WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC
 

CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT SAYS
TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? THANKS

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC
 

It means that you must have a "demand type", metered unit. The little
turbine in the on-board water meter. You must have hard water, and it is
trying to see why....so it wants to know if that little turbine is free-
spinning or is it clogged with some foreign matter.

The turbine meter tells the unit when it is time to regerate....if it is
bound up, ie, can't turn, then it can't measure the water used, and
therefore will NEVERA TELL THE SYSTEM TO REGEN.

The result: Hard Water!!

lyle tuttle, www.sof****er.com/faq




(Ellenyark) wrote in
:

CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
IT SAYS TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS? THANKS

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC
 

"Ellenyark" wrote
CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
IT SAYS
TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
THANKS

Manual test? If you're looking to get into the turbine, you're
troubleshooting and tearing into the control valve trying to repair it.

As Lyle said, the turbine is a water driven wheel in the outlet of the
unit; usually between the valve body and by-pass valve. You usually have
to remove the by-pass valve if the meter is not a mechanical type. If
you have an electronic timer, the metering turbine is a module inside
the outlet of the control; before the by-pass valve.

Electronic timers usually show an indicator light flashing when water is
being used. If your light isn't flashing, then the turbine isn't
spinning OR the cable is not making contact in its connection to the
pickup; that's where the turbine is. That/either prevents the timer from
counting down the gallons used and that prevents regeneration, which
allows hard water into the plumbing.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC - minor segue but not completely off topic
 

In article , says...

"Ellenyark" wrote
CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
IT SAYS
TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
THANKS

Manual test? If you're looking to get into the turbine, you're
troubleshooting and tearing into the control valve trying to repair it.

As Lyle said, the turbine is a water driven wheel in the outlet of the
unit; usually between the valve body and by-pass valve. You usually have
to remove the by-pass valve if the meter is not a mechanical type. If
you have an electronic timer, the metering turbine is a module inside
the outlet of the control; before the by-pass valve.

Electronic timers usually show an indicator light flashing when water is
being used. If your light isn't flashing, then the turbine isn't
spinning OR the cable is not making contact in its connection to the
pickup; that's where the turbine is. That/either prevents the timer from
counting down the gallons used and that prevents regeneration, which
allows hard water into the plumbing.

Gary
Quality Water Associates



Mine is an older unit with a mechanical timer (6 days seems adequate, judging by the 'slimy'
feel of the showers. It's been doing it's job for 13+ years with no attention other than
rinsing the brine tank annually. On the few occasions that it has run out of salt, the
'slimy' feel was conspicuously missing from my showers (it's amazing how I've grown to like
that), so clearly it was not softening the water. Is the converse true? In other words, is
the mere presence of 'slimy' showers enough to tell me that it's working? Or does that just
mean that there's salt in the water?

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC - minor segue but not completely off topic
 

"Mike Hartigan" wrote
says...

"Ellenyark" wrote
CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING
PROPERLY.
IT SAYS
TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS?
THANKS

Manual test? If you're looking to get into the turbine, you're
troubleshooting and tearing into the control valve trying to repair
it.

As Lyle said, the turbine is a water driven wheel in the outlet of
the
unit; usually between the valve body and by-pass valve. You usually
have
to remove the by-pass valve if the meter is not a mechanical type.
If
you have an electronic timer, the metering turbine is a module
inside
the outlet of the control; before the by-pass valve.

Electronic timers usually show an indicator light flashing when
water is
being used. If your light isn't flashing, then the turbine isn't
spinning OR the cable is not making contact in its connection to the
pickup; that's where the turbine is. That/either prevents the timer
from
counting down the gallons used and that prevents regeneration, which
allows hard water into the plumbing.

Gary
Quality Water Associates



Mine is an older unit with a mechanical timer (6 days seems adequate,
judging by the 'slimy'
feel of the showers. It's been doing it's job for 13+ years with no
attention other than
rinsing the brine tank annually. On the few occasions that it has run
out of salt, the
'slimy' feel was conspicuously missing from my showers (it's amazing
how I've grown to like
that), so clearly it was not softening the water. Is the converse
true? In other words, is
the mere presence of 'slimy' showers enough to tell me that it's
working? Or does that just
mean that there's salt in the water?

Now dammit Mike, you should say... 'that soft slippery smooth feelin
wives and girlfriends love'.....:) but yes, when it's not there the unit
isn't providing softened water. Softened water doesn't have salt in it,
a softener only adds sodium to the water. And for those that think salt
and slimy, put some salt in your water and wash your hands in it and see
if you feel soft slippery smooth or sticky. Mike I've been trying to
edgacate these folks for years and now look at what you've gone'n done!

If you have a mechanical timer, then you don't have a turbine. What is
the unit doing or not doing? It sounds like it doesn't have one of them
automatic salt adders for the salt tank. I can draw one up if you'll
fund the R&D. Or we can assign the wife the salt reproduction duties.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC -
 

PLEASE HAVE CAPS LOCK KEY REPAIRED SOONEST

END

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn More about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com


"Mike Hartigan" wrote in message
...
In article , says...

"Ellenyark" wrote
CAN ANYBODY HELP? TRYING TO MANUAL TEST SOFTNER,NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
IT SAYS
TO CHECK IF "TURBINE IS BINDING? DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?
THANKS

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC - minor segue but not completely off topic
 

In article , says...

"Mike Hartigan" wrote
[snip]
Mine is an older unit with a mechanical timer (6 days seems adequate,
judging by the 'slimy'
feel of the showers. It's been doing it's job for 13+ years with no
attention other than
rinsing the brine tank annually. On the few occasions that it has run
out of salt, the
'slimy' feel was conspicuously missing from my showers (it's amazing
how I've grown to like
that), so clearly it was not softening the water. Is the converse
true? In other words, is
the mere presence of 'slimy' showers enough to tell me that it's
working? Or does that just
mean that there's salt in the water?

Now dammit Mike, you should say... 'that soft slippery smooth feelin
wives and girlfriends love'.....:) but yes, when it's not there the unit
isn't providing softened water. Softened water doesn't have salt in it,
a softener only adds sodium to the water. And for those that think salt
and slimy, put some salt in your water and wash your hands in it and see
if you feel soft slippery smooth or sticky. Mike I've been trying to
edgacate these folks for years and now look at what you've gone'n done!

Yeah, I know. When I said 'salt', I meant 'sodium'. Someone here (it may have been you)
explained it all before, so I know things like when it feels as if you can't rinse, it's not
that the natural oils that hard water rips from from your skin are left there by the softened
water, it's that you can't rinse! (ok, maybe I'm overstating it, but you get the idea)


If you have a mechanical timer, then you don't have a turbine. What is
the unit doing or not doing?

I'm not detecting any change from when it was new. Call me a skeptic, but 13 years seems
like a long time for a beast like this to function with virtually zero maintenance. My
question is - is the mere presence of the 'slimy' feeling enough to assure me that the unit
is, indeed, working? Perhaps not at peak efficiency, but at least working?

It sounds like it doesn't have one of them
automatic salt adders for the salt tank. I can draw one up if you'll
fund the R&D. Or we can assign the wife the salt reproduction duties.

"salt reproduction duties" ????

Gary
Quality Water Associates

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC - minor segue but not completely off topic
 

"Mike Hartigan" wrote
says...
If you have a mechanical timer, then you don't have a turbine. What
is
the unit doing or not doing?

I'm not detecting any change from when it was new. Call me a skeptic,
but 13 years seems
like a long time for a beast like this to function with virtually zero
maintenance. My
question is - is the mere presence of the 'slimy' feeling enough to
assure me that the unit
is, indeed, working? Perhaps not at peak efficiency, but at least
working?

As long as you have the feeling, the softener is working and not
allowing more than 1 gpg hardness to get through. I've seen many Fleck
control valves last service free for up to 20 years. Some backwashed or
regenerated every other night.

Gary
Quality Water Associates

WATER SOFTNER DIAGNOSTIC - minor segue but not completely off topic
 

"Mike Hartigan" wrote
says...
If you have a mechanical timer, then you don't have a turbine. What
is
the unit doing or not doing?

I'm not detecting any change from when it was new. Call me a skeptic,
but 13 years seems
like a long time for a beast like this to function with virtually zero
maintenance. My
question is - is the mere presence of the 'slimy' feeling enough to
assure me that the unit
is, indeed, working? Perhaps not at peak efficiency, but at least
working?

As long as you have the feeling, the softener is working and not
allowing more than 1 gpg hardness to get through. I've seen many Fleck
control valves last service free for up to 20 years. Some backwashed or
regenerated every other night.

Gary
Quality Water Associates