About The Water Softener System - GE GXSF18G Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions

About the water softener system. GEAppliances.
Service
When the water softening s):stem is providing
sott water, it is called "Service." During service,
hard water flows fron_ the house main water
pipe into the water sotiening system. Inside the
water sottening 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. ]t is much like a magnet
attracting and holding metals. X_hter without
hard minerals (soft water) flows from the water
softening system and to the house pipes.
_Mter a period of time, the resin beads become
coated with hard minerals and they have to be
cleaned. This cleaning is called recharge.
Recharge is started at 2:00 AM (tactory 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 Recharge
For emexgency needs, hard water is awfilable
to the home dm'ing the recharge cycles.
However, you shouldavoid using HOT water
because the water heater will fill with the
hard water.
Fill
Salt dissolved in water is called brine. Brine is
needed to clean the hard minerals fl'om resin
beads. To make the brine, water flows into the
salt storage area during the fill stage.
Brining
Dm'ing brining, brine travels from the salt
storage area into the resin tank. Brine is the
cleaning agent needed to remove hard minerals
fl'om 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 wdve closes. Water continues to flow
in the same path as dm'ing brining, except fin.
the discontinued brine flow. Hard minerals and
brine flush fl'om the resin tank to the drain.
Backwash
During backwash, water travels up through
the resin tank at a tast flow rate, flushing
accumulated iron, dirt and sediments fl'om
the resin bed and to the drain.
Fast Rinse
Backwash is followed by a last flow of water
down
through the resin tank. The last flow
flushes brine fl'om the bottom of the tank,
and packs the resin bed.
_Mter thst rinse, the water sottening system
rettlrns to sott water
selwice.
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