About the Clack Valve

• The 5-button Clack valve is a more advanced control valve used in water softening systems, providing precise control over system settings. Among its many functions, setting the clock and adjusting the regeneration time are two essential tasks that help maintain the performance of your water softener. 

Step 1: Understand the Buttons

1. The 5-button Clack valve has five primary buttons, each serving a unique function:

• Button 1 (Set Clock): Used to set the main clock time.
• Button 2 (Next Button): functions to navigate through different display screens or settings, essentially allowing you to move to the next option when programming the water softener, including toggling between the current time, flow rate, and remaining capacity 
• Button 3 (Up Arrow): Used to increase the value or setting.
• Button 4 (Down Arrow): Used to decrease the value or setting.
• Button 5 (Regeneration): This button is used to manually initiate the regeneration process. Push it and let go will automatically set the system to regenerate that night at your set time. Push and hold for 4 seconds will cause an immediate regeneration. 

Step 2: Setting the Clock

1. To ensure your water softener/conditioner regenerates at the correct time, the clock needs to be accurately set. Here's how to do it:

• Press and hold the "Set Clock" button: (Button 1) This will enter clock mode on the control valve. 
• Set the hour: After entering clock mode, use the Up/Down arrows Button 3 or Button 4 to set the correct hour. 
• Navigate to minutes: Press the "Next" button (Button 2) to move to the minutes setting. 
• Set the minutes: Use the Up/Down arrows Button 3 or Button 4 to adjust the minutes. 
• Confirm: Once the time is set, press "Next" to exit the time setting mode. 

Step 3: Changing the Regeneration Time

1. The regeneration cycle is when the water softener cleans itself by flushing the resin bed with brine water. It’s ideal to schedule the regeneration cycle during hours when water usage is low, typically overnight. Here’s how to adjust the regeneration time:

• Access the settings: Simultaneously press and hold "Next" and "Up" buttons and hold for up to 5 seconds to enter the programming mode. Once in program mode press the "Next" button until regen time appears. 
• Adjust the time: Once the time is highlighted, use the Up/Down arrow buttons to change the hour. Once the Hour time is set press the "Next" button and the minutes will now start flashing. Press the "Up/Down" buttons until the minute is set to correct time. 
• Confirm changes: Press "NEXT" again to save your changes and move to the next setting. 

Step 4: Adjusting the Hardness/Regeneration Frequency

1. 5-button Clack valves allow you to adjust specifically the hardness of the water. Knowing the hardness of the home or office is key to this. In the Tampa, FL area the typical number would be 20 Grains Per Gallon. The hardness number will depend on your water usage, hardness level, and personal preference. 

• Access the settings: Simultaneously press and hold "Next" and "Up" buttons and hold for up to 5 seconds to enter the programming mode. 
• Adjust hardness: Once in the settings, use the "Next" button to scroll through the settings to get to the Hardness setting. Use the "Up/Down" arrows to change the water hardness level. The setting we typically set this at is 20 grains per gallon. This will depend on the hardness of the water at your location and the amount of people at the residents. This number can be adjusted to get the best feeling water that you prefer. *Important note: Do Not adjust this daily. You can adjust this twice a month, till you figure out what level is best for you. when changing, only change it at ratios of 2 GPG so you can dial in the perfect number for you. 
• Confirm changes: After setting the desired hardness, press "Next" to move to the next setting. 

Step 5: Exiting the Programming Mode

• Once you’ve set the clock and adjusted the regeneration time and frequency and wish to exit the program, simply wait for about 10-15 seconds, and the system will automatically exit programming mode and save all the changes or you can hit the "Next" button until it exits out of that program cycle. 

Conclusion

•  Setting the clock, adjusting the regeneration time, and changing the hardness on your 5 Button Clack valve ensures that your water softener is working efficiently and at optimal times. By programming the clock correctly and selecting the best time for regeneration, you can minimize water waste, optimize energy use, and keep your water softener operating smoothly. Regularly check and update these settings as needed to keep your system functioning efficiently, providing clean, soft water when you need it most.