Breaking a Salt Bridge
Sometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the salt storage area. It is usually caused by high humidity or the wrong kind of salt. When the salt bridges, an empty space forms between the water and salt. Then salt will not dissolve in the water to make brine.
If the brine tank is full of salt, it is hard to tell if you have a salt bridge. Salt is loose on top, but the bridge is under it. The following is the best way to check for a salt bridge.
Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the tank. Take a broom handle or like tool, and carefully push it down into the salt, working it up and down. If the tool strikes a hard object (be sure it’s not the bottom or sides of the tank), it’s most likely a salt bridge. Carefully break the bridge with the tool. Do not pound on the walls of the tank.
If the wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it out. Then fill the tank with nugget or pellet salt only. In humid areas, it is best to fill with less salt, more often.
Push tool into salt bridge to break
1″– 2″
Pencil mark |
|
Broom handle | Salt |
| Salt bridge |
Water level
13
