Service; Water Softener System - GE GXSS20B Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions

About the water softener system.
Soft water Hard water
OUT
IN
Salt storage
tank (salt
not shown)
Resin
tank
Brine
valve
Resin
bed
Soft water
Hard water
OUT IN
Salt
storage
tank
Brine
valve
Fill
water
Hard water
Hard water
bypass OUT IN
Nozzle & Drain
venturi
Brine
valve
Brine
12

Service

When the water softening system is providing soft water, it is called "Service." During service,
hard water flows from the house main water pipe into the water softening system. Inside the
water softening system resin tank is a bed made up of thousands of tiny, plastic resin beads.
As hard water passes through the bed, each bead attracts and holds the hard minerals. This is
called ion-exchanging. It is much like a magnet attracting and holding metals. Water without
hard minerals (soft water) flows from the water softening system and to the house pipes.
After a period of time, the resin beads become coated with hard minerals and they have to be
cleaned. This cleaning is called regeneration, or recharge. Regeneration is started at 2:00 AM
(factory setting) by the water softening system control, and consists of five stages or cycles.
These are FILL, BRINING, BRINE RINSE, BACKWASH and FAST RINSE .
Automatic Hard Water Bypass During Regeneration
For emergency needs, hard water is available
to the home during the regeneration cycles.
Fill
Salt dissolved in water is called brine. Brine is
needed to clean the hard minerals from resin
beads. To make the brine, water flows into the
salt storage area during the fill stage as shown.
Brining
During brining, brine travels from the salt
storage area into the resin tank. Brine is the
cleaning agent needed to remove hard
minerals from the resin beads. The hard
minerals and brine are discharged to
the drain.
The nozzle and venturi create a suction to
move the brine, maintaining a very slow
rate to get the best resin cleaning with the
least salt.
Brine Rinse
After a pre-measured amount of brine is
used, the brine valve closes. Water continues
to flow in the same path as during brining,
except for the discontinued brine flow. Hard
minerals and brine flush from the resin tank
to the drain
.
However, you should avoid using HOT water
because the water heater will fill with the
hard water.
Backwash
During backwash, water travels up through
the resin tank at a fast flow rate, flushing
accumulated iron, dirt, and sediments from
the resin bed and to drain.
Hard water
bypass OUT
Drain
Fast Rinse
Backwash is followed by a fast flow of water
down through the resin tank. The fast flow
flushes brine from the bottom of tank, and
packs the resin bed.
After fast rinse, the water softening system
returns to soft water service.
Soft water
OUT
Hard water
IN
Hard water
IN
Drain