smartwater not drawing brine

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rightlane

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Hello all, as the title states i have no suction in brine mode. i replaced the what came with the rotor disc seal kit and cleaned the venturi, and i'm able to suck brine through the float. when in brine mode i removed the hose from the venturi to check if it was sucking and it still isn't. in fact it has a dribble of water coming from it, the venturi, not the hose. when it switches from brine to rinse i get suction for a couple of seconds and then it stops. i don't have any external leaks that i've found. the disc looks clean and unscarred, i'm stumped. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks, Chris
 

Akpsdvan

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Double check first if you have the manual to make sure that each and every part is in the right spot and the right way in that venturi housing... if some thing is out of place there it will not work right.

If that is all correct.. in the valve where you replaced the rotor disc seal kit, make sure that the O ring that looks like an 8 is in right, that the spring that is under a pluger is there.. in the book that I have on page 25 they are parts 122,123 ...
 

Skip Wolverton

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Hello all, as the title states i have no suction in brine mode. i replaced the what came with the rotor disc seal kit and cleaned the venturi, and i'm able to suck brine through the float. when in brine mode i removed the hose from the venturi to check if it was sucking and it still isn't. in fact it has a dribble of water coming from it, the venturi, not the hose. when it switches from brine to rinse i get suction for a couple of seconds and then it stops. i don't have any external leaks that i've found. the disc looks clean and unscarred, i'm stumped. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks, Chris
Check your drain for a restriction. I have seen junk pile up at the elbow where the flow control is. If not plugged, pop the clip for the venturi and move it to the side. With the unit on bypass and depressurized, advance the valve to brine draw. Slowly open the bypass and watch the water spray out one port of the venturi. If it comes out of both ports, the fig 8 o ring is bad.
 

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Now see, I am going to have to remember that last little part about which hole to have the water come out of ... is it the top or the bottum? or middle?
 

rightlane

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thanks for the quick replies. the venturi is set-up correctly, it was previously working and is put back together the as the manual shows. the drain is clean, i pulled the venturi while in brine draw and got wet. lots of water out of bottom hole, slow trickle from top, suction from neither. the figure 8 o-ring has been in the softener for about 2 minutes, just replaced hoping it might be the problem. what's my next step? again, i appreciate your help. thanks, Chris
 

Akpsdvan

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The figure 8 O ring goes in only one way right?

The spring is still in place under 123 the drain seal?
 

rightlane

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i popped the top off to be sure, but the drain spring is still there, and i pulled the figure 8 o-ring and it doesn't go in any other way. thanks, Chris
 

Akpsdvan

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If the spring, then the plunger and the O ring that is on top of that plunger are in place and working...
And the rotor is in the brine draw spot , and injector housing is all correct.. is there any water going to the drain?
 

rightlane

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there is water going to the drain in rinse and backwash cycles. i'm pretty sure there is water going to the drain as it tries to draw a venturi during brine draw cycle or at least it sounds like water is rushing at the start of brine draw. i'll check the venturi setup again. thanks, Chris
 

Skip Wolverton

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thanks for the quick replies. the venturi is set-up correctly, it was previously working and is put back together the as the manual shows. the drain is clean, i pulled the venturi while in brine draw and got wet. lots of water out of bottom hole, slow trickle from top, suction from neither. the figure 8 o-ring has been in the softener for about 2 minutes, just replaced hoping it might be the problem. what's my next step? again, i appreciate your help. thanks, Chris
Water should only come out of one port during the draw cycle. Put the unit into a draw cycle. Disconnect the motor plate from the top and manual turn the cam jus a little and see if you get a draw. If you get a draw, the rotor needs to be replaced. Keep me posted.
 

rightlane

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rotor disk replaced, all new rubber throughout, still no brine draw and water dripping out of venturi setup when i dc the hose, getting ready to kill it with fire. please help. thanks, Chris
 

Akpsdvan

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Water dripping out the brine assembly..
If the drain was plugged that would have water not dripping but running..
Rotor disc can only go in one way..

Is there like a green layer above the red rubber disc in the brine assembly?

From the base up there is the flow control in one hole, a screen in another and then red rubber disc.. then there is a blue like plate with another flow control in it, then the ring and a rubber o ring and the screen hat..
 
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rightlane

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rechecked everything and started a cycle with no change, water dribbling out of venturi, manually advanced the gear mech and suction started! the rotor has been replaced but didn't solve the problem. is there a chance that the gear has become misaligned?
 

Akpsdvan

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I would go with the micro switch not tight or alinged right.. any chance that little micro switch has been moved at all?
 

Skip Wolverton

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rechecked everything and started a cycle with no change, water dribbling out of venturi, manually advanced the gear mech and suction started! the rotor has been replaced but didn't solve the problem. is there a chance that the gear has become misaligned?
This tells me the rotor shaft is twisted. If the unit, while in brine draw, will not draw brine, but will if you turn the gear a little, then the rotor shaft is twisted.
 

rightlane

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is the rotor shaft part of the rotor disc that i just replaced? is it what slides into the geared mechanism from below? i'm wondering if the geared mech might be off a bit. is the shaft a replaceable part? thanks
 

Skip Wolverton

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is the rotor shaft part of the rotor disc that i just replaced? is it what slides into the geared mechanism from below? i'm wondering if the geared mech might be off a bit. is the shaft a replaceable part? thanks
The shaft is part of the rotor. Did you replace the rotor or the rotor seal? The only other possible cause is the micro switch but the arm would have to have been bent. I've have never seen this before but can see it happening. In fact, take a pair of pliers and straighten the arm on the mirco switch slightly. This will keep the motor on longer and maybe start the brine.
 
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