GNSH45E04 General Electric Water Softener - Overview

water softener was leaking due to a broken clip. turned off water and drained the pipes. some how managed to remove the broken clip from the inlet side. i than was able to remove the good clip from the outlet side, without breaking it. i replaced the washer on the leaking side, cleaned and resealed all the joints. finally i reattached the manifold to the water softener. no leaks so far. next time i will discarge the unit before repair.

Remove the top back lid/unlatch 2 clips. Unscrew the small brine tube nut (white) from left side of control unit. Cut the tube to remove nut from old tube with utility knife. Keep nut for use on new assembly. Not included. Remove brine well cover. Pull the tube out of the top and from behind resin tank and remove assembly from brine well. Discarded the old brine valve assembly. Removed the bit of old tube from the nut, w/ utility knife. Careful not to damage the old nut. Snake the new brine tube from front right side through the back of the resin tank to the old hole on the left. Follow the old path. Insert the new brine tube into the top section through the hole the old one came out of. Attached nut to new brine tube. Screw nut/new brine tube to the connector of control unit. Small fingers help. Adjust/slide the float assembly 6-8 inches inches above the valve, e.g. Styrofoam/Metal Weight slides up/down the white stalk. Re-inserted the brine assembly into the brine tank. Replace top. Manually regenerate to make sure new brine assembly is not leaking and filling the brine tank properly. Done.

Turned off water to softener and took it out of service. Ordered 2 plastic clips and 2 O-rings on Friday evening, May 1. All items were listed as "in stock." Total cost was $44.55, including shipping cost of $7.75. On Monday, May 4 two clips and one O-ring were shipped. Second O-ring was shipped the following day, May 5. Received 2 clips and 1 O-ring on May 8, but that would not permit repair of softener, so I waited and waited and waited with softener out of service. Second O-ring finally arrived on May 19--some 18 days after order was placed and 14 days after it was shipped. I never would have placed the order had I known that $7.75 in shipping costs would translate to 18 days for delivery. According to the Operating Service Standards for USPS, had that simple O-ring been inserted into an envelope with a first class stamp, it would have been delivered in not longer than 3 days. So I rate what should have been a rather easy repair job as very difficult and the time to repair as 18 days. I am extremely disappointed and will choose a different part supplier in the future.