PAA18GB
7
The water softener
Water contains varying amounts of lime and mineral
salts depending on the area in which you live: these
are deposited on the dishes leaving white marks.
The higher the content of these salts, the harder your
water will be. The «hardness» level is measured on 2
equivalent scales: German degrees or French
degrees. Contact your local Water Authority to find the
exact water hardness level for your area.
The dishwasher is equipped with a softener which
uses special dishwasher salt to provide lime-free
(softened) water. The softener can treat water hard-
ness up to 90 French degrees via 5 adjustment levels.
Find on the table below the level corresponding to the
hardness of your water and the required adjustments:
*
The water softener is factory set at level 2 as this suits
most users.
**
If you use phosphate free detergents containing en-
zymes, use salt starting from 4°dH (7°TH).
Level 1
If your water is "level 1" it is already soft and therefore
there is no need to use salt.
Levels 3 and 5 (water softener adjustment)
If your water is level 3 or 5, proceed as follows:
slide out the lower basket and unscrew the cap of the
salt container; turn the two-position selector anticlock-
wise from position
-
to position
+
with the aid of a
knife or a screwdriver.
Levels 4 and 5 (adjustment on the machine)
If your water is level 4 or
5, open the door and drill
membrane (A) on the up-
per left-hand corner of the
machine.
With a water hardness of level 5 both adjustments
must be made.
Important
Salt MUST be used regularly from level 2 upward.
Filling with salt
Only use salt designed specifically for use in dish-
washers. Other types of salt contain high percentages
of other substances which may reduce the efficiency
of the softener.
Unscrew the cap of the salt container.
Fill the container with 1 litre
of water (this operation is
necessary only the first
time).
Place approximately 1 kg of
dishwasher salt inside us-
ing the funnel provided (see
figure).
Replace the cap making sure that there is no trace of
salt on the screw thread or on the gasket.
Screw the cap on tightly.
When this has been done, all that is required is to
periodically add salt to the container. You are reminded
of this by the salt indicator light on the control panel
which will normally illuminate when the salt has finished.
The salt container has always some water inside
which will normally overflow when refilling with salt.
Important: the salt indicator light on the control panel
can remain illuminated for 2-6 hours after salt has
been replenished, assuming the dishwasher remains
switched on. If you are using salts that take longer to
dissolve, then the light remains illuminated for a long
period of time. The functioning of the dishwasher is
not affected.
Caution
Only fill with salt just before starting one of the com-
plete washing programmes (not Rinse and Hold pro-
gramme). This will prevent any grains of salt or salty
water, which may have been spilled, remaining on the
bottom of the machine for any period of time. This
could cause corrosion.
Water hardness
Level
Use of
salt
Water
softener
adjustment
Adjustment
on the
machine
°dH
German
degrees
°TH
French
degrees
0- 7
8-21
22-28
29-39
40-50
0-14
15-39
40-50
51-70
71-90
1
*2
3
4
5
**NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
1
1
1
2
2
SALE
SAL
T
SALZ
SEL
SR02
A
AA04
AA01
