Troubleshooting Rheem Water Softener System

[@_JohnRedcorn_]

Thank you that was very helpful

[@RobertBallMagician]

My Rheem got what look like dirt in the salt, water in the softener look like mud. I ended up cleaning out tgectank got rid of the salt crystals and chsnged it to salt pellets. The water still does not feel that soft also still a slight odor when you first turn on the cold water. Also what is the salt setting if using pellets instead of crystals?

[@Yojeeman8]

Hi, so I can’t give you a specific hardness setting without knowing your water. I recommend going to Home Depot and getting a test kit. The more expensive of the two has a bacteria test. It sounds like you have iron dependent bacteria. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to use salt pellets specifically for iron. If the smell is exclusively in your hot water, I make a few videos on how to deal with that :)

[@RobertBallMagician]

@Yojeeman8 The hot water is fine. I even spoke with the water department and they treat the water for iron, among other things. The smell only started a few months ago when l noticed the dirt l assume that is what it was in the tank with the crystals. Rheem even recommended using 3 ozs. of bleach and tobacco regeneration cycle that helped a little. But the smell came back. But with the tank cleaned and l ran a regeneration cycle with there cleaner, the water in the tank is clear at the moment still a little blue from the cleaner but l was told that will work it's way though over the next several regeneration cycles. The unit was installed in April of 2023. I have been following there guide every 4 months to put a cleaner in the system. So l don't know what else to do. The smell right now is light and goes away after you run the water a little bit. We have also have a power room and a hall bathroom they are unaffected by the smell. Just the master bath and kitchen.

[@Yojeeman8]

Then you probably have bacteria growing in the supply lines. It happens. You can use a chlorine shock that takes 24 hours to complete. It requires injecting 1/3 cup of bleach in to the water lines and running your water for a few minutes to get it into the lines. Waiting 24 hours then flushing out the system

[@RobertBallMagician]

@Yojeeman8 l would agree with this, but while l was cleaning out the water Softener l had it on bypass for 5 days and no smells at all.??

[@Yojeeman8]

Check sold the salt you’re using contains magnesium. The bacteria need this to survive. Either lower the hardness setting or replace the salt to non-magnesium.

[@robcbr91]

Thank you for the video, question, I just set mine up and I think I didn’t wait till the recharge cycle was done and pushed it again. Now I have lot of water in the tank. Does it know how much water to drain out? My water is over the salt. Nobody is home every other day. Do I set it on auto so it won’t recharge when no water is being used? Thank you!

[@Yojeeman8]

You can recharge it so it will drain out. The Full recharge cycle takes about an hour. So push and hold it for three seconds and wait 1-2 hours before checking. Setting it on auto will recharge based on water usage, which is best for your situation.

[@robcbr91]

@@Yojeeman8 Ok I’ll recharge it again and leave it. Thank you!!

[@Noregrets1976]

Good video txs

[@barbaragebert21]

Hello does anyone know what the ventura gasket order # is for the Rheem water softener RHW42? Thank you

[@markkotarski4659]

Google your softener and you will find a installation manual. That will have part numbers

[@barbaragebert21]

@@markkotarski4659 Thank you I had did that but there was no part number on the manual. They want you to purchase the whole Ventura unit instead of replacing the certain part. So I contacted a replacement part company and they gave me the number. It is fixed and running correctly now. Yayyyyy I saved me some money.Thank you :)

[@chuckrafiki8649]

First you got way too much salt in there!

[@Yojeeman8]

Okay what ever you say, keyboard warrior.