Using 12 40lb bags of salt a month

[Watersoftenerhelp]

Hi, everyone. Here's some info on my softener

GE/Autotrol Model 268/760
Tank is a 3 cubic feet

Settings are:

I use to have the salt amount on Low but i bumped it up to standard

Standard salt amount uses: 9lbs/cubic foot of resin
Hardness: i have the 760 unit that lets me set the hardness, however it always skips the hardness setting. I have factory reset the head several times and I cannot get the head to allow me to even touch the hardness setting. So i guess its not set? If anyone knows of this problem, please try and help me with it! I can't set the hardness at all.

I use to have the calendar override to 3 days, I changed it to 7 days.

My water is on a well, and very very hard. I used a hach strip kit, outside spigot is giving me a hardness level of 425PPM *maxes the strips out*. My inside water softened gives me a reading of about 50PPM.

My house is 4,000 sq/ft 5 bathrooms,

Amount of water i use daily. I have a 160 gallon bath tub i use every night. Run the dishwasher once a day and laundry every few days. That's all the water we use. Only 2 people living here.

I'm definitely not a softener pro.

I'm assuming I need to change the salt amount to low 3lbs/cubic foot of resin, and have the calendar days run much less?

Thank you!

 

[Reach4]

Check that the label says 760 and not 740. See page 19 of the service manual.

Do you have iron? Are things iron-stained? How old is this softener. You may need to clean things.

I suggest that you get a lab water test on your raw water. I like kit 90 from http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ For testing your hardness, try testing 50% well water, and 50% distilled water. Then double the reading.

Regarding the 160 gallon tub, I am not sure what that means. I suggest that you see how high the water is when you get out of the tub, and don't fill much higher than that. The reason is that as you get in and move around, water will go down the overflow. If you fill to the amount of water that is left at the end of a bath once you have exited, you will fill to the amount of water that gets retained.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Watersoftenerhelp]

Check that the label says 760 and not 740. See page 19 of the service manual.

Do you have iron? Are things iron-stained? How old is this softener. You may need to clean things.

I suggest that you get a lab water test on your raw water. I like kit 90 from http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ For testing your hardness, try testing 50% well water, and 50% distilled water. Then double the reading.

Regarding the 160 gallon tub, I am not sure what that means. I suggest that you see how high the water is when you get out of the tub, and don't fill much higher than that. The reason is that as you get in and move around, water will go down the overflow. If you fill to the amount of water that is left at the end of a bath once you have exited, you will see how much water gets retained.

The label says 268/760 head and definitely has an option for hardness. When i first messed with it hardness was level that was set. It then just randomly disappeared and no longer lets me go to that setting. the only reason I bring up the gallons it uses is for the water softener information on how much water i use daily.

 

[Watersoftenerhelp]

Double post ** can't figure out how to delete this one

 

[Watersoftenerhelp]

I also have read the service manual 4+ times front to back, back to front. I do seem to have Iron in my water. I get a ring in a month or so. This is after cleaning the toilet with a pumice stone. no where else Do i have any iron stains. I have factory reset the head and used the technique where you hold up and down arrows and get into the P settings. Even in the P settings it skips number 8 *which is hardness*

 

[Reach4]

3*9=27 pounds every 3 days would be about 270 pounds per month, or 6 bags per month.

So that is half of the 12 you are seeing. So how are you using so much more salt and yet not getting the hardness reduction that you need? I don't know.

I see there are history number available, described on page 22. From that, you should be able to see the water usage info if the controller is collecting that successfully.

Confirm that you are entering the P programming mode described on page 23.

 

[Watersoftenerhelp]

3*9=27 pounds every 3 days would be about 270 pounds per month, or 6 bags per month.

So that is half of the 12 you are seeing. So how are you using so much more salt and yet not getting the hardness reduction that you need? I don't know.

I see there are history number available, described on page 22. From that, you should be able to see the water usage info if the controller is collecting that successfully.

I don't know if there is a reset stronger than the method described on page 22. If there is not, it sounds like your control has failed somehow.

That might be the case it is screwed up. I don't know. I know even if its set at 3 days. The water softener seems to turn on everyday at 2 AM. Do softeners backflush every day or does that mean it was just running everyday and the electronics on it are messed up?

 

[Reach4]

hat might be the case it is screwed up. I don't know. I know even if its set at 3 days. The water softener seems to turn on everyday at 2 AM. Do softeners backflush every day or does that mean it was just running everyday and the electronics on it are messed up?

Softeners do not normally backwash every day, unless the softener thinks you are using up the capacity in less than 2 days.

Get the lab water test. If needed, an iron filter will take a big load off of the softener.

But if you are regenerating every day due to some problem, and you keep salt above the water, you would certainly expect the water to be soft.

 

[Old]

Typically with those when it skips over the hardness setting it's a sign that the controller is bad. Apparently the early 760s were extra sensitive to power fluctuations and could become damaged easily. The only fix is to replace the controller. I have confirmed this with pentair tech support, they say the problem has been fixed with later controllers. The ones I have seen immediately change all values to metric after a factory reset with no way to change it back. You can call pentair tech support and describe your problem, they should be able to help.

Try to do another factory reset, make sure you are not setting the valve as a filter, make sure you set the controller for a 268 valve.

With your described salt use your water should be soft. If your softener is older you may need new disc valves. It is common for the valves to leak internally causing hard water to bleed through.