You rarely notice when your water softener regenerates and haven’t given it a second thought because it has been using as much salt as it always has and your water has been great. But you go by your water softener and notice that it is running during the day instead of at night. Why is your water softener running during the day?
A water softener running during the day is often because the water softener’s clock is set to the incorrect time, the water softener is stuck in its regeneration mode or it is a non-electric water softener that can regenerate at any time of the day.
A water softener running during the day is usually not an indication that there is anything seriously wrong with the water softener. More than likely it is a simple fix or for one of the reasons that I will discuss in this article.
Why You May Find Your Water Softener Running During The Day!
- The Time On Your Water Softener Is Incorrect
- Your Water Softener Could Be Stuck In Regeneration
- Your Water Softeners’ Computer May Not Be Working Correctly
- A NON-Electric Water Softener Can Regenerate At Anytime
- A Cracked Or Worn Seal In Your Water Softener’s Control Valve
- You May Just Be Using A High Volume Of Water
The Clock On Your Water Softener May Be Set To The Incorrect Time.
An electric water softener has no way to know what time of day it is other than by what time is indicated by its electric clock.
If this electric clock is not set to the correct time of the day, the water softener will not regenerate at the pre-programmed time which is usually at night.
Your water softeners’ clock could be off due to a loss of power to the computer.
If you experience a power outage, your water softener may retain its programed settings like water hardness or salt dosage but it may the clock may not be at the correct time of day when the electricity is finally restored to the water softener.
Even short interruptions in power to your water softener can all add up over time. A 5-minute loss of power here and a 30-minute power outage here and there can add up to your water softener regenerating at a very different time than it was originally programmed for.
Has power to your water softener been interrupted recently?
If you have had any electrical work in your home or if the electrical power to your water softener has been shut off for any period of time, the time on your water softener may need to be reset so that your water softener will know to regenerate at night rather than during the day.
Something as simple as replacing an electrical switch or installing a new light fixture will require at least a portion of your home’s electricity to be shut off for a period of time.
If the electrical power to your water softener is shut off during this time, your water softeners computer can lose the correct time of day which will lead to the water softener regenerating at a different time of day than it is supposed to which could be at any time of the day.
Your Water Softener Could Be Stuck In Regeneration.
A water softener may run continuously if it has a loss of power or if the control valve of the water softener malfunctions.
If you discover that your water softener is running during the day, it could be that it has continued to run throughout the night and into the day.
If your water softener does not stop regenerating after about three hours, it might be stuck in its regeneration cycle and you should check out my article “Why Is My Water Softener Running NON-Stop” for information on what to do next.
You will want to bypass your water softener to stop the water from flowing through the system and then determine the best plan of action. Either attempt to fix the problem yourself or contact your water softener service technician to diagnose the reason why your water softener will not stop regenerating.
Your Water Softeners’ Computer May Not Be Working Correctly.
Like any electrical device, a water softener’s electronic computer can develop a glitch or one of its components may in time stop working correctly.
The computer could lose track of time, stop keeping track of the correct time or perhaps just reset itself due to a brief interruption in power.
In many cases, you can simply reset the clock of the computer to the current time of day and the system will go back to regenerating at its proper time, but in some cases, the computer has become faulty and will need to be replaced.
But before you replace your water softeners computer board, unplug the water softener for at least 1 hour to see if the computer board will reset itself.
If the computer board does reset, you should be able to reprogram the computer by following the appropriate instructions in your water softeners owners manual.
If you can’t locate your water softeners’ original owner manual, you can often locate one online by searching for “Brand” + “Model” + “Owners Manual”.
A NON-Electric Water Softener Will “MOST LIKELY” Regenerate During The Day.
If you have recently purchased a NON-electric water softener or are new to a home that already has a NON-electric water softener, you may have already noticed your NON-electric water softener running during the day.
Because a NON-electric initiates its regeneration process when triggered by the use of water through its mechanical control valve, a NON-electric water softener is more likely to regenerate during the day when more water is being used.
A NON-electric water softener running during the day is totally normal as the regeneration process of a NON-electric water softener can be triggered by taking a shower, washing your hands, or even simply flushing a toilet.
Unfortunately, if the water pressure in your home is not strong enough, a NON-electric water softener running during the day could mean poor pressure in other areas of the home like in the shower or for appliances that use water like a reverse osmosis system.
For a home where the water pressure is relatively low, I do NOT recommend using a NON-electric water softener simply because it is most likely to regenerate during the day when there is more water being used which may trigger the NON-electric water softener to regenerate.
There Could Be A Cracked Or Worn Seal In Your Water softener’s Control Valve.
A cracked or worn seal in the control valve of a water softener can allow water to pass through the water softener.
Although the amount of water that can get through the cracked or worn seal will vary depending on how bad the crack is or how worn the seal is, the amount of water that can get through the water softener may appear as the water softener is running during the day.
You May Just Be Using A High Volume Of Water.
A high volume of water being used in the home going through an undersized water softener can sometimes sound like the water softener is running during the day rather than at night when it is programmed to regenerate.
Multiple showers, running garden hoses, or multiple toilets being flushed at the same time can create a rush of water which can sound like a water softener running as the water rushes through the water softener.
If you notice your water softener sounding like it is running during the day but the water softeners display does not indicate that the water softener is regenerating, the water softener may not be regenerating and the sound may just be a high volume of water being used.
Check Out This Quick Video To Hear What A Common Water Softener Sounds Like During Regeneration.
To Sum Up:
A water softener running during the day is very often due to the time clock on the water softener being set to the incorrect time of day which makes the water softener regenerate during the day rather than at night.
A loss of electrical power, while a water softener is regenerating, can cause a water softener to continue to regenerate because the water softener does not have electrical power to advance the regeneration process.
A defective part in a water softener can cause the water softener to regenerate at the incorrect time of day or regenerate continuously.
A high volume of water being used can sometimes sound like your water softener is running during the day when it is actually operating properly.
We are trying a fish tank for the first time with filtered water. Yesterday we filled up a 5 gallon tank cleaned every thing. The water was perfect after testing it. Ran the filter all night and the next morning work up to cloudy water. Why.
Hello Patricia and thank you for the question.
Although I have worked in the water treatment industry for many years, fishtank chemistry and operation are not really my specialty. You would find the best answer to your question from someone who works with fish and fish tanks.
Perhaps you can find a solution here! Cloudy Fish Tank
I hope this was helpful.
Paul