GE MONACO 6000A - Manual (Page 12)

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.
About the water softener system.
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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 pre-measured 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