# My damn water softener has begun ticking incessantly - why?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 4, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804 "2013-04-04T04:09:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804/1 "2013-04-04T04:09:33Z")

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…and how do I stop it?

It’s coming from the timing mechanism, as far as I can tell. It’s medium loud - I can hear it in the room adjacent, even with the door to the laundry room (where the softener sits) closed. The ticking is fairly rapid and steady, probably 4-6 ticks / second. Started about two weeks ago, the softener is probably 15-20 years old.

It’s still cycling the softening cycle properly, as far as I can tell. But seriously, damn this ticking. It’s starting to bug me, tell-tale heart style. Anyone have an idea?

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804/2 "2013-04-04T04:17:11Z")

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I don’t know anything at all (well, very little) about water softeners. So I’ll start by asking if the timing mechanism is replaceable? Is the timer some sort of motor driven thing that puts it in to it’s different cycles? Motor driven timers of all types do tend to die after a while. If you can get a new one for a few bucks, you might want to see if it’s worth just replacing that one part…if you’re sure that’s where the sound is coming from and the cost of a new timer isn’t too big of a percentage of a new water softener (given it’s age).

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804/3 "2013-04-04T14:28:03Z")

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Moved MPSIMS --\> IMHO, our advice forum.

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**Author:** ![cpwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/0ea827/32.png) [@cpwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cpwater)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804/4 "2013-04-05T13:16:21Z")

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Sounds like the motor is fine, but the controller on the front of the head is busted. What kind of water softener do you have and can you send me a picture? I can probably tell you where to even find a new controller for the softener.

Frieso Pouwer CWS-VI, WT-1, Journeyman Plumber/Gasfitter

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**Author:** ![cougar58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@cougar58](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cougar58)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-damn-water-softener-has-begun-ticking-incessantly-why/654804/5 "2013-04-07T04:18:23Z")

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Happened to mine once, then one day all the faucets had deep purple water. Turns out a reverse flush solenoid stuck. They put purple dye in it, in case this happens, to warn you from drinking it. My guess is if you drink the reverse back flush, it must be very unhealthy.  
So get it checked soon.