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No issues here, going 2 years strong. My thinking was general, like you mentioned, that it usually does no harm adding grease (as long as it's the right type: potable silicone grease). Probably ok without it too, but I believe the grease helps to keep the gaskets "fresh" for longer, thus providing a better seal for longer as well.

They're not both needed, but it is convenient when the Kinetico bypass valve needs serviced as well (as mine did), or if/when the entire softener needs replaced. The previous homeowner had it setup like this and I'm not upset about it lol. My guess is that there was a different brand installed in my house before the Kinetico, and the Kinetico technician installed their valve by default.

I haven't had the need. Since this repair, my softener has been functioning properly. We'll see how long the new parts last though.... I do plan to give it a good servicing (cleaning) soon to hopefully help extend its life even more

Check here, and maybe try to contact them directly for good OEM parts: www.aquastream-softeners.co.uk/152-kinetico-spares Back when I was searching, ebay was about the only other place I saw them available for a somewhat reasonable price. But they were only listed there sometimes, and they often seemed like non-OEM knock off kits which were worrisome. Buying from an actual distributor overseas and shipping to USA worked for me (Kinetico is so ridiculous to make us do this).

I figured if I ever have issues with it, the flexible couplings make it very easy to remove that entire section and clean it out. If I had replaced this with something more permanent (i.e. not flexible couplings), a p-trap would have definitely been used. Thanks for the note!

It wasn't backed up, the old copper was cracking and leaking. I'm pretty sure that drain pipe was the original from when the house was built ~60 years ago. HOWEVER, there was a poor patch job on top of that pipe that you're probably referencing... it wasn't hurting anything, but wasn't working :)

Put the cap on before the car gets hot, otherwise fluid will start pouring out! It shouldn't take too long to bleed the air out before it gets hot. And don't EVER take off the cap when the car is already hot either, as it could be like a volcanic eruption in your face ruclips.net/video/o_ggxJh24z8/видео.html

Nothing I've experienced. If you look at the parts guide PDFs in the video description (See Page 9 here: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j8w3tnr2a5smvwhk871zy/Kinetico-4040-4060-Parts-Guide.pdf?rlkey=xmdo0prijnr7zuq3albtxaosw&e=1 ), you'll see that the resin tanks have screens/pipes that go in the tanks and are supposed to keep the resin in the tank while allowing water through. My guess is that you have a damaged part or seal there. Should be a fairly easy fix if you can get the tank open (as shown in the video series)

Our best hope in the US is a federal Right To Repair legislation. Today, existing USA Rt2Rp laws are either very product specific and/or state specific.

Check here, and maybe try to contact them directly for good OEM parts: www.aquastream-softeners.co.uk/152-kinetico-spares I do believe many of their parts are interchangeable, but not always. Check the parts manual and verify the part numbers to make sure: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j8w3tnr2a5smvwhk871zy/Kinetico-4040-4060-Parts-Guide.pdf?rlkey=xmdo0prijnr7zuq3albtxaosw&e=1 Back when I was searching for parts, ebay was about the only other place I saw them available for a somewhat reasonable price. But they were only listed there sometimes, and they often seemed like non-OEM knock off kits which were worrisome. Buying from an actual distributor overseas and shipping to USA worked for me (Kinetico is so ridiculous to make us do this).

Sorry, my metering assembly has never had an issue (thank goodness!), so I've not dealt with it. Maybe someone else can post a link or guide for others looking. Good luck.

That is one thing that my local plumbing supply store actually had ready and in stock! These are not special parts. Here's the first (kind of expensive) example I just found online too: waterestore.com/products/waterboss-quest-fittings-ams-180-380-700-900-or-950

I actually need the fittings that slip 'into' the head and are pinned; like your 90s there in your video. Which is where the installer (years ago) glued the 3/4" to 1" adapters. Can't seem to find any of those fittings, even online, sigh.@@loonhunt

No, nothing with the AC, just transmission oil and coolant (i.e. just the lines going in/out of the radiator). For removal, I basically just followed this video: ruclips.net/video/YB5aKZMrGXk/видео.html For a diagram of the transmission lines, just pause the video at 3:25

I believe the Level 4 seals at about 11:50 in the Part 3 video were compromised ( ruclips.net/video/2ZSHSaRMt64/видео.htmlm50s ). I show them worn down on camera. I believe this caused either a leak in that seal or a jam for the piston so it was not able to freely open & close. This may have been an issue for 1 or 2 of those seals, and replacing them may have fixed my issue. But doing all of that work to get in there-- might as well replace them all and remove the guess work! :)

True, though I figured if I ever have issues with it, the flexible couplings make it very easy to remove that entire section and clean it out. If I had replaced this with something more permanent (i.e. not flexible couplings), a p-trap would have definitely been used. Thanks for the note!

Check ebay- I see a Kinetico Quad Ring Kit for $50 there. I wasn't so fortunate and ordered parts from the UK. It's a struggle. As for tools- I had those laying around. A $5 cell phone repair kit may go a long way though.

Glue sounds like a desperation act of a prior owner. If you need parts in the UK, you're luckily all set! A Level 2 or 3 Seal is only about £15.00 www.aquastream-softeners.co.uk/152-kinetico-spares?page=2

No, it's a drain pipe, so the water main can stay on. Just make sure nobody accidentally uses water in the sink/shower/toilet leading to this drain or you will get WET! :) I'd suggest turning off the appliance that drains here if you're worried about it and/or adding some colored tape over the appliance so nobody accidentally uses it as you're working on it.

@loonhunt wow that was fast! Thanks so much I'm going to attempt this today 😁

Could be simple still-- I've not had this issue personally. Check the troubleshooting guide for a nice list of possible causes and solutions: www.dropbox.com/s/f0tduhur61lq6kg/Kinetico-Water-Softener-Troubleshooting-Guide.pdf The top of Page 6 in the guide shows the following for troubleshooting Salty Water: ---------- Problem: 1. Overdosing of salt. Possible Causes: A. Brine valve set incorrectly B. Brine valve not seating properly C. Rubber band not removed D. Leak in brine valve Solution: A. Set the brine valve correctly B. Replace brine valve C. Remove rubber band from float cup D. Repair leak/replace brine valve ---------- Problem: 2. Restricted drain flow. Possible Causes: A. Drain line kinked or clogged B. Backwash flow control restricted C. Long drain tubing run D. Drain tubing rises higher than 8 feet. Solution: A. Clear obstructions; ensure drain flows smoothly and clearly B. Clean/replace backwash flow control C. Shorten length of tubing or increase size of drain tubing D. Reduce rise to less than 8 feet ---------- Problem: 3. Low water pressure. Possible Causes: A. Plugged prefilter B. Pressure setting too low C. Fouled/damaged resin bed Solution: A. Change prefilter B. Increase feed pressure C. Replace resin ---------- Problem: 4. Upper distributors partially blinded (downflow units). Possible Cause: Foreign material or fines lodged into theslots. Solution: Clean or replace upper distributors

@@loonhunt THANK YOU!

Send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help... don't try to order through their website. If you browse their website via a UK proxy, you can see it currently shows Kinetico Level 4 Seal Kit for just £39 (~$50). If you find another source, please share it as well for others in their quest. Thanks

Of course they said you need a new unit! Ridiculous. Send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help get you basic parts. You might get lucky on ebay too, but parts can be overpriced there. For reference, the aquastream website currently shows Kinetico Level 4 Seal Kit for just £39 (~$50). If you find another source, please share it for others in their quest as well. Thanks

@@loonhunt I tried to order parts directly off the aquastream website, but at cart checkout, shipping to any country (other than the UK) was disabled. Guessing there's a RightToRepair law in the UK that at least protects its UK citizens. Also guessing Kenetico threatened to de-authorize them as a dealer if they allowed international parts orders. Sad.

Hey sorry, it's been years since I did that. Though I'm pretty sure I ended up just using heavy duty zip ties to re-mount the oil cooler to the ac condenser... I think I used 2 or 3 and just ran them right through the bodies of both since they're not solid units. So whatever was holding the oil cooler in place previously wasn't needed again.

I've not had this issue personally, so I'm not sure. But check the troubleshooting guide for a nice list of possible causes and solutions: www.dropbox.com/s/f0tduhur61lq6kg/Kinetico-Water-Softener-Troubleshooting-Guide.pdf The top of Page 6 in the guide shows the following for troubleshooting Salty Water: ---------- Problem: 1. Overdosing of salt. Possible Causes: A. Brine valve set incorrectly B. Brine valve not seating properly C. Rubber band not removed D. Leak in brine valve Solution: A. Set the brine valve correctly B. Replace brine valve C. Remove rubber band from float cup D. Repair leak/replace brine valve ---------- Problem: 2. Restricted drain flow. Possible Causes: A. Drain line kinked or clogged B. Backwash flow control restricted C. Long drain tubing run D. Drain tubing rises higher than 8 feet. Solution: A. Clear obstructions; ensure drain flows smoothly and clearly B. Clean/replace backwash flow control C. Shorten length of tubing or increase size of drain tubing D. Reduce rise to less than 8 feet ---------- Problem: 3. Low water pressure. Possible Causes: A. Plugged prefilter B. Pressure setting too low C. Fouled/damaged resin bed Solution: A. Change prefilter B. Increase feed pressure C. Replace resin ---------- Problem: 4. Upper distributors partially blinded (downflow units). Possible Cause: Foreign material or fines lodged into theslots. Solution: Clean or replace upper distributors

I just used some regular dish soap (probably Dawn). I didn't want to use anything toxic or anything that would be bad for the rubber gaskets.

Send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help. You might get lucky on ebay too, but parts can be overpriced there. For reference, the aquastream website currently shows Kinetico Level 4 Seal Kit for just £39 (~$50)

Yes, my unit is still working great after 1.5 years since making this repair. You can see it working in the last video in this series.

Yes, you can get just the pistons. Send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help. You might get lucky on ebay too, but parts can be overpriced there. For reference, the aquastream website currently shows you can get all 4 "Kinetico Piston and Seat" new for just £6 (~$7.50). Kinetico Piston & Seat Part No2465 & 2464

Great- you're very lucky to have the cooperative dealer nearby. My local dealer turned me down, as did every one within a 100 mile radius. I believe they can lose their Kinetico Authorization if Kinetico HQ finds out they did this..... it's a disgustingly ridiculous company policy. Keep your contact close :)

I've not done it yet either. I found a video of a resin change (not carbon)- it seems you basically just dump out the old resin and add the new: ruclips.net/video/0r-wS5G3AUs/видео.html Let us know if you find anything on the carbon. Thanks

Video 1 in this series has your answer starting at the 4:17 mark. There are actually little arrows on the softener that show the direction of the water flow (as you'll see in that video): ruclips.net/video/BDxjxHGwudo/видео.html

What are the dimensions of the gaskets the plungers ride on (internal on Level-4)?

The plungers are regular threads- righty-tighty (clockwise), lefty-loosey (counterclockwise). I don't remember them needing excessive force, though the inside of my unit was pretty clean when I initially opened it. Yours could be jammed up with sediment. It might be worth it to soak the entire level-4 in CLR cleaner overnight to eat away at some of the hidden grime. As for what to check next- have you read the Troubleshooting Guide in the video description? This PDF is straight from Kinetico and has a list of common issues and possible solutions. It should be noted that I also cleaned my unit a couple of times and it didn't fix my problem, that's why I purchased the seal kit which ultimately did the trick. I did not, however, remove the pistons or any of its gaskets with my initial cleaning... but those were the gaskets that appeared to have the most wear, which makes sense to me since those pistons have a good amount of up/down movement

​@@rodneywilson6396 The little ones appear to be 9/16" diameter and almost 1/8" thick. They're not round though, they're more of a flat design. Perhaps these images will help i.imgur.com/hYnK2uP.jpg i.imgur.com/uFiJrt7.jpg

@@loonhunt Thanks! Read the pdf's. Not getting suction on one tank during Brine cycle. Instead, water is exiting the head. The other working tank does pull a suction during Brine and then completes the backwash..

Replaced 18 rings and seals. All now working. Thanks for all your help!

Videos like this have been good to me over time, so I'm happy to give back to the community when I'm able. I'm no expert, but like anything mechanical, parts wear down over time, *especially* when water is involved. I'm sure the water quality in your area has a big impact on how often issues arise. Many newer units have big whole-house filters installed before the softener-- I'm sure something like that would help remove large sediment before it makes its way into the softener. Sediment could potentially clog the unit, jam up the gears, or cause something to break. Some of those holes between levels are awfully tiny, as the video shows... they could clog easily. Some parts I got from ebay seemed to come from a water source with very high iron-- there was all sorts of gunk built up on those parts and I'm sure it caused issues. Honestly, I may clean the inside of my head unit every year as preventative maintenance. As for Kinetico parts- as I said in the video, I had to get them from ebay (resold used parts) or from outside the US. I called every dealer within 100 miles of me and they all refused to sell me parts... but they'd happily send a service rep for major $$$$. No thanks. It's so incredibly wasteful and ridiculous. So what I did was check ebay regularly and searched for random foreign websites and sent them messages. You might try to send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help.

@@loonhunt Thanks for your response. I've had mine apart half a dozen times and the pros have rebuilt it a few times, but the same problem keeps coming back. The unit drips to drain when the control disc is sitting in the 6:00 position. On occasion, as well, we get salty water in the house when it starts a regeneration from the same position. I was convinced it was something in the internal seals because one of the rebuilds made it go away for a couple of years, but it has persisted even after a recent rebuild by a service rep. I took it apart and see nothing wrong - all passages are clear and clean, the seals look good visually, there was no excessive grease. I'm about ready to ditch it for a DIY Clack or Fleck setup, because I've already probably spent enough on repair to have bought a new, cheaper unit. Thanks - any additional ideas appreciated.

@@mooch91 I just got on here to see if there's anything I can do for my 7 year old 2060S that has the same problem as yours. It drips maybe 1 drop a second from the drain at the 6. Glad I found that I'm not alone. Well....Maybe not all that glad, but you saved me from doing multiple rebuilds. Might attempt one if it gets any worse. Thanks!

Try to send an email to service@aquastream-softeners.co.uk and see if they can help.

YES lubricate all rubber o-rings, gaskets, valves, etc. with an NSF certified food-grade silicone lubricant. Make sure you do NOT use a petroleum based lubricant. I speak on this in later videos in this series.

There's another brand called QuikSteel I've had good (better) luck with actually. Though with inflation, it's probably also shot up in price. I can't imagine how much the price of a new muffler is now.....

I got a hole punched in my muffler today (2/15/24) on the interstate. Estimate for replacement: $750@@loonhunt

It's true that each regeneration cycles uses a lot of water, but the tradeoff is that this unit requires ZERO electricity. So you don't ever have to worry about electrical issues or faulty circuit boards or electric motors going bad. This also means less points of failure in my mind. The Kinetico design is actually really impressive and easy to work on, you just have to keep it clean and replace those gaskets every so often. The only issue is finding those parts. It should run for a realllllly long time with this basic maintenance though and new carbon/resin every 10-15 years. My unit came with the house I purchased, so I really have no idea how old it is or how it compares to other brands. It ran fine for me for ~6 years before acting up. It's running great again though. I know there are brands with standard parts readily available, but I haven't done enough research to give a recommendation.

My unit came with the house I purchased, so I really have no idea how old it is or how it compares to other brands. It ran fine for me for ~6 years before acting up. I know there are brands with standard parts readily available, but I haven't done enough research to give a recommendation.

Other system has to generate early in the morning at 2am. If you runout of softwater in earlier that day, you are using hardwater.