GE PNSF39Z01 Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions page 12

About the water softener system.
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.
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.
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 the tank,
and packs the resin bed.
After fast rinse, the water softening system
returns to soft water service.
.