Noisy Valves on Culligan Mark 57 water softener

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jjay

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Hi there,
This morining while showering I became aware of a noise in the plumbing. On checking I find it is coming from the valves feeding the water softener. With no water running there is no noise but as soon as I turn on a tap there is a fairly loud vibration type noise. If I push the "Bypass" to cut off the flow of water to the control, the noise stops immediately and then resumes as soon as I return the bypass valve to its normal position. The noise seems to be coming from the two valves right behind the control box.
Just wondering if anyone has encountered a similar problem.
Note: the regeneration cycle seems to be set correctly and it is not "regenerating" when this is happening. I kind of sounds like it sometimes does during regeneration, but of course when that is happening there is no water running. Conversely this noise is only when there is water running.
Looks like those valves are straight forward to service ...4 screws atop each one. Wondering if they need new seals or something.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
jjay
 

Akpsdvan

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Biggest challenge is parts, I am not even sure if culligan has the parts any more for the 57.
It could be that one or both of the stems that are within the valve that work the diaphrams or seals has broke with age..
 

jjay

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Thanks for the reply Akpsdvan ...and from Alaska yet. Love to get up there some day ..with a good camera!

I've also noticed that I have more water pressure from taps that are bypassing the softener than from those on lines coming off it. Would that indicate a stem problem?

Thanks for the reply Akpsdvan ...and from Alaska yet. Love to get up there some day ..with a good camera!
I've also noticed that I have more water pressure from taps that are bypassing the softener than from those on lines coming off it. Would that indicate a stem problem?

We have a fair amount of calcium in our water too, so much so that I get a plastic bagful of it off the drum humidifier on the furnace every year. Makes me wonder if that valve assembly needs to be pulled and cleaned in a vinegar solution. If so, is there anywhere I might find a schematic of what that assembly looks like in parts? Is it safe to just bypass the unit, unplug it and pull those valves to see what is going on with them?

In addition to the above ...with all my water taps turned off it still seems like there is water running through the unit because I can hear it and my water pump kicks in periodically. I noticed that before starting a forced regeneration which I have it on now to see it that might somehow re-set things.


jjay
 
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Akpsdvan

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If there is water going to the drain from the control valve then there is an internal leak with in the valve, could be a seal is bad or that some other part within the valve body is bad.. I have a Mark 5 that was installed believe it or not 2/1969 but taken out of service some time in the mid 70's and has been setting in the corner of the basement of a customer... so I have no idea as to what does or does not work..
I have yet to find any kind of a parts list for the mark 5,59 or any of the number that they have used for valves like what we are talking about.
Some how I don't think that there are parts out there other than used ones from a system that was taken out of service or never used and is now on the market..
It is possible that the media if it is old enough could be packed... or so built up that it is hard for the water to pass through, some thing that happens with city water because of the chlorine in the water.

drop a pm with an email if you would like some of the photos that I have taken with the digital camera.. slides and prints have yet to make it to my computer...
 
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