Attention Plumbers

[Racinbob 11,448]

Ok, I may be out of my mind posting this on a tractor forum but over the years I know there a vast knowledge pool amongst our members on just about every subject out there. The first person that came to mind is Mrs. @Pullstart

 

First we are on a well with a 4" submersible. Our untreated water is excellent but just a tad hard. In August 2022 I installed a new Rheem water softener. Per Rheem if we run cleaner through it every 4 months using their cleaner (RHWSC) they will extend the warranty to 5 years. Although I don't think much of extended warranties but I do like to maintain things so I do this religiously. The softener even reminds me it's been 4 months. Zero issues until now. Last night was a cleaning night so as I've always done. I wait until the dishwasher, etc, are done, pour the bottle in the brine well and immediately regenerate. Forget about it for another 4 months. This morning after we have been up a while and used some water my wife asks me why the water is blue. Just like using those little hangy thingys people put in the tank that intentionally turn it blue. We have never used those and never will. I bypassed the softener, did a little flush and all is back to normal. Fortunately we hadn't used much hot water yet so the water heater is OK. For now I'm leaving the softener in bypass.

 

Anybody have a clue as to what's going on? 

[adsm08 2,383]

I don't know.

 

I did a bit of research and found some salts have a blue dye, and it can sometimes be a reaction copper piping.

[Ed Kennell 39,731]

Just talked to my son ,Mike @ Wilber Henry Plumbing.    He installs and maintains Reem HVAC systems.    He has never used a pour in cleaner on a water softener.  He takes the brine tanks outside, scrubs them out , and puts in new salt.     Sorry, no answer to your question Bob.

[Racinbob 11,448]

I did see that. There's no copper. It was all a poorly done cpvc job and I completely replumbed with pex about 2 years ago. The salt is what I've used for years. It seems odd that it was an all of a sudden thing. Right now it will stay bypassed until tomorrow. We have a family reunion this afternoon.......here. I'm not touching it anymore today for fear of really screwing something up.  

[squonk 41,923]

Wondering if the softener beads started to come out. We have read beads/media in our industrial softeners at work and every once in while something goes haywire in them and the media gets puked out of them. Gets on the floor and is slippery stuff. If it happens again, I would contact a local water treatment co. for their " opinion" 

[953 nut 56,739]

             The regenerate and backwash timers operate solenoid valves, probably one of the regenerate solenoid valves didn't close all the way.

[Pullstart 63,529]

I’m at a loss here too Bob, and the Mrs. too.  We are water heater people, but don’t have a ton of knowledge or experience with water softeners…

[Racinbob 11,448]

4 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I’m at a loss here too Bob, and the Mrs. too.  We are water heater people, but don’t have a ton of knowledge or experience with water softeners…

 

Just ignore the fact that I'm an idiot Kevin. When the problem showed up I immediately thought of you two. But because of the family reunion here yesterday afternoon I put it in bypass and ignored it until this morning. Sometime this morning as we were discussing what to do it hit me that it wasn't softeners but heaters. Oops! 

[Ed Kennell 39,731]

    Might be time for the ole timer clock test Bob. 

 

 

[rmaynard 15,799]

I have only used cleaner in my Whirlpool softener once in 10 years. I know that normally no salt (brine) ever gets into the potable water, but I did have an instance where I had a power failure in the middle of a recharge cycle, and the first water drawn was for coffee. Worst coffee ever. Salty. So I ran about 5 gallons off and everything was fine. Having had that experience, when I added the cleaner and did a forced recharge, I ran the recharge twice. 

That doesn't explain why your water was blue, but in your case, I would have done another recharge, then run off about 5 gallons.

Edited August 26, 2024 by rmaynard

[WHX?? 49,916]

Plunger @JCM anything to add?

I would run it through a couple backwash cycles after your festivities. 

[Lane Ranger 11,069]

Bob:   Do a check on Google about t your model Rheem softener.  I see on several posts they had a part/ design failure that may be something to check out.   I have had Rheem furnaces in two homes for 45 years and never had a problem.    I have never had a softener in Greencastle even though we have hard wster

 

[Racinbob 11,448]

I got into it deeper yesterday and it is a resin bed failure. With using the cleaner the warranty is extended but still worthless. They told me I needed to get the installing contractor out to verify the issue before they will cover it. That means I would have to pay for the service call since I installed it. That happened to me once before with a water heater. #!%@ it! Not willing to pay for a service call along with what Lane found out it was new softener time. 

 

15 hours ago, Lane Ranger said:

Bob:   Do a check on Google about t your model Rheem softener.  I see on several posts they had a part/ design failure that may be something to check out.   I have had Rheem furnaces in two homes for 45 years and never had a problem.    I have never had a softener in Greencastle even though we have hard wster

 

 

We found that out Lane. Rheem softeners around the time we purchased it had become nightmares. Often times causing a flood. I told my wife to find one and do the research. We settled on a Whirlpool Pro series. I wanted to get one today and the nearest place that had them in stock was Blains Farm and Fleet in Portage MI. A little over 2 hours away. I called them and asked the guy to verify physically that the computer was right. Heput me on hold and when he came back he said he actually put his hands on both of them. I had never heard of Blains before. I was amazed. It puts Tractor Supply, Rural King and the others I've seen to complete shame. It's almost worth the 2+ hour drive. 

 

Now, to install a softener again.................tomorrow. 

[squonk 41,923]

 I had a feeling it was a media / resin issue Bob.

 

I 've been on a roll lately. We had a chiller go down on a day I wasn't at work. I go and see the guy working on it and he says nothing makes sense and was blaming the ancient obsolete controller. I noticed the chilled pump sounded like a Tecky ready to toss it's cookies. Our electrician found a burnt leg on the contactor. I said we need to replace the motor. Well the pump sounded normal without the motor. Chiller guy came later and sure enough the motor needed replacing and that fixed the chiller. 

[Lane Ranger 11,069]

Went to Blains in Iowa and bought a toro mower for my daughter!  Good place.   Glad you I D’d the issue Bob. 
 

 

Edited August 28, 2024 by Lane Ranger

[adsm08 2,383]

A store that beats Rural King?

 

For the longest time we only had TSC, and I love that store. Then we got 2 RKs, about 18 months ago, both 40ish minutes from me. I went in one last fall for the first time and was amazed.

[Racinbob 11,448]

Yup. I agree RK is pretty cool but Blains, at least the one I went to, beats it.

Actually, they are all cool because they are my type of store. I'm not sure but I suspect that Blains is the new kid on the block.

Edited August 28, 2024 by Racinbob