I have a Waterside MC350 water softener which I installed about 18 months ago. According to the operating manual, in the event of a power cut, the system will maintain the individual programming parameters for up to 72 hours. In the past, where there has been a power outage, I have noticed that on reconnection, the softener has gone through a regeneration cycle and I have had to reset the time. Last week the power went off for a short time because of a blown fuse. I did not think to check the water softener but on checking salt level this morning saw the level had barely moved since I last refilled it a couple of weeks ago. I removed the cover of the display unit to see it showing 'Err 1' on the panel. My manual said that if this message comes up I should hear an audible alarm. I am not aware of any alarm having sounded, but as the unit is in a cupboard in the utility room whose door is usually kept closed it might not be very audible. I turned the power off and then on as instructed, at which point a lot of water started passing through the pipework and draining away outside. The display showed flashing 0:00 and I was unable to set the time. After a time of almost continuous water flushing, the 'Err 1' message came up again. I did what the manual said, but again all that happened was that a lot of water was being flushed down the drain ( and as my water is metered, I'm not too keen on that!). Can anyone help on this? I could call out the service engineers, but am reluctant to pay callout charges if there is something I can do myself. Also, can anyone tell me how long a regeneration cycle should last, as it usually happens in the middle of the night? 