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Care and cleaning of the water softening system.

19

Checking the Salt Storage Level and Refilling

Brine (salt dissolved in water) is needed for each and every regeneration. The water for making brine is
metered into the salt storage area by the water softening system valve and control. 

However, you must keep the

tank supplied with salt.

When to refill with salt:

Check the salt level a few weeks after you install the water softening system and every

week after that. Refill when the brine tank is from 1/3 to 1/2 full. In humid areas it is best to fill with less salt
more often. Never allow the water softening system to use all the salt before you refill it. Without salt, you will
soon have hard water.

Use clean water softening salts only, at least 99.5% pure. NUGGET, PELLET or coarse SOLAR salts are 
recommended. 

Do not use rock, block, granulated or ice cream making salts.

They contain dirt and sediments, 

or mush and cake, and will create maintenance problems.

CAUTION: Water softening salt with iron removing additives:

Some salts may have an additive to help 

the water softening system handle iron in the water supply. Although this additive may help to
keep the water softening system resin clean, it may also release corrosive fumes that weaken and
shorten the life of some water softening system parts. GE recommends using only Diamond
Crystal® Red•Out® brand salt.

Your water softening system takes hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) out of the water. Also, it can
control some (see 

Specification Guidelines 

section) “clear water” iron. With clear water iron, water from a faucet

is clear when first put into a glass. After 15 to 30 minutes, the water begins to cloud or turn rust colored. 
A water softening system 

will not

remove any iron that makes the water cloudy or rusty as it comes from the

faucet (called red water iron). To take red water iron out of water, or over the maximum of clear water iron, 
an iron filter or other equipment is needed.

GE recommends using only Diamond Crystal® Red•Out® brand salts with Iron Fighter® additive to help keep
the resin bed clean of clear iron. If your water supply has clear water iron, periodic resin bed cleaning is
needed. GE recommends using Super Iron Out® brand resin bed cleaner to thoroughly clean your resin bed 
if your iron content is high. Clean the bed at least every six months, or more often if iron appears in the soft
water between cleanings.

IMPORTANT: 

It is important to mix the resin bed cleaner with water (following the manufacturer’s instructions),

pour it into the 

brine well 

(see page 6) and regenerate the softener immediately. Do not pour the resin bed

cleaner in with the salt, as it will not be as effective in cleaning the resin, and can cause damage to the softener
if it is left in the brine tank for an extended period due to the corrosive gases that are formed.

Cleaning Iron Out of the Water Softening System

Summary of Contents for GXSF23Z

Page 1: ...11 Step by step instructions 7 11 Tools and materials required 5 Unpacking and inspection 4 Operating Instructions Tips Breaking a salt bridge 13 Cleaning the nozzle and venturi assembly 14 Electronic diagnostics 17 Features 15 16 Regenerating the system 18 Service 12 Water softener system 12 18 Care and Cleaning Salt storage level and refilling 19 Cleaning out iron 19 Troubleshooting Tips 20 22 C...

Page 2: ...EED SERVICE You ll find many answers to common problems in the Before You Call For Service section If you review our chart of Troubleshooting Tips first you may not need to call for service at all If you do need service you can relax knowing help is only a phone call away A list of toll free customer service numbers is included in the back section of this manual Or you can always call the GE Answe...

Page 3: ...t be exposed to temperatures below freezing or exposed to any type of weather Water freezing in the system will break it Do not attempt to treat water over 100 F Do not install in direct sunlight Excessive sun heat may cause distortion or other damage to non metallic parts Properly ground to conform with all governing codes and ordinances Use only lead free solder and flux for all sweat solder con...

Page 4: ...a pressure reducing valve may reduce the flow The softener works on 24 volt 60 Hz electrical power only Be sure to use the included transformer Be sure the electric outlet and transformer are in an inside location to protect from wet weather See Where to Install the Softener section for more details WARNING Do not use with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality without adequa...

Page 5: ... full valve flow 1 pipes to and from the softener fittings are recommended You should maintain the same or larger pipe size as the water supply pipe up to the softener inlet and outlet Use the included bypass valve to install the softener The bypass valve allows you to turn off water to the softener for servicing but still have water in the house pipes The in and out fittings referred to above con...

Page 6: ...rd water Close the inlet and outlet valves Open the bypass valve SALT GOES HERE Brinewell INLET Washer 2 Copper tube 3 4 2 Installation nut 2 Bypass Valve Pull out for service Push in for bypass NOTE Threads on the bypass valve are 1 male pipe If 1 pipes are needed do not use the copper tubes and nuts included Buy 1 pipe thread female adapter and plumb directly to 1 threads Adapters for this insta...

Page 7: ...me manner use pipe hangers to keep the weight off of the valve fittings 4 CONNECT AND RUN THE VALVE DRAIN HOSE Use the provided drain hose 20 length included to attach to the valve drain fitting To keep water pressure from blowing the hose off use a hose clamp to secure in place Locate the other end of the hose at a suitable drain point floor drain sump laundry tub etc that terminates at the sewer...

Page 8: ...ter faucet for 1 minute or until all air is expelled then close NOTE If water appears cloudy or has salty taste allow to run for several more minutes or until clear F Close all water faucets G Check your plumbing work for leaks and fix right away if any are found Be sure to observe previous caution notes H Turn on the gas or electric supply to the water heater Light the pilot if applicable Fig 4A ...

Page 9: ...RGE NOW RECHARGE TONIGHT Display TOUCH or HOLD button SELECT button DOWN button UP button PRESENT TIME PM RECHARGE AM TIME PM RECHARGE TONIGHT SET PRESENT TIME OF DAY NOTE If the words PRESENT TIME do not show in the display press the SELECT button until they do 1 Press the UP or DOWN button to set The UP button moves the display ahead the DOWN button moves the time backward If the present time is...

Page 10: ...RTANT Press and hold for 3 seconds the faceplate TOUCH HOLD button to start an immediate regeneration Recharge Now begins to flash in the display The bleach is drawn into and through the water softener If after sanitization water from house faucet tastes salty or has a slight color this is a preservative from the resin tank Turn on the cold soft water faucets and drain for a few minutes or until c...

Page 11: ...se GXSF23 31 2 6 8 x 35 50 3 20 125 15 120 3 3 19 12 1 8 1 8 PNSF35 49 4 95 10 x 35 100 6 20 125 15 120 3 3 19 12 2 3 2 3 These systems conform to WQA S 100 98 for the specific capacity claims as verified and substantiated by test data Testing was performed using pellet grade sodium chloride as the regenerant salt Extent of iron removal may vary with conditions Use of Diamond Crystal Red Out or Su...

Page 12: ...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...

Page 13: ...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...

Page 14: ... 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 ...

Page 15: ...n power is restored you have to reset the present time only if the display is flashing All other settings are maintained and never require resetting unless a change is desired If the time is flashing after a long power outage the water softening system continues to work as it should to provide you with soft water However regenerations may occur at the wrong time of day until you reset the control ...

Page 16: ... 04 ERR 05 POSSIBLE DEFECT motor position motor position control inoperative switch inoperative switch or PWA or wiring wiring harness harness wiring harness control control control or connection PWA PWA PWA to switch position switch control PWA Service Electronic Demand Time Features and Service To remove an error code 1 Unplug transformer 2 Correct defect 3 Plug transformer in 4 Wait for at leas...

Page 17: ...rious reasons This information is retained by the computer from the first time electrical power is applied to the control Press and hold the UP button to display the number of days this control has had electrical power applied Press and hold the DOWN button to display the number of regenerations initiated by this control since the SR code number was entered Press the SELECT button and hold in thre...

Page 18: ...e brinewell and observing a noticeable drop in the liquid level over an extended period of time NOTE Be sure a salt bridge is not preventing water from contacting salt See Care and cleaning of the water softening system section If the water softening system does not draw brine check nozzle and or venturi dirty or defective nozzle and venturi not seated properly on gasket restricted drain check dra...

Page 19: ...d Crystal Red Out brand salt Your water softening system takes hardness minerals calcium and magnesium out of the water Also it can control some see Specification Guidelines section clear water iron With clear water iron water from a faucet is clear when first put into a glass After 15 to 30 minutes the water begins to cloud or turn rust colored A water softening system will not remove any iron th...

Page 20: ...lectrical outlet observe the faceplate time display and read Program Electrical outlet on a circuit that can Memory section NOTE The electrical outlet for the softener be switched off should be continuously live so it cannot be accidentally switched off Manual bypass valve in bypass position Be sure the bypass valve stem is positioned properly with the knob in the OUT position Observe instructions...

Page 21: ...lt to regenerate very efficient not using any salt demand unit Possible salt bridge See the Operating Instructions Tips section Possible plugged nozzle and venturi See the Operating Instructions Tips section Water is blue color Acidic water in copper plumbing Have the water tested at once after water softening system was installed WARNING Do not drink the water until problem has been corrected Wat...

Page 22: ...ion Will go away after it runs for a while and is cloudy Error Code on control Wiring may have worked loose in Unplug transformer control Remove control cover release clips on side Check for loose incorrect wiring connections to electronic board or switch Reconnect as required Reassemble control cover Plug in Transformer Wait six minutes for Error Code to reappear If Error Code reappears call for ...

Page 23: ...23 Notes ...

Page 24: ...24 Notes ...

Page 25: ...otection or you may request your money back on the remaining value of your contract No questions asked It s that simple Protect your refrigerator dishwasher washer and dryer range TV VCR and much more any brand Plus there s no extra charge for emergency service and low monthly financing is available Even icemaker coverage and food spoilage protection is offered You can rest easy knowing that all y...

Page 26: ...or register online at www geappliances com 1 2 3 Model Number Serial Number Cut here Complete and mail your Consumer Product Ownership Registration today Have the peace of mind of knowing we can contact you in the unlikely event of a safety modification After mailing the registration below store this document in a safe place It contains information you will need should you require service Our serv...

Page 27: ...27 Parts list ...

Page 28: ...28 Parts list 153 ...

Page 29: ...1 0020 WS31X10011 COVER BRINEWELL 1 1 0021 WS02X10009 WING NUT 1 4 20 1 1 0022 WS32X10002 TANK BRINEWELL ROUND 1 1 0023 WS02X10011 SCREW 1 4 20 NYLON 1 1 0024 WS32X10005 TANKBRINE RECTANGULAR 1 WS32X10015 TANKBRINE RECTANGULAR 1 0025 WS18X10003 CLAMPHOSE 1 1 0026 WS22X10016 ADAPTER HOSE 1 1 0027 WS22X10017 GROMMET 1 1 0028 WS35X10002 GROUND CLAMP KIT 1 1 0029 WS15X10005 BRINE VALVE ASM 1 1 0030 WS...

Page 30: ...Y VALVE 1 1 0122 WS03X10020 SPRING 1 1 0123 WS22X10022 PLUG DRAIN SALT 1 1 0130 WS35X10005 SEAL KIT 1 1 0132 WS22X10023 ADAPTER DRAIN HOSE 1 1 0133 WS03X10021 O RING 5 8 X 13 16 1 1 0134 WS03X10031 PLUGFLOW RINSECONTROL 1 WS03X10022 PLUGFLOW RINSECONTROL 1 0135 WS03X10023 CLIP 1 1 0136 WS26X10003 CAM GEAR 1 1 0137 WS26X10004 BEARING 1 1 0138 WS26X10005 PLATE MOTOR 1 1 0139 WS02X10015 SCREW 6 20 X ...

Page 31: ...re technician For service call 800 GE CARES Service trips to your home to teach you how to use the product Improper installation Failure of the product if it is abused misused or used for other than the intended purpose or used commercially Filters membranes or batteries Replacement of house fuses or resetting of circuit breakers Damage to the product caused by accident fire floods or acts of God ...

Page 32: ...l still be there after your warranty expires Parts and Accessories 800 626 2002 Individuals qualified to service their own appliances can have parts or accessories sent directly to their homes VISA MasterCard and Discover cards are accepted Instructions contained in this manual cover procedures to be performed by any user Other servicing generally should be referred to qualified service personnel ...

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