Overflowing Culligan Accu 1 Water Softener

John,

I don't know anything about Culligan (I'm sure at least one A2K member has experience with them) anyway, I would bypass the system and call a Culligan service tech hotline or my local dealer.

Re: Overflowing Culligan Accu 1 Water Softener
Make sure you know where the water is actually leaking. I think you are saying that the leak is at the brine line connection inside the salt tank. It is 3/8" tubing and it goes into the salt tank to a float controlled valve. As the water comes up os high, it raises the float and shuts off the water into the slat tank. If so shut off the water to the softener/house, open a faucet somewhere and then close it after 10 seconds. Then put the by-pass valve into the by-pass position. That is where the plumbing connects to the back of the control valve (that's what plugs into the electrical receptacle). Then tighten the nut on the end of the brine line.

Then turn on the water and put the BP valve into service and see if the leak has stopped. If so, do another manual regeneration and enjoy. If the leak is still there, find where it is leaking and repost.

Thanks. I will do that and report back later. For now, from what I can tell the leak is at the top of the mineral tank (where it's connecting to the valve assembly).

john

Then the tank is bust or the o-ring sealing on the top of the tank to the bottom of the control valve is leaking or their special tank to control valve connectors are leaking.

The control valve could be loose and you may be able to tighten it. If the water is coming out of the tank material, then the tank is bad and you'll need a new one. Culligan can tell you the warranty period; it should be ten years to "lifetime".

Nothing new, but it bears repeating ~


John,
I would bypass the system and call a Culligan service tech hotline or my local dealer.

Thanks. Could it also be the circuitry that failed to tell the valve to shut off when the recharge is done? The leaking/spraying water is not salty. So I assume that it's coming from the water main.....it does sound like a bad seal/o-ring or something like that isn't it.


Off topics: Bought this unit through S***s just three years ago. Called S***s and they want to charge me $60 for a technician to come out and take a look. If it's involved something that is still under warranty then the part is free but I would have to pay for all the labor. Called Cull and they are asking $130-$150 just to have someone to come out.

A $60 service call is more than reasonable and may result in a warranty repair. I'm sure Sears would have to order the part so you'd be on hard water till the repair is completed.

Culligan's service charge is not outragous and they more than likely stock the part and are more familiar with that softener than the Sears guy/gal. You may have another problem besides the leak and Culligan would/should see that and take care of it.

I don't see a way to get it fixed for free but paying a professional for their time, tools, and knowledge is the quickest way back to soft water for you.

John, you are jumping all over from removing a tank lid to a control valve/tank o-ring leak or a possible split in the resin tank etc..

Do you have two tanks, a resin and salt tank or one piece softener with the resin tank in the salt tank cabinet model like a Sears/Ecowater softener?

If you can't identify exactly where the water is coming out of whatever, you will have to call for service and pay whatever they charge to show up and then pay their hourly rate on top of that, not to mention their high parts prices if you need a non warranted part.

This is the problem with buying from and then depending on a local dealer for service instead of learning how to do this stuff yourself.

Buying online you have to assemble the unit and it takes all of 30 minutes or less but, during assembly you learn every component part and know how to take the softener apart when needed.

And when needed you call the online dealer at your convenience (within reasonable hours) and they tell you what to do because they have done it themselves AND they WANT to tell YOU how to do it yourself.... That's great service and sells more softeners if you tell anyone about their service... You do have to find the right online dealer though, not all will or can troubleshoot on the phone as I do. Few to none local dealers will troubleshoot over the phone. As a way to compete with Culligan and Kinetico and independent dealers and plumbers and well drillers selling water treatment, I troubleshot problems over the phone for 17 years before going online.

Anyway, let me know what you find.

It's a one piece unit. My unit (internally) looks more or less like that of a Kenmore's. See link for picture http://www.kenmorewater.com/website/animations/product-animation/index.html

The leak is at the top of the mineral tank (sage green) where it's connected to the valve assembly(?) (copper color).

Thanks,
john

It sounds like the locking collar is loose.
It should have snap clips on either side.
Bypass the system and let the pressure bleed off.
Check to see if these clips are snapped down tight.
The control valve may spin, but it must not lift up.
Put the system back in service if you are able to make an adjustment.
If the leak has stopped you are done.

If the leak continues contact your local EcoWater dealer for service.
If your softener is as pictured in the simulation it is was made by EcoWater.


I hope that helps ~

The locking collar is loose enough that I can actually spin/rotate round and round. Should it be that way? Or should it be locked tight in one place. Regardless, I am going to try later today what you have recommended and hopefully that that's the problem.

Thanks,
john

I removed the collar lock and noticed that the o-ring on/inside the top of the mineral tank is pinched (a piece of the ring is sticking out) at the exact spot that water is spraying from. The next thing I will call is the technician. BTW., if the o-ring is indeed pinched; is it considered as defective? My unit is only three years old and I wonder if this is something that is covered under the warranty which states that for a period of ten years the following are covered
The control valve body excluding the internal parts
The salt storage container
brine valve and all its component parts
the fiberglass resin tank including all internal components

Thanks,
john

That will be your water leak. You may be able to put the o-ring back in the groove and put the clamp back on and fix the problem but.... unless the o-ring has been out of the groove since day one, then my guess would be that high water pressure blew it out and caused the leak. I think it's been out of the groove all along.

If the o-ring is stretched and/or pinched, then you need a new one. That wouldn't normally be covered under warranty and should only be a few dollars. You could probably replace it yourself in 30 minutes.

Yes, the EcoWater design is very easy to service yourself.

If the gasket was a problem since day one there is a good chance the leak
would have started long ago - check your water pressure ahead of the unit.

EcoWater and systems made by EcoWater are the best available - period!

EcoWater is the best? Based on what? I have a well, with very hard water, and high iron. Family of 5. I am sure there are different models.....but what would the cost be, for a "typical system" installed? Any idea?