[Richard Meads]

I have got a second hand water softener, with all the kit, but no instructions.  I know you have to back wash with salt, but how long should  it take to clear all the salt through so it's ok to use?

[Jim_77]

You don't back flush it with salt, you just use plain water for that (make sure you connect the system up backwards: outside tap to outlet of softener, then open ended hose from inlet of softener to drain or garden).

Give it about 10-15 minutes with a slow/moderate flow of water.

After that, reverse the hoses so it's flowing the correct way through the softener.  Connect your salt pot in line (make sure it's around half full of salt blocks) and run through very slowly so it's just a trickle, for at least 15 minutes.

If you get a hardness testing kit you can check how well it's working.  If you're not getting the hardness reduced right down, try lengthening the time you run the salt through for.  Test it straight after recharging and also after a tank full or so has been drawn through it.  If it is good to start with but then quickly becomes ineffective you need to back-flush more I'd guess, as you're not cleaning off the resin in the softener cartridge well enough.

[derek west]

fill salt container and reverse it all though softner till its all gone. job done.

[Jim_77]

  Not the way it says to do it for mine!

If I filled my salt pot and ran the tap through it, it would take a couple of days until the salt is gone!  Even a week or two after putting salt blocks in there, next time I open the pot they are still there.. maybe you use a different salt Derek?

[derek west]

mine comes in a big bag from bee and queue. just thick granules, takes about 20 mins to run it through.

[stu_thomson]

I've always back flushed mine with the salt pot, takes about 10 minutes to use all salt, mind you I have a outside hot tap which makes the salt dissolve quickly

I then back flush again with plain water before using

Stu

[Richard Meads]

The one I have is from hydramaster, it came with a big bag of dishwasher/ water softener salt. The guy I got if of never used it, but he said to put salt in the container and connect it to the softener outlet and run water through until all the salt is gone, but to make sure all the salt is cleared from the water before using it.

[Jim_77]

Sounds different from my system.

Why don't you just ask hydramaster?!!!

[Richard Meads]

I didn't know it was from Hydramaster til today. It sounds easy enough, but I'll give them a call and get the instructions.

[Richard Meads]

I spoke to Martin at Hydramaster today, for their system, 3/4 fill the container with salt and reverse it through, about 10 mins, then another 10 mins once all the salt has dissolved, to ensure you don't have any trace of salt going into your machine.
 

[Jim_77]

Ah well there you go   Mine works differently!  You learn something every day