Ten steps to determine the problem Softener/Filter Troubleshooting 1. Gather information. Ask questions, find out what is the problem. What is the customer s complaint? This may identify simple corrections external to the equipment. Has there been any recent work done by plumbers? Has the water been shut off for any reason? Have fire Hydrants been flushed recently in the area? Have they used more water than normal recently? Has the brine drum recently run out of salt? How much salt have they been using? 2. Test the water. Raw before softener, hot water, and at brine fitting with water running to service. Raw water is used to check if the settings in step 6 are correct for the water source. Hot water is tested to see if hard water has recently been passed to service. (It is not unusual to have a slight increase of hardness from the hot water tank, generally less than 2 grains.) Water taken directly from the brine fitting will identify if the softener is working correctly at this point. Once completed, advance the control disc forward to service on the other tank and test again. 3. Observe the installation. Check status of by-pass valve (open/closed), brine drum (full, empty, bridged), prefilter (plugged), correct meter disc, inlet/outlet lines correct, kinks or restrictions in drain line or drain line elevated over 8 ft or more than 15 feet horizontally? 4. Run soft water to service. Verify metering (see Metering - page 2) Watch the meter disc is it turning? Watch the no back pawl as the meter disc turns clockwise does the no back pawl drop into the next tooth? Measure the metering rate. Measure the rate by running water at a controlled rate (1 gallon a minute) and time how long it takes the no back pawl to drop into the next tooth. 5. Place unit in brine position. Verify vacuum at brine elbow, check on both sides of control disc. Remove the brine line from the brine elbow and verify if there is suction. Is the suction smooth without interruption. Is there any water coming from the brine elbow? Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 1
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting 6. Remove the brine valve. Verify correct brine setting (see Brine Settings section of the Technical Manual) Is it set according to the brine installation sheet. Adjuster tube cut down to the correct tab? Is the float cup set at the correct measurement? 7. Look for low flow in the distribution system. Leaky toilets, faucets, etc. This may allow water to pass by unmetered, causing hard water. Low flow means less than 0.3gpm in models with half louver nozzles, less than 0.75gpm in models with full louver nozzles, less than 1.1gpm in models with open louver nozzles, and less than 0.05gpm in models with micro nozzles. A leaky faucet or running toilet will typically be less than these flow rates. If it is less than these flow rates, the water will not turn the turbine, so the meter gears will not turn, and the system may not regenerate when it should. 8. Measure water pressure. Check at brine elbow while one faucet is wide open and valve in backwash position. Place the valve in the brine draw position, allowing the draw port to depressurize. Remove the brine elbow and thread on a ¼ threaded coupling with a pressure gauge on the other end. Place the valve in the backwash position, open one faucet, and note the pressure reading on most systems it must be at least 15-25 psi. 9. Measure backwash flow rate. (see Backwash Flow Rates page 2) Using a container with a known volume (1 gal bottle) check the drain flow with the unit in b/w and a faucet running, timing how long it takes to fill the container. 1 gallon / 15 seconds = 4 gpm 1 gallon / 30 seconds = 2 gpm 1 gallon /45 seconds = 1.3gpm (Compare these results to specified b/w flow for model.) 10. Place unit at the end of Check this on both sides. (This may take several minutes.) backwash and allow it to shut off on its own. A slight drip to the drain is allowable, if the drip will fill the test tube from your hardness test kit (10 ml) in less than 45 seconds it may cause a hard water situation. If the water is soft, follow the trouble shooting steps for running to drain. If the water at the drain is hard and the unit is producing soft water check the drain valve seats in level 5 for foreign material. Units with separate drains, if the lower drain is dripping the problem will be in the drain valves or the purge valves. Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 2
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting Hard Water 1. Water meter disc not turning. 2. Unit will not regenerate automatically. 3. No vacuum in brine position. 4. Over/under dosing of salt. 5. The by-pass is open or leaking. A. Bad meter drive pawl B. Meter drive spring not seated properly C. No back pawl missing or broken D. Damaged tooth on meter disc E. Damaged gear in gear stack A. Meter disc not turning B. Control disc will not advance out of service position C. Damaged teeth on control disc D. Control valve will not open E. Drain line/backwash flow control restricted A. Checkballs or stems missing or not seated correctly B. Checkballs or stems missing or will not move freely C.. Plugged venturi D. Plugged backwash flow control/drain line E. Plugged brine screen/fitting F. Damaged outlet main valve seat seal A. Brine drum/valve not level B. Bridged salt in drum C. Brine valve is not set correctly D. Brine valve is faulty E. Brine valve is dirty F. Venturi nozzle is plugged G. Plugged brine screen/fitting H. Brine flow control is plugged A. Accidentally left in Open position B. Damaged seal/spool in by-pass valve or bad ball valve in a three way by-pass configuration A. Replace meter drive pawl B. Reinstall meter drive spring C. Install new no back pawl D. Replace meter disc E. Re-gear Level 1 A. See # 1 above B. Replace regeneration start pawl C. Replace control disc D. Check for debris clean if present. E. Remove restriction/change backwash flow control of necessary A. Replace or reseat check balls or stems B. Replace or clean check balls or stems C. Clean flow control, venturi throat and Nozzle, note do not use paper clip D. Clean/replace flow control/free obstruction from drain line E. Clean brine screen/fitting F. Replace main valve seat seal A. Level the brine drum/valve B. Break up the solidified salt C. Set the brine valve correctly D. Replace the brine valve E. Clean the brine valve F. Clean venturi throat and nozzle G. Clean brine screen/fitting H. Clean/replace brine flow control A. Close the by-pass valve B. Repair/replace bad valve(s). To check for internal leak in by-pass valve, open a soft water tap and run water, with the unit in the service position disconnect the brine line from the brine elbow If this water is soft and the water at the tap is hard replace/repair the by-pass valve. Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 3
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting Frequent Regeneration 1. High water usage. A. Customer uses more water than expected B. Leak in plumbing or fixture (greater than minimum flow rate required for metering) 2. Unit regenerates more frequently than necessary. 3. Lack of understanding regarding Kinetico units. Unit stuck in Cycle A. Incorrect meter disc installed B. Meter disc not moving and regeneration start pawl in gap C. Control valve stuck in Open position (causes continuous regeneration) due to debris under seal or stray pressure signal D. Incorrect meter gearing Customer is used to electrical units with timers A. Inform customer of expected frequency based on actual usage B. Repair the leak A. Install correct meter disc B. Refer to Hard Water Troubleshooting section step 1 C. Remove debris (if present) or replace level 1 (stray pressure signal due to poor seal under ceramic disc) D. Rework the meter gearing Explain to customer that Kinetico units regenerate based on volume as opposed to time 1. Unit stuck in regeneration/bac kwash cycle. 2. Unit stuck in service cycle. A. Control flow path is plugged at the regeneration nozzle or regeneration flow control B. Regeneration drive pawl and/or spring is weak or broken C. Damaged tooth on control disc D. Eccentric pin is worn/damaged E. On backwashing filters, low pressure may cause plugged bed F. Regeneration gears not moving A. Regeneration start pawl broken or missing B. Unit will not regenerate automatically A. Clean the regeneration flow path B. Replace regeneration drive pawl C. Replace control disc D. Replace eccentric pin (snap fit) E. Increase pressure and/or backwash frequency. May need to rebed. F. Free obstruction or impediment to gearing A. Replace or install regeneration start pawl B. Refer to Hard Water Troubleshooting section step 2 Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 4
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting Run to Drain 1. Balance Piston O- ring not seated properly. A. O-ring off-center B. O-ring pinched or damaged A. Depress actuator several times to try to seat the O-ring B. Replace O-ring 2. Bad control disc. Map side of control disc scored Replace control disc 3. Drain or control valves not seated properly. A. Debris trapped under the seals B. Low water pressure (this may prevent proper seating of A. Remove debris B. Increase water pressure 4. Low Water Pressure (see also Sticking in Cycle ). 5. The main valve piston quad rings or level four internal quads are not sealing. 6. Plugged signal hole or broken non-serviceable glue seal under ceramic disc. seals) Pressure at the brine fitting lower than 15 PSI will affect the hydraulic movements within the softener or filter valves and may not allow drain or control valves to close. A. Main valve quad rings may be rolled, twisted, or damaged B. Water may be leaking from the main valve seat side of the level 4 to a non pressurized area on the piston side of the level 4. C. Seals may be damaged by chlorine or chloramines Age and wear, or contamination from poorly filtered feed water Increase feed water pressure. Check pressure before softener and after softener. If there is a severe pressure loss above 15 psi across the system they may have some blockage in the resin tanks. If filter and softener, or two filters are installed in series, use lockout kit. A. Replace main valve piston quad rings B. Replace small retainer quad rings in level 4 or replace level 4 (the piston shafts seal against these quad rings, and they cannot be seen without removing the pistons). C. Replace with blue seals for use with chloramines Clean signal holes with paper clip or compressed air; replace Level 1, if necessary. Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 5
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting Salty Water 1. Overdosing of salt. A. Brine valve set incorrectly B. Brine valve not seating properly C. Rubber band not removed D. Leak in brine valve 2. Restricted drain flow. 3. Low water pressure. 4. Upper distributors partially blinded (downflow units). A. Drain line kinked or clogged B. Backwash flow control restricted C. Long drain tubing run D. Drain tubing rises higher than 8 feet. A. Plugged prefilter B. Pressure setting too low C. Fouled/damaged resin bed Foreign material or fines lodged into the slots A. Set the brine valve correctly B. Replace brine valve C. Remove rubber band from float cup D. Repair leak/replace brine valve A. Clear obstructions; ensure drain flows smoothly and clearly B. Clean/replace backwash flow control C. Shorten length of tubing or increase size of drain tubing D. Reduce rise to less than 8 feet A. Change prefilter B. Increase feed pressure C. Replace resin Clean or replace upper distributors High Salt Use 1. Unit regenerates See Frequent Regeneration section See Frequent Regeneration section too frequently 2. Overdosing of salt See Salty Water section See Salty Water section Equipment Noise 1. Unit makes squealing noise during regeneration 2. Unit makes gurgling, hissing, or bubbling sound (A small amount of Noise during startup and refill is normal) 3. Groaning while water being used Control disc not flat or sealing properly against the ceramic disc A. Trapped air in piping following installation B. Air being drawn into piping C. Brine line and/or valve not air checking High feed pressure Replace control disc, balance piston spring and balance piston o-ring A. Release all trapped air from piping B. Identify source and fix air leak C. Identify and replace faulty parts Reduce feed pressure Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 6
Iron/Manganese Bleed-through Softener/Filter Troubleshooting 1. Water meter disc and/or salt dosage not set up properly 2. Insoluble iron/manganes e passing through softener 3. Iron / manganese build-up in resin 4. Customer s plumbing may be adding ferric iron into the water A. Initially set-up incorrectly B. Raw water composition has changed A. Insoluble iron/manganese not removed by softener resin B. Insoluble iron/manganese is smaller than the micron rating of the prefilter High iron/manganese-bearing water Aging galvanized pipe and/or pressure tank A. Test inlet hardness, iron, and manganese, and set meter disc and salt dosage accordingly B. Test inlet hardness, iron, and manganese, and set meter disc and salt dosage accordingly A. Install pre-filter B. Install smaller micron pre-filter element Use salt that contains resin cleaning additives Replace piping/tank or install a pre-filter. Check in localized areas for sections of galvanized pipe and/or dissimilar metals Taste, Color, and Odor 1. Metallic taste in water 2. Chlorine / Chloramine taste and/or odor in water 3. Salty taste in water 4. Yellow tint in water 5. Rotten egg taste/ odor in water See Iron Bleed-through section Chlorinated/chloraminated municipal supply See Salty Water section A. Tannins present in raw water B. Iron may be present in water A. Hydrogen Sulfide present in water B. (Hot water only) Anode rod in water heater may cause reaction causing odor See Iron Bleed-through section Install a dechlorinator/crs See Salty Water section A. Install a tannin softener if tannins are present B. See Iron/Manganese Bleed through section A. Install Sulfur Guard system after softener B. Alternate rod material can be used (see water heater manufacturer) Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 7
Softener/Filter Troubleshooting Pressure Loss 1. Low pressure entering the unit 2. Upper and/or lower distributors plugged 3. Resin is chlorine/ chloramine damaged 4. Equipment is undersized A. Pre-filter clogged B. Feed pressure setting too low A. Foreign material accumulating on distributors B. Degraded resin accumulating on distributors C. Bacteria accumulating on distributors Chlorinated municipal water Customer demand has increased or initial equipment sized incorrectly A. Replace pre-filter cartridge B. Increase feed water pressure A. Clean distributors. Add pre-filter if not present B. Clean distributors. Determine cause of resin degradation. Correct and rebed. C. Clean distributors. Address bacteria at the source. Re-bed resin tanks. Install dechlorinator/crs to prevent future damage Revise equipment selection Leaks 1. Leaks between the levels 2.Leaks at cap area A. Main valve screws are not tightened B. One of the level seals is pinched, broken, or missing C. Crack in seal area near screw hole D. One of the screw holes is stripped E. Actuator O-ring missing/leaking, causing water to drip down and appear to be leaking between the levels A. One of the screws are stripped B. Actuator O-ring damaged/missing C. Cracked cap A. Pressure regulator not installed B. Pressure regulator is broken A. Base/nipple is not tightened properly B. Base/nipple o-ring pinched/missing A. Depressurize unit and tighten the main valve screws B. Replace faulty or missing seal C. Replace faulty level D. Replace main base (Level 6) E. Replace actuator O-ring A. Replace Level 1 B. Replace and lubricate o-ring C. Replace cap A. Install pressure regulator B. Replace pressure regulator A. Tighten base 3. Feed water pressure too high 4. Leaks at main base/ remote base/nipple B. Replace/install o-ring 5. Tank is leaking B. Tank failure A. Replace tank 6. Leaks at tubing Tubing connections over/under connections Tightened Tighten tubing connections correctly (make a fresh cut 1 off of the tubing) Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 8
RO Troubleshooting Determine the Problem 1. Gather information. Ask the customer questions. Any information obtained can reduce your time on the job. Many times the customer response to questions will allow you to skip directly to the next section. 2. Educate the customer. Make sure they understand delayed turn-on when an air-charge tank is installed. Make sure they understand about maximum storage capacity. Make sure they understand about maximum daily production. 3. Observe the installation. Look for obvious installation mistakes. Is the tank valve open? Is the feed valve open? Check the feed pressure - is it a minimum of 35 psi for the Plus Deluxe and K2, and 40 psi for the Purefecta. Are any of the fittings leaking? 4. Check the storage tank. If it is an air-charge storage tank, pick up the storage tank to see if there is water in it. If there is water in the storage tank but no water at the tap, then the storage tank probably lost its air charge or the MAC has shut off. If there is no water in the storage tank, the air charge in the storage tank may be too high. If the storage tank is a QuickFlo, refer to the QuickFlo troubleshooting section. Recommended Tools: psi gauge low psi gauge set of RO module wrenches TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 9
RO Troubleshooting Water Flow Problem Reason Solution No water flow at tap or low volume of product water. Storage tank valve closed. Inlet valve closed. Open storage tank valve. Open inlet valve. Low flow out of prefilter. MAC postfilter shut off. Loss of air in storage tank. Feed water TDS too high for application. Middle O-ring on module subassembly damaged or missing. Membrane has fouled or plugged. When a membrane begins to foul, the amount of water produced will decrease but the TDS reading may still be good. Low pressure at module assembly. High TDS in feed water. Module subassembly damaged by overtightening. Replace prefilter cartridge. Replace MAC cartridge. Tighten or replace air valve stem. Bladder tank stem and cap may also need to be replaced. Check operating parameters of equipment; adjust as necessary. Replace O-ring. Replace membrane. Increase pressure to module. Minimum 35 psig for Plus Deluxe and K2, 40 psig for Purefecta Systems. Consult Specifications section for maximum TDS allowed. Close storage tank valve. Take off the tubing at permeate port and drain port. Put your finger over the permeate port. Did the drain flow increase significantly? If so, replace subassembly. Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 10
RO Troubleshooting Leaks Problem Reason Solution Fitting leak at pipe thread. Fitting not tight enough. Fittings cross-threaded. Add Teflon tape or approved sealant. Tighten with wrench. Replace fittings. Fitting leaks. O-ring pinched, missing or cut. Tubing is scarred or scratched. Replace O-ring. Trim end of tubing or replace. Leak between top of module assembly and sump. O-ring pinched or missing. Drain flow restricted. Replace O-ring. Investigate and repair as needed. Plus Deluxe Problem Reason Solution Fitting leaks. Top O-ring pinched or missing Replace O-ring. Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 11
RO Troubleshooting Water Quality Problem Reason Solution Customer complains of bad odor or taste. Tubing used not certified for potable use. Unit not on microbiologically safe water. System in need of sanitation. Equipment orientation. Replace with certified tubing. Incoming water must be made safe (shock chlorination, UV, etc.). Sanitize membrane and system, change filters. See the R.O. Maintenance section for sanitation procedure. MAC postfilter must be after storage tank. Poor quality water. Bottom O-ring on subassembly pinched or missing. Membrane O-ring pinched or missing. Subassembly malfunction. Membrane malfunction. Restricted drain. Replace O-ring. Replace O-ring. Replace subassembly. Replace membrane. Clear drain flow path. Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 12
RO Troubleshooting Module Not Shutting Off Problem Reason Solution Module does not shut off properly. Low pressure at module inlet. No air in storage tank. Not understanding operation properly. Check that prefilter inlet valve is open. Check for clogged prefilter and low feed water pressure. Check air valve stem and repair as necessary. Pre-charge tank to 7 psi. Consult Concept Section, in the Drinking Water section, for description of control valve operation. K-2 by Kinetico Problem Reason Solution Module does not shut off properly. Shutoff valve defective. Permeate check valve failed. TDS too high for Applications pressure. Replace shutoff valve. Turn off storage tank. If membrane turns on, permeate check valve is faulty. Replace membrane. Check operating parameters of equipment. Adjust as necessary. (This may require addition of a booster pump see the Accessories section.) Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 13
Notes Determine the Problem 1. Gather information. Ask the customer questions. Any information obtained can reduce your time on the job. Many times the customer response to questions will allow you to skip directly to the next section. 2. Educate the customer. Make sure they understand that the QuickFlo requires 35 psi to operate. Make sure they understand that the tank refills after every draw of water. 3. Observe the installation. Look for obvious installation mistakes. ⅜ or larger feed valve, self-piercing valves. Cannot be used with the QuickFlo tank. ⅜ or larger feed tubing no longer than 10 in length. Tank to bracket connections no longer than 5. PureMometer in the up, 500 gallons available position. All tubing connections correct. System has been sanitized. Membrane flushed (15-20 minutes minimum). System requires 35 psi minimum and 100 psi maximum pressure for proper operation. ⅜ tubing to the point of use. Signal tee close to the point of use or centrally located if 2 point of use connections. Was the tap left open with a permeate drip for 15 minutes, to bleed all air from the system upon install, or cartridge change? Feed and tank valves open. No system leaks. Make sure external check valve is installed (this is required on units not using port #2 on the manifold and the QuickFlo tank). Be sure external check is installed between outlet elbow of the postfilter and before the signal tee (required on units not using port #2 on the manifold and the QuickFlo tank). Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 14
RO Troubleshooting Problem Reason Solution No or low flow at tap. MAC postfilter shut-off. Tank or feed valve closed. Low feed pressure. Pistons not shifting. No drain exiting out of port #3 on the QuickFlo tank. Dirty prefilter. Restrictive feed connection. Excessive pressure drop in feed line. Excessive pressure drop in tank line. Faulty QuickFlo control valve. Missing or incorrectly placed check valve after postfilter. QuickFlo tank running water to the drain. Refer to MAC indicator and replace cartridges if necessary. Open tank and feed valve. QuickFlo requires a minimum of 35 psi to operate properly. Check and address cause of low pressure. Replace subassembly with a manufacture date of AA-9-1 (09/01/2004) or later. Replace prefilter. Replace feed connection with a full flow ⅜ tubing connection and shut-off valve. Use ⅜ tubing no longer than 10 for feed connection. Use ⅜ tubing no longer than 5 for tank to bracket connection. Replace QuickFlo control valve. Add check valve. Check valve must be placed between postfilter and signal tee. Replace QuickFlo control valve. Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 15
Notes Problem Reason Solution Excessive cycling of QuickFlo control valve. External leak in permeate plumbing downstream of QuickFlo tank. Check permeate water usage. Excessive feed pressure. Signal tee too close to bracket assembly. Faulty QuickFlo control valve. Faulty, missing, or incorrectly installed check valve. Water is pulsing out of tap. Restriction in tap is causing QuickFlo to cycle. Repair plumbing leak in KRO postfilter, tap, icemaker, tubing, or tubing connections. Any water use at tap, icemaker, or other connection will cause the QuickFlo valve to cycle. Maximum feed pressure for the QuickFlo is 100 psi. Use pressure reducing valve to reduce feed pressure. Move tee closer to point of use connection and centrally locate in 2 point of use connection applications. Replace QuickFlo control valve. Excessive cycling will damage the QuickFlo control. Replace or install check valve. Check valve should be installed after the postfilter and before the signal tee. NOTE: Units that use port #2 on the QuickFlo valve will not have an external check valve. Retrofit faucet gasket with new high flow gasket. Call Technical Service for details. Run to drain. Problem with KRO or QuickFlo control module. Check permeate water usage. Continuous high flow from QuickFlo drain, faulty QuickFlo control valve. Determine source of run to drain by disconnecting drain line on QuickFlo tank. If drain flow is from the QuickFlo, replace QuickFlo control valve. If it is running out of the line, replace the module subassembly. Any water use at tap, icemaker or other connection will cause the QuickFlo valve to cycle and the KRO module to turn on to refill the QuickFlo tank. Replace QuickFlo control valve. Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 16
RO Troubleshooting Problem Reason Solution Faulty bladder to control valve connection or hole in bladder. Fix connection or replace bladder. Poor permeate quality. Poor KRO membrane performance. Internal QuickFlo leak. Check permeate quality at QuickFlo product port (#5). If poor quality, troubleshoot KRO module. If quality good, see below. Check and/or repair control valve to bladder connection. Check integrity of bladder and replace if necessary. QuickFlo Force Feed Procedure New style tank with port #2 plugged and check valve on postfilter outlet line. 1. Turn off feed to the unit. 2. Disconnect the lines at #5 (⅜ ) port and signal port on the QuickFlo tank. 3. Disconnect the ⅜ feed line at the inlet elbow of the drinking water system unit. 4. Install a ⅜ x ⅜ x ¼ Parker tee on the end of the feed line. Install a short piece of ⅜ tubing with cap/valve into the inlet elbow of the unit to plug. 5. Using ⅜ tubing, connect the remaining ⅜ port of the tee to the #5 port on the QuickFlo tank. 6. Using ¼ tubing, connect the ¼ port of the tee to the signal port on the QuickFlo tank. 7. Turn on the feed supply for approximately 10 minutes. This will fill the inside of the QuickFlo bladder with tap water. 8. Turn off the feed water. Reconnect the lines to the drinking water system inlet and QuickFlo tank for normal operation. 9. Turn feed water back on to the unit. You can now go to the tap and test for QuickFlo operation. Revised: 07/2016 Troubleshooting Section 8 Page 17
Notes Troubleshooting Notes Section 8 Troubleshooting Revised: 07/2016 Page 18