Salt bridge in water softener, unexpected reason

[GON]

At the Daughter's for Christmas, and have a list of projects to do.

Top on the list was water softener not ever needed any salt. Arrived last night and discovered a salt bridge in the holding tank.

I have read of salt bridges.and have had a water softener for many decades, I have never seen/experienced a salt bridge.

The reported common reason for a salt bridge is to much salt in the brine tank, overweighting the salt causing a collapse then resulting in a salt.bridge.

Took a 42" breaker bar to work the salt free. Took about two hours to get the sale out. Talking to the SIL, he put hot water in the tank to try and break the salt bridge. This didn't work, and made the salt even more solidified.

Finally found the problem this morning. The tank water level float had a pin come loose or break. This reported to the softener controls that the tank was full, and not to add any water.

Pictures show the empty hole where the pin goes. I may not be able to find a pin, and have to go with a cotter pun. Hopefully find a stainless steel pin, as I assume this is a rust incubator.

On a side note, being a grandpa doing things better than being a dad. Let the grandsons help remove the salt, and they made a mess on the floor. As a dad, I would have not had time for my son's to help, and would not have let them help.

No pin found so used a nail as a substitute.

 

[JohnnyG]

You might want to go with a plastic pin. In fact, they make small bolts and nut out of plastic. If you were to double nut the small bolt, it wouldn't come loose.

 

[Nukeman7]

I am always impressed by your ability to evaluate problems and critically think through a variety of mechanical challenges. You seem to thrive on diagnosing the technical aspects of modes of system failure whether it be automotive, home maintenance or appraising potential real estate offerings. Knowing your attention to detail and penchant for doing things 100%, I am certain you will replace that steel nail with a stainless steel cotter pin before leaving CO.

It's also great to see that you are grooming the Grandsons to be self-sufficient problem solvers! The world needs more people willing to roll up their sleeves to resolve their issues instead of whining about them and expecting sympathy.

 

[AZjeff]

Fixing the softener is great but the important thing is digging that salt out with grandpa is a lifetime memory for those boys. Well done.

 

[doitmyself]

On a side note, being a grandpa doing things better than being a dad. Let the grandsons help remove the salt, and they made a mess on the floor. As a dad, I would have not had time for my son's to help, and would not have let them help.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spoil the bejeevers out of them and send them home with the parents is my modus operandi.

 

[Hall]

Water softeners are new to me and I've read about "salt bridges" before. I've been keeping the salt pebbles (?) very full, which could potentially lead to this, though my understanding is quality salt, pebble form, etc generally doesn't see this happen. Anyway, I've purposely not added salt in months so that the salt level drops low enough so I can see the bottom or at least move the last layers of salt around enough to expose the bottom and make sure there's no "bridge". Once I do, I'll probably only keep the salt level around 50% vs 80-100% full.

 

[walterjay]

50% salt level has always been my recommendation. And use solar salt, not salt pellets.

 

[Hall]

And use solar salt, not salt pellets.

What I've read is solar salt is actually more susceptible to mushing or bridging. I use Diamond Crystal brand which contains a component specifically added to prevent bridging. I normally buy ours at Menards and they only have (5) varieties and only (1) of those are solar salt. Did notice that Tractor Supply (1 minute from my work) has good pricing on salt, at least when it's on sale. Menards is in the mall area, which I try to avoid at all costs, so I'll likely start going to TSC.

 

[tom slick]

I’ve maintained a few softeners, both residential and commercial use. Salt crystals always bridged and we’d routinely smack the side of the brine tank with a mallet to break the bridge. I haven’t experienced bridges with pellets.

 

[Delta]

I've definitely had worse luck with the solar salt over the pellets. Been using pellets exclusively in my new softener. There is only one brand I use (forget which) but I pick them up at Home Depot or Lowes. The brand I've gotten at Ace in town is full of dirt and makes the water nasty.

Salt bridging is probably why most new softeners have a plate at the bottom for the salt to rest on to stop the salt from clumping up on the bottom. Mine does, but I guess you still need to check every once in a while to make sure it's using salt.

 

[repairman54]

25 yrs. on my old house's softener never had a bridge. I used the iron fighter salt from HD. I would run some resin bed cleaner through it every couple of years also. Never had to touch that old Kenmore for mechanical issues, but I had a water filter in the system before it also which is key to longevity in those rotary valve softeners with a well.

 

[Mazomopar]

Growing up we always had a broken wooden broom handle next to the salt tank for breaking open the bridges. 50 years later, still have one next to mine.

 

[tbm5690]

Just cleaned out my brine tank yesterday...such a fun job. I too had a bad batch of salt that was dirty, so got all that cleaned out and back to the good stuff.

 

[GON]

I am always impressed by your ability to evaluate problems and critically think through a variety of mechanical challenges. You seem to thrive on diagnosing the technical aspects of modes of system failure whether it be automotive, home maintenance or appraising potential real estate offerings. Knowing your attention to detail and penchant for doing things 100%, I am certain you will replace that steel nail with a stainless steel cotter pin before leaving CO.

It's also great to see that you are grooming the Grandsons to be self-sufficient problem solvers! The world needs more people willing to roll up their sleeves to resolve their issues instead of whining about them and expecting sympathy.

That's very kind. I think I just work at things and refuse to quit. Kind of like a blind squirrel that will keep working it until he finds a nut

 

[GON]

I’ve maintained a few softeners, both residential and commercial use. Salt crystals always bridged and we’d routinely smack the side of the brine tank with a mallet to break the bridge. I haven’t experienced bridges with pellets.

This bridge was human inflicted. Not repairing the softener’s inability to add or remove water from the brine tank. Then adding hot water and thinking that might solve the issues.

Had my SIL removed the salt immediately after the hot water didn’t solve the issue might have prevented the salt bridge. Instead, he added hot water a few times if a few weeks, this resulted in a salt bridge