GE GeoSpring Water Heater Error Codes: F2 to F23

By Ray Bennett · Updated 2 October 2026 · 6 min read · Checked against the maker’s manual

GE GeoSpring Water Heater Error Codes: F2 to F23

Short answer

On a GE GeoSpring hybrid water heater, F11 means it was powered before the tank was full, bAd linE is the wrong voltage, F14 or the filter light is a dirty air filter and F20 a clogged condensate drain, and those are yours to fix. F2 to F10 and the letter codes F-C to F-L need service. The newer GE Profile GEOSPRING uses F61 to F96.

The GeoSpring is GE’s hybrid water heater: a heat pump on top of an electric tank, with two heating elements as backup. When it finds a fault, it beeps and shows a code. For many faults, GE says it may switch itself to another heating mode, so you still have hot water while it costs more to run.

Everything on this page comes from GE’s owner’s manual 49-50300-2 for the GEH50 and GEH80 GeoSpring models, and GE’s support page for the newer GE Profile GEOSPRING. GE made the GeoSpring from 2012 to December 2016, and GE says Bradford White now handles its service and support.

Before you start

What to carry: a torch, and a vacuum or a damp cloth for the air filter. Twenty minutes.

Gas or electric? Electric, on a 240 volt circuit, with a heat pump and two elements.

Wake the display. GE says the display goes blank after 30 seconds. Press any button to wake it.

Quiet the beeping. For a service code, GE says press the UP or DOWN arrow, and give the code on the display to whoever comes to fix it.

A flashing green light is normal. In Hybrid and High Demand/Boost modes, GE says the Electric/Standard light flashes whenever the elements are heating.

What GE says to leave alone. There is no power button. GE says the power can only be shut off at the breaker or the disconnect switch. Switch it off there before any work inside the covers.

Never power it empty. GE says the elements are damaged if they run without water, and the warranty does not cover damage from an empty or part empty tank.

The TCO. The heater has a manual reset limit that cuts the elements if the water gets far too hot. GE says a qualified technician should reset it and find out why it tripped.

The codes you can clear yourself

The GeoSpring codes with an owner fix. The letter codes and F2 to F10 are a service call.

Check 1Free, twenty minutes

Work the owner codes

F11: dry tank. The heater was powered before the tank was full. Fill it completely, press ENTER to stop the alarm, then switch the power off and on. GE adds that on a tank you know is full, F11 can be a false alarm at start up. Turn the breaker off for about 10 minutes, then back on.

bAd linE, also F12. The heater is not getting the 240 volts it needs. GE says switch it off and have the installer check the wiring. Some utility switches drop the supply to 120 volts at peak times, and GE says those must come off the heater’s circuit.

F14 or the red filter light. The air filter is dirty. The next section shows how to clean it.

F20: the condensate drain. It is clogged and the heat pump has stopped. Press any button to silence it, then take off the drain lines and clear the debris. GE says the elements keep making hot water until the drain runs again.

F16: the anode rod. On some models, it means the rod is near the end of its life. Press ANODE once to silence it, and replace the rod soon: what an anode rod does.

Cleaning the air filter

Check 2Free, ten minutes

Clean it the way GE says

Leave the power on. GE says to leave it on. Squeeze the two tabs on top of the heater and lift the filter out.

Clean it. Vacuum it, wipe it with a damp cloth or rinse it in warm water. Let it dry, then push it back into its slots.

Reset the alarm. Press and hold FILTER. GE says the heater goes back to the mode it was in before.

If it comes back within days. GE says a filter alarm that returns within a few days of cleaning may be a refrigerant leak, which needs a technician.

Why it matters. GE says a filter that gets too dirty switches the heater to Electric/Standard mode, and the energy savings are lost.

Not enough hot water, or a cold room

GE's space rules: 7 inches from the wall, 8 inches clear above the filter, and a room of at least 700 cubic feet or louvered doors.

Check 3Free, ten minutes

Give it air and the right mode

Space around it. GE says the heater should stand 7 inches from the wall with 8 inches clear above the air filter.

Room size. A room smaller than 700 cubic feet, 10 by 10 by 7 feet, needs louvered doors or similar ventilation. The heat pump takes heat from the room air, so a small room gets cooler, and a cooler room slows the heating.

The mode. Heat Pump is the cheapest mode to run and the slowest. Hybrid is the factory setting. High Demand/Boost brings the elements in sooner, and GE suggests it for a household that uses more hot water than average.

Winter. GE says colder water coming in takes longer to heat, which is normal. It suggests raising the set temperature: why a shower runs out of hot water.

The room feels colder. GE says that is normal. The heat in the water comes from the air around it.

Codes that need a technician

Code	What GE calls it
F-C	Evaporator not frost free, probable refrigerant leak
F-D	Superheat too low, possible refrigerant leak
F-E	Discharge temperature above limit, possible refrigerant leak
F-F	Electronic expansion valve out of range, probable refrigerant leak
F-G	Ambient temperature check, data for the technician
F-I	Refrigerant leak test, probable refrigerant leak
F-J	Concurrent load high current
F-L	Evaporator not defrosting
F2	Tank temperature sensor
F3	Compressor
F4	Fan
F5, F6	Evaporator inlet or outlet temperature sensor
F7	Compressor outlet sensor
F8	Ambient temperature sensor
F9, F10	Lower or upper heating element
F13	Stuck key
F15	DataFlash fault
F17	Empty tank, or the anode rod wired wrongly
F18	Current transformer wired wrongly
F19	Low line voltage, data for the technician
F21, F22	Software or settings update failure
F23	Micro A/D failure

Check 4A service call

Hand over the code

Hot water meanwhile. GE says the heater may switch itself to another heating mode so hot water keeps coming.

F17. Check the tank is completely full first. If it is and F17 stays, GE says to contact service.

F9 or F10. One element has failed, and GE sends it to service. Here is how an element is tested: how to test a water heater element.

The newer GE Profile GEOSPRING

GE’s support page lists the codes on the current GE Profile GEOSPRING, from June 2025 on, that an owner can often clear.

Code	What GE says	What to do
F61	Tank water too hot	Should correct itself
F62	Incoming water too hot	Reduce any preheating, or call service
F73	Condensate drain pan port clogged	Clear the drain
F74	Filter dirty	Clean it; if it repeats, probable refrigerant leak
F75	Dry tank	Make sure there is water in the tank
F78	Leak sensor found water	Find the leak; reset the shut off valve if fitted
F81	Leak sensor battery low	Replace the battery
F96	CTA module disconnected or battery low	Reconnect it or replace the battery

Questions people ask

What does F11 mean on a GeoSpring?

A dry tank: it was powered before it was full. Fill it, press ENTER, and switch the power off and on. If the tank was already full, turn the breaker off for about 10 minutes first.

What does bAd linE mean?

The heater is not getting the right voltage, usually because of the wiring. Switch it off and have the installer check it.

Why is the filter light on?

The air filter on top needs cleaning. Clean it, put it back and hold FILTER to reset it. If it comes back within days, GE says it may be a refrigerant leak.

Why is the green light flashing?

In Hybrid and High Demand/Boost modes, GE says the Electric/Standard light flashes whenever the elements are heating. It is normal.

What does F20 mean on a GeoSpring?

The condensate drain is clogged. Clear the drain lines and the heater goes back to using the heat pump once it drains.

Who services a GeoSpring now?

GE says Bradford White handles service and support for the GeoSpring models made from 2012 to 2016.

Sources: GE Appliances owner's manual 49-50300-2 for the GeoSpring hybrid electric water heaters GEH50DEEJS, GEH50DFEJS, GEH80DEEJS and GEH80DFEJS, and GE Appliances' support article on GE Profile GEOSPRING fault codes