Install of Harvey twin water softener - initial set up problem?

[oranjeboom]

Okay, following on from my post here (where I purchased a used Harvey twin tank softener) I have now gotten round to finally installing the unit:

 

 

 

 

I don't have any user/install instructions apart from what I have found on the web. So having installed all pipework, turned off bypass valve and opened up the valve to the unit, I can hear twin tanks fill, but then starts squirting out of the fill valve ( the pipe thing mounted on the side, between the two tanks.). Is that supposed to happen? I'm guessing not as instructions state the water softener compartment should be filled manually with a jug of water:

 

So I imagine if the above instructions are correct, then my unit should not be filling up! Video attached to show the water running out of fill valve below. I turned the water off in case this isn't supposed to happen!

 

 

Is it perhaps in regeneration mode (see first pic)? Or perhaps an o-ring needs replacing in the fill valve? Or as it's a float valve it will stop filling when the desired water level is reached?

 

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

 

[oranjeboom]

Okay, I re-plumbed the unit and did two manual regenerations  which flushed the resin without issue as far as I can tell. I'm waiting for a water hardness test kit to arrive to prove the I have soft water as I can't tell by taste and too early to tell whether the glass on shower gets scummy. Follicly disabled scalp so can't tell whether the shampoo lathers better!

 

For those people on here with these non-electrical water softeners, hoping they can shed some light on the following. @tommyt - I think you are now our resident softener expert! ?

 

A few observations/questions:

 

1) So first manual regen was yesterday morning and then I noticed the unit go into regeneration mode again this morning just as someone was having a shower (it started a few secs after the shower was turned on). A bit concerned as I've read that automatic regen should happen every 400L or so, and I doubt we've used that much in less than 24hrs (only me at home during day)!!  I presume the meter is set up to calculate litre usage from the last regeneration (whether manual or automatic)? I'll keep an eye on when the next regen happens.

 

2) The brine discharge pipe is constantly dripping which it should not have any flow unless it's doing a regen. About 750ml per hour, so quite a loss. Any ideas anyone?

 

3) The salt blocks are constantly sitting in about 10mm of water. Should that be the case? I've read that they should only sit in water when the machine's doing a regen. I've also interpreted that they should always be sitting in water: https://www.harveywatersofteners.co.uk/faq/why-does-salt-dissolve-way-it-does/ Each block has lost about 60cm in height since yesterday. Is this perhaps linked to issue 2 above?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gone West]

1) Can't help I'm afraid.

2) It should not be dripping, but can't offer any advice why it is.

3) The blocks should be sitting in around 10mm of water all the time until regeneration otherwise there wouldn't be any brine.

41 minutes ago, oranjeboom said:

Each block has lost about 60cm in height since yesterday. Is this perhaps linked to issue 2 above?

 

I would guess so, mine loses less than 10mm between regenerations and regenerates every day or two.

[oranjeboom]

Thanks Peter for 3) Seems to have settled down a bit now and not lost much today as I guess the water is too 'briney' for further salt absorption. 

 

1) No further regens since yesterday as far as I can tell (hence no more salt loss)

2) Still dripping.

3) Thanks @PeterStarck for input above. Seems to have settled down a bit now and not lost much today as I guess the water is too 'briney' for further salt absorption. 

[tommyt]

Hi @oranjeboom

 

I think the manual suggests filling with water manually to start because the water can sometimes be orange from the new resin before you flush it. Filling it manually prevents the orange water going in the salt tank and you thinking there is a fault.

 

1) Sometimes a manual Regen is only a half Regen and may take an automatic Regen to reset itself.

2) Which pipe is dripping, is it the 3/8" pipe going to waste? it shouldn't drip at all and if it does could be the cause of high water usage. 150Litres per person per day is the calc people use but I find even that is a lot these days.

3) Yes the brine will always be above the plate unless in first stage of Regen where it sucks it out. The water will become fully saturated with salt and not disolve anymore unless the float fails and it overflows somewhere. It is normal for one block to go faster than the other.

[oranjeboom]

Hi @tommyt

 

Thanks for the clarifications/answers.

 

1) machine's settled down with the Rejens now.

2) The pipe's that dripping is the 3/8"waste pipe from the 'shuttle valve' mechanism (see pic). I've done another manual rejen to see whether that make's any difference. Worth changing it for another mechanism? Or could it be a valve in the timing mechanism which isn't quite closed?

3) Yes, the salt decay has also slowed down

 

I've just tested the water and it's bloomin' hard! So I guess that indicates the resin bed has been damaged/needs changing? I read somewhere that you need to turn off the water to the unit de-pressurise by turning the rejen button and the unscrewing the top 2 screws on each tank (see arrows in pic)? If the beads spurt out, I need new resin!

 

 

I may just keep it as a spare and see if I can pick up a reconditioned unit!