Help - Rainsoft Water Softener

**westindies** · 08-07-2010, 12:36 PM

Hello everyone,

My rainsoft water softener, model AMB744 is not using the salt in the brine tank and the motor seems to be running non-stop. I removed most of the salt from the brine tank and I can see the brine solution in the tank, but it's not moving.

Any suggestions on how to trouble shoot the system? I've attached a couple of pics on the system.

Thanks for your response.
WI

**Skip Wolverton** · 08-07-2010, 12:44 PM

I just fixed one of these last week. Don't see them very much anymore. The check ball housing in the pic should have water in it. If it's not filling, it will not soften. Remove the brine line and advance the unit to a fill cycle. If no water comes, put unit on byapss, relieve the pressure and remove the check ball housing. Check the port (I believe the bottom) for debri. You should be able to blow into it.

**Akpsdvan** · 08-07-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by westindies

Hello everyone,

My rainsoft water softener, model AMB744 is not using the salt in the brine tank and the motor seems to be running non-stop. I removed most of the salt from the brine tank and I can see the brine solution in the tank, but it's not moving.

Any suggestions on how to trouble shoot the system? I've attached a couple of pics on the system.

Thanks for your response.
WI

If the unit is always running, the motor not stopping at the service point then there is a mirco switch that is bad or a wire not right, thus letting it continue cycling.

Not pulling the brine is a plug in the injector... never did like that valve............ pain in the rear to work on..

I have 2 or 3 in the junk pile.............

**westindies** · 08-07-2010, 02:15 PM

Skip, Thank you for your prompt response, it's greatly appreciated. The check ball housing does not have any water in it currently, I remove the brine line and advanced the unit (not sure which setting it should be on, brine soak, rinse etc) waited for a few mins and didn't see any brine solution. Since the brine line was the only connect from the brine tank to the other unit, I removed the brine tank and washed it out I also clean out the housing which the brine line connects to.

Should I go ahead and add a bag of salt to the brine tank, put the unit back to softener mode? How does the unit generate the brine solution, do i need to add some water to the brine tank? Also, on which setting (brine, soak, rinse, fast brine), should I set the dial?

Thanks again!
WI

Originally Posted by Skip Wolverton

I just fixed one of these last week. Don't see them very much anymore. The check ball housing in the pic should have water in it. If it's not filling, it will not soften. Remove the brine line and advance the unit to a fill cycle. If no water comes, put unit on byapss, relieve the pressure and remove the check ball housing. Check the port (I believe the bottom) for debri. You should be able to blow into it.

**westindies** · 08-07-2010, 02:18 PM

Thanks for responding. Where is valve you refer to that might be plugged?

Originally Posted by Akpsdvan

If the unit is always running, the motor not stopping at the service point then there is a mirco switch that is bad or a wire not right, thus letting it continue cycling.

Not pulling the brine is a plug in the injector... never did like that valve............ pain in the rear to work on..

I have 2 or 3 in the junk pile.............

**Akpsdvan** · 08-07-2010, 02:24 PM

The injector if I remember right is on the back side, follow the tube under the clear that has the little ball.. in that area there is a standard screw plug that can be removed,,, I would have to go and pull one out of the pile to double check, it was not easy to remove for cleaning I do remember.

**westindies** · 08-07-2010, 03:29 PM

UPDATE - the system is currently in bypass mode, and the check ball housing is filled with water. I completely washed the brine tank and I put a fresh bag of salt into the tank. I'll switch it to softener mode again but I would like to know which setting ( brine, soak, rinse ) should I set the dial to?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by westindies

Hello everyone,

My rainsoft water softener, model AMB744 is not using the salt in the brine tank and the motor seems to be running non-stop. I removed most of the salt from the brine tank and I can see the brine solution in the tank, but it's not moving.

Any suggestions on how to trouble shoot the system? I've attached a couple of pics on the system.

Thanks for your response.
WI

**Akpsdvan** · 08-07-2010, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by westindies

UPDATE - the system is currently in bypass mode, and the check ball housing is filled with water. I completely washed the brine tank and I put a fresh bag of salt into the tank. I'll switch it to softener mode again but I would like to know which setting ( brine, soak, rinse ) should I set the dial to?

Thanks!

Just starting it into a cleaning or regen cycle and the timer on the control should take over and do the rest of the cycles.. normally the first part of a cycle is Back Wash..

**westindies** · 08-08-2010, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Akpsdvan

Just starting it into a cleaning or regen cycle and the timer on the control should take over and do the rest of the cycles.. normally the first part of a cycle is Back Wash..

When in softener mode, the system is not generating any brine, but the housing with the ball is filled with water, once in softener mode, the housing has no water. I put a bag of salt in the brine tank yesterday and the salt is still dry. Did you had a chance to check where the injector is?

Thanks!

**Akpsdvan** · 08-08-2010, 11:23 AM

Cycle should be backwash, brine draw, rapid rinse and then brine refill..
When the unit is in service(giving soft water to house) there should be water in that clear housing..
Did not have the chance yet, will try today..

**westindies** · 08-08-2010, 04:20 PM

The unit goes throught all the cycles, but the brine tank still has no liquid so it's not generating any brine solution, in addition, the housing with the ball is still empty once the unit is in softener mode. Any suggestions on what could be the issue?

Thanks!

**Skip Wolverton** · 08-08-2010, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by westindies

The unit goes throught all the cycles, but the brine tank still has no liquid so it's not generating any brine solution, in addition, the housing with the ball is still empty once the unit is in softener mode. Any suggestions on what could be the issue?

Thanks!

Check the port (I believe the bottom) for debri. You should be able to blow into it.

**westindies** · 08-08-2010, 06:41 PM

Skip, are you refering to port B which i indicate on the pic, this line is connected from the housing with the ball to a port on the assembly atop the resin tank?

Thanks!

**Skip Wolverton** · 08-09-2010, 05:42 PM

Yes port B was blocked on me and I took off the air check, plugged port A and tried to blow thru the bottom. That is when I found debri blocking the hole. The hole looks to be a built in flow control for the brine fill.

**lawyr** · 08-03-2011, 09:39 AM

Greetings all.....very new here,

.....i decided to connect a used rainsoft softener unit as being discussed here in make and model that has been sitting in my garage for quite some time.... what have done is make some temporary connections inputting a garden hose to the input port on the valve and have left the "outlet" open to run onto the ground...i have a lot of iron in my CITY water and thusly, bought a "test" bag of particulate matter (salt) that specifically removes IRON and have emptied it into the large tank.

.....i have powered the unit on and have set the time on the timer.....i put approx 1 gallon of water into the large tank....turning the hose on, i get flow exiting the valve onto the ground.

.....i am unsure as to HOW to set the valve and to even be sure that the unit it functioning correctly...my game plan is to be sure all is well BEFORE cutting my pipes for the full install....

....in the clear "filter/float device" i have just a bit of water inside, however, if i block up the output side with my hand, it will fill all the way up AND, i notice that there is a bit of water flowing into the brine tank....(must i have the output end closed up for water pressure to test?)......

...this is the 1st softener i have ever owned and would rather test it before connections are made.....i am shortly going to the store to see if i can pick up some iron test strips...thanks for any help i can get!