During the regeneration phase of the water softener, the injector works by creating a vacuum, which sucks the brine from the salt tank. The sodium ions then displace the calcium and magnesium from the resin beads in the mineral tank. The softened water then flows from the mineral tank to supply the house.
The displaced calcium and magnesium ions are drained from the mineral tank and the resin bed is then regenerated with sodium ions. How much time is required to do this depends on a number of factors, such as the flow rate at which the injector sucks brine into the resin bed, along with the amount of salt needed for the resin bed.
The brine tank is then refilled for the next injection of brine into the mineral tank. If the injector is plugged by any particles, it may not be able to produce the vacuum necessary to transfer the brine from the brine tank until the injector is cleaned.