Brine tank overflow
 

We woke up this morning to find that the brine tank overflowed. We were negligent this last week and didn't fill it with salt. Also, I just installed a water pressure tank and there was a lot of black earth residue at the bottom of the brine tank (and in all the lines of the house) that I have now cleaned out. Should I just put salt in it and regenerate, or is there something else I should do?

Thanks.

Brine tank overflow
 

Michael,

It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have. Sounds
as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue" problem
I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding tank and
pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water is fairly
clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to flush the crud
out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not you'llneed to clean or
rebuild the valves.

Dave M.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 08:50:26 -0400, "David L. Martel"
wrote:

Michael,

It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have. Sounds
as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue" problem
I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding tank and
pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water is fairly
clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to flush the crud
out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not you'llneed to clean or
rebuild the valves.

Dave M.

Will the water clear up by turning the bypass valve?

How old is the resin in the system?

Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?

Brine tank overflow
 

David L. Martel wrote:
Michael,

It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have.
Sounds as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue"
problem I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding
tank and pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water
is fairly clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to
flush the crud out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not
you'llneed to clean or rebuild the valves.

Dave M.
Hi,
+1. Dirt maybe plugging up the float valve orifice.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Wednesday, August 27, 2014 7:50:26 AM UTC-5, David L. Martel wrote:
Michael,



It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have. Sounds

as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue" problem

I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding tank and

pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water is fairly

clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to flush the crud

out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not you'llneed to clean or

rebuild the valves.



Dave M.

It's a Kinetico two-tank system. I'll try to flush it and see if that takes care of it. Thanks for the help to you and the other posters.

Mike

Brine tank overflow
 

On Wednesday, August 27, 2014 9:36:26 AM UTC-5, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 08:50:26 -0400, "David L. Martel"

wrote:



Michael,



It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have. Sounds

as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue" problem

I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding tank and

pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water is fairly

clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to flush the crud

out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not you'llneed to clean or

rebuild the valves.



Dave M.



Will the water clear up by turning the bypass valve?



How old is the resin in the system?



Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?

This is the first time I emptied and cleaned the tank. I don't know how old the system is, but I'm guessing 15 years old.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Wednesday, August 27, 2014 9:37:56 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 05:17:58 -0700 (PDT), Michael Wilson

wrote:



We woke up this morning to find that the brine tank overflowed. We were negligent this last week and didn't fill it with salt. Also, I just installed a water pressure tank and there was a lot of black earth residue at the bottom of the brine tank (and in all the lines of the house) that I have now cleaned out. Should I just put salt in it and regenerate, or is there something else I should do?



Thanks.



You can try manually flipping the valves to see if you can dislodge

the chunk of crud. They are operated by the silver straps that ride

the cams.

It might also be crud plugging the pickup tube in the tank.

I'll have a look at the pickup tube to see if it's cruddy. Appreciate the suggestion.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 08:21:37 -0700 (PDT), Michael Wilson
wrote:

Will the water clear up by turning the bypass valve?



How old is the resin in the system?



Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?

This is the first time I emptied and cleaned the tank. I don't know how old the system is, but I'm guessing 15 years old.

Typically resin only last for ~15 years, 25 at most -depending on
quality of the resin. Dirt from the brine tank (salt does have some
dirt) may have settled in the resin tank. Time to change it...

(I presume there have been no water line repairs on your street)

Brine tank overflow
 

On 8/27/2014 8:50 AM, David L. Martel wrote:
Michael,

It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have.
Sounds as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue"
problem I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding
tank and pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water
is fairly clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to
flush the crud out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not
you'llneed to clean or rebuild the valves.

Dave M.

Water softener? I thought he was tanning hides.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

Brine tank overflow
 

On 8/27/2014 8:17 AM, Michael Wilson wrote:
We woke up this morning to find that the brine tank overflowed. We were negligent this last week and didn't fill it with salt. Also, I just installed a water pressure tank and there was a lot of black earth residue at the bottom of the brine tank (and in all the lines of the house) that I have now cleaned out. Should I just put salt in it and regenerate, or is there something else I should do?

Thanks.

What kind of hides are you tanning?

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

Brine tank overflow
 

On 8/27/2014 7:27 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 8/27/2014 8:50 AM, David L. Martel wrote:
Michael,

It may help if you tell us what brand of water softener you have.
Sounds as if one of the valves is not closing tight. With the "residue"
problem I'm thinking that you need to flush the crap out of your holding
tank and pipes. Get the crud out of the brine tank too. Once your water
is fairly clear run the softener through a few cycles without salt to
flush the crud out of the valves. If that does it, great. If not
you'llneed to clean or rebuild the valves.

Dave M.

Water softener? I thought he was tanning hides.

Nah, curing hams and corned beef.

Brine tank overflow
 

Oren,

How old is the resin in the system?



Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?

This is the first time I emptied and cleaned the tank. I don't know how
old the system is, but I'm guessing 15 years old.

Typically resin only last for ~15 years, 25 at most -depending on
quality of the resin. Dirt from the brine tank (salt does have some
dirt) may have settled in the resin tank. Time to change it...

(I presume there have been no water line repairs on your street)

I'd guess, based on the crud in the water and the newly installed tank
that he's on a well. None of his symptoms suggest any problem with the
resin. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You are wasting this guy's time and
money with the resin advice.

Dave M.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 15:03:23 -0400, "David L. Martel"
wrote:

Oren,

How old is the resin in the system?



Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?

This is the first time I emptied and cleaned the tank. I don't know how
old the system is, but I'm guessing 15 years old.

Typically resin only last for ~15 years, 25 at most -depending on
quality of the resin. Dirt from the brine tank (salt does have some
dirt) may have settled in the resin tank. Time to change it...

(I presume there have been no water line repairs on your street)

I'd guess, based on the crud in the water and the newly installed tank
that he's on a well. None of his symptoms suggest any problem with the
resin. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You are wasting this guy's time and
money with the resin advice.

Dave M.

Thanks for sharing. Are you saying 15 year old resin should not be
replaced? Maybe you know the quality of the resin and if it is filled
with crud. Some resins are good for about 10 - 15 years.

Where is the OP now?

--
Definition of a camel: A horse designed by a committee

Brine tank overflow
 

Thanks for sharing. Are you saying 15 year old resin should not be
replaced?

Yes. What's age got to do with it?

Maybe you know the quality of the resin and if it is filled
with crud. Some resins are good for about 10 - 15 years.

I have no idea about the quality and neither do you. The OP's problem is
water dripping into the brine tank. He is not complaing about resin
problems.


Where is the OP now?

No idea, what's your point?

Dave M.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:16:55 -0400, "David L. Martel"
wrote:



Thanks for sharing. Are you saying 15 year old resin should not be
replaced?

Yes. What's age got to do with it?


Failure to perform the intended purpose. Dirt from the brine tank
clogs the resin.

Maybe you know the quality of the resin and if it is filled
with crud. Some resins are good for about 10 - 15 years.

I have no idea about the quality and neither do you. The OP's problem is
water dripping into the brine tank. He is not complaing about resin
problems.


Okay. Now what? Is my suggestion invalid?

Where is the OP now?

No idea, what's your point?

Follow up so we can at least offer some reasonable suggestions. I
never said I could solve his problems. I only offered things to
consider.

OP never said he used the bypass valve or say if his water cleared up
without the softener or if he isolated the problem by turning off the
bypass valve.

Thanks for sharing.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Thursday, August 28, 2014 2:44:46 PM UTC-5, Oren wrote:
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 15:03:23 -0400, "David L. Martel"

wrote:



Oren,



How old is the resin in the system?







Have you ever emptied and cleaned the brine tank?



This is the first time I emptied and cleaned the tank. I don't know how

old the system is, but I'm guessing 15 years old.



Typically resin only last for ~15 years, 25 at most -depending on

quality of the resin. Dirt from the brine tank (salt does have some

dirt) may have settled in the resin tank. Time to change it...



(I presume there have been no water line repairs on your street)



I'd guess, based on the crud in the water and the newly installed tank

that he's on a well. None of his symptoms suggest any problem with the

resin. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You are wasting this guy's time and

money with the resin advice.



Dave M.



Thanks for sharing. Are you saying 15 year old resin should not be

replaced? Maybe you know the quality of the resin and if it is filled

with crud. Some resins are good for about 10 - 15 years.



Where is the OP now?



--

Definition of a camel: A horse designed by a committee

I'm here. I cleaned out the brine tank and haven't put salt in there yet. It's remained empty for the last couple of days.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 16:24:11 -0700 (PDT), Michael Wilson
wrote:

I'm here. I cleaned out the brine tank and haven't put salt in there yet. It's remained empty for the last couple of days.

Thanks. My curiosity is if you turned off the bypass valve to get
clear water into the house. And bypass the softener.

You did not mention if water lines were repaired on your street that
allowed dirt in the house main line.

Stuff matters :)

Brine tank overflow
 

Oren,

Yes. What's age got to do with it?


Failure to perform the intended purpose. Dirt from the brine tank
clogs the resin.


What? There's no indication that the resin tank is clogged. Where are you
getting this from?
His brine tank is overflowing. How have you gone from this isuue to
replacing the resin?

Dave M.

Brine tank overflow
 

On Fri, 29 Aug 2014 12:08:41 -0400, "David Martel"
wrote:

How have you gone from this isuue to
replacing the resin?

OP wrote: "... a lot of black earth residue at the bottom of the brine
tank (and in all the lines of the house)"

He never answered when I suggested he turn the bypass valve to see if
it cleared up the lines in the house - with the valve turned.

It surely seems reasonable that "black earth residue" from the brine
tank has gotten into the resin tank. OP stated he thinks the resin is
~ 15 years old. That is very old.

He can take my suggestion or not. No beans off my plate. Resin is
not that expensive to replace.

Clear as mud?
--
"No matter how cynical you become, it's never enough to keep up."
-- Lily Tomlin

Brine tank overflow
 

On Fri, 29 Aug 2014 12:08:41 -0400, "David Martel"
wrote:

Oren,

Yes. What's age got to do with it?


Failure to perform the intended purpose. Dirt from the brine tank
clogs the resin.


What? There's no indication that the resin tank is clogged. Where are you
getting this from?
His brine tank is overflowing. How have you gone from this isuue to
replacing the resin?

Dave M.

By not knowing how the water softener works.

I had a water softener that used a timed valve to determine how much
water to put in the brine tank and the valve stuck twice, pumping salt
and water all over the basement floor. The fix was simple - a float
controlled valve in a tube down the side of the brine tank like all
the "cheap" softeners use. Low tech and effective - never another
overflow untill I scrapped it and replaced it with a new one about
8-10 years later. And the new one?? It uses a float too!!.