How to Troubleshoot a Water Conditioner

Keep the owner's manual and latest water analysis report with your water conditioner. The manual will give you a list of error codes that could appear and the possible defect. The water analysis report will give you the hardness and iron content of your un-conditioned water, so you know what to set the water conditioner at in the event of a power outage. Troubleshooting a water conditioner isn't difficult with some simple checks.

Instructions

1. Check that the time displays on the panel. If it doesn't, check the power source. If the time is flashing, it means that there was a power outage, but power has since been restored. Check that the power transformer is plugged in. Re-program the water conditioner using the settings from your water analysis report.

2. Make sure the plumbing bypass valve is in the service position. On a single bypass valve the stopper should be out.

3. Check that the inlet and outlet pipes on the water softener are connected to the correct pipes at the house. The inlet pipe comes from the street, and the outlet pipe goes to the house.

4. Make sure the drain hoses are free of kinks.

5. Open the salt storage tank to make sure there's salt in it. Take a look at the brine tube to make sure it's connected.

6. Use the control panel to get a readout of the hardness level setting if the water being produced is too hard. Make sure the level matches your water analysis report. On many water conditioners, pressing "Select" twice will bring up the hardness level. Remember that iron content in your water can mean you need to adjust the water hardness level on the conditioner. Check your manual for details.

References

• Manage My Home: Kenmore UltraSoft 200 Owner's Manual