SECTION 3
CARE OF YOUR SOFTENER
3A. SALT¼ REFILLING STORAGE TANK/BREAKING A SALT BRIDGE
WHEN TO REFILL WITH SALT: The Salt Monitor System (see page 10) will turn on the low salt light to warn you when to refill with salt. Check for a low salt light a few weeks after you install the softener, and every week after that. Always refill at about the #2 salt monitor level. At this level, the tank is about 1/3 full. Never let the softener use all the salt before refilling. Without salt, you will soon have hard water.
NOTE:
You will have a loss in softening capacity and may get partly hard water if less than 10 inches (salt monitor level 2) of salt is in the storage tank.
PLEASE SEE PAGE 9 FOR SALT FILLING DIRECTIONS.
BE SURE TO RESET THE SALT MONITOR, PAGE 10.
SALT BRIDGE
Sometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the salt storage tank. 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 (melt) in the water to make brine. Without brine, the resin bed does not regenerate and you will have hard water.
If the storage 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. Hold a broom handle, or like tool, up to the softener as shown in FIG. 9. Make a pencil mark on the handle, 1² or 2² below the top height of the rim. Then, carefully push it straight down into the salt. If a hard object is felt before the pencil mark gets to the top of the tank, it’s most likely a salt bridge. Carefully push into the bridge in a few places to break it. Do not try to break the salt bridge by pounding on the outside of the salt tank. You may damage it.
If the wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it out. Then fill the tank with nugget or pellet salt only.
FIG. 9 SALT BRIDGE
push tool into salt bridge to break
Pencil
Mark
Broom Handle
Salt
Salt Bridge
Water Level
15
