How does the iron determine when the calc cartridge needs to be replaced?

Question

Algorithms

Friends, I have a question.
There is such an iron (sorry for the link to the market) market.yandex.ru/product/10483939
the cartridge looks like this

After a while, he starts yelling about the need to replace the cartridge.
It is clear that this is a marketing ploy to buy consumables. After all, the cartridge itself does not contain anything electronic. Some kind of cleaning resin is stupidly poured into it. Outwardly, there are no windows for IR sensors, or contacts inside the cartridge.
The question is how can he determine the need for replacement?
There are guesses:
- counts the number of inclusions
- counts the number of clicks on the "Steam" button (the main working button)
- Takes into account the operating time.
Maybe someone came across a scheme of such systems, or developed such? the question is how to fool him and make him work without a cartridge / with an old cartridge / with a replacement cartridge?

Answer 1

It is very possible that he tritely determines the conductivity of the water in the tank - an exhausted cartridge does not soften the water, the conductivity rises - the user goes for a new cartridge. Look in a container of water for a couple of contacts.
You will work on hard water - well, the chamber will grow with scale as thick as a finger, the iron will go to a landfill, the owner will go to the store.
And how to fool it - well, soften the water yourself, pass it through the filter.

Answer 2

in theory there should be an option to reset the indicator.
after a certain number of hours, my air humidifier asks to be cleaned, regardless of the actual pollution, but by pressing the Power button for 5 seconds, the indicator can be turned off.