration cycles.
However, you should avoid using HOT water because
the water heater will fill with the hard water.
Fill
Salt dissolved in water is called brine. Brine is needed to clean the hard minerals from resin beads.
To make the brine, water flows into the salt storage area during the fill stage.
Brining
During brining, brine travels from the salt storage area into the resin tank. Brine is the cleaning agent needed
to remove hard minerals from the resin beads. The hard minerals and brine are discharged to the drain.
The nozzle and venturi create a suction to move the brine, maintaining a very slow rate to get the best resin
cleaning with the least salt.
Brine Rinse
After a pre-measured amount of brine is used, the brine valve closes. Water continues to flow in the same
path as during brining, except for the discontinued brine flow. Hard minerals and brine flush from the resin
tank to the drain.
Backwash
During backwash, water travels
up
through the resin tank at a fast flow rate, flushing accumulated iron, dirt,
and sediments from the resin bed and to drain.
Fast Rinse
Backwash is followed by a fast flow of water
down
through the resin tank. The fast flow flushes brine from the
bottom of tank, and packs the resin bed.
After fast rinse, the water softening system returns to soft water service.