rainsoft watersoftner very noisy

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Tim Matthews

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i have a an older rainsoft water conditioner model that makes a lot of noise toward the end of the regeneration cycle. if i unscrew the clear plastic jar with the ball in it and remove the plastic seat valve, the noise stops. if i put my finger on the hole, i feel a vacuum and the noise starts again. i've cleared the hoses that attach to the little jar. Something is clogged, but I don't know what. Does anyone know where I should look next?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Tim

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ditttohead

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Actually, it sounds like it is working correctly. That valve is very noisy once the brine tank runs out of water and the aircheck seats. The aircheck is the clear sump with the floating ball.

How old is that unit? I havent seen that model in many years.
 

Tim Matthews

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thank you for responding.
you are right. i had the unit installed in 1996. it is old but it works well. our water is soft, it uses salt, but it has been getting progressively noisy. it begin its cycle at 2am and runs till about 6am. usually around 4 am, it start howling and making the pipes almost sing. it wakes up the whole house and scares my kids! i suppose you are right..the actual unit is not making the noise. its the unit making the pipes in the house make noise. like i said..when i block the little hole with my finger, the howling (of the pipes) starts. sorry, i know it sounds crazy. its almost like the the little ball is making it act up because when it gets air, it drains properly. does that make sense?
 

ditttohead

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The ball prevents air from entering the system. The noise will change when the ball drops, but as your picture shows, it is working correctly. If it were not working properly, there would be no water in the clear aircheck.
 

Tim Matthews

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ok...i have to agree that it is working properly but i think maybe its going bad. you've been a great help and i appreciate your expertise. one last question. would a faulty check valve allow brine water to get into the drinking water. sometimes after the system cycles, the water from the faucet is so salty that its white. I've noticed that if we have a leaky faucet or a toilet that runs, it will affect whether or not the water is salty. other times..its just salty and we have to let it run for about 5 minutes before its completely clear. thanks again for all your help! tim
 

ditttohead

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A worn check valve will not cause salty water, it will cause air in your lines. Considering the age and semi proprietary design, it might be a good time to update. That old system was a great design a couple decades ago, it is a little dated now.
 

Tim Matthews

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i guess it's like being the oldest guy in the club....you just don't know it tilll somebody tells you! :)

denial is a tough thing, thank you for your honesty.
 

ditttohead

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Lol, no problem. New units are much less expensive, far more efficient, and will last for decades with just a little bit of service. I have one of the first runs of the 7000 in my house, and I just replaced the seals, spacers, and piston. they looked brand new, but since I was tearing it apart anyway... I also replaced the original electronic timer with a fancy new NXT timer. It will not improve performance, ability, or function in any way, but it does look neat! :)
 

ditttohead

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For a lot of reasons, the 7000SXT or similar systems are my personal preference. Many other systems are also excellent choices including the Clacks, and autotrols. I prefer non proprietary system designs. Lately, the 5800 series has been proving itself to be an excellent control valve but like the Clack, it is not intended for online sales and should be installed by a professional.

You can click the video link below to see a 7000 teardown.
 
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