Clack softener service in Houston

[Reach4]

I fully agree. I believe I have taken the steps outlined in that post and have indicated what I found. I am not sure what step to take next.

Here is where I think you are at:

If no water flows out the hole... the most common causes of too much brine in the salt tank and no suction, is loose brine line connections, a blocked injector, injector screen, or drain line kinked etc.. There is a connection under the valve that has the float hanging on it in the brine well in the brine tank. It holds the brine pickup tube up into the float valve, then there is one on top that valve and one up on the elbow on the control valve. Hand tight plus a half turn with a wrench or pliers and stop.

I think you have eliminated loose brine line connections by successfully sucking.
I think you have implied water flows at a high rate during the backwash cycle, If so, that would have eliminated drain line kinked. That would seem to indicate that you should remove and clean the injector and injector screen. I am just interpreting what I think is being said. I have not even seen a Clack myself AFAIK. Take pictures as you get in there in case you want to post them to show your success or lack.

Now if you do that and find they are OK, I don't know what would be next. But at last do the injector and injector screen.

Regarding the warranty via a different dealer, I don't know. Do you have the original receipt? That would seem to be important if you were to pursue that. Even then, there may not be coverage... no clue.

 

[Gary Slusser]

You sucking on the brine line isn't going to identify or solve the problem unless there was something wrong with the brine line connection you undid to be able to suck on the line and you got it back on right. The same for blowing into it to cause bubbles in the brine tank.

So.... when you get tired of fooling around....

I repeat what I said in my first reply. You need to determine if there is suction on the brine line or if there is water going into the brine tank instead, or if there is water flow into the brine tank in the service position or, if it is during backwash etc..

Maybe I should have added.... to do that Remove the brine line connection fitting (elbow) on the left side of the control valve as you face it. Some water will drain out of the hole the elbow came out of, sop it up with a rag/towel. Then for maybe a minute watch for water to start flowing out of the hole, and if it does, you need a new complete piston (main and brine) and stack (seals/spacers) assembly.

Those parts are not under warranty by Clack or their distributors (and thereby most dealers) because they are consumables (wearable parts) and wear based on your water quality and how many times the valve goes into regeneration and they were tested before the valve left the factory.

Your valve could go into Refill, backwash, brining/slow rinse, backwash, rinse. Or the Refill will be last meaning Backwash is first, and there may not be a second one. The instructions on how do everything you need to do is in the manual I linked to or on a card in the inside of the valve cover. OR... in the manual you got with the softener OR, in the link I gave you'll find the WS1 Service manual that will include descriptions of whatever you need to do, or want to do, now or later, like looking at all types of operational history.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[jhruzek]

"Maybe I should have added.... to do that Remove the brine line connection fitting (elbow) on the left side of the control valve as you face it. Some water will drain out of the hole the elbow came out of, sop it up with a rag/towel. Then for maybe a minute watch for water to start flowing out of the hole, and if it does, you need a new complete piston (main and brine) and stack (seals/spacers) assembly."

I did remove the brine line and started the various settings on the valve. I never experienced any suction on this port. There does seem to be water flow on the line until the float shuts it off. What next?

 

[jhruzek]

If I remove the brine line connection and run the valve through all of the different phases, and I never get any suction, what would that indicate?

 

[Gary Slusser]

Well then since you for the first have now said "There does seem to be water flow on the line until the float shuts it off.".... "seems" seems to say you aren't sure though.

IF there is water flow while the control valve is in Service or any cycle position (backwash, brine draw/slow rinse, rinse) except for Refill, you need a new complete piston and stack assembly.

 

[Reach4]

If I remove the brine line connection and run the valve through all of the different phases, and I never get any suction, what would that indicate?

Did water flow out during any of those phases?

 

[Gary Slusser]

If I remove the brine line connection and run the valve through all of the different phases, and I never get any suction, what would that indicate?

Assuming you had the water turned on and the by pass valve in Service (so water goes into the softener) you should have suction on the brine line outlet of the control valve when the valve is in the Brining cycle position. You may have pressurized water flow out the hole the brine line elbow was taken out of as the valve goes from one cycle position to another. That hole is where you should be testing for suction because it differs from the far end of the brie line (in the brine tank). It checks the piston and stack assembly. If you have it there then you reconnect the elbow and check the brine level goes down in the brine tank which checks the compression fittings being leak free.

 

[jhruzek]

Last night, I disconnected both the brine and drain elbows. I ran the valve through the backwash and brine stages. In the brine stage, I finally got some suction and it drew down the water in the salt tank. I let the regen finish. At that point, there was still a lot of water in the salt tank. I removed the brine elbow, mopped up the water that was there and observed the opening in the valve for about 5 minutes. There was no water coming out of it. I thought that I had fixed the problem. However, this morning, the salt tank had more water in it than last night. It appeared to be up to the float limit maximum. I will be ordering the piston and stack.

 

[ditttohead]

Considering how cheap the parts are, you have made a wise choice. You may want to order the special wrech while you are at it, it makes the repair much easier and it is also fairly cheap. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Gary Slusser]

jhruzek called me yesterday afternoon and had strong suction after stepping the control valve through its cycle positions. The problem may have been dirt blocking something and it was flushed out. He was going to let the regeneration finish and see if there was any water exiting the brine line elbow port and if there was, then order parts, if not then he was good to go, and at least $50 wealthier.