Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - GE GXSF39E - It seems to work, but no soft water!
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IBNobody
10-09-09, 07:42 PM
I'm stumped.
I inhereted a GXSF39E water softener in the house I bought.
I do not have soft water, and I don't know what else to try.
I have tried all the basics. I do not have a salt bridge. The softener goes through all its recharge cycle steps properly. It fills the brinewell, and that water is SALTY. It empties the brinewell. I assume it rinses properly, but I have no way of telling. (I do see that the unit is draining.)
I have disassembled the unit completely. The rotor's face does not show any wear, although it is streaked. The venturi assembly is clean, and I get flow and suction in the required steps.
I regreased all the o-rings and put them back where they go. The only o-ring I was unsure about was the one that goes around the black tube sticking out of the resin tank. (In the WS35X10001 (http://softenerparts.zoovy.com/product/7112963/Oring_Kit_Valve_to_Tank__7112963__7170296_7170254_7170270__7112963.html)kit, it is the smaller o-ring.)
The resin beads are a light orange/amber color and are hard.
I am ready to throw in the towel and abandon all hope of soft water.
What else can I do?
I inhereted a GXSF39E water softener in the house I bought.
I do not have soft water, and I don't know what else to try.
I have tried all the basics. I do not have a salt bridge. The softener goes through all its recharge cycle steps properly. It fills the brinewell, and that water is SALTY. It empties the brinewell. I assume it rinses properly, but I have no way of telling. (I do see that the unit is draining.)
I have disassembled the unit completely. The rotor's face does not show any wear, although it is streaked. The venturi assembly is clean, and I get flow and suction in the required steps.
I regreased all the o-rings and put them back where they go. The only o-ring I was unsure about was the one that goes around the black tube sticking out of the resin tank. (In the WS35X10001 (http://softenerparts.zoovy.com/product/7112963/Oring_Kit_Valve_to_Tank__7112963__7170296_7170254_7170270__7112963.html)kit, it is the smaller o-ring.)
The resin beads are a light orange/amber color and are hard.
I am ready to throw in the towel and abandon all hope of soft water.
What else can I do?
biermech
10-10-09, 07:07 AM
The o ring that is around the black tube is the distributor tube o ring. If it is not sealing, you will not get soft water. Also, the amount of resin in the tank should be at least 2/3 up the tank (12"-15" down from the top). Make sure the float assembly is all the down in the brine well. Once the unit has completed a cycle, the water level shouldbe about 1". I've seen these unit start a brine draw then lose it.
IBNobody
10-10-09, 07:49 AM
Glad to see you respond. I saw some of your other posts, and they were able to get me this far.
The o ring that is around the black tube is the distributor tube o ring. If it is not sealing, you will not get soft water.
How can I tell if I put it on right? I had been putting the o-ring around the distributor tube, sliding it down the tube body 1/2", and then sliding the valve assembly over it. The valve assembly would push the o-ring down the rest of the way. I'm not sure if this was the right way to do this, as this was the only cryptic part of the whole assembly.
Also, the amount of resin in the tank should be at least 2/3 up the tank (12"-15" down from the top).
The resin beads are 7" or so down from the top of the tank. I was able to collect some with a drinking straw. Is that too full?
Make sure the float assembly is all the down in the brine well. Once the unit has completed a cycle, the water level shouldbe about 1". I've seen these unit start a brine draw then lose it.
Lose it? You mean it would run back down and refill the brine tank? No, I haven't seen that.
The o ring that is around the black tube is the distributor tube o ring. If it is not sealing, you will not get soft water.
How can I tell if I put it on right? I had been putting the o-ring around the distributor tube, sliding it down the tube body 1/2", and then sliding the valve assembly over it. The valve assembly would push the o-ring down the rest of the way. I'm not sure if this was the right way to do this, as this was the only cryptic part of the whole assembly.
Also, the amount of resin in the tank should be at least 2/3 up the tank (12"-15" down from the top).
The resin beads are 7" or so down from the top of the tank. I was able to collect some with a drinking straw. Is that too full?
Make sure the float assembly is all the down in the brine well. Once the unit has completed a cycle, the water level shouldbe about 1". I've seen these unit start a brine draw then lose it.
Lose it? You mean it would run back down and refill the brine tank? No, I haven't seen that.
biermech
10-10-09, 12:05 PM
When you remove the valve, is the distributor o ring in the basket or on the tube? The tube should stick up about 1" from the basket. You stated about 1/2". If the o ring is in the basket when you remove the valve, the sealing point is no good and you will get hard water.
The resin level is good. As far as losing the brine, if it did, the brine tank would fill up over time. As long as the water level stays about 1" from the bottom is service, the unit is drawing all the brine out.
Let me know about the o ring.
The resin level is good. As far as losing the brine, if it did, the brine tank would fill up over time. As long as the water level stays about 1" from the bottom is service, the unit is drawing all the brine out.
Let me know about the o ring.
IBNobody
10-10-09, 07:27 PM
When you remove the valve, is the distributor o ring in the basket or on the tube? The tube should stick up about 1" from the basket. You stated about 1/2". If the o ring is in the basket when you remove the valve, the sealing point is no good and you will get hard water.
The resin level is good. As far as losing the brine, if it did, the brine tank would fill up over time. As long as the water level stays about 1" from the bottom is service, the unit is drawing all the brine out.
Let me know about the o ring.
The tube sticks out of the basket 1" or so. I was putting the basket on the tube and sliding it all the way down until you could no longer see the large diameter o-ring. This is the o-ring that seals the gap between the basket and the lip of the resin tank.
I would then put the smaller o-ring onto the tube and sliding it half-way down the tube. This was the only way I could keep it from falling into the basket or getting wedged ****-eyed in the valve assembly.
Do I need to slide it down the tube until it hits the edge of the basket?
The resin level is good. As far as losing the brine, if it did, the brine tank would fill up over time. As long as the water level stays about 1" from the bottom is service, the unit is drawing all the brine out.
Let me know about the o ring.
The tube sticks out of the basket 1" or so. I was putting the basket on the tube and sliding it all the way down until you could no longer see the large diameter o-ring. This is the o-ring that seals the gap between the basket and the lip of the resin tank.
I would then put the smaller o-ring onto the tube and sliding it half-way down the tube. This was the only way I could keep it from falling into the basket or getting wedged ****-eyed in the valve assembly.
Do I need to slide it down the tube until it hits the edge of the basket?
biermech
10-11-09, 06:59 AM
The tube sticks out of the basket 1" or so. I was putting the basket on the tube and sliding it all the way down until you could no longer see the large diameter o-ring. This is the o-ring that seals the gap between the basket and the lip of the resin tank.
I would then put the smaller o-ring onto the tube and sliding it half-way down the tube. This was the only way I could keep it from falling into the basket or getting wedged ****-eyed in the valve assembly.
Do I need to slide it down the tube until it hits the edge of the basket?
It doesn't matter where you place the o ring has long as it's on the distributor tube. That is the sealing point between the hard water and soft.
I sent you a private message.
I would then put the smaller o-ring onto the tube and sliding it half-way down the tube. This was the only way I could keep it from falling into the basket or getting wedged ****-eyed in the valve assembly.
Do I need to slide it down the tube until it hits the edge of the basket?
It doesn't matter where you place the o ring has long as it's on the distributor tube. That is the sealing point between the hard water and soft.
I sent you a private message.