Abstract: A water softening apparatus is provided including a water tank, a brine tank, chlorination electrodes for providing chlorination to water flowing in the water tank and a circuit for providing electrical energy to the chlorination electrodes. A microprocessor controls the circuit, with the microprocessor being software controlled to determine when regeneration should commence, when backwash should terminate, when brine/slow rinse should commence, when the chlorination electrodes should be energized, when the chlorination electrode energization should terminate, when brine/slow rinse should terminate, when fast rinse should commence, and when fast rinse should terminate.

Abstract: A novel electronic control circuit which utilizes an improved and greatly simplified arrangement for producing the reference voltage and which includes a probe which includes two pairs of spaced electrodes which are connected in a bridge circuit so that both a reference signal and a control signal is obtained for closing an energizing circuit and latch it until it is time for regeneration and in which the regeneration will occur only at preset times so as to not interfere with normal use.