How to Reset a Water Softener

When does a water softener need a reset?

A reset helps when the clock is wrong, an error code is showing, or settings were changed or lost. Most "resets" are really three small jobs: setting the clock after a power cut, clearing an error, and putting settings back. A full reset of the control board is the last of these, not the first.

• A power outage. The Pentair SXT manual says the time of day flashes after a power failure and pressing any button stops it. A regeneration missed during the outage is queued for the next regeneration time, typically a day late. If the clock is wrong, regenerations happen at the wrong hour.
• An error code. The display flashes when an error exists. Codes differ between Fleck board versions, so match the code to your own board's manual. In Pentair's SXT manual 42713, Err 2 means more than 99 days without a regeneration and clears after a manual regeneration, while Err 3 is a memory failure that needs a master reset.
• Settings someone changed. A wrong hardness or capacity value can leave hard water or waste salt without any error showing.

A reset won't fix a mechanical problem. If the softener still fails to regenerate after the clock is right, check power first: Pentair's 5600SXT manual lists an interrupted supply (fuse, plug, pull chain or switch) as the first cause. The troubleshooting guide covers the rest.

What the sources say

• 25 secExtra Cycle plus Down for a Fleck SXT soft resetPentair SXT manual 42713
• 5 sechold on Extra Cycle to regenerate immediatelyPentair SXT manual 42713
• 60–90 minlength of a manual regenerationSoftPro (our store)
• 1–199 gpghardness range the 5600SXT acceptsPentair 4005293 manual
• 99 dayswithout regeneration before an SXT shows Err 2Pentair SXT manual 42713

How do you reset a water softener step by step?

Start with the lightest fix and only go further if it fails. These steps follow the Fleck SXT manuals; other valves use different buttons, so check your own manual. SoftPro units, for example, use a reset or regen button held until the display clears or confirms. The Fleck 5600SXT manual guide has more on the SXT display.

1. Write down the current settings. Before any reset, note the hardness, capacity, reserve, day override and regeneration time. A master reset wipes them.
2. Set the time of day. After an outage, press any button to stop the flashing, then set the clock. Quality Water Treatment's troubleshooting page says to run a manual regeneration after an outage and confirm the settings.
3. Try a soft reset if settings look wrong. With the valve in Service, keep Extra Cycle and the Down arrow pressed for 25 seconds. Pentair says this returns parameters to their defaults but keeps the volume remaining and the days since the last regeneration.
4. Use a master reset only when needed. Hold Extra Cycle while plugging the valve back in. This resets every parameter, so you must re-enter Master Programming afterwards. Pentair calls for it on an Err 3 memory failure.
5. Re-enter your settings. Work through the list in the settings section below.
6. Watch the next cycle. Confirm the softener regenerates at the set time and that salt use looks normal.

What is the difference between a soft reset and a master reset?

A soft reset restores defaults but keeps the water-use count; a master reset clears everything. The table sets the options side by side, from Pentair's SXT manual.

Treat the master reset with care. Because holding Extra Cycle during power-up triggers it, plug the valve back in with your hands off the buttons after any outage or service.

Which settings should you re-check after a reset?

Confirm each value against your notes or the installer's paperwork. On the Fleck 5600SXT, Pentair says holding Up and Down for 5 seconds opens user mode, as long as the clock is not set to 12:01 PM; it shows the day override, regeneration time, hardness, reserve and current day, and drops any change after 60 seconds without a button press. The full list sits in Master Programming. The water softener settings guide explains each value.

Use a real hardness figure, not a guess. If your report gives mg/L, divide by 17.1 to get grains per gallon, the conversion Montana State University Extension uses; our guide on how to test water hardness shows how to test. Quality Water Treatment's Fleck guide programs regeneration for 2:00 am, a day override of 14 and a 15% safety factor; treat those as one store's setup, not universal values.

Sanity-check the result. Penn State Extension works through a home of four using 75 gallons each per day at 10 gpg, or 3,000 grains a day, which a 20,000-grain unit covers in about 6 to 7 days. If your softener regenerates far more often than your own numbers suggest, a setting is probably still wrong.

How do you force a regeneration after a reset?

Use the Extra Cycle button. A manual regeneration is the quickest way to confirm the softener works after a reset, and the SXT manual gives three options:

• Tonight. Press Extra Cycle once. The service icon flashes and the regeneration is queued for the set regeneration time; press again to cancel.
• Right now. Keep Extra Cycle pressed for 5 seconds and the cycle begins at once.
• Skip a step. During a regeneration, press Extra Cycle again to move to the next step.

Expect the cycle to run 60 to 90 minutes, per SoftPro's reset guide (SoftPro, our store). Avoid running hot water during that time, since the house is on unsoftened water until the cycle finishes. The regeneration guide explains each stage.

Check salt before you force a cycle. Pentair notes that a bridged tank still regenerates but doesn't recondition the media; the salt amount guide covers how full to keep it.

What if the reset doesn't fix the softener?

Look past the control board's memory. If the display stays blank with power present, or errors return after a master reset, the board itself may have failed; Pentair's own instruction for a repeat Err 3 is to unplug the unit and contact technical support.

A replacement 5600SXT circuit board (sold by Quality Water Treatment, our store) is available from Quality Water Treatment from $215.00 (October 2026); the store lists it as a genuine Pentair Fleck part, PN BR43346-EO. Unplug the valve before opening the cover.

If the board is fine but the water stays hard, the cause is mechanical: salt, the injector, the brine line or the valve seals. The troubleshooting guide works through them in order.

Related guides

• FixFixing common softener faults
• SettingsHardness, capacity and timing settings
• SettingsInside the regeneration cycle
• SettingsReading the Fleck 5600SXT manual

Common questions