Kenmore 625.348420 - Manual (Page 12)

HOW YOUR WATER SOFTENER WORKS
SECTION 2
12
2B. SOFT WATER SERVICE AND REGENERATION
BRINING: During brining, thebrineis moved
from thesalt storagearea, into theresin tank. Inside
the resin tank, brine cleans hardness minerals from
the resin beads and they are discharged out the
drain. How much brine is needed to clean the resin
depends on:
-- the amount of resin in the softener,
-- how fast thebrinegoes through thebed.
Thenozzleand venturi (FIG. 6) makesuction to
movebrinefrom thesalt tank into theresin tank.
They keep the brine flow down to a very slow rate to
get the best resin cleaning with the least salt.
BRINE RINSE: After all of thebrineis sucked out
of thesalt tank, thebrinevalvecloses. Water keeps
flowing through theresin tank thesameway it did
during brining except the brine flow has stopped.
Hardness minerals and brine flush from the resin
tank to thedrain. Brining and brinerinsetogether
vary in length of time they take, relative to the fill
cyclelength.
FIG. 6 WATER FLOW THROUGH THE
SOFTENER IN BRINING AND
BRINE RINSE
ППППППП
ППППППП
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
hard water
IN hard water
bypass OUT
brine valve
Ì
drain
nozzle &
venturi
brine
BACKWASH: During backwash, water flows UP
through theresin tank (FIG. 7) at a fast rateto flush
iron minerals, dirt and sediments from the bed and to
the drain. The bed lifts and expands for good
cleaning.
FIG. 7 WATER FLOW THROUGH THE
SOFTENER IN BACKWASH
ПППППП
ПППППП
ПППППП
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
hard water
IN hard water
bypass OUT
drain
resin bed lifted
and expanded
FAST RINSE: Backwash is followed by a fast flow
of water down through the resin tank. The fast flow
packs the resin bed and gets it ready for return to
service (FIG. 8).
After fast rinse, the softener returns to service. Hard
water goes into the resin tank where the resin bed
again takes out the hardness minerals. Soft water
goes to the house soft water pipes.
FIG. 8 WATER FLOW THROUGH THE
SOFTENER IN FAST RINSE
ПППППП
ПППППП
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
МММ
soft water
OUT
drain
hard water
IN