4
SOFT WATER BASICS

Hardness

Excess amounts of calcium and magnesium in water produce
hardness. A water softener removes the majority of calcium
and magnesium to produce softened water.
Hardness is measured in terms of grains. (This grain
weight is derived from the average weight of a dry grain of
wheat.) When your water is tested the grain hardness is
calculated and expressed as grains per gallon (gpg). This
calculation, as well as the number of people in your household
will help determine what type and size of water softener will
most efficiently soften your water.
Your water softener contains an ion exchange
media (sometimes called resin) which removes the hardness
from water as it flows through the softener tank. Eventually so
much hardness collects on the exchange media that the soft-
ener can no longer soften water. At this point it is considered
"exhausted". Regeneration is now necessary.

Regeneration

To regenerate the exchange media, it must be rinsed with a
brine (salt) solution. This removes the hardness from the ex-
change media and replaces it with sodium. The exchange media
is then ready to remove hardness from water. The hardness
minerals and excess brine solution are rinsed down the drain.
During the regeneration cycle the softener is also
backwashed. This reversing of the normal flow of water serves
to remove sediment which may have accumulated during the
softening process due to the filtering action of the exchange
media. Backwashing also loosens and fluffs up the bed of
exchange media to insure that during regeneration the brine
solution will come into contact with all the media.
OPERATING CONDITIONS
Figure 1

Maintenance of Your Softener

Salt: Salt to a softener is what gasoline is to a car. Not only must a softener have salt, but it should be the proper type to insure
efficient recharging of the unit. Ask your dealer what type of salt may best suit your needs. Always have an adequate supply of salt on
hand. Check the salt level of your brine tank every couple of weeks initially to determine how much salt you use - this will depend on
how much water you use. As a rule of thumb, with 20 gpg hard water, about a 1/2 lb. of salt per person per day is used. In other words,
a family of four uses 60 lbs. of salt a month. If your household does not use much water, do not fill your salt keeper over 1/2 full, salt
bridging may occur in the brine tank. This may result in hard water due to ineffective regeneration. Fill the tank approximately three-
fourths full, with a minimum of 12” of salt. DO NOT USE Block Salt when the ProMate control is programmed with a brine tank prefill.
Block salt does not dissolve quick enough to provide a good regeneration.
Cleaning Salt Keeper: Salt keeper may require periodic cleaning. Inspect the salt keeper at least once a year for buildup of
insoluble materials. It is recommended to periodically clean the salt keeper no matter what kind of salt you are using. See page 9,
miscellaneous #3 for details on cleaning.
REMEMBER: Salt is the fuel to run your water softener. Buy the best clean salt available.
Your water conditioner has been designed to adequately
handle up to 100 grains per gallon of hardness that might be
encountered as well as up to 2 ppm of Ferrous Bicarbonate
Iron. This is iron that is dissolved in an oxygen-free water supply.
It is not visible to the eye in a freshly drawn sample because the
water appears clear. But upon standing in contact with air, the
ferrous iron will become oxidized to the ferric state and start to
precipitate as a reddish brown floc. It can then be seen and if
allowed to remain in the supply will cause discolored water. In
order for your conditioner to remove the iron, air (oxygen) must
be kept from coming in contact with water until after it has been
passed through the water conditioner. In some cases, additional
equipment may be required to treat water supplies having
special characteristics, such as: ferric hydroxide iron, iron bac-
teria, low pH, taste and odors, etc. If any question should exist,
contact your dealer.
This water softener is not intended to be used for treating
water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown qual-
ity without adequate disinfection before or after treatment.