A.O. Smith AO-WH-SOFT-350 Owner's Manual page 3

Water Softening by A. O. Smith
Hard water is determined by how much calcium and magnesium your water contains.
The white residue left behind from hard water can build up in pipes, shorten the
lifespan of appliances, increase utility bills and repair costs, and more.
Designed, engineered, and built to last while providing you with soft water.
A. O. Smith water softeners are packed with fine mesh resin beads, that your hard
water flows through, and—in a process called ion exchange—trades places with sodium
ions, removing the hardness. When you have hard water, we've got you covered.
How It Works
Save time and money with the self-cleaning pre-filter. As your water softener runs, the
pre-filter is cleaned through a process called regeneration. This process is necessary in order
to clean the resin beads so that the water softener can provide your home with soft water.
Regeneration consists of four cycles:
First Backwash
The valve reverses water flow into the tank in order to flush out the sediment
pre-filter of excess dirt and debris.
The Brine Rinse
A slow process where a concentrated brine solution (a mixture of salt and water) is
pumped into the mineral media tank, forcing the minerals off the media, cleaning it
of hardness. Then it transitions to a rinse cycle to remove traces of sodium.
Second Backwash
The valve reverses increases water flow again for an additional rinse to remove
any leftover brine solution.
The Brine Refill
The valve reverses water flow again. The brine tank is refilled with treated,
soft water ready for the next regeneration cycle to begin.
Keep this owner's manual to reference installation, troubleshooting
and replacement information.
If you need help or have a question, we've got you covered. Give us a call at 855.424.9892.
NEED HELP? GIVE US A CALL 855.424.9892