Softener/Filter Troubleshooting - yourkinetico.com Troubleshooting ... running toilet will typically...

Softener/Filter Troubleshooting

Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8

Ten steps to determine the problem…

1. Gather information. Ask questions, find out what is the problem. What is the customer’s complaint? This may identify simple corrections external to the equipment.

Has there been any recent work done by plumbers? Has the water been shut off for any reason? Have fire Hydrants been flushed recently in the area? Have they used more water than normal recently? Has the brine drum recently run out of salt?

How much salt have they been using?

2. Test the water. Raw before softener, hot water, and at brine fitting with water running to service.

Raw water is used to check if the settings in step 6 are correct for the water source.

Hot water is tested to see if hard water has recently been passed to service. (It is not unusual to have a slight increase of hardness from the hot water tank, generally less than 2 grains.)

Water taken directly from the brine fitting will identify if the softener is working correctly at this point. Once completed, advance the control disc forward to service on the other tank and test again.

3. Observe the installation. Check status of by-pass valve (open/closed), brine drum (full, empty, bridged), prefilter (plugged), correct meter disc, inlet/outlet lines correct, kinks or restrictions in drain line or drain line elevated over 8 ft or more than 15 feet horizontally?

4. Run soft water to service. Verify metering (see “Metering” - page 2)

Watch the meter disc is it turning? Watch the no back pawl as the meter disc turns clockwise

does the no back pawl drop into the next tooth?

Measure the metering rate. Measure the rate by running water at a controlled rate (1 gallon a minute) and time how long it takes the no back pawl to drop into the next tooth.

5. Place unit in brine position. Verify vacuum at brine elbow, check on both sides of control disc.

Remove the brine line from the brine elbow and verify if there is suction.

Is the suction smooth without interruption. Is there any water coming from the brine elbow?


Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016

6. Remove the brine valve. Verify correct brine setting (see “Brine Settings” section of the Technical Manual)

Is it set according to the brine installation sheet. Adjuster tube cut down to the correct tab?

Is the float cup set at the correct measurement? 7. Look for low flow in the

distribution system. Leaky toilets, faucets, etc. This may allow water to pass by unmetered, causing hard water.

Low flow means less than 0.3gpm in models with half louver nozzles, less than 0.75gpm in models with full louver nozzles, less than 1.1gpm in models with open louver nozzles, and less than 0.05gpm in models with micro nozzles. A leaky faucet or running toilet will typically be less than these flow rates. If it is less than these flow rates, the water will not turn the turbine, so the meter gears will not turn, and the system may not regenerate when it should.

8. Measure water pressure. Check at brine elbow while one faucet is wide open and valve in backwash position. Place the valve in the brine draw position, allowing the draw port to depressurize. Remove the brine elbow and thread on a ¼” threaded coupling with a pressure gauge on the other end. Place the valve in the backwash position, open one faucet, and note the pressure reading – on most systems it must be at least 15-25 psi.

9. Measure backwash flow rate. (see “Backwash Flow Rates” – page 2) Using a container with a known volume (1 gal bottle) check the drain flow with the unit in b/w and a faucet running, timing how long it takes to fill the container.

1 gallon / 15 seconds = 4 gpm 1 gallon / 30 seconds = 2 gpm 1 gallon /45 seconds = 1.3gpm

(Compare these results to specified b/w flow for model.)

10. Place unit at the end of backwash and allow it to shut off on its own.

Check this on both sides. (This may take several minutes.)

A slight drip to the drain is allowable, if the drip will fill the test tube from your hardness test kit (10 ml) in less than 45 seconds it may cause a hard water situation. If the water is soft, follow the trouble shooting steps for running to drain. If the water at the drain is hard and the unit is producing soft water check the drain valve seats in level 5 for foreign material. Units with separate drains, if the lower drain is dripping the problem will be in the drain valves or the purge valves.



Hard Water

Problem Possible Cause Solution

1. Water meter disc not turning.

A. Bad meter drive pawl B. Meter drive spring not seated properly

C. No back pawl missing or broken

D. Damaged tooth on meter disc E. Damaged gear in gear stack

A. Replace meter drive pawl B. Reinstall meter drive spring

C. Install new no back pawl D. Replace meter disc

E. Re-gear Level 1

2. Unit will not regenerate

automatically.

A. Meter disc not turning B. Control disc will not advance out of service

position C. Damaged teeth on control disc

D. Control valve will not open

E. Drain line/backwash flow control

restricted

A. See # 1 above B. Replace regeneration start pawl

C. Replace control disc D. Check for debris – clean if

present.

E. Remove restriction/change backwash flow control of

necessary

3. No vacuum in

brine position.

A. Checkballs or stems missing or

not seated correctly

B. Checkballs or stems missing or will not move freely

C.. Plugged venturi

D. Plugged backwash flow control/drain line

E. Plugged brine screen/fitting F. Damaged outlet main valve seat seal

A. Replace or reseat check balls or

stems

B. Replace or clean check balls or stems

C. Clean flow control, venturi throat and Nozzle, note do not

use paper clip

D. Clean/replace flow control/free obstruction from drain line

E. Clean brine screen/fitting

F. Replace main valve seat seal

4. Over/under dosing of salt.

A. Brine drum/valve not level B. Bridged salt in drum

C. Brine valve is not set correctly D. Brine valve is faulty

E. Brine valve is dirty

F. Venturi nozzle is plugged

G. Plugged brine screen/fitting H. Brine flow control is plugged

A. Level the brine drum/valve B. Break up the solidified salt

C. Set the brine valve correctly D. Replace the brine valve

E. Clean the brine valve

F. Clean venturi throat and nozzle

G. Clean brine screen/fitting H. Clean/replace brine flow control

5. The by-pass is

open or leaking.

A. Accidentally left in “Open” position

B. Damaged seal/spool in by-pass valve or bad ball valve in a three

way by-pass configuration

A. Close the by-pass valve

B. Repair/replace bad valve(s). To check for internal leak in by-pass

valve, open a soft water tap and run water, with the unit in the

service position disconnect the

brine line from the brine elbow If this water is soft and the water at

the tap is hard replace/repair the by-pass valve.



Frequent Regeneration


1. High water usage. A. Customer uses more water than expected

B. Leak in plumbing or fixture (greater than minimum flow rate required for metering)

A. Inform customer of expected frequency based on actual usage

B. Repair the leak

2. Unit regenerates more frequently than necessary.

A. Incorrect meter disc installed B. Meter disc not moving and

regeneration start pawl in gap C. Control valve stuck in “Open”

position (causes continuous regeneration) due to debris under seal or stray pressure signal

D. Incorrect meter gearing

A. Install correct meter disc B. Refer to “Hard Water

Troubleshooting” section step 1 C. Remove debris (if present) or

replace level 1 (stray pressure signal due to poor seal under ceramic disc)

D. Rework the meter gearing

3. Lack of understanding regarding Kinetico units.

Customer is used to electrical units with timers

Explain to customer that Kinetico units regenerate based on volume as opposed to time

Unit stuck in Cycle


1. Unit stuck in regeneration/backwash cycle.

A. Control flow path is plugged at the regeneration nozzle or regeneration flow control

B. Regeneration drive pawl and/or spring is weak or broken

C. Damaged tooth on control disc D. Eccentric pin is worn/damaged E. On backwashing filters, low pressure

may cause plugged bed F. Regeneration gears not moving

A. Clean the regeneration flow path B. Replace regeneration drive pawl C. Replace control disc D. Replace eccentric pin (snap fit) E. Increase pressure and/or

backwash frequency. May need to rebed.

F. Free obstruction or impediment to gearing

2. Unit stuck in service cycle.

A. Regeneration start pawl broken or missing B. Unit will not regenerate

automatically

A. Replace or install regeneration start pawl B. Refer to “Hard Water Troubleshooting” section step 2



Run to Drain


1. Balance Piston O- ring not seated properly.

A. O-ring off-center B. O-ring pinched or damaged

A. Depress actuator several times to try to seat the O-ring

B. Replace O-ring

2. Bad control disc. Map side of control disc scored Replace control disc

3. Drain or control valves not seated properly.

A. Debris trapped under the seals

B. Low water pressure (this may prevent proper seating of seals)

A. Remove debris B. Increase water pressure

4. Low Water Pressure (see also “Sticking in Cycle”).

Pressure at the brine fitting lower than 15 PSI will affect the hydraulic movements within the softener or filter valves and may not allow drain or control valves to close.

Increase feed water pressure. Check pressure before softener and after softener. If there is a severe pressure loss above 15 psi across the system they may have some blockage in the resin tanks. If filter and softener, or two filters are installed in series, use lockout kit.

5. The main valve piston quad rings or level four internal quads are not sealing.

A. Main valve quad rings may be rolled, twisted, or damaged

B. Water may be leaking from the main valve seat side of the level 4 to a non pressurized area on the piston side of the level 4.

C. Seals may be damaged by chlorine or chloramines

A. Replace main valve piston quad rings B. Replace small retainer quad rings in level

4 or replace level 4 (the piston shafts seal against these quad rings, and they cannot be seen without removing the pistons).

C. Replace with blue seals for use with

chloramines

6. Plugged signal hole or broken non-serviceable glue seal under ceramic disc.

Age and wear, or contamination from poorly filtered feed water

Clean signal holes with paper clip or compressed air; replace Level 1, if necessary.



Salty Water


1. Overdosing of salt. A. Brine valve set incorrectly B. Brine valve not seating properly

C. Rubber band not removed D. Leak in brine valve

A. Set the brine valve correctly B. Replace brine valve

C. Remove rubber band from float cup D. Repair leak/replace brine valve

2. Restricted drain

flow.

A. Drain line kinked or clogged

B. Backwash flow control restricted

C. Long drain tubing run

D. Drain tubing rises higher than 8

feet.

A. Clear obstructions; ensure drain flows

smoothly and clearly B. Clean/replace backwash flow control

C. Shorten length of tubing or increase size of

drain tubing D. Reduce rise to less than 8 feet

3. Low water

pressure.

A. Plugged prefilter

B. Pressure setting too low

C. Fouled/damaged resin bed

A. Change prefilter

B. Increase feed pressure

C. Replace resin

4. Upper distributors

partially blinded

(downflow units).

Foreign material or fines lodged into

the

slots

Clean or replace upper distributors

High Salt Use


1. Unit regenerates

too frequently

See ”Frequent Regeneration” section See ”Frequent Regeneration” section

2. Overdosing of salt See “Salty Water”section See “Salty Water”section

Equipment Noise


1. Unit makes squealing

noise during regeneration

Control disc not flat or sealing properly

against the ceramic disc

Replace control disc, balance piston

spring and balance piston o-ring

2. Unit makes gurgling,

hissing, or bubbling sound (A small amount

of Noise during startup and refill is normal)

A. Trapped air in piping following

installation B. Air being drawn into piping

C. Brine line and/or valve not air checking

A. Release all trapped air from piping

B. Identify source and fix air leak C. Identify and replace faulty parts

3. Groaning while water

being used

High feed pressure Reduce feed pressure



Iron/Manganese Bleed-through


1. Water meter disc and/or salt dosage not set up properly

A. Initially set-up incorrectly B. Raw water composition has

changed

A. Test inlet hardness, iron, and manganese, and set meter disc and salt dosage accordingly

B. Test inlet hardness, iron, and manganese, and set meter disc and salt dosage accordingly

2. Insoluble iron/manganese passing through softener

A. Insoluble iron/manganese not removed by softener resin

B. Insoluble iron/manganese is smaller than the micron rating of the pre-filter

A. Install pre-filter B. Install smaller micron pre-filter element

3. Iron / manganese build-up in resin

High iron/manganese-bearing water Use salt that contains resin cleaning additives

4. Customer’s plumbing may be adding ferric iron into the water

Aging galvanized pipe and/or pressure tank

Replace piping/tank or install a pre-filter. Check in localized areas for sections of galvanized pipe and/or dissimilar metals

Taste, Color, and Odor


1. Metallic taste in water

See “Iron Bleed-through” section See “Iron Bleed-through” section

2. Chlorine / Chloramine taste and/or odor in water

Chlorinated/chloraminated municipal supply

Install a dechlorinator/CRS

3. Salty taste in water

See “Salty Water” section See “Salty Water” section

4. Yellow tint in water

A. Tannins present in raw water B. Iron may be present in water

A. Install a tannin softener if tannins are present

B. See “Iron/Manganese Bleed through” section

5. Rotten egg taste/ odor in water

A. Hydrogen Sulfide present in water

B. (Hot water only) Anode rod in water heater may cause reaction causing odor

A. Install Sulfur Guard system after softener

B. Alternate rod material can be used (see water heater manufacturer)



Pressure Loss


1. Low pressure entering the unit

A. Pre-filter clogged B. Feed pressure setting too low

A. Replace pre-filter cartridge B. Increase feed water pressure

2. Upper and/or lower distributors plugged

A. Foreign material accumulating on distributors

B. Degraded resin accumulating on distributors

C. Bacteria accumulating on distributors

A. Clean distributors. Add pre-filter if not present

B. Clean distributors. Determine cause of resin degradation. Correct and rebed.

C. Clean distributors. Address bacteria at the source.

3. Resin is chlorine/ chloramine damaged

Chlorinated municipal water Re-bed resin tanks. Install dechlorinator/CRS to prevent future damage

4. Equipment is undersized

Customer demand has increased or initial equipment sized incorrectly

Revise equipment selection

Leaks


1. Leaks between the levels

A. Main valve screws are not tightened B. One of the level seals is pinched,

broken, or missing C. Crack in seal area near screw hole D. One of the screw holes is stripped E. Actuator O-ring missing/leaking,

causing water to drip down and appear to be leaking between the levels

A. Depressurize unit and tighten the main valve screws B. Replace faulty or missing seal C. Replace faulty level D. Replace main base (Level 6) E. Replace actuator O-ring

2.Leaks at cap area A. One of the screws are stripped B. Actuator O-ring damaged/missing C. Cracked cap

A. Replace Level 1 B. Replace and lubricate o-ring C. Replace cap

3. Feed water pressure too high

A. Pressure regulator not installed B. Pressure regulator is broken

A. Install pressure regulator B. Replace pressure regulator

4. Leaks at main base/ remote base/nipple

A. Base/nipple is not tightened properly

B. Base/nipple o-ring pinched/missing

A. Tighten base B. Replace/install o-ring

5. Tank is leaking B. Tank failure A. Replace tank

6. Leaks at tubing connections

Tubing connections over/under Tightened

Tighten tubing connections correctly (make a fresh cut 1” off of the tubing)

RO Troubleshooting


Determine the Problem… 1. Gather information. Ask the customer questions. Any information obtained can

reduce your time on the job. Many times the customer response to questions will allow you to skip directly to the next section.

2. Educate the customer. Make sure they understand delayed turn-on when an air-charge tank is installed.

Make sure they understand about maximum storage capacity.

Make sure they understand about maximum daily production.

3. Observe the installation. Look for obvious installation mistakes.

► Is the tank valve open?

► Is the feed valve open?

Check the feed pressure - is it a minimum of 35 psi for the Plus Deluxe and K2, and 40 psi for the Purefecta.

► Are any of the fittings leaking?

4. Check the storage tank. If it is an air-charge storage tank, pick up the storage tank to see if there is water in it. If there is water in the storage tank but no water at the tap, then the storage tank probably lost its air charge or the MAC™ has shut off.

If there is no water in the storage tank, the air charge in the storage tank may be too high.

If the storage tank is a QuickFlo, refer to the QuickFlo troubleshooting section.

Recommended Tools: psi gauge low psi gauge set of RO module wrenches TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter

RO Troubleshooting


Water Flow

Problem Reason Solution

No water flow at tap or low volume of product water.

Storage tank valve closed. Inlet valve closed. Low flow out of prefilter. MAC postfilter shut off. Loss of air in storage tank. Feed water TDS too high for

application. Middle O-ring on module

subassembly damaged or missing. Membrane has fouled or plugged.

When a membrane begins to foul, the amount of water produced will decrease but the TDS reading may still be good.

Low pressure at module assembly. High TDS in feed water. Module subassembly damaged by

overtightening.

Open storage tank valve. Open inlet valve. Replace prefilter cartridge. Replace MAC cartridge. Tighten or replace air valve stem.

Bladder tank stem and cap may also need to be replaced.

Check operating parameters of

equipment; adjust as necessary. Replace O-ring. Replace membrane. Increase pressure to module.

Minimum 35 psig for Plus Deluxe and K2, 40 psig for Purefecta Systems.

Consult Specifications section for

maximum TDS allowed. Close storage tank valve. Take off

the tubing at permeate port and drain port. Put your finger over the permeate port.

Did the drain flow increase significantly? If so, replace subassembly.

RO Troubleshooting


Leaks


Fitting leak at pipe thread.

Fitting not tight enough. Fittings cross-threaded.

Add Teflon tape or approved

sealant. Tighten with wrench. Replace fittings.

Fitting leaks.

O-ring pinched, missing or cut. Tubing is scarred or scratched.

Replace O-ring. Trim end of tubing or replace.

Leak between top of module assembly and sump.

O-ring pinched or missing. Drain flow restricted.

Replace O-ring. Investigate and repair as needed.

Plus Deluxe


Fitting leaks.

Top O-ring pinched or missing

Replace O-ring.

RO Troubleshooting


Water Quality


Customer complains of bad odor or taste.

Tubing used not certified for

potable use. Unit not on microbiologically

safe water. System in need of sanitation. Equipment orientation.

Replace with certified tubing. Incoming water must be made safe

(shock chlorination, UV, etc.). Sanitize membrane and system,

change filters. See the R.O. Maintenance section for sanitation procedure.

MAC postfilter must be after

storage tank.

Poor quality water.

Bottom O-ring on

subassembly pinched or missing.

Membrane O-ring pinched

or missing.

Subassembly malfunction.

Membrane malfunction.

Restricted drain.

Replace O-ring. Replace O-ring. Replace subassembly. Replace membrane. Clear drain flow path.

RO Troubleshooting


Module Not Shutting Off


Module does not shut off properly.

Low pressure at module inlet.

No air in storage tank. Not understanding operation

properly.

Check that prefilter inlet valve is

open. Check for clogged prefilter and low feed water pressure.

Check air valve stem and repair as

necessary. Pre-charge tank to 7 psi.

Consult Concept Section, in the

Drinking Water section, for description of control valve operation.

K-2 by Kinetico


Module does not shut off properly.

Shutoff valve defective. Permeate check valve failed.

TDS too high for Applications

pressure.

Replace shutoff valve. Turn off storage tank. If

membrane turns on, permeate check valve is faulty. Replace membrane.

Check operating parameters of

equipment. Adjust as necessary. (This may require addition of a booster pump – see the Accessories section.)

Notes


Determine the Problem… 1. Gather information. Ask the customer questions. Any information obtained can reduce your

time on the job. Many times the customer response to questions will allow you to skip directly to the next section.

2. Educate the customer. Make sure they understand that the QuickFlo requires 35 psi to operate.

Make sure they understand that the tank refills after every draw of water.

3. Observe the installation. Look for obvious installation mistakes.

► ⅜” or larger feed valve, self-piercing valves. Cannot be used with the QuickFlo tank.

► ⅜” or larger feed tubing no longer than 10’ in length.

► Tank to bracket connections no longer than 5’.

► PureMometer® in the up, 500 gallons available position.

► All tubing connections correct.

► System has been sanitized.

► Membrane flushed (15-20 minutes minimum).

► System requires 35 psi minimum and 100 psi maximum pressure for proper operation.

► ⅜” tubing to the point of use.

► Signal tee close to the point of use or centrally located if 2 point of use connections.

► Was the tap left open with a permeate drip for 15 minutes, to bleed all air from the system upon install, or cartridge change?

► Feed and tank valves open.

► No system leaks.

► Make sure external check valve is installed (this is required on units not using port #2 on the manifold and the QuickFlo tank).

► Be sure external check is installed between outlet elbow of the postfilter and before the signal tee (required on units not using port #2 on the manifold and the QuickFlo tank).

RO Troubleshooting



No or low flow at tap.

MAC postfilter shut-off. Tank or feed valve closed. Low feed

pressure. Pistons not shifting. No drain exiting

out of port #3 on the QuickFlo tank. Dirty prefilter. Restrictive feed connection. Excessive pressure drop in feed line. Excessive pressure drop in tank line. Faulty QuickFlo control valve. Missing or incorrectly placed check

valve after postfilter. QuickFlo tank running water to the

drain.

Refer to MAC indicator and replace

cartridges if necessary. Open tank and feed valve. QuickFlo

requires a minimum of 35 psi to operate properly. Check and address cause of low pressure.

Replace subassembly with a

manufacture date of AA-9-1 (09/01/2004) or later.

Replace prefilter.

Replace feed connection with a full flow

⅜” tubing connection and shut-off valve. Use ⅜” tubing no longer than 10’ for

feed connection. Use ⅜” tubing no longer than 5’ for tank

to bracket connection. Replace QuickFlo control valve.

Add check valve. Check valve must be

placed between postfilter and signal tee. Replace QuickFlo control valve.

Notes



Excessive cycling of QuickFlo control valve.

External leak in permeate

plumbing downstream of QuickFlo tank.

Check permeate water usage. Excessive feed pressure. Signal tee too close to bracket

assembly. Faulty QuickFlo control valve. Faulty, missing, or incorrectly

installed check valve. Water is pulsing out of tap.

Restriction in tap is causing QuickFlo to cycle.

Repair plumbing leak in KRO postfilter, tap,

icemaker, tubing, or tubing connections. Any water use at tap, icemaker, or other

connection will cause the QuickFlo valve to cycle.

Maximum feed pressure for the QuickFlo is 100

psi. Use pressure reducing valve to reduce feed pressure.

Move tee closer to point of use connection and

centrally locate in 2 point of use connection applications.

Replace QuickFlo control valve. Excessive

cycling will damage the QuickFlo control. Replace or install check valve. Check valve

should be installed after the postfilter and before the signal tee. NOTE: Units that use port #2 on the QuickFlo valve will not have an external check valve.

Retrofit faucet gasket with new high flow

gasket. Call Technical Service for details.

Run to drain.

Problem with KRO or QuickFlo

control module. Check permeate water usage. Continuous high flow from

QuickFlo drain, faulty QuickFlo control valve.

Determine source of run to drain by

disconnecting drain line on QuickFlo tank. If drain flow is from the QuickFlo, replace QuickFlo control valve. If it is running out of the line, replace the module subassembly.

Any water use at tap, icemaker or other

connection will cause the QuickFlo valve to cycle and the KRO module to turn on to refill the QuickFlo tank.

Replace QuickFlo control valve.

RO Troubleshooting



Faulty bladder to control valve connection or hole in bladder.

Fix connection or replace bladder.

Poor permeate quality.

Poor KRO membrane

performance. Internal QuickFlo leak.

Check permeate quality at QuickFlo product

port (#5). If poor quality, troubleshoot KRO module. If quality good, see below.

Check and/or repair control valve to bladder

connection. Check integrity of bladder and replace if necessary.

QuickFlo Force Feed Procedure New style tank with port #2 plugged and check valve on postfilter outlet line.

1. Turn off feed to the unit.

2. Disconnect the lines at #5 (⅜”) port and signal port on the QuickFlo tank.

3. Disconnect the ⅜” feed line at the inlet elbow of the drinking water system unit.

4. Install a ⅜” x ⅜” x ¼” Parker tee on the end of the feed line. Install a short piece of ⅜” tubing with cap/valve into the inlet elbow of the unit to plug.

5. Using ⅜” tubing, connect the remaining ⅜” port of the tee to the #5 port on the QuickFlo tank.

6. Using ¼” tubing, connect the ¼” port of the tee to the signal port on the QuickFlo tank.

7. Turn on the feed supply for approximately 10 minutes. This will fill the inside of the QuickFlo bladder with tap water.

8. Turn off the feed water. Reconnect the lines to the drinking water system inlet and QuickFlo tank for normal operation.

9. Turn feed water back on to the unit. You can now go to the tap and test for QuickFlo operation.

Notes


Troubleshooting Notes

Softener/Filter Troubleshooting - yourkinetico.com Troubleshooting ... running toilet will typically...

Documents

Transcript of Softener/Filter Troubleshooting - yourkinetico.com Troubleshooting ... running toilet will typically...