User guide
PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION
A. Water clear when drawn, 
turns red upon standing 
(Stain producing)
1. Insuffi cient air-draw by Hydro-Charger. 1. Check Hydro-Charger adjustment. If unable to adjust for 
long enough draw, check pumping rate.
2. Bypass open or leaking.
2. Close bypass valve and/or repair as necessary.
3. Media bed overloaded with precipitated iron due to 
backwash, or failure to backwash due to problem with 
control timer or unplugged control valve power cord.
3. Upon correction of problem (increase backwash fre-
quency if problem determined to be insuffi cient frequen-
cy), manually backwash until backwash water starts to 
clear (in more severe iron-fouling cases, media bed may 
need chemical cleaning — contact dealer.)
4. Presence of manganese or tannins. 4. Recheck water analysis.
5. Flow rate excessive for model. 5. Re-read Section 2: Facts to Remember While Planning 
Your Installation.
6. Check-valve located between Hydro-Charger and 
pressure tank.
6. Relocate check-valve.
7. Pumping cycle too short, limiting residence time in 
pressure tank (may be water-logged).
7. Correct condition.
8. pH of treated water too low (should be 7.0 or higher; 
with manganese, pH must be 8.2)
8.
Replenish ph-Plus
®
 component in media 
(contact dealer).
9. Unaccounted for and/or excessive water use from a 
leak in the plumbing system.
9. Correct leak to resolve the issue.
B. Water  red  when drawn 
from tap.
1. Media bed overloaded with precipitated iron due to 
insuffi cient backwash fl ow rate.
1. a.  Recheck well pumping rate and repair or replace as 
required.
b. 
 Check for obstructions or kink in drain line.
c. 
 Check for improper drain line fl ow controller (see 
specs.) Upon correction of this problem, if manually 
backwashing does not clear bed of iron, media bed 
may need chemical cleaning — contact dealer.
2. Media bed overloaded with precipitated iron due to 
insuffi cient backwash, or failure to backwash due to 
problem with control timer or unplugged control valve 
power cord.
2. Upon correction of problem (increase backwash fre-
quency if problem determined to be insuffi cient frequen-
cy), manually backwash until backwash water starts to 
clear (in more severe iron-fouling cases, media bed may 
need chemical cleaning — contact dealer).
3. Hydro-Charger drawing too much air, causing early 
precipitation of iron.
3. Reduce Hydro-Charger air-draw.
4. Hydro-Charger installed too far from pressure tank or 
pressure tank installed too far from media tank caus-
ing iron to precipitate before tank fi lter.
4. Relocate closer to fi lter.
5. Solenoid valve (Split-Stream or Public Water Supply 
type installations) problem or inadequate supply sys-
tem pressure/fl ow rate.
5. Repair or replace as necessary.
C. Excessive pressure loss 
through fi lter
1. Media bed overloaded with precipitated iron. 1. Refer to Section B above.
2. Control inlet/outlet valve(s) not fully open. 2. Fully open inlet/outlet valves.
3. Sand, silt, or mud collecting in media bed. 3. Check well for these conditions.
4. Media bed not properly “classifi ed.” 4. Manually backwash to reclassify.
5. “Cementing” or “channeling” of fi lter media. 5. Prod (stir) media bed to break up hardened layer. In-
crease backwash frequency to prevent occurrence.
D. “Milky” or “bubbly” water 
(appears to contain small 
bubbles)
1. Excess Hydro-Charger air-draw. 1. Check adjustment for duration of draw in excess of one-
third pumping cycle (see Section 3, Step 10).
2. Excess gases in water (carbon dioxide, hydrogen sul-
fi de, methane).
2. May require draining of water system or installation of 
air-relief control on pressure tank. A PT-Plus pressure 
tank may be installed in conjunction with a pre-existing 
bladder tank.
E. Filter backwashing at 
wrong time of day.
1. Unit out of time. 1. Re-time unit.
2. Skipper wheel incorrectly set. 2. Properly set skipper wheel (see Section 4.)
6-1
SECTION 6: TROUBLESHOOTING










