Based on reading my owners manual (GE water softener model PNSF31Z01) and
calling the village water department -

(30,800 grain capacity tank) x .8 (80%, softener regenerates at 80%
saturation) / 15 (water hardness grains per gallon) = 1642 gallons between
regenerations. Based on my water useage (my water bill), the softener should
regenerate about once a month, every 1600 gallons. Since mine is
regenerating daily I checked the diagnosis section of the manual. By
entering the diagnosis mode, I found a water useage readout on the softener.
I flushed a toilet and read the meter on the softener. My house water meter
said I used 2 gallons of water. The sensor on the water softener said I just
used an additional 260 gallons of water. This explains why the softener
regenerates so often; it thinks it is using 200 times more water than it
actually is - So, do I replace the sensor which is a one centimeter long
transistor board with a rubberized tip attached to a 8 inch 2 wire cord that
plugs into a 3 inch by 2 inch main control circuit board?

Only other parts are a position switch (what's it do?), a small motor (what'
s it do?), Is there something I can clean? Nothing looks dirty. Sensor
mounts into a small hole above the water out line of the softener (not sure
how the sensor senses water flow, could something in the water line make it
read incorrectly?) Can someone explain to me how these sensors determine the
amount of water that pass through the line? The sensor and entire softener
is 5 yrs old. How long do the various parts last?

Thanks in advance,

Andy

1_Patriotic_Guy wrote:
Based on reading my owners manual (GE water softener model PNSF31Z01)
and
calling the village water department -

(30,800 grain capacity tank) x .8 (80%, softener regenerates at 80%
saturation) / 15 (water hardness grains per gallon) = 1642 gallons
between
regenerations. Based on my water useage (my water bill), the softener
should
regenerate about once a month, every 1600 gallons.


If mine only needed regen once a month, I'd just go manual rather than
spend one thin dime on parts.

But that's me.



Joe

"1_Patriotic_Guy" wrote in message
I found a water useage readout on the softener.
I flushed a toilet and read the meter on the softener. My house water
meter
said I used 2 gallons of water. The sensor on the water softener said I
just
used an additional 260 gallons of water. This explains why the softener
regenerates so often; it thinks it is using 200 times more water than it
actually is - So, do I replace the sensor which is a one centimeter long
transistor board with a rubberized tip attached to a 8 inch 2 wire cord
that
plugs into a 3 inch by 2 inch main control circuit board?

Now that you found the problem, yo can solve it in many ways.

Contact GE customer service and ask them how to fix it
Take a chance at replacing it, but if it is the wrong part, you wasted money
Just regenerate every couple of weeks on your own.

If you don't have one, buy a test kit to check for hardness. Simple to do
as you put water in a vial and put in 5 drops or reagent and see if it turns
blue or pink. Do the test until you find it hard and regenerate a few days
less next time.

Andy,

There is a trouble shooting and a diagnostics section in your manual so
check the code for correctness et c. If it's more complicated than that you
may need to call a service man for help. Your water softener is not listed
on GE's web site.
I think your sensor senses a couple of magnets held on a turbine that
spins when water flows. So, if I'm correct about the sensor, it is most
likely a problem with the main PC board. The motor and switch you mention
rotate the parts that control the amount of time spent on each step of the
regeneration process. They are working ok.

Dave M.

The exact reason I got a water softner that uses no electronics to sense
regeneration cycles, it's all mech.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"1_Patriotic_Guy" wrote in message
ink.net...
Based on reading my owners manual (GE water softener model PNSF31Z01) and
calling the village water department -

(30,800 grain capacity tank) x .8 (80%, softener regenerates at 80%
saturation) / 15 (water hardness grains per gallon) = 1642 gallons between
regenerations. Based on my water useage (my water bill), the softener
should
regenerate about once a month, every 1600 gallons. Since mine is
regenerating daily I checked the diagnosis section of the manual. By
entering the diagnosis mode, I found a water useage readout on the
softener.
I flushed a toilet and read the meter on the softener. My house water
meter
said I used 2 gallons of water. The sensor on the water softener said I
just
used an additional 260 gallons of water. This explains why the softener
regenerates so often; it thinks it is using 200 times more water than it
actually is - So, do I replace the sensor which is a one centimeter long
transistor board with a rubberized tip attached to a 8 inch 2 wire cord
that
plugs into a 3 inch by 2 inch main control circuit board?

Only other parts are a position switch (what's it do?), a small motor
(what'
s it do?), Is there something I can clean? Nothing looks dirty. Sensor
mounts into a small hole above the water out line of the softener (not
sure
how the sensor senses water flow, could something in the water line make
it
read incorrectly?) Can someone explain to me how these sensors determine
the
amount of water that pass through the line? The sensor and entire
softener
is 5 yrs old. How long do the various parts last?

Thanks in advance,

Andy

This is information based upon similar models:

Double-read the section in the manual about the gallonage sensor. It
MIGHT work like this:

In diagnostic mode, the numbers are NOT gallons. The numbers go from
000 to 199 (or something) then rollover back to 000. It's the
rollover that counts as one gallon. So if you flushed a toilet and
got 000 to 199, then rolled over to zero and went back up to 60 you'd
have used about 1.3 gallons.

Your manual should clear this up.


Also, in diagnositic mode, there may be an option to set "Maximum Days
Between Regenerations." This is pretty much self-explanatory: E.G.
If you want the softener to regenerate AT LEAST once a week, you set
it to 7. Normally this feature is off, but if got set to "1", the
softener will regenerate every night, whether it needs it or not.

If this doesn't help, then I guess you'll have to replace those 260
gallon per flush toilets.

Also, in diagnositic mode, there may be an option to set "Maximum Days
Between Regenerations." This is pretty much self-explanatory: E.G.
If you want the softener to regenerate AT LEAST once a week, you set
it to 7. Normally this feature is off, but if got set to "1", the
softener will regenerate every night, whether it needs it or not.

The manual for my GE softener, purchased in 2002, shows no provision for
calendar scheduled recharges. Supplied though HD warehouses in California,
where it is illegal not to use metered recharging when it is available on
the softener, it has probably been omitted from the software and the manual.
Other features which might be useful to a serviceman have also been omitted
from the manual even though the capability is in the machine -- for example:
float setting to adjust salt use per recharge. --- SJF

Who makes non-electric softeners? Where can I order/buy one? Are they in
the same price range? How long do they last? BTW - when I bought more
salt, I noticed Potassium Chloride sells for twice as much. Is it
interchangeable with salt, and if so, why would anyone buy it if it sells
for twice as much?

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
The exact reason I got a water softner that uses no electronics to sense
regeneration cycles, it's all mech.

On 2005-03-20, 1_Patriotic_Guy wrote:
Who makes non-electric softeners? Where can I order/buy one? Are they in
the same price range? How long do they last? BTW - when I bought more
salt, I noticed Potassium Chloride sells for twice as much. Is it
interchangeable with salt, and if so, why would anyone buy it if it sells
for twice as much?

Potassium chloride is for people who can't take added sodium in their water.
It's interchangable with regular salt.

--
This signature left blank.

Doesn't an inexpensive water filter on the tap or refrigerator remove any
residual salt from the softener?

"Ed Clarke" wrote in message
...

Potassium chloride is for people who can't take added sodium in their
water.
It's interchangable with regular salt.

--
This signature left blank.

"1_Patriotic_Guy" wrote in message
link.net...
Doesn't an inexpensive water filter on the tap or refrigerator remove any
residual salt from the softener?

snipped,

Not as far as I know. Last time I looked at the filtering specs of a
refer/drinking filter they were basically sediment. Some filter chemicals,
but they are not the cheaply ones. To remove salt I know a reverse osmosis
would do the trick

I am sodium sensitive so I use potassium.

Kinetico, makes a non-electric system. I am very satisfied with mine. It
uses very little salt, I estimate that I will have to refill the brine tank
completely full every ten months.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"1_Patriotic_Guy" wrote in message
link.net...
Who makes non-electric softeners? Where can I order/buy one? Are they in
the same price range? How long do they last? BTW - when I bought more
salt, I noticed Potassium Chloride sells for twice as much. Is it
interchangeable with salt, and if so, why would anyone buy it if it sells
for twice as much?

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
The exact reason I got a water softner that uses no electronics to sense
regeneration cycles, it's all mech.

How long have you had it. How long does it last without repair.

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
Kinetico, makes a non-electric system. I am very satisfied with mine. It
uses very little salt, I estimate that I will have to refill the brine
tank
completely full every ten months.

This message was written on 100% recycled spam. SAM

"1_Patriotic_Guy" wrote in message
link.net...
Who makes non-electric softeners? Where can I order/buy one? Are they
in
the same price range? How long do they last? BTW - when I bought more
salt, I noticed Potassium Chloride sells for twice as much. Is it
interchangeable with salt, and if so, why would anyone buy it if it
sells
for twice as much?

"Samuel Warren" wrote in message
...
The exact reason I got a water softner that uses no electronics to
sense
regeneration cycles, it's all mech.