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How a Water Softener Works
Softening Cycle
When the water softener is providing soft water, it is called “service” or the “softening cycle”. During
this cy cle, hard water flows from the main water pipe in the household into the wate r softener. Inside
the 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 hardness minerals. Water without the hardness minerals (soft
water) flow s from the water softener to the rest of the house.
Regeneration Cycle
Eventually the beads become coated with calcium or magnesium ions. Atthis point,the wa ter softener
needs to replenish the beads with sodium ions. This proc ess is called “regeneration”.
Regeneration occurs when the resin beads are washed with a strong salt water solution. The sodium
forces the calcium and magnesium ions to be released where they are then discharged as waste during
the regeneration cycle. The beads are then ready to once again to collect the hardness minerals
(calciumand magnesium) from the water. Regeneration consists of five cycles; brine fill, brining, brine
rinse, backwash an d fast rinse. The total time of the regeneration cycle is approximately two hours.
Water Conditioning Information
Water Conditioning
Water conditioning is the treatment of f our general conditions. These are:
Hardness
Iron
Acidity
Sediments
1. Hardness is a term to describe the presence of calcium and magnesium minerals in water. A
chemical analysis accurately measures the amount of miner als in grain weight. For example, one
gallon of water with 5 grains per gallon (gpg) hardness has dissolved minerals, that if solidified,
about equals the size of oneordinary aspirin tablet. One gallon of water, 25 gpg hard, has a mineral
content equal in size to 5 aspirin tablets. Wate r har dness varies greatly across the country. It
generally contains from 3 to 100 gpg.
Hardness miner als combine with soap to make a soap curd. The curd greatly reduces the cleaning
action of soap. Precipitated hardness minerals form a crust on cooking ute n sils, appliances, and
plumbing fixtures. Even the tastes of foods are affec ted. A water softener removes the hardness
minerals to eliminate these effects, and others.
IMPORTANT: Water softeners using sodium chloride (salt) for regeneration add sodium to the
water. Persons on sodium restricted diets should consider the added sodium as part of their overall
intake.Watersoftenersusingpotassiumchloride(salt)for regenerationadd potassiumto thewater.
Persons on potassium re stricted diets should consider the added potassium as part of their overall
intake.