Two problems: valve sticking/leaking and no soft water

**TJanak** · 06-02-2010, 09:36 PM

I've got two problems and I'm not sure if they are related. First of all noticed several days ago the water was not soft and tasted/smelled iron. Did a manual regen but that did make a difference in water quality. Today I noticed the valve was stuck partially open in the backwash position. Looks like it tried to backwash during the night and got stuck as it was opening. Could hear the water slowly flowing. Also was slowly leaking water at the rod coming out of the valve, I assume a bad seal. Did a manual regen which finished the cycle correctly (still drips though).

Also, how much water is supposed to be in the brine well? And is it supposed to draw a significant amount of brine out? The level never seemed to change and when it was time to refill the brine tank it looked like it barely put any water in.

This is a Hague HydroClean HCII, looks pretty old but has worked well. Can you guys help me with how to proceed. Guess I need to rebuild the valve with new seals, etc. And clean out the tube from brine tank to mineral tank?

**Akpsdvan** · 06-02-2010, 11:32 PM

Hague Gold crown.... learned many a thing on that valve over the last 20years....

If the unit is dumping water to the drain then you will most likely still have untreated water going to the house through a in the valve bypass set up.

Water in the brine tank should only be a few gallons,, 1 gallon per 3 lbs of salt, so if yours is the 252 there should be about 3 1/2 gallons, the 232 should have 2 1/2 gallons..

Parts are going to be a little tricky... Hague ended that unit in 2000 but there can still be parts had for that unit.. If you still have the book it will help..

PM's are out on this site for what ever reason ...

**TJanak** · 06-03-2010, 05:37 PM

Ok, did some work this evening. Injectors and screen - looked good but cleaned anyways. Brine flow control and brine fill line flow good. Brine valve works. Drain line flow control is clean. Cleaned brine tank and suction/fill tube and screen in brine tank - was dirty but not clogged. Also cleaned brine line screen, but was not really dirty to begin with.

I ran though several manual regens, advancing the timer instead of waiting for each section/cycle to complete on its own (I guess this is ok?) First of all, the sequence of events does not seem the same during each manual regen (this is a double backwash unit). Is this something I am doing or is this a microswitch problem? Also, it will draw brine for the set time (20 min?) and then when it comes time to refill the brine tank at the end of the regen it fills for like 3 seconds and puts in maybe half a cup. This can't be right when it pulls brine out for 20 minutes or so. Also the drive gear/cam will reverse direction somewhere after the first backwash or brine wash. Is this normal? One or two times it even reversed so far that it bent the microswitch tab completely backwards and then bent it back straight when it turned the cam back the proper direction. Any ideas or things to try?

Thanks

**Akpsdvan** · 06-03-2010, 08:05 PM

There is the possiblty that the brine piston was not or is not seating all the way, age and water can take a tol on it and get it slow to moving in or out. You will find the brine piston kind of under the cam motor and the black cam with the double back wash lable.

If you go to fast on the timer side in going through each step of the cycle that can get it out of step, also what shape is the brass ring under the piston ring? or under the screw that is in kind of the center of the black cam? if that worn then it will not get the pistion to the right spot for each part of the cycle.

Sounds like the cam drive motor is going to be in need of replacement.... it should only turn one way.

Sorry that I did not get back with you sooner..

**TJanak** · 06-04-2010, 08:35 AM

Brine piston seems to work fine. Checked it by blowing in the brine hose while the piston moved in and out. The brass bushing under the screw on the black cam looks good; nice and tight with no slop.

Everything looked in order so I ran through another manual regen. Worked good until I got to the rinse after the second backwash. Left it on the second backwash for about 30 seconds. Came off of the pins for the second backwash into the space for the second rinse and the black cam did not advance to the second rinse. Waited for 30 sec. and then advanced the pin wheel to the pins for brine refill and the black cam still did not move. Advanced pin wheel all the way around until homing switch was back in its hole. Now the drive motor reversed cam wheel back to backwash (bending microswitch backwards again) and then went back forwards, going through rinse and brine refill without ever stopping.

Seems the main problem is not advancing from second backwash to rinse when pin wheel tells it to, and the drive motor turning backwards. What would cause this?

Are/were you on thedieselstop.com?

**Akpsdvan** · 06-04-2010, 10:26 AM

Sounds like maybe a micro switch on the cam side is broken, if the motor turned in the wrong way it is possible that a switch was broken..

Also check the 6 pin contact that is under the meter assembly.. sweeting of the metal will do a number on that 6 pin male female.

Yes I be there... Alaskapsdvan...

**TJanak** · 06-04-2010, 11:06 AM

Talked to Mark at Pure One water treatment in Orlando. He has the seal kit, piston assembly and drive motor for ~$250. He said the motor could be bad itself or just turning backwards because the piston gets stuck. I'm checking with my local dealer now to see if he has parts, if not I'll order them from Mark.

It bent one microswitch tab backwards but didn't mess up the switch so I just straightened it and it works fine.

I'll check and clean the 6 pin connector.

Can I put one of those Clack valves that Gary sells on this tank and put in new media? What would it cost? I'm betting mine's over 20 years old and looks like I'll need to spend $300 to get it working.

I'm AggiePSD on thedieselstop. Haven't been on there in a couple of years though... Had a baby, bought a house, got busy...

**Akpsdvan** · 06-04-2010, 11:24 AM

That is about right for the piston, seal kit and motor... they are Hague only parts... But if this is the first real challenge with the unit and you can get the parts why change now?
Any valve can replace the Hague valve, there would need to be some re plumbing as the bypass is different... but if you are handy and use to dealing with a PSD... then it should be a cake walk...

There is the possiblty that the main piston is still in good shape, but that the shaft is in need of replacement, I have been working on a mod for that .... there is a way of replacing just the shaft on the Hague unit while they say replace all of the parts, I have found a way of replacing just the shaft, Quad ring and off and running again...
On the timer there is a tag that has a date, that date is a few months before the install date..