GE GXSF30V Owner's Manual And Installation Instructions page 4

About the water softener system.
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 recharge.
Recharge 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 FASTRINSE.
AUTOMATIC HARD WATER BYPASS DURING
RECHARGE
During recharge the water softener is
automatically put in bypass mode allowing hard
water to be available to the home. Once the
softener is recharged water is directed back
through the softener to be conditioned.
However, you should avoid 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 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.
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 the 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.