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Water Softener Interactive Demo
Learn more about the operation, installation and maintenance of these water softeners.
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| How Water Softeners Work |
A water softener filters out the calcium and magnesium through thousands of tiny, plastic resin beads. Here’s how it works:
Softening cycle
During the softening cycle, hard water flows from the main water pipe into the water softener. The hard water passes through a resin (or mineral) tank made up of resin beads that have a negative charge. As the water passes through, each bead attracts and holds the calcium and magnesium, which have a positive charge. The now softened water then flows from the water softener to the rest of the house.
Regeneration cycle
Eventually the resin beads become coated with calcium or magnesium ions. At this point, the water softener needs to replenish the beads with sodium ions. This process, called “regeneration,” occurs when the resin beads are washed with a strong salt-water solution. The sodium forces the calcium and magnesium ions to be released and discharged as waste, and the beads are ready to collect the calcium and magnesium ions again.
Regeneration consists of five cycles—brine fill (water saturated with a salt or potassium), brining, brine rinse, backwash and fast rinse—and takes approximately two hours. All Whirlpool® Water Softeners utilize Demand Initiated Regeneration with Salt Saving Technology so the system only recharges when necessary, saving salt and water.
Still have questions? Read our Frequently Asked Questions.
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Water
Hardness
Level†
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Number of Persons Per Home |
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3 |
4 |
5 |
| 10 |
5 Bags |
7 Bags |
8 Bags |
| 15 |
7 Bags |
10 Bags |
13 Bags |
| 20 |
10 Bags |
14 Bags |
17 Bags |
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Whirlpool® Softeners
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Number of Persons Per Home |
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3 |
4 |
5 |
| 10 |
7.5 Bags |
10.5 Bags |
12 Bags |
| 15 |
10.5 Bags |
15 Bags |
19.5 Bags |
| 20 |
15 Bags |
21 Bags |
25.5 Bags |
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Competitive Models
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| * Assumed: 40 pound bags of NaCl 75 gallons per person per day average usage. (Per research conducted by the
Water Quality Research Council and Water Quality Asociation) †To determine your water hardness level,
contact your municipal water supplier.
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© Copyright 2009 Ecodyne (866) 986-3223
® Registered mark/TM Trademark of Whirlpool,
U.S.A. Manufactured under license by Ecodyne, Woodbury, MN. All rights reserved.
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 back to How Water Softeners Work
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