Turn the blue knob on the back bypass valve clockwise until it stops, without overtightening. Turn it counterclockwise to return to soft water. Culligan says to bypass when outside lines are softened or when you leave on vacation. Newer controllers also offer a timed bypass in the Manual Mode menu.
How do you turn the Culligan bypass on and off?
Both guides describe the same valve, which Culligan calls the Cul-Flo-Valv bypass. It sits in the back of the softener.
To bypass the softener:
- 1Find the blue knob on the bypass valve.
- 2Turn it clockwise, following the arrow on the end of the knob, until it stops.
- 3Stop there. Culligan's guides say "DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN!"
Culligan's drawing of the valve in service shows the knob sticking out about 1-1/4 inches. If it is stiff, the guides say a screwdriver shank can be used in the slot in the knob as a lever for extra turning force.
To return to soft water:
- 1Turn the same knob counterclockwise, again following the arrow on the knob.
- 2Turn until it stops.
- 3Do not overtighten.
While the knob is in the bypass position, hard water flows straight through to your plumbing. The softener is not treating anything, even if its display still looks normal.
Your unit may also have a three-way bypass or a set of hand valves instead of the blue knob. Culligan's guides mention that setup in the same section. With hand valves, the inlet and outlet valves are open and the bypass valve is closed for normal service, as the guides' troubleshooting list puts it.
When does Culligan say to bypass the softener?
Culligan's "When and How to Bypass" section lists two situations:
- Outside faucets that are not already bypassed. Normally, Culligan says, all water except outside lines passes through the softener. If your outside lines are not set up that way and you do not want to use softened water on lawn sprinkling or other outside uses, bypass the unit while you do.
- A vacation. If you are going away and do not want the unit to recharge, Culligan says to bypass it.
The EPA's WaterSense guide gives similar advice from a general view. It says to activate the bypass valve when watering the lawn, washing your car, filling a pool or using water for something that does not require softening. It also says bypassing will save salt, water and energy, and warns you to return the valve to its previous position when you are done so that water is directed back through the softener.
The EPA adds an installation tip for new systems. If possible, avoid softening water used outdoors by installing the softener after the plumbing line branches off to the outside hose bibb or irrigation line. A system set up that way does not need a bypass for yard work at all.
Penn State Extension makes a related point about how much water needs softening. Showers, sinks and laundry hookups probably should be softened, it says, while toilets, outside spigots and basement sinks can be bypassed. The simple technology of softening, Penn State notes, makes it easy to bypass toilets and outdoor faucets.
### What about vacations?
Culligan's guides name the vacation bypass directly. The EPA gives more options for a long trip. It says to set the softener to vacation mode, bypass or unplug it, or turn the water off in your house, so water and salt are not consumed unnecessarily. Which one fits depends on your controller, so check your own guide before you leave.
Is there a way to bypass from the controller?
On the High Efficiency 1.25 softener, yes. The guide describes a Manual Mode menu with a Bypass choice. Culligan says the Bypass setting specifies a preset softener bypass time, and the duration screen offers Off, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes, plus Manual. You pick how long the softener stays in the bypass state.
The steps on that unit run like this:
- 1From the home screen, press the down arrow button to view the main menu.
- 2Press the down arrow and then the check mark to select Manual Mode.
- 3Move to Bypass and press the check mark to select it.
- 4On the duration screen, pick the number of minutes, or Manual, and press the check mark to confirm.
Menus differ from model to model, so a unit that is not a High Efficiency 1.25 may not offer this option. Check the guide for your model.
The guide also notes that the Culligan Connect app can put the unit in bypass or start a regeneration from anywhere, on units that have it.
Should you bypass during a boil water notice?
Culligan says to stop using the softener until the water is verified safe again. The Medallist guide says Culligan softeners are sold for use on potable water only. It says that if the water becomes contaminated, such as during a boil water situation, the operation of the softener should be discontinued until it is verified that the water is again potable. To do that, it says to rotate the blue knob clockwise until it contacts the bypass body, without overtightening, and then to call your Culligan dealer to have the system sanitized before it goes back into service.
The High Efficiency 1.25 guide takes a similar position in a note, saying the softener is not intended for use with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the system.
We cover the larger picture, including what to do with a reverse osmosis system at the same time, in our page on what to do with a softener and RO system during a boil water advisory.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Forgetting to switch back. This is the most common one. If the knob stays in bypass after yard work or a trip, you lose soft water and may not notice for days. The EPA says to return the valve to its previous position when you are done. If your water suddenly turns hard, check this first.
- Forcing the knob. Culligan says not to overtighten in either direction.
Culligan's troubleshooting list adds a reverse case. If you have no water flow at all, the Medallist guide says to open a tap ahead of the softener, such as an outside tap, to see whether you have water pressure. If you do, check the bypass valve. If it is in the service position, the guide says to put it into bypass and call your Culligan dealer for service. That keeps water flowing while the softener is repaired.
Salt is a separate topic. Bypassing for a vacation does not change what salt your unit takes, and our page on what salt a Culligan softener can use covers that. If a softener sits idle in a cold snap, see our page on whether to shut down a softener in Arizona. For the general question of where a bypass valve belongs on any softener, see where a water softener bypass valve is used.
If the knob will not turn, leaks, or the water stays hard after you return it to service, call a licensed plumber or your Culligan dealer. Culligan's own guide says installation and service should be done by a qualified, trained technician, and that disassembling equipment under water pressure can cause flooding. Do not take the valve apart yourself.