GE PNSF31Z01 - Manual (Page 18)

Safety Infor
mation
Operating Instr
uctions
Tr
oubleshooting T
ips
Customer Ser
vice
Care and cleaning of the water softening system.
18
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 or housing.
Push tool into salt
bridge to break
Pencil
mark
Broom
handle
Cap
O-ring seal
Screen
support
Screen
Screen
Nozzle &
Venturi
Nozzle & Venturi
housing
Gasket
*Fill flow
plug
Salt
Salt
bridge
Water
level
1
″
–2
″
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