GEAppliances GNSF35Z, Owner'S Manual & Installation Instructions

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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
.
12
Automatic Hard Water Bypass During Regeneration
For emergency needs, hard water is available
to the home during the regeneration cycles. However, you should avoid using HOT water
because the water heater will fill with the
hard water.
Fill Backwash
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
as shown.
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 premeasured 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
.
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 tank, and
packs the resin bed.
After fast rinse, the water softening system
returns to soft water service.
Soft water
OUT
Salt storage
tank (salt
not shown)
Brine
valve
Hard water
IN
Resin
tank
Resin
bed
Soft water
OUT
Hard water
IN
Salt
storage
tank
Fill
water
Brine
valve
Hard water
bypass OUT
Nozzle &
venturi
Hard water
IN
Brine
valve
Brine
Drain
Drain
Hard water
bypass OUT
Hard water
IN
Drain
Soft water
OUT
Hard water
IN
About the water softener system.