HI guys, I bought a Genus SD 500 water softener which I had fitted last Sunday. I tested the water before the softener was fitted to get the hardness it was 27 degrees Clarke. I am still testing the water and it hasn't got any softer it's still 27 degrees Clarke. I've double checked the settings and the valves all are correct. I use the recommended Hydrosoft salt tablets that genus recommend. I've also tried poking a stick around in the salt to make sure there's no air pocket or anything. Does anyone have any ideas what the problem could be? It does it take longer for the water to work it's way through the house plumbing system?? I'm in a 2 bathroom bungalow and we use the taps/bath/showers all the time (4 residents)
Hi Cobe, I have fitted many Genus SD500,s, but have not come across the problem you describe. Just a couple of things you can double check, that the By-pass valve is closed, and that when you programmed the softener you told it how many people were living in the house. One other question, did you fit the Hi-Flow hoses/Inlet/Outlet valves? If everything has been done correctly, then i'm a bit stumped as to what may be the problem. Snezza.
HI thanks for the reply, I did check the bypass valve which is closed and programmed it to 4 people which is in my household. I didn't fit it myself, my Plummer fitted it I did watch him fit it and he put everything on it that come with it.. Can these water softeners be faulty? I'm sure if no water was passing through it then I wouldn't get water out of my taps? also somthing I thought of is could my showers and bathrooms be running off of a different mains supply pipe?? Is there a way I can test this? Such as running a dye through the system to see if it comes out of my bath taps?
You havent said what type of hot water system you have. If you have a storage vessel for Hot water, pressurised or gravity fed, then it would take longer for the softened water to get through to your showers and baths, but I would have thought it would have come through by now. If your system is heated by a combi boiler, then turning off the water supply to the softener should have an almost instantaneous effect on the showers and baths, if that mains supply is feeding the combi. Just turn the main stopcock off, then try opening the cold taps on the bath or basin. If it stops flowing almost straight away, then you know that there is only one mains supply. I'm sure some of the regular experienced Plumbers will be able to offer a bit more advice.
Before you go too far with the fault finding and attempted repairs, given that this is a brand new unit have you should get in touch with the manufacturers as a first port of call. Dave
The Genus SD500 machine is an excellent water softener, I should know as I work for the manufacturer! The comment from Dave above is spot on..... the unit is under guarantee and after the normal checks as suggested above are completed its quite possible that there may be a fault, however these machines are incredibly relaible and well known in the trade for longevity, I assume now everything is in perfect working order of course.
Have you made sure the tap you are testing from is not by-passing the softener? The kitchen drinking water tap should be on the hard water side of the softener? try testing from another tap.