ToolUser
07-04-05, 11:57 PM
Before I go replacing internal seals, I need to know in detail how the brine valve assembly & float ought to work, if salty taste might be the result of mis-assembly or mis-adjustment.
Backstory: Sears Kenmore microMax works great for years. Goto basement & find flood... the tygon tube popped off the discharge nipple. The water also shorted the circuit board & stopped it in mid cycle (but I didn't note exactly where). After things dry out, the board is OK. The tank is full of water.
I traced the discharge hose and it is not blocked.
The tank has 2-3" of solid salt on the bottom, and I figure it clogged the brine valve somehow. I removed the salt mass. I disassembled it to clean it (and the venturi, which is clean).
It seems to cycle fine, but the water is now salty and stays that way. I did a manual recharge, so its not a startup issue WRT clearing the resin bed of residual salt.
A couple inches of water are left in the tank, BUT it seems the float is floating just a little, no more than a quarter inch. Is it OK, or should it draw water until the float falls completely and the Float Gasket blocks the orifice? The float is not sticking on the Float Rod & Stem.
Should the Float Rod & Stem have any vertical play? It rests upon a Seal and Bottom Seal Retainer, so I'm thinking maybe it should be able to rise a little when the tank is filling? I'm not sure I re-assembled things properly.
The manual says to be sure the float is adjusted properly, but the drawing isn't right. It indicates 10" from orifice to bottom of float, but that is not possible; they must have copied the drawing from a full-size tank unit. Currently there is 6" and I could adjust the float stop upwards a couple more inches but I don't think I moved it, the rubber Float Stop is very tight on the rod.
What should I know about how to order a Seal Kit and using it?
Backstory: Sears Kenmore microMax works great for years. Goto basement & find flood... the tygon tube popped off the discharge nipple. The water also shorted the circuit board & stopped it in mid cycle (but I didn't note exactly where). After things dry out, the board is OK. The tank is full of water.
I traced the discharge hose and it is not blocked.
The tank has 2-3" of solid salt on the bottom, and I figure it clogged the brine valve somehow. I removed the salt mass. I disassembled it to clean it (and the venturi, which is clean).
It seems to cycle fine, but the water is now salty and stays that way. I did a manual recharge, so its not a startup issue WRT clearing the resin bed of residual salt.
A couple inches of water are left in the tank, BUT it seems the float is floating just a little, no more than a quarter inch. Is it OK, or should it draw water until the float falls completely and the Float Gasket blocks the orifice? The float is not sticking on the Float Rod & Stem.
Should the Float Rod & Stem have any vertical play? It rests upon a Seal and Bottom Seal Retainer, so I'm thinking maybe it should be able to rise a little when the tank is filling? I'm not sure I re-assembled things properly.
The manual says to be sure the float is adjusted properly, but the drawing isn't right. It indicates 10" from orifice to bottom of float, but that is not possible; they must have copied the drawing from a full-size tank unit. Currently there is 6" and I could adjust the float stop upwards a couple more inches but I don't think I moved it, the rubber Float Stop is very tight on the rod.
What should I know about how to order a Seal Kit and using it?