Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - water not soft, and tank filled with water

We have a 6 year old Sears softner Ultrasoft 100. Last week we quit getting soft water, so I checked the salt level and it was near empty. I put in a few bags of salt last week but we still have hard water, and the tank is filled with water, which never used to be like that. The panel is not showing any error codes and I can cycle thru all the settings with no problems.

I'm concerned that the tank is filled with water. Last year I replaced the front circuit board and the motor myself, so if I can get some direction on what might be the problem I'm confident I can fix this myself.

Thanks in advance for any help......its much appreciated.

When the unit advances into a regen, the 1st cycle is the fill. Then it will go into a draw cycle (pulls the water back out). If it does not draw the water, the venturi may be stopped up or the drain line could be kinked. The venturi assembly is located to the left of the valve under the dome shaped housing. Remove the venturi and inspect/ clean it. After putting it back together, advance the unit to the draw cycle and watch to see if the water goes down.

Thank you, I'll try that tomorrow and let you know what happens.

If we need to replace it, any brand recommendations?

How do I advance it thru a cycle? Is that the dial on the top that I had to align when I replaced the motor?

There is a button that says regen tonight/regen now or is a picture of the resin tank. If you push and hold for 3 sec, it will advance to the 1st cycle. I sell Fleck products. They are build to last. I don not like electronics on water softeners.

Thanks Biermech, I appreciate the help. I think I remember you talking me thru the motor replacement last year over the phone.... thanks again for that.

Ok, heres the scoop. I went out and took apart the venturi and also the float. The screen on the venturi was really clogged with muck, so I cleaned it out really good and reassembled it. Then I pressed and held "recharge now" and nothing happened. I pulled out the electric control panel and saw that the button on the face panel wouldnt reach the tab on the panel, so I reached in by hand and held it and still nothing. The screen just says "recharge tonight 2:00am". I tried setting the recharge for the present time but it didnt cycle thru. I reset it for 2:00am again so I guess I'll know in the morning if its working or not.... I'm guessing no.

Everything else on the panel is reading normal and there are no error codes flashing. You think the panel needs replaced?

Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it.

if it is flashing "recharge tonight" then the button must be making contact unless it was flashing that before you pressed the button. My guess is you didn't hold it in long enough. Always possible there is an electronic issue that won't initiate the "recharge now" function but I'd hold it in for at least 10 seconds and see what happens.

I did that. I held it down everywhere from 3 seconds to a minute, it wouldnt switch to recharge now. Just says recharge tonight 2 am. It allowed me to set the recharge times, but when I set it for the present time it didnt cycle, so I switched it back to 2 am where it was. You think the board may be bad?

My experience with the GE cabinet type modles is that you can toggle the "regen tonight" on an off by pushing the button, but that it must be off in order to be able initiate a "regen now" action.

If the "regen tonight" is showing then try pressing the button to turn it back off and then try holding down the button. Was the "regen tonight" prompt showing before you pressed the button originally? It may have a conflict in that it won't allow you to alter the regen process if it knows it needs to regen tonight through it's normal gallon read operation.

I don't really ever service the units so my experience with them is limited but I specifically remember I could not initiate a "regen now" unless the "regen tonight" was toggled off on one of the units I serviced.

Yeah, it wouldnt let me switch to regen now at all. It was reading recharge tonight when I started.

Quick update, still no soft water as of this morning. Again, I cleaned the filters on both the venturi and in the float. Still wont cycle thru a "regen now" either.

What might be my next option?

Thanks again

If you can not get it to cycle now, them the control board is bad. It does not matter if it is flashinf regen tonight, you sjould be able to over ride and regen now.

Thanks Beirmech, I though that might be my problem. Sears replaced it once under warranty a few years back. I'll look for a replacement today and get it shipped here this week.

I'm getting tired of fixing this old heap, I may look you up real soon here and make the switch to a Fleck. Do you ship as well, I'm just outside Orlando.

I'm getting tired of fixing this old heap, I may look you up real soon here and make the switch to a Fleck. Do you ship as well, I'm just outside Orlando.
I'm may be close enough to make the drive. If not, yes I do ship. If you do get a control board, you will need to program in the model code. Not sure if the instruction will tell you how or not. If needed, I can tell you how to get it from the old ones as long as it works.

Thanks. You think it may be the board? The rest of the settings appear to be working just fine, there are no error codes on the screen, it just wont do a "regen now". Aside from that its not pushing thru soft water. I may be off, but I would suspect a bad board to at least have an error code.... no?

I've seen all the setting are right but the board would not regen on it's own. If you push the regen button to regen tonight, does it do the regen?

No, it doesnt even flinch. I've pressed it briefly and also held it in for a quite a few seconds and it wont do a "regen now". But it isnt reading any error codes, it just wont regen at all. When I press the regen button it still just keeps reading "regen tonight 2am", it wont change from that.

I believe the controler is bad then. If you can not control the regen, get a new controler.

a few Google searches left me with no answer. Where can I find the timer at a reasonable price? Or do I have to bite the bullet and call Sears?

Ya gotta bite it. Unless you can find a used one, you have to go to Sears.

Ok, ordered the new timer. Holy cow... it wasnt cheap, but Sears said if it doest work they will refund it. If it doesnt work we'll probably just get a new Fleck. I'll let ya know when it gets here and if it works or not.

Thanks again for the help.

You have to program the new control board. They should send instructions with it. It's not hard.

Ok, just got the new control board in the mail today. Plugged it in and it showed SR22, which is the correct code for my softener. Set my time, hardness and recharge time. Then held "select" for a "recharge now" and it came to life. The motor started spinning and spinning and wouldnt stop, and I noticed water flowing out of the drain tube. The instructions on the manual said to let it cycle for 2 hours. I just went out there to check on it and the tube was still flowing water, but the tank is still full and there was an error code "Error 1" on the screen now. The motor dial was not moving or showing any letters and I could here water flowing thru the valves and my well pump was kicking in every couple minutes. I closed the by-pass valve for the time being so the well isnt constantly running.

After reading the manual, I got into the manual diagnostics screen. I opened a faucet and still got no reading on the screen. I removed the sensor from the outflow valve and passed a magnet over it until I began getting readings..... I supposed these were gallon readings? The number started at 5 and kept climbing after each pass of the magnet. According to the manual I might possibly have a binded turbine.

Any ideas of what it could possibly be now?

Thanks again. Note to self: dont buy another Kenmore softener.

The meter turbine counts the water used in the house. When you pushed to regen now button, the system should have go to the next cycle and stop. If it does not stop, the micro switch or micro switch wire is bad. In the screen that shows the water flow should be 2 dashes. With the micro switch closed, it should show -p. When it opens, it will show --. If it does not show the -- or -p, disconnect the wire from the mirco switch and use a paper clip as a "jumper" wire to make the connection. If it then shows -- or -p, the micro switch is bad.
You may also want to unplud and replug the unit in. Sometimes if the unit is to insynk with the motor, it will show an error code. Send me an e-mail and I'll give you my number and talk you through it. affordablewtr@aol.com

Sent you an email..... thanks so much for the help...... very appreciated.