[Nick]

http://s377.photobucket.com/albums/o...%20Jan%202011/

or where I might obtain something similar?

It is fitted to an old Permutit water softener that was installed in about
1980. This valve is not OE and was retrofitted under warranty some while
later.
Basically it is a clear sealed plastic cylinder with a floating ball within.
It was filled with gunge and I have cleaned it as best I can with
detergents, agitation, mild bleach solution, more agitation and fresh water.
Quite a few times. I can find no way of dismantling without busting it.

I think the floating ball, or housing, may be worn as the valve is allowing
fluid to bleed through, this is allowing the brine reservoir to fill with
water.

In use the valve is mounted vertically. The short white hose connects to the
machine and the longer black hose connects to a gauze strainer within the
brine reservoir. The floating ball seals at the bottom and does not seal at
the top.This baffles me a little but I'll get my head round it.

Any old Permutit engineers around?

Many thanks,

Nick.

[Onetap]

On Jan 16, 12:12*am, "Nick" wrote:
http://s377.photobucket.com/albums/o.../Water%20softe...

or where I might obtain something similar?

It is fitted to an old Permutit water softener that was installed in about
1980. This valve is not OE and was retrofitted under warranty some while
later.
Basically it is a clear sealed plastic cylinder with a floating ball within.
It was filled with gunge and I have cleaned it as best I can with
detergents, agitation, mild bleach solution, more agitation and fresh water.
Quite a few times. I can find no way of dismantling without busting it.

YEAH.
It is a part of an Aquatrol (I think, I keep getting the maker's name
wrong, summat like that any road) 100 series water softener control
valve, made in the USA. Permutit and other softener manufacturers,
bought the control valve and assembled the softeners with resin
vessels, resin, brine tanks, etc. Aquatrol valves were used by
virtually all, because they were cheapest, reliable and effective.

The valve is now obsolete, but you can get spares for them. Probably
cheaper to replace the whole valve assembley with a 200 series job.

The ball stops air being sucked into the resin tank, after the brine
has been used and the (formerly floating) ball drops to the bottom
inlet of the clear cover. You get algae growing in it if it's exposed
to light. There should be a cover over the whole softener valve to
exclude light.