Breaking A Salt Bridge; Cleaning Nozzle And Venturi Assembly - GE GXSS20B Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions

Breaking a Salt Bridge

Sometimes, a hard crust or salt bridge forms in the salt storage area.
It is usually caused by high humidity or the wrong kind of salt. When
the salt bridges, an empty space forms between the water and salt.
Then salt will not dissolve in the water to make brine.
If the brine tank is full of salt, it is hard to tell if you have a salt
bridge. Salt is loose on top, but the bridge is under it. The following
is the best way to check for a salt bridge.
Salt should be loose all the way to the bottom of the tank. Take a
broom handle or like tool, and carefully push it down into the salt,
working it up and down. If the tool strikes a hard object (be sure it's
not the bottom or sides of the tank), it's most likely a salt bridge.
Carefully break the bridge with the tool. Do not pound on the walls
of the tank.
If the wrong kind of salt made the bridge, take it out. Then fill the
tank with nugget or pellet salt only. In humid areas, it is best to fill
with less salt, more often.
Cleaning the Nozzle and Venturi Assembly
A clean nozzle and venturi is needed for the water softening system to
work properly. This small unit makes the suction to move brine from
the salt storage area to the resin tank during regeneration. If it
becomes plugged with sand, dirt, etc., the water softening system
will not work and you will get hard water.
To get to the nozzle and venturi, remove the water softening system
top cover. Be sure the water softening system is in service cycle (no
water pressure at nozzle and venturi). Then, while holding the
nozzle and venturi housing with one hand, remove the cap. Lift out
the screen support and screen, then the nozzle and venturi. Wash
and rinse the parts in warm water until clean. If needed, use a small
brush to remove iron or dirt. Also check and clean the gasket.
NOTE: Some models have a small flow plug located in the nozzle and
venturi, and/or a small cone shaped screen in the housing. Be sure
to check and clean these parts, if your model is so equipped.
Carefully replace all parts in the correct order. Lightly lubricate the
o-ring seal with clean silicone grease or petroleum jelly and place in
position. Install and tighten the cap, by hand only. Do not over-tighten
the cap or housing.
Push tool into salt
bridge to break
1" – 2"
Pencil
mark
Broom
handle
Cap
O-ring seal
Screen support
Screen
Nozzle & Venturi
Gasket
*Fill Flow plug
Nozzle & Venturi housing
IMPORTANT: Be sure small holes in the gasket are
centered directly over the small holes in the nozzle and
venturi housing.
*Install with numbered side up, concave side down.
Salt
Salt
bridge
Water level
Screen
13