Breaking A Salt Bridge; Cleaning The Nozzle And Venturi Assembly - GE GXSF27B Owner's Manual & Installation Instructions

About the water softener system.

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.
12
Push tool into salt
bridge to break
1" – 2"
Pencil
mark
Broom
handle
Water level
Cap
O-ring seal
Screen support
Screen
*Flow plug
Nozzle & Venturi
Gasket
*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
Screen