Why does my Rainsoft softener not give soft water?

I will check tonight for a leaking by-pass valve and see if that's it. After a fresh regen cycle it now give 3 grains hardness. Jeez, I expected more from this forum

It's great talking to yourself Well I checked the water coming directly out of the hose that fills the brine tank during regen and it checked 5 grains. So the new media is not working even after regen. I knew something was up when the Culligan owner told me that the media I have did not make soft water when he tried it in a test tube. He called me on the phone to alert me that in 45 years of business he has never seen media like this. Dull and tan looking. Sure enough he showed me his bright shiny honey colored media and it made soft water. I responded that maybe the new stuff needs to be charged. Well it still does not work after charging it last night. Rainsoft wanted me to check the water coming straight from the tank after regen to see if maybe I was getting bypass valve leakage. Well we can disount that possibility because its 5 grains with new charged media. I venture to say that since 1997 when we purchased this unit that it never made soft water. I think Rainsoft is a hoax and has scammed people for a very long time with this ion-x 100 media. It doesn't work and never will. Sorry for all those folks that use this media.

For good measure I regen'd the unit again last night and did a titration test with a reading of 3 grains. Back to calling Rainsoft again

Who told you the original resin was bad & how could you tell it was the resin and not the control valve?

All O-ring's in the valve body were replaced with OEM parts from Rainsoft. As a last resort Rainsoft said it mus be the resin that is extinguished its useable life. Rainsoft is lost now as to what to do. Any parts that could wear or leak have been replaced other than the bypass valve O-rings. Any ideas? Last check this morning shows I'm getting 5 grains hardness.

Was it using salt before RainSoft replaced the O rings? After?

What exactly was replaced? Piston & Injector O rings? Brine & Drain shut off tabs?

When the plumber installed the softener he did not tighten a nut on one of the hose lines so I had air leakage. By the time I figured this out, Rainsoft sent me the Piston & Injector O-rings along with Brine and Shut-off tabs...all of which I replaced before realizing the hose connection nut for brine tank was loose. Oh well, at least all the O-rings have been replaced except the bypass valve. Today, Rainsoft wants me to test the water directly from the tank by either removing the head or taking the motor assy and piston off. They want the water internally stored to be hardness checked before they do anything. Again, I have to take apart the unit. They don't trust the water from Cycle #1 which fills the brine tank for some reason. Currently, the unit is using salt.

Can you post a picture?

I would like to see the plumbing connections

http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww247/jberenyi/NOR_0345_zpsa53b1188.jpg
http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww247/jberenyi/NOR_0344_zps6dba0925.jpg
http://i724.photobucket.com/albums/ww247/jberenyi/NOR_0343_zps46071072.jpg

Odd thing is last night the regen came on with only 794 gallons used and my hardness is set at 12 grains. It shouldn't have come on till 2165 gallons used. The orange cord wrapped around the valve body is just the power cord.

Just found out the kids and wife complained the water was salty this morning and the alarm on the unit was sounding off saying it was low. There is now way you can use 50 lbs of salt in two regens but it says I did and it didn't.

Let's try and reset the computer.

Unplug it and remove the 9V battery, let it sit that way for a few hours.
Install the 9V, plug it in, verify your particular settings and see what happens.

Great pictures!

I already performed this a few times and the grain count is still sitting at about 4-5. Today I removed the motor assembly and pulled the piston unit out as Rainsoft suggested. I sampled the water and no change. We will see what they say now. I took pics of this process for proof. I inspected the piston O-rings and they were fine. I still say that IonX-100 will not lower your grains better than 3-5 depending on length of time of last regen.

Here are some pics of the piston pull. That green oxidation which looks worse in the photos due to the flash is evidence of leakage from years ago. None exists now when assembled.

Have you serviced the brine injector?
It's under the brass cap in the middle of this picture.

Yes it has all new O-rings

I realize some parts remain available, but your system is obsolete and you should consider replacing it. The brass valve has scrap value...

If you are financially able to purchase a new softener with a modern, metered digital control valve and streamline your installation I would do that. Shop around for a local independent shop that uses Fleck control valves.
If my 1st suggestion is not in the budget, consider the digital upgrade control valve that RainSoft sells, Fleck makes it.
Have them do all of the work and guarantee in writing that it will provide you with 0 grain water.


This thread is chock full of helpful information and excellent images that can help others.
jberenyi, no matter what you end up doing, please do us a favor and post pictures with details including the cost.

Thank you and good luck

Before retiring to bed last night I put the unit into regen mode. Woke up at 5am and wrote down the *1-5 readings off the unit. Here they are:

*1 = 2900

*2 = 0

*3 = 2639

*4 = 7

*5 = 15


I shut the main valve off in the house, put the unit into bypass and proceeded to remove the piston assembly unit. I drew water from the bottom of the resin tank using a 4' plastic hose and tested it with the Hach water tester kit. Once I hit 6 drops I knew something was wrong. I tasted the water and it was very salty! I have never tested the water just after regen without somebody using a few gallons. That's why last week 3 family members said the water was salty in the morning. That particular test was performed after everybody took a shower before leaving for school thereby flushing the unit completely of salt water. I believe we have our answer. This valve has a problem not regenerating the resin bed correctly and its leaving salty water in the tank. I proceeded to pull the injector pipe out just for grins and it was stuck pretty bad. I remember this coming out easily in the past to replace O-rings. Oh it came out eventually...broken. We'll see what Rainsoft says now.

Well I got my call from Rainsoft. And they are sending me the latest greatest valve assembly today What did it was the macro shot of the inside of the valve body where the piston goes. The old brass bodies were Teflon coated internally and my Teflon was gone showing oxidized green brass everywhere on the running surfaces.

I have seen this happen before.
The valve has a lifetime warranty and RainSoft should honor it.

Are you on chlorinated city/county/municipal water?