Regeneration is the process your Harmony Water Softener uses to clean and recharge the resin inside the system.
Over time, the resin beads collect calcium and magnesium — the minerals that cause hard water. As these minerals build up, the system becomes less effective at softening water.
Regeneration removes the buildup and restores the resin so your softener can continue delivering soft water.
What Happens During Regeneration?
Salt acts as the cleaning agent during regeneration. It removes calcium and magnesium from the resin beads and restores their ability to soften water.
The regeneration process happens in several stages:
- Backwash: The system flushes water through the resin tank to remove debris and trapped particles.
- Brine Draw: A saltwater solution (brine) is drawn from the brine tank into the resin tank. The sodium in the brine replaces the calcium and magnesium on the resin beads.
- Rapid Rinse: Clean water rinses away the hardness minerals and excess salt.
- Brine Fill: The brine tank refills with water, preparing for the next regeneration cycle.
System Discharge During Regeneration
During the regeneration cycle, your Harmony system will discharge water through the drain line. This discharge may continue throughout the full cycle as the system backwashes, draws brine, rinses the resin, and refills the brine tank.
CAUTION: Potassium chloride may be used instead of salt, but the two should never be mixed.
How Often Does Regeneration Occur?
Regeneration frequency depends on a few key factors including:
- Water usage
- System size
- Your water’s hardness level
Most Harmony systems regenerate automatically after a set number of gallons of water have passed through the system. In many households, this typically occurs every 1–2 weeks depending on usage patterns and water hardness levels.
Your Harmony system is designed to regenerate automatically once the programmed gallon limit is reached. This helps maximize efficiency and reduce unnecessary cycles.