WCC EF Series, Owner'S Manual, Page: 5 / 28

Water Control Corporation
7150 143rd Ave NW
•
Ramsey, MN 55303
Phone: 763-427-9638 • Fax: 763-427-5665
www.watercontrolinc.com
©Water Control Corporation 1021
An Employee-Owned Company
SOFTENER OPERATION
As water enters the softener, it passes over a resin bed in a special tank. The resin consists of tiny beads of a plastic called styrene. These beads attract and
hold sodium ions and exchange the sodium for hardness ions when encountered. Over time, the resin becomes saturated with hardness ions and no longer
removes hardness materials. The softener goes into a “regeneration” to flush hardness materials to the drain and refresh the resin with sodium. Regeneration
of single tank systems is typically programmed to take place in the middle of the night when little or no water is in use. Regeneration of individual tanks in
a multi-tank system occurs immediately (as needed), with the other tanks remaining online/ available.
REGENERATION CONSISTS OF FOUR CYCLES:
1. CYCLE: BACKWASH POSITION
Backwash is a rapid upward flow of water that loosens the resin bed and flushes iron particles, dirt and sediments filtered in the bed out to the drain.
2. CYCLE: BRINE DRAW / SLOW RINSE POSITION
Brine Draw is the process in which brine is drawn out of the brine cabinet and passed through the resin in a downward direction. This rinses the resin
and large amounts of sodium ions re- place the hardness ions accumulated during service.
Slow Rinse. After brine is completely removed from the brine cabinet into the resin tank the brine valve closes. Water replaces any remaining brine
from the resin, flushing hardness ions removed from the resin to drain.
3. CYCLE: FAST RINSE POSITION
Fast Rinse is a fast flow of water down through the resin tank that follows a Backwash. This flushes all remaining brine from the tank and packs the
resin bed for softening efficiency.
4. CYCLE: BRINE FILL
Brine is water saturated with large amounts of a salt (sodium chloride). During Brine Fill, water flows into the salt storage area after each
regeneration and dissolves salt. During the regeneration process, hardness ions on the resin beads are replaced or exchanged for sodium ions from
the brine solution.
NOTE: SERVICE
When the softener is in service, normal operation is occurring. Water is flowing through the softener and hardness minerals are being removed from
the water.