rainsoft on the blink

The motor comes on and the wheels (cams) turn.
Does the piston move up and down?
The piston rod is located between the two cams and has a
connecter that fits into a groove cut in the rear cam...
These will split in half if the piston freezes in the cylinder and the shear
pin does not shear.

Yes, replacement valves are available - is this a softener or a filter?

rainsoft
This unit is a softner, The only thing that moves with power on is the small wheel in back of the valve. The large wheels will not turn but the pin is still attached and in the groove on the rear wheel. By not being able to turn the wheels i can not tell if the piston will move up or down. I do not see any cracks by just a visual inspection looking down into unit. Thanks D.T. Will a F***K aftermarket valve work?

Yes, a quality aftermarket valve will work.
The upgrade requires a new salt tank and is not considered a DIY job for the average person.

From what described I think the piston jammed and the pin sheared.
3 new piston O rings and a new pin should get you up and running again.
This would be a great time to put fresh O rings on the brine injector...

I am assuming that you bought this unit from a local RainSoft dealer. If not, then there should be one within driving distance. What advice have they given you? I understand those units have a lifetime warranty?

I empathize with you problems. You are right not to just give up and seach help. H2O MAN is right. Sometimes a replacement unit or service call by a professional is recommended. When cheap (inexpensive) solutions fail....

How old is the softener (how many people?)? Just changing the valve and brine tank will do little good if the resin is shot. There are ways to determine whether the resin is still in good shape or not. The expression of "sending good money after bad" is often the case in the water treatment business. Sometimes what starts out as a single symptom becomes a convoluting problem.

Good luck and I hope you can resolve those problems.
Andy

Good information Andy, but if your RainSoftener has the Ion-X
100 resin you have little to worry about unless it is iron fouled.

Ion-X 100 is bullet proof resin.

I am not familiar with Ion-X 100 resin. I did a google search but didn't come up with much. Who makes it and how is it "bullet-proof". Is it a high capacity resin, fine mesh resin? I suppose it is a polystyrene ,but does it have any other special qualities that makes it stand out?

Thanks

I agree, resin is a pretty tough media but many things can make it fail as I am sure you would agree. Heavy or long time chlorination can degade most resins. Mud, sand, and other foreign objects that make their way into the resin bed can cause friction and decimation of resins. Anyway, let me know. That would be great.

Andy

I am not familiar with Ion-X 100 resin. I did a google search but didn't come up with much. Who makes it and how is it "bullet-proof". Is it a high capacity resin, fine mesh resin? I suppose it is a polystyrene ,but does it have any other special qualities that makes it stand out?

Thanks

I agree, resin is a pretty tough media but many things can make it fail as I am sure you would agree. Heavy or long time chlorination can degade most resins. Mud, sand, and other foreign objects that make their way into the resin bed can cause friction and decimation of resins. Anyway, let me know. That would be great.

Andy

Andy, I couldn't tell you exactly it's make up, but I have seen Ion-X 100 stay 100% effective after 25 years of service on both chlorinated municipal water and private wells. The only failure I know of was due to iron fouling and it was replaced under warranty.