Maintenance - North Star NSR 17CS Installation And Operation Manual

Water Softener Maintenance
REFILLING WITH SALT
Brine (salt dissolved in water) is needed for every
regeneration. The water for making brine is metered
into the salt storage area by the softener valve and
timer. If the water softener uses all the salt before
more is added, hard water will result. Lift the brine
tank lid and check the salt level every week. Be sure
that the brinewell cover is on when adding salt.
NOTE: In humid areas it is best to keep the salt level
less than half full and refill more often.
RECOMMENDED SALT: Cube, pellet, coarse solar,
etc., water softener salt is recommended. This type
of salt is high purity evaporated crystals, sometimes
formed and pressed into briquets. It has less than
1% insoluble (not dissolvable in water) impurities.
Clean, high grade rock salts are acceptable, but may
require frequent brine tank cleaning to remove the
"sludge" residue (insolubles) collecting at the bottom
of the tank.
SALT NOT RECOMMENDED: Rock salt high in
impurities, block, granulated, table, ice melting, or ice
cream making salts, etc., are not recommended.
SALT WITH IRON REMOVING ADDITIVE: Some
salts have an additive to help a water softener handle
iron in the water supply. Although this may help keep
the resin bed clean, it may also release corrosive
fumes that will weaken and shorten the life of some
water softener electronic parts.
BREAKING A SALT BRIDGE
Sometimes a hard crust or salt "bridge" forms in the
brine tank. This is usually caused by high humidity or
the wrong kind of salt. When the salt bridges, an
empty space forms between the water and the salt.
Then salt will not dissolve in the water to make brine.
Without brine, the resin bed is not recharged and
hard water will result.
If the storage tank is full of salt, it is difficult to tell
whether there is a salt bridge. A bridge may be
underneath loose salt. The following is the best way
to check for a salt bridge:
Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the
tank. Hold a broom handle, or like tool, up to the sof-
tener, as shown in Figure 35. Make a pencil mark on
the handle 1-2" below the top of the rim. Then, care-
fully push it straight down into the salt. If a hard
object is felt before the pencil mark is even with the
top, it is most likely a salt bridge. Carefully push into
the bridge in several places to break it. Do not try to
break the salt bridge by pounding on the outside
of the salt tank. You may damage the tank.
Push tool into
salt bridge
to break
1 - 2"
Pencil Mark
Broom
Handle
15
Salt
Salt Bridge
Empty Space
Water Level
FIG. 35