No brine draw Fleck 5600

[millpaub]

I have been trying to resolve issues with an Aqua Pure 3M NWS100 water softener that does not soften the water. I am on city water.
The system uses a Fleck 5600 timed valve.
I have done the following:
Emptied and cleaned brine tank, refilled with 40 lbs of salt
Checked float operation
Cleaned brine well
Replaced piston and seal stack, manual dial was difficult to turn prior to replacing piston and seals. Much easier to turn now.
Replaced brine valve
Removed control valve from tank, found debris in the screen attached to the bottom of the control valve. Cleaned screen. Checked the integrity of the tube in the tank, looked okay. Was able to suck water up the tube and blow it back down in the tube.
Reattached control valve to tank.
Disassembled brine valve injector, found brine line flow control, screen filter and tube insert missing from assembly.
Found paper looking substance where the brine line flow control should have been.

When testing the system in manual mode, no timer running, I found the brine tank is filling instead of emptying during the brine rinse cycle.
i have verified that the water line input and output are correct.
The salt level in the tank has not changed over the last 5 months.
I have order the missing parts from the brine injector, but they have not arrived yet.

The system is about 15 years old. This is installed in a house we recently purchased. I have talked to the previous owner but he indicated that he didn’t have any service on the unit since installation.
I have run out of ideas on what is causing the problem.
Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Reach4]

I have order the missing parts from the brine injector, but they have not arrived yet.

We all wish you had just bought new, but that is hindsight.

Missing brine injector parts? Tell us more.

Before you said that one, I was thinking wrong piston. Do the old piston and the new piston both have white tops?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[millpaub]

I replaced the missing injector parts and it is drawing brine at this time. I don’t know how long the parts were missing, but I suspect it has been a long time. I am not sure if the resin has been damaged by the parts being missing. It appears the water is being softened. I’m contemplating replacing the resin as it is 15 years old now. I have increased the salt level in the tank and will test again in a few days.
I had the water tested by the local pool supply store. The pre-softened hardness was 140ppm and the post-softened water was 50ppm. The pre-softened salt level was 200ppm and the post-softened salt level was 300ppm. I don’t recall seeing a number for salt concentration after the softening process.
I have ordered the media and it is the 10% cross linked.

 

[Reach4]

Nice. Resin filtering well water lasts longer than resin filtering city water. You are on city water, so 15 years sounds like a long time.

If you get new resin, make sure it is 10% crosslinked.

If the well water has iron, some periodic treatments for that are in order.