Water Softener Not Regenerating

How softeners decide when to regenerate

NDSU Extension describes the main control types: automatic units that start a recharge on a timer, models that recharge based on the volume of water used, and demand-initiated units that track water use. Timer units run on set days no matter what. Metered (demand) units count gallons through a small turbine and only regenerate when the resin is close to used up.

That difference matters. A metered unit in a house where everyone was away will go a long time without regenerating, and that's correct. GE's manual even lists "not using any salt" as normal on its demand units, because they're efficient.

Likely causes

1. 1

   Cause 1: No power, or power on a switched outlet

   Check that the transformer is plugged in and the display is lit. GE lists no power to the unit (check the breaker or fuses) and an outlet on a circuit that can be switched off as causes. Fleck lists an interrupted electrical supply or a power failure as the first causes of a softener that fails to regenerate.

2. 2

   Cause 2: The clock reset after an outage

   If the time is flashing or wrong, the softener may be regenerating at noon, or not at all. Fleck's fix after a power failure is to reset the time of day. Set the clock, then check the regeneration time.

3. 3

   Cause 3: Wrong settings

   A hardness setting that's too low tells a metered softener it has more capacity than it really does, so it waits too long between cycles. GE's fix for water that's sometimes hard is to set the hardness to match your water's grains per gallon. If you're on a well with iron, Whirlpool says to add 5 to the hardness number for each 1 ppm of clear-water (ferrous) iron. Our softener hardness setting guide walks through it, and regeneration settings covers frequency.

4. 4

   Cause 4: Bypass left open

   If the softener is in bypass, no water flows through the meter, so a metered unit never counts gallons and never regenerates. Whirlpool's fix for bypass valves in the wrong position is to move them to service.

5. 5

   Cause 5: Meter, motor or board failure

   GE traces a demand unit that won't regenerate to a stuck turbine, a corroded sensor wire or a defective face plate, and says to call for service. A stalled motor or a bad position switch usually throws an error code. On Whirlpool units, Err1, Err3 and Err4 point to wiring, the position switch, a valve putting high torque on the motor, or a dead motor. On a Fleck 5600SXT, error code 2 is a regeneration failure, and Pentair says to run a manual regeneration and call technical support if the code continues.

How to force a manual regeneration

This is the most useful test you have. The button differs by brand:

On the Fleck 7000SXT, a single press outside a regeneration only queues one for the next scheduled time. Hold the button until the display changes.

Then listen. Within a minute or so you should hear the motor and then water running to the drain. If the motor runs but nothing moves, or the display shows an error, it's a mechanical or electronic fault.

Water softener stuck in regeneration

The opposite problem: the softener starts and never finishes, or runs to the drain for hours. Fleck lists a faulty switch or timer as the cause of a control that cycles continuously. A drain that flows all the time comes from wrong programming or valve position, foreign material in the control, or an internal leak.

Try unplugging the unit, waiting, and plugging it back in. Whirlpool says to wait 8 minutes and that an error code will return if the problem wasn't corrected; GE says to wait at least 6 minutes on its units. If it's still stuck, put the softener in bypass so it stops dumping water, and call for service. Our page on softener noises covers the constant-drain sound.

Manual regeneration not working

If holding the button does nothing:

1. Confirm power at the outlet with a lamp or phone charger.
2. Check that the display isn't locked or in a programming menu.
3. Unplug for a few minutes, plug back in, and try again.
4. Look for an error code and write it down before you call.

If the display works but the motor never turns, the motor, the position switch or the control board has failed. Whirlpool's corrections for those codes are new wiring, a new switch, rotor and seal, or motor, and Err5 calls for a new electronic control board.

When to call a pro

Call when manual regeneration fails, an error code returns, or the meter has stopped counting. HomeGuide puts typical water softener repairs at $150 to $600, with a service call at $40 to $100 before parts. A control valve or motor on an old unit can push the bill toward the price of a new softener, so get the part price before you approve the work.