Troubleshooting The Clack Error 102
When error code 102 is displayed on a Clack based water softener system, it can be for a number of different reasons. This guide walks the user through all the potential sources of this error, starting with the simplest to diagnose and correct, and finishing with the more complex.
Background and Context:
Error 102 is a "stall" error. Clack control valves have an internal piston that moves from position to position. The piston will move positions either when the control valve is first plugged in, or when the system begins a regeneration cycle. These are the two times where you're likely to see the "102" code on the display. The error code is displayed when the controller isn't able to detect that the piston has been moved into the proper position: either "resting" position when the control valve is first plugged in, or one of the multiple "regeneration positions" that correspond to different stages of a softener regeneration after a regeneration has been commenced. It can also be triggered by a control board glitch. Here are the main 102 error code root causes:
- Error 102 is triggered when the piston is not in the correct position
- Error 102 is triggered when the piston is in the correct position, but the controller is not able to properly detect this.
- Error 102 is triggered by a glitch in the digital controller
Troubleshooting & Correction of Error 102:
In the order of easiest to most difficult to identify and fix, here are the steps to take to correct the error 102 on your Clack based system. At different points of this process, it will be suggested to initiate a Stepped Clack Regeneration or a complete Manual Clack Regeneration of the system. Follow those links to see how to complete these steps.
1. Reset the Digital Controller
Press and hold the NEXT and REGEN buttons on the controller simultaneously for about 4 seconds (see image below). This reboots the controller but does not erase the programming on the system. If this clears the error, we recommend you immediately initiate a stepped regeneration to see if the error code returns or not. If the error code returns, you can move on to the next steps.
2. Ensure the Motor is Properly Mounted
Every Clack based system has a motor that drives the piston movement. This motor sits in a motor mount. If the motor is dislodged from the mount (can happen in transit), the gears of the motor won't mesh with the transmission gears and the piston won't move. So check to make sure that the motor is properly mounted. First you need to unplug the system from the wall, then remove the front cover to reveal the motor.
Correctly Mounted Motor
Incorrectly Mounted Motor
The key observation of an improperly mounted motor is that the black plastic retaining clip is not inserted into the slot in the side of the motor body. If the motor is not mounted properly, this is certainly the source of the 102 error, and is easy to correct. To get the motor mounted properly, exert pressure from the left side of the motor and apply a slight twisting motion:
To be fully mounted, the black plastic clip needs to be fully seated in the slot on the side of the motor. It can take a couple of attempts to get it to seat properly. Sometimes it works better to fully remove the motor, and then try again. The motor will always re-seat properly, it might just take a couple of attempts.
Once the motor is fully and properly mounted, put the cover back on the system and re-power it, and the error code should be cleared. If not, proceed to the next steps.
3. Inspect & Clean The Transmission Gears
The geared end of the motor engages with a gear box on the back of the mid plate. The gears serve two functions and both of these functions can be the source of a 102 error:
- Any one of the 3 gears in the transmission can break or strip and this prevents the motor from engaging with the piston
- One of the transmission gears serves a dual purpose - it has reflective striping that engages with the optical sensor on the control board. This optical sensors reads the alternating shiny / normal sections of the spinning gear and uses this data to know where the piston is located. If the shiny surface of the gears becomes fouled or if grease is accidentally applied to this surface during manufacturing, this will cause 102 errors. Clack has had a known issue in the past with this.
The images below show the location of the transmission and the 3 gears that it contains. Access this transmission, inspect the gears for any damage, and clean the optical surfaces of the gears with soap and water. All three gears are identical in size and function and their locations can be swapped without any issue:
Release the Back Plate
Lift the tabs shown, and rocker the back plate forward to detach it.
Identify the Transmission
It's the white plastic box attached to the backplate. It's held in place by three tabs that lock into the back plate.
Detach the Transmission Cover
First, you need to remove the circuit board. Then you'll see the three tabs from the transmission that connect to the backplate. Release these three tabs to free the transmission cover from the backplate.
Inspect and Clean the Gears & Optical Surfaces
Look for any damage to the teeth of the gears and clean the shiny surfaces with soap and water. All three gears are the exact same and their locations can be swapped.
Clean the optical surface of the three gears with soap and water:
Once the gears have been inspected and cleaned, lie them back into the gear box (location of gears can be swapped - they are all the same). Carefully affix the white plastic transmission box and reposition the back plate so it locks into the two clips at the top. If the clips won't click into place, make sure the grey-colored wire is properly routed and not preventing the backplate from positioning correctly. Once the backplate is in, click the circuit board back into place. The bottom of the circuit board rests on two post on the backplate and then rockers back up to click in. Once everything is re-assembled, re-power the control valve and see if the 102 error is resolved. If it is not, you can progress to the next steps.
4. Look for Debris or Damage To Piston and Seal/Spacer Stack
When all else fails, it may be that some internal moving parts of the control valve are jammed in place. This can happen for a number of reasons:
- In a brand new installation, it may be that some media was able to travel into the control valve mechanism and is preventing the internal components from moving
- In older systems, there may be fouling on the piston or seal/spacer stack preventing them from sliding properly against each other
- In older systems, there may be damage to the seals and a damaged portion of a seal is jamming the mechanism
- There may be other foreign debris that has made its way into the piston or seal/spacer area
To visually inspect these components and to look for debris you'll need to first put the system in bypass mode. This is accomplished by turning the handles of the Clack bypass so they are pointing at each other:
With the system in bypass, you now need to de-pressurize the system. This is done by taking the control valve through a stepped regeneration to open up all internal ports to relieve the pressure in all system components. Once this is complete, unplug the control valve from the power, and remove the clack cover. Now release the back plate to expose the drive cap assembly:
Attach the Clack Wrench to the wrench slots and turn the wrench counter-clockwise to loosen the drive cap. Once the drive cap has been loosened with the wrench, it can be removed by hand to reveal the piston, brine piston, and the seal/spacer stack:
When the drive cap is removed, the piston and brine piston will come with it. Usually the seal/spacer stack will remain in the control valve. Inspect the piston for scoring, fouling, or other damage. If it's damaged or fouled it should be replaced. Remove the seal/space stack and look carefully at the rubber seals. See if any are damaged or missing. If there is any obvious damage or fouling, it should be replaced also. Of the three components (piston, brine piston, seal/spacer) the seal/spacer is the component the most likely to be damaged or worn and in need of replacement. Once the seal/spacer is removed, look inside the exposed orifice for any debris. This could be water treatment media, parts of the seal/spacer, or completely foreign material.
Put these components back together, and use the Clack wrench to tighten the drive cap back down until it's snug. Repower the control valve and see if the 102 error code is cleared.