How to clean a brine tank??


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Old 05-19-17, 01:01 PM
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How to clean a brine tank??

I have a brine tank that has been without salt for who knows how long. There's about 12-18 inches of water and some gunk in there so it definitely needs to be cleaned out. New home owner & have no clue about water softeners! Manual wasn't helpful... so a few questions!
1 - when do I put the system in regeneration mode? Do I need to turn it to anything else throughout this process?
2 - can I dump the water into the hole in my basement where the sub pump is?
3 - after I clean the brine tank out, do I add a few gallons of water or will the softener do that on its own?
4 - do I let the salt sit in the brine tank and touch nothing on the softener?

I'm just starting to learn about these softeners so if anyone could break it down step by step in lamest terms, it'd be so much appreciated!
 
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Old 05-19-17, 07:57 PM
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What brand? if the tank is by its self and does not have the softener in it then it is simple.
Disconnect the brine line, salt line from the float assembly so that the salt tank no longer has the 3/8 line attached and then take that tank out side and hose out. Take the tank back in and attach the 3/8 line and put in 5gallons of water to prime the tank and 1 bag of your choice on salt.
You are now finished.
 
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Old 05-20-17, 03:12 AM
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Thanks! I think it's a 5600 Econominder? The Brine tank sits on its own and I figured it'd be fairly easy to remove to take out to clean. What confuses me though is when do I put the system in regen mode? Right before? Hours before? Right after I add more salt?
And for some reason I can't for the life of me turn the 2 knobs in back to put it into bypass mode...
 
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Old 05-20-17, 03:29 AM
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Look something like this.

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Time of day on big dial, number of people and water hardness on right (this you might have to play with if you dont have a water test).

You can manually cycle the big dial to get to regen or just let it go and eventually it will cycle.

Bypass valve in back does not need to be touched unless you are removing softener from system.
 
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Old 05-20-17, 04:05 AM
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Yes, that's what it looks like! I let it run through the regeneration cycle yesterday, seemed to run fine. But WHEN do I do a regen cycle? Before or after I take the brine tank out to clean/add salt & water back in??
 
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Old 05-20-17, 09:59 AM
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Neither, when the system is in service the brine piston is closed and no water is going to the salt tank. Just undo the nut on the 3/8 line at either end and take the tank out side and clean out. When the tank comes in and the line is hooked back up put about 5gallons of water and a bag of salt into the tank and let the system cycle on its own the next time , after that cycle add the rest of the salt like you would normally.
Clear?
 
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Old 05-20-17, 05:14 PM
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That works for me! Much simpler than I was making it, it sounds like. I was wondering how to get the line out as it wasn't come out easily from the brine tank. Will try to take the nut off from the softener tank and leave it alone from the brines end.
25 year old woman, first time home owner! This has been a learning process to say the least. Thanks for all the insight
 
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Old 05-20-17, 07:17 PM
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It is one heck of a learning curve. The only stupid question is the one not asked. If you have questions ask it is the only way to learn.
Small pair of channel locks on the brass nut under the timer control on the valve will remove that nut and then take that out side and clean out.
Some thing that you might do at the end, water into the tank then the salt and blow through the tube to get some air into the water, that will get the ball floating so that when the unit draws the brine the ball is not setting on the hole to keep air from getting in. Once you get just some air bubbles coming out then put that nut back where it came from and life should be good.
 
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Old 05-21-17, 03:40 AM
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That makes sense!
There's nothing I need to shut off before I take the nut off? No air pressure or anything built up in the tank that'll release when I take the nut off of it?? And the system is completely fine for a few while it's not hooked up?
 
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Old 05-21-17, 05:40 AM
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The only thing to watch for is that only the 3/8 nut turns and not the piece (BLFC housing) it screws into. The 3/8 nut takes a 5/8 wrench and the BLFC housing takes a 3/4 wrench.
 
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Old 05-21-17, 10:02 AM
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Thank you, everyone. Successfully got the line unhooked and cleaned it out. Blew some air through the hose as suggested and tightened the nut back on! Added 40lbs of salt, 5 gallons of water, mixed it around, will let it go through the cycle tonight and add another bag or two tomorrow. Appreciate all the help!!!
 
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Old 05-21-17, 11:34 AM
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Keep this up and you might be the next service tech.
 
 

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