EcoPure MW_MW15_450217 - Manual (Page 14)

WATER AND WATER CONDITIONING, continued
$ Colloidal and inorganically bound iron is of ferric
or ferrous form that will not filter or exchange out of
water. In some instances, treatment may improve
colloidal iron water, but always CONSULT A QUAL-
IFIED WATER CHEMISTRY LAB before attempting
to treat it. Colloidal iron water usually has a yellow
appearance when drawn. After standing for several
hours, the color persists and the iron does not set-
tle, but remains suspended in the water.
Iron in water causes stains on clothing and plumb-
ing fixtures. It negatively affects the taste of food,
drinking water, and other beverages.
ACIDITY or acid water is caused by carbon dioxide,
hydrogen sulfide, and sometimes industrial wastes.
It is corrosive to plumbing, plumbing fixtures, water
heaters, and other water using appliances. In can
also damage and cause premature failure of seals,
diaphragms, etc., in water handling equipment.
A chemical analysis is needed to measure the
degree of acidity in water. This is called the pH of
water. Water testing below 6.9 pH is acidic. The
lower the pH reading, the greater the acidity. A neu-
tralizer filter or a chemical feed pump are usually rec-
ommended to treat acid water.
SEDIMENT is fine, foreign material particles sus-
pended in water. This material is most often clay or
silt. Extreme amounts of sediment may give the
water a cloudy appearance. A sediment filter nor-
mally corrects this condition.
HOW THE WATER SOFTENER WORKS
SOFT WATER SERVICE, AND REGENERATION ...see illustrations, page 15
SERVICE
When the softener is providing soft water, it is called
"Service". During service, hard water flows from the
house main water pipe into the softener. Inside the
softener resin tank is a bed made up of thousands
of tiny, plastic resin beads. As hard water passes
through the bed, each bead attracts and holds the
hardness minerals. This is called ion-exchanging. It
is much like a magnet attracting and holding metals.
Water without the hardness minerals (soft water)
flows from the softener and to the house pipes.
After a period of time, the resin beads hold all of the
hardness minerals they can and cleaning is needed
to remove them. This cleaning is called regenera-
tion, or recharge. The demand timer automatically
determines
when regenerations occur.
Regeneration is started at 2:00 a.m. (factory setting)
by the softener timer, and consists of 5 stages or
cycles. These are: FILL, BRINING, BRINE RINSE,
BACKWASH, and FAST RINSE.
REGENERATION
" FILL: Salt, dissolved in water, is called brine.
Brine is needed to clean the hardness minerals from
the resin beads. To make the brine, water flows into
the salt storage area during the fill stage as shown
on page 15.
" BRINING: During brining, brine travels from the
salt storage area, into the resin tank. Brine is the
cleaning agent needed to remove the hardness min-
erals from the resin beads. The hardness minerals,
and brine are discharged to the drain.
The nozzle and venturi create a suction to move the
brine, maintaining a very slow rate to get the best
resin cleaning with the least salt.
" BRINE RINSE: After a pre-measured amount of
brine is used, the brine valve closes. Water contin-
ues to flow in the same path as during brining,
except for the discontinued brine flow. Hardness
minerals and brine flush from the resin tank, to the
drain.
" BACKWASH: During backwash, water travels up
through the resin tank at a fast flow rate, flushing
accumulated iron, dirt, and sediments from the resin
bed and to the drain.
" FAST RINSE: Backwash is followed by a fast flow
of water down through the resin tank. The fast flow
flushes brine from the bottom of the tank, and packs
the resin bed.
After fast rinse, the softener returns to soft water
service.
AUTOMATIC HARD WATER BYPASS DURING REGENERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For emergency needs, hard water is available to
the home during the regeneration cycles. However,
you should avoid using HOT water because the
water heater will refill with the hard water.
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