To Recharge Manual Water Softener

Introduction

 It has been found from experience that the water softener needs to be 'recharged' every three weeks. The evidence that it needs doing is that a hard water deposit can begin to be seen and felt on the inside of the door and elsewhere such as on the water heating element. The amount of salt needed has also been found from experience to be about one and a half glass measuring jugfuls (that is one and one half pints or one kilogramme). The granular salt is supplied by Elmwood.

Description of Water Softener

The water softener has a knob on the top which, when unscrewed, enables an inverted 'U' shaped 'bracket' to be released by sliding sideways. This enables the 'sealing plate' attached to the knob by the threaded bolt to be removed by lowering, turning and tilting. The hole which is normally sealed by the plate is where the salt is put.

There are two 'valves' on the side of the softener, one at the top and one at the bottom. Each valve has three operating positions.

1. To the left (as you look at the softener) which connects the softener to the water supply (top) and the dishwasher (bottom) and is the normal operating position.

2. Upright which is the closed position.

3. To the right which connects the softener to open ended transparent plastic tubes which are used during recharging.

Recharging Procedure

1. Place an empty washing up bowl on the floor near the softener. Unwrap the plastic tubes from the softener and place the ends in the bowl.
2. Turn both valves to the right. This releases the water pressure inside the softener and allows the top to be removed.
3. Release sealing plate and carefully pour the salt into the hole. The easiest way to do this is to make a ‘funnel’ with a sheet of A4 paper wrapped round and stapled.
4. Refit sealing plate making sure that there are no salt or resin granules on the rubber seal or plate etc.
5. Move top valve to the left. This enables water to enter the softener at the top and leave at the bottom through the lower plastic tube into the bowl.
6. The water flowing into the bowl will initially be salty (do not taste at this time as it is awful!!). Allow to flow until no longer salty which will take 20 minutes and will fill the bowl up twice.
7. To empty the bowl half way through move the lower valve to the closed position (upright) and return to the right when the tube is replaced in the empty bowl.
8. When the water is no longer salty, move the lower valve to the left (the softener is now in its operating position). Wrap the lower plastic tube round the softener (and the other tube) pushing the end under the 'bracket' to keep it tidy.
9. Empty the bowl, return it to the sink and dry the inevitable water which will be on the floor under and surrounding the softener.
10. Record the date in the 'Instruction Booklet' which is kept in the ‘equipment’ folder in the left cupboard in the 'dining' room.