Whirlpool water softener brine tank continues to fill during brine cycle only

[Jay Doherty]

I have a summer home with hard well water. I purchased and installed a Whirlpool WHSE33 water softener at Lowes in summer 2015. This year when I put it back in service after its second winterizing proceedure the brine tank filled, just past halfway, with water and remained in the tank. After many many calls to the Whirlpool technical service people I have determined that they really don't know everything about their product and just follow a script when giving advice. They convinced me to throw $100.00 at the problem by ordering and installing a rotary disk and seal kit which did not help.

Here is what I know:

• During the recharge cycles, the "fill" cycle works as it should. Water comes into the brine tank and covers the salt. That takes approx. 15 min. When I lift the the float valve assembly above the water line, I hear and see water flowing slowly from it.
• When the "brine" cycle starts, a weak stream of salty water come out of the drain hose but the water level in the brine tank continues to slowly rise until the brine cycle ends. When I lift the float valve I can still hear and see water running into the brine well. That takes about 120 mins.
• When the "backwash" cycle begins, a strong stream of water comes out of the discharge hose. At that time the the water level in the brine tank stops rising.
• During the "rinse" cycle, the drain hose continues a strong stream of water.
• After the recharge cycle returns to "service", the water level in the brine tank remains constant.

Here is what I did:

• I looked for and found that there are no external leaks at the bypass or other sources where water could be leaking into the brine tank.
• I cleaned the venturi and nozzle.
• I replaced the rotary disk and seal kit.
• When I remove the ferrule nut and brine line from the venturi housing during the "brine" cycle, there is supposed to be a vacume but I get a stream of water.

Here is what I am thinking:

• The only possible source of the water durning the "brine" cycle is coming from the venturi.
• There is an apparent loss of vacume in the venturi.
• While the system has only been in operation about 15 months the problem must be in the venturi.
• Before I throw another $100 bucks at this problem that might not work and get a replacement venturi kit, I would really appreciate the opinion of someone with experience in water softener systems.
• THANK YOU in advance

 

[Dgold]

Two questions that might help:

1. At any point, is the brine tank overflowing? Does water or brine come out of the overflow line (the tube coming out of the side or back of the brine tank)?
2. After regeneration, is your water soft (0 gpg or 0 ppm hardness)?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

During the recharge cycles, the "fill" cycle works as it should. Water comes into the brine tank and covers the salt. That takes approx. 15 min. When I lift the the float valve assembly above the water line, I hear and see water flowing slowly from it.

That's odd. Floats should float.

 

[ditttohead]

They usually do unless they are built by the lowest bidder...