First of all does it normally make any noise?, ours in normal use is almost imperceptively quiet, other than the 'ticking' that the metering unit makes as water is used. (you really have to listen closely to hear it!). However what can be heard albeit not very loud, is the regeneration process. This of course will only occur once a predetermined voloume of water has been used and measued by the metering unit and of course if you have been away it shouldn't have registered any. In other words the unit should have done nothing while you were away and simply carried on measuring your water usage on your return.
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Okm Visualizer 3d Software. It occurs to me that if you have let it run out of salt and if this has happened for some time, the metering unit may have been measuring unsoftened water and become 'clogged'. As I understand it, if you leave the unit to run without salt, it will not regenerate and therefore ultimately fail due to scaling up within it. If you suspect this, you probably need to contact Harveys. What is 'not working'? You say something so simple, but what is it? Had ours 3 years, moved house and ours still working perfectly. No mechanical parts so either something was disturbed in the pipes or dislodged.
Using recommended salt, or recently changed to cheaper version maybe? Is it not softening the water? After 18 months I imagine you should still have your test kit. DO a test and if not getting what you should get then phone Harveys. I am sure they would fix. Have they given you this quote or is it just a guess?