Morton System Saver M27 27,000-Grain Water Softener Review

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The Morton System Saver M27 is a 27,000-grain water softener that works on both city and well water sources.

Morton M27

Morton M27

Price: $$
Flow Rate: 6.5 gpm
Capacity: 27,000 Grains
# of People: Up to 3
Metered Regen:
NSF: 44

Our Rating

Morton System Saver M27 Water Softener – Key Features

The System Saver M27 is manufactured in Ripley, MS – love it – and has a compact space-saving design that also makes the installation a lot easier.

What’s more, it has a maximum hardness removal capacity of up to 95 grains per gallon, which is considered exceptionally hard water.

Using an ion exchange process, it’ll remove calcium and magnesium from your water to reduce scaling and increase the longevity of your plumbing system and household appliances.

You will also notice a decrease or complete absence of stains on your kitchen and bathroom fixtures and clothing, and your skin will benefit, too.

The water softener is rated at 6.5 gallons per minute service flow rate, making it a great fit for families of 3 or less.

By the way, clear-water iron will be taken care of, as well. Up to 7 ppm should not be a problem – that’s the system’s maximum reduction capacity according to WQA test data. As always, red-water iron, iron bacteria and organic iron won’t be affected.

The minimum/maximum water pressure at which this system can operate is 20 to 125 psi.

And lastly, you get a 10-year limited warranty on the tank + 1 year on other parts.

What type of salt should you be using?

Morton recommends System Saver II Pellets. If that is unavailable, any clean pellet-style softening salt should do the trick.

M27 Pros

There are three main advantages that we wanted to mention here:

  • 1. The Morton M27 27,000-Grain Water Softener makes use of demand initiated regeneration to minimize the amount of brine and water used for recharging its resin. FYI: Softeners from back in the day used timer-based regeneration where a system would regenerate in a certain time interval, such as every 5 days. It would always be a full regeneration cycle no matter how much water you had used. Demand regeneration on the other hand monitors your water usage and only regenerates as needed, which will maximize salt and water efficiency.
  • 2. Morton’s patented “Look Ahead“-technology allows the system to learn your water usage patterns. This way it can predict future needs and initiate regen cycles accordingly.
  • 3. All Morton softeners conform to NSF Standard 44 (hardness reduction and efficiency) requirements for their specific performance claims. A Standard 372 certification for lead compliance has also been awarded.
Morton M27

The Morton M27 – learn more on amazon.com

Installation + Startup Instructions

Generally speaking, single-tank water softeners are much easier to hook up than those that come with a separate brine tank.

So if you are an experience DIYer and maybe even have completed some smaller plumbing projects, you should not have any problems installing the Morton M27.

The provided instructions are decent.

To give you a better idea of what to expect, here is a basic outline of the process:

If a softener is not equipped with a bypass valve, we recommend you provide for one for ease of maintenance. Also, make sure to comply with local plumbing codes.

  1. Find a suitable place to install the water softener, away from direct sunlight and freezing temperatures. The place should also be upstream from the water heater and all current plumbing connections, except for ones on the outside. Try to have a power socket and drain close by.
  2. Shut off the water at the main valve.
  3. Turn off the water heater.
  4. Open all water faucets and keep them running to drain your plumbing.
  5. Take off the top cover and the salt lid. The brine well should remain steady in a vertical orientation.
  6. Remove the brine valve from the brine well. Make sure that the float stem remains parallel to the stand tube. Reinstall the brine valve at the bottom of the brine well and put the cover back in place.
  7. Attach the overflow grommet and elbow on the brine tank to the 13/16” hole in the rear wall.
  8. Place the system at its intended location, keeping it level.
  9. Use silicone grease to cover the O-rings on the bypass valve.
  10. Insert the bypass valve into the softener valve, pushing it in as deep as you can. Use large holding clips to secure it in place.
  11. Hook up the main water pipe to the inlet/outlet ports of the bypass valve, ensuring that the hard water supply is connected to the valve inlet side of the system.
  12. Hook up the included 3/8” drain line to the valve drain fitting and fasten it with a hose clamp.
  13. Connect the drain hose to the floor drain and fasten it in place, leaving some space around it.
  14. Use the included 3/8” drain line, connecting it to the overflow elbow of the brine tank. Use a clamp to fasten it.
  15. Connect the hose to the floor drain.
  16. Turn on two or more cold water faucets as close to the water softener as possible.
  17. Set the system to Bypass mode.
  18. Turn on your water supply and wait for the flow to stabilize.
  19. Set the softener to Service mode, referring to the user manual.
  20. Wait for around three minutes and open a hot water faucet to allow air to escape the system, then close the faucet.
  21. Shut off all cold water faucets.
  22. Inspect the setup for any leaks.
  23. Pour three gallons of water into the brine tank. Fill it up with salt.
  24. Connect the device to a power outlet.
  25. Reattach the top cover and salt lid.
  26. Program the water softener and sanitize it before starting the water heater.

3. Video

Michael from Trust Me, I’m An Idiot does a great job at explaining how to install a Morton softener. The model featured in the video is the M34, so not the exact same, but it should do the job.

The Package (Parts)

  • Resin/brine tank, 19” x 22.5” x 44”; color: gray; salt capacity: 200 lbs.; resin = 0.73 cu. ft.
  • 1x bypass valve
  • 1x drain hose
  • A set of installation adaptors
  • Clips
  • Hose clamps
  • 1x adaptor elbow
  • 1x grommet

Programming, Settings & Maintenance

The Morton M27 can be programmed in 3 easy steps.

First, you have to set the time of day. If the display does not say “PRESENT TIME“, press the SELECT button until it does. Set the current time using the UP and DOWN buttons. Hit SELECT.

Next, insert your hardness level in grains per gallons. Again, use the UP and DOWN buttons. Hit SELECT.

The M27 automatically regenerates when it needs to based on your water usage. You can set the time of day when you want these recharge cycles to start. Use the UP and DOWN buttons. Remember that the unit won’t be able to provide any softened water while regenerating, so any time during the night is always a great idea. Hit SELECT.

You can also activate additional features such as salt efficiency.

Manual

You can find an instruction manual for Morton softener models M20, M27, M30, M34 and MC30 here: Manual

M27 Cons

It’s funny, some customers say that Morton made it difficult for them to make a warranty claim. They state that the service is downright awful. Other users couldn’t be more happy with the support the company provided.

Apart from that, the installation instructions could be a bit more detailed on several points.

Morton M27 Review: Our Verdict + Best for

Sure, every product has its quirks. But in the case of the Morton M27, the drawbacks seem to almost outweigh the benefits, at least according to the overall customer satisfaction.

In our opinion, opting for another Morton softener model or choosing a different manufacturer/brand altogether might be a good idea. So do yourself a favor and look around for a bit before you make your final buying decision.

That said, the Morton M27 water softener is best for small homes and up to 95 gpg hardness.

More Reviews:

This completes our Morton System Saver M27 review. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!

About the Author Alexandra Uta

Alex is a content writer with an affinity for research and a methodical attention to detail. Since 2020, she has fully immersed herself into the home water treatment industry only to become an expert herself. Alex has been using water filters and similar products for years which has gained her lots of hands-on experience.
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Leave a Comment:

Gen says March 21, 2020

Would it be fine to use crystals instead of pellets? In the morton m27?

Reply
    Gene says August 11, 2020

    What does the manual say?

    Reply
Patrice says November 28, 2020

Anyone have trouble with control panel ?
Present time is flashing , can’t get the buttons to work to change present time ?? Ugh!

Reply
Bill d Warner says May 17, 2021

A plumber hooked up my new M27 Morton water softener 2 weeks ago, in my absence. I see salt in the tank; no water. How do I know if the softerner is working. Do not hear a noise; no sound; no lights. Salt is at the same level it was after installation.

Reply
    Gene says September 8, 2021

    Check the hardness level of the output water.

    Reply
Scott says February 1, 2022

Wondering if anybody else that owns one of these have experienced what has to be water constantly coming from the discharge hose? Its got to be extremely minimal because I never actually see water coming out(unless recharging obviously), however there is always a trail of water from the hose to the drain in the utility tub. Softener is about 2 years old & this issue just started roughly about a month & half ago.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

Scott

Reply
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