Removing and Inspecting the Turbine Assembly on your Aqualux ProSoft Water Softener

You Aqualux ProSoft water softener is equipped with an internal flow measuring device called a turbine. It's a multi-blade fan that spins as the water moves past it. This spinning action is detected by a small magnet in the valve body and is interpreted by the softener controller as water flow. The softener uses this method to constantly monitor the amount of water you use and initiates all regenerations based on it. So when the turbine isn't working properly it's a significant problem, and needs to be corrected.

When your softener is in service mode, the screen toggles automatically between the time of day, and the number of gallons remaining before the next regeneration. The tipoff that the turbine isn't working is when water is running in the home, and the number of gallons number isn't decreasing. Here's what to do when you encounter this issue:

Check the Softener Programming

Errors in the programming of the softener can cause the turbine signal to be misunderstood by the controller. For the Aqualux ProSoft double check the following settings by accessing the master programming. If any of the following settings are different then what's shown, change them:

VT = 5810

CT = FD

FM = t1.2

Check the Turbine Cable

A grey cable exits the back of the softener control valve and connects into a small hole just in front of the bypass assembly. Make sure this cable is present, and that the connector is fully seated into the hole. The connector and hole are both shaped like a loaf of bread so be sure to orient the connector in the proper way and never force it - it should slide in quite easily.

The Magnet Test

To determine if the issue is being caused by a faulty turbine vs a faulty signal detection system, we can use "the magnet test". With your softener powered up, remove the turbine cable from its inserted position behind the control valve.  Then, take a magnet and pass it across the sensor at the end of the cable (this is the part that is hidden when the sensor is inserted into the hole). As you pass the magnet across the sensor have somebody watch the screen to see if the gallons remaining count down. If they do, then the issue you're having likely has to do with the physical turbine. If the gallons do not count down with this test, then the issue likely resides with the programming of the board, or the board itself, or the connection of the turbine cable to the board.

Remove and Inspect the Turbine

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, then it's likely that the turbine has some debris caught in it. The turbine needs to be removed, inspected, and re-installed. Here's how do that:

1. Put the softener in bypass mode by closing the two blue handles on the bypass valve (they're closed when they are pointing towards each other)
2. De-pressurize the softening tank by pressing and holding the Next Cycle button (leftmost button on the controller) until you hear the motor start to move. Because the bypass is closed no water will be sent to drain, but the softening tank will now be de-pressurized.
3. Press and release the Next Cycle button to advance through the stages of the regeneration until the softener is no longer in regeneration mode.
4. At this point follow the directions in the following video to remove the turbine assembly:

1. Now that the turbine has been inspected, cleaned, and re-installed, put the bypass in service mode by turning both bypass handles to the "on" position (the handles will be parallel to each other.
2. Now run water to test if the turbine is registering flow - you should see the gallons remaining number count down on the screen.