On a Fleck 5600SXT, error code 0 means the valve drive took over six minutes to move, 1 is an unexpected cycle input, 2 means the softener hasn't regenerated in over 99 days, and 3 is a control board memory failure. Codes 0, 1 and 3 usually need the powerhead inspected or reset. Error 2 clears with a manual regeneration.
What do the four error codes mean?
The codes appear on the in-service display. In order:
### Error 0: cam sense error
The valve drive took longer than 6 minutes to advance to the next regeneration position. Unplug the unit and examine the powerhead. Check that all the cam switches are connected to the circuit board and working, that the motor and drive train are in good condition and assembled properly, and that the piston travels freely. Replace or reassemble whatever is off. Plug the unit back in. It should cycle to the next valve position and stop. If the error returns, unplug it and contact technical support.
### Error 1: cycle step error
The control received an unexpected cycle input. Unplug the unit and examine the powerhead, again checking the cam switch connections. Then enter master programming and verify that the valve type and system type match the actual unit. Step the unit through a manual regeneration and confirm it works. If it comes back, unplug the unit and call Pentair technical support.
### Error 2: regeneration failure
The system has not regenerated in more than 99 days, or 7 days if the control type is day of week. Perform a manual regeneration to reset the code: hold Extra Cycle for five seconds. Then find out why it stopped:
- On a metered system, run water and watch for the flow indicator on the display. If it never flashes, the unit isn't measuring flow. Check that the meter cable is connected and the meter works.
- Enter master programming and verify the configuration: the right system capacity, the day override and the meter type.
- On a day-of-week system, at least one day must be set to ON.
Why 99 days? A metered softener regenerates when its calculated capacity runs out, and also when the number of days since the last regeneration reaches the day override. If neither has happened in 99 days, the control assumes something is wrong. Two likely reasons are that the unit isn't counting water, or that the day override is set to OFF in a household that uses very little water. Either way, a manual regeneration gets it working again while you track down the cause.
### Error 3: memory error
The control board's memory failed. Pentair's fix is a master reset, then reconfiguring the system in master programming, then stepping the valve through a manual regeneration. If it returns, unplug the unit and contact technical support. Write down your capacity, hardness and step times before you reset, because a master reset clears every parameter.
### UD: upper drive sync
This one isn't a fault. Pentair says a power failure during a programming change triggers it and the valve recovers automatically.
How do the resets work?
Pentair describes two. A soft reset means holding Extra Cycle and Down together for 25 seconds while in service. It returns all parameters to their default values, except the volume remaining on meter systems and the days since regeneration on time clock systems. A master reset means holding Extra Cycle while you plug the unit in. It resets every parameter, so you have to check each master programming choice afterward. The steps for getting into those screens are in our guide to programming a Fleck 5600SXT.
Do the soft reset first if you can. Save the master reset for a memory error, or for a setup that is clearly scrambled. Either way, expect to re-enter your hardness, capacity and regeneration time afterward, and to run one manual regeneration to confirm the valve steps through every position.
Why did it happen, and what about power?
Power quality is the first suspect for most of these codes. Pentair says the softener needs an uninterrupted AC supply, that the adapter shouldn't be plugged into a switched outlet, and that power interruptions longer than 8 hours may make the controller lose the time setting. The SXT has integral backup that keeps time and the passage of days for at least 8 hours, and it stores your settings indefinitely.
If the power fails during a regeneration, the control saves the valve position and resumes from that point when power returns. It won't start a new regeneration without power. A regeneration it missed is queued and usually runs a day later. The time of day flashes after an outage, and pressing any button stops the flashing.
Mechanical trouble looks like a code too. The manual's troubleshooting table lists "control cycles continuously" as caused by a misadjusted, broken or shorted switch, and "drain flows continuously" as a valve that isn't positioned correctly, foreign material in the control, or an internal leak that needs new seals and the piston.
What if there is no code but the softener still isn't working?
No code doesn't mean no problem. The manual's troubleshooting table for "water conditioner fails to regenerate" lists these causes and fixes:
- Electrical service interrupted. Make sure the outlet, fuse or switch has permanent power.
- Power failure. Reset the time of day.
- Bypass valve open. Close it. It's a cause of hard water too.
- No salt in the brine tank. Add salt and keep the level above the water level.
- Injector screen plugged. Clean the screen.
- Not enough water flowing into the brine tank. Check the brine tank fill time and clean the brine line flow control if it's plugged.
- Hot water tank hardness. Repeated flushing of the hot water tank is required.
- A cracked distributor tube or a worn internal seal. Check the tube and its O-ring, or replace the seals and spacers.
- Timer or control defective. Replace it.
Two related symptoms have their own entries. Loss of water pressure through the softener points to iron buildup in the supply line or in the conditioner, or debris broken loose from pipes by recent work, and the fix is to clean the line or the control. The unit used too much salt points to a wrong salt setting, so check your usage and settings. For the general checklist across brands, see why a water softener stops working.
What should you check before you call for help?
Work down this short list:
- 1Is the transformer plugged into an outlet that is always on, not one controlled by a switch?
- 2Are the cam switch connectors seated on the circuit board?
- 3Does the piston move freely, and is there any debris in the valve bore?
- 4Are valve type, control type and capacity set correctly in master programming?
- 5Does the meter cable show a flashing flow indicator when water runs?
If a code returns after those checks, you're looking at a motor, a switch, a board or the valve internals. That's the point to bring in someone who works on softeners. HQ Plumbing & Air gives free estimates and upfront pricing. Also see how to manually regenerate a Fleck 5600SXT and why a Fleck 5600SXT isn't drawing brine for the two most common follow-up problems.