Speedbump

By turning a softener off and not bypassing it, the crud in your water can eventually plug the mineral and slow down your water flow. You said you re- primed the pump, so I assume it's a jet pump. What could be happening is that the softener being in bypass allows more water to flow and it may be enough that the pump and/or well can't keep up. So it loses it's prime which would certainly make your pressure go to zero.

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Sirrah

Hi & Many thanks for taking the time to answer my query.

Although I claim zero knowledge in the subject matter I can understand what you are saying.

Now, I have a secondary problem if I leave the water softener is 'Service Mode'. After a few months, my water gets really stinky notwithstanding that I also have an iron filter and a separate UV filter that are both in working order. I was blaming iron filter but that is not the case so it is my best guess that the culprit is the water softener (unplugged/in Service mode). I don't want to put the water softener back into everyday service unless I absolutely have to. I have lived without it for over a year and have not noticed any real difference. We used to use potassium chloride which has become outrageously expensive and the 'hubby' does not want to use the regular w/s salt.

Would we gain any benefit from..
- leaving the w/s unplugged and in Service Mode; and,
- maybe once a month putting a 1/2 cup of bleach in the brine tank and
running the system through the normal regeneration function?

Regards

Speedbump

Do this: Put the softener in service, go run the tub full blast, being careful to observe the flow. Then put it in bypass and do the same. Make sure the pump has built up and shut off. Then repeat the process and see if the pressure doesn't seem better at first then slowly drop until it quits. Then report back.

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joecaption

If you 100% sure you do not want the softner why keep messing with it? Just remove the lines from the softner and connect them back together so it does not go the softner at all any more.

Sirrah

Hi & many thanks,

Dismantling the water softener did come to mind but not quite 100% sure that we want to take that route at the present time. It's not a job we can do ourselves and would hate to find out afterwards that the cause of the problem is unrelated. We live well off the 'beaten path' and getting tradesmen out here is very expensive. At the suggestion of one of the hubby's friends I replaced the pump control box which did nothing other than lighten my wallet.

In any event, I guess I'm just curious as to what the problem might be. It was picolin's original post that caught my attention as he was seemingly having pressure problems when he softener was in Service Mode and mine is when the softener is in ByPass Mode.

Sirrah

Hi & many thanks,

Please excuse my ignorance but I'm not quite sure if I'm understanding you right. I do not mean to abuse your kindness but can you elaborate? How long do I run the water full blast in 'service' before switching to 'bypass'? When I repeat, after the pump is revived, how long to run water in 'service'; then in 'bypass'? I'm not sure what I should be looking for.

I've been playing around with the unit for the past few months and every now and then I will put it in 'bypass' to see what happens. So far I have never noticed any difference in water pressure whether in 'service' or 'bypass'. All I know is that, without fail, when filling the bathtub which takes about 20 minutes (approx 95.5 US gal by my calculations) and the unplugged water softener is in 'bypass' mode, the water starts sputtering and spurting quite violently at roughly the 10 minute mark and then just stops. If in 'service' mode, I can fill the tub (full 20+ minutes) without incident.

Blue Jay

Sounds like you have a slow well. When you are running thru the water softner it keeps the gallons per hour below the well recharge rate but when you bypass you are moving more water quicker and the well can not keep up.

Sirrah

Thanks,

I will check that out further.

Speedbump

[quoteSounds like you have a slow well. When you are running thru the water softner it keeps the gallons per hour below the well recharge rate but when you bypass you are moving more water quicker and the well can not keep up.][/quote]
Very well said. That''s what I've been trying to say in so many words, just not with much result. I believe the well is drawing down too.

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