GE Whole House Water Filter Replacement: Which FX Cartridge Fits the GXWH40L, GXWH35F and GXWH04F Housings
GE GXWH40L and GXWH35F take the 10 x 4.5 in FXHSC or FXHTC every 3 months; GXWH04F shares the WS03X10038 O-ring. Which FX cartridge fits which housing.
- Verified
- Updated
- 9 min read
- 6 sources
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OwnerSpec compares published manufacturer specifications, certification listings and sourced technical documents. Unless a page explicitly states otherwise, OwnerSpec has not laboratory-tested or used the products it compares. Editorial policy
Short answer
The GE GXWH40L whole-house housing takes the FXHSC pleated sediment cartridge or the FXHTC carbon cartridge, and the system’s own listing title says to replace either every 3 months. GE itself publishes no cartridge dimension on any page this site could read; the two cross-fit sellers that name the FXHSC, Aqua Crest and PurePlus, both size it at 10 x 4.5 in, and Aqua Crest also names the GXWH35F, which puts the GXWH40L and GXWH35F in the short Big Blue format. The GXWH04F has no current GE listing and its cartridge is unconfirmed, but the WS03X10038 O-ring listing names it alongside the GXWH20F, GXWH20S and GXWH01C, so that seal is the one part the GXWH04F shares for certain. FXUSC, FXWSC and FXWTC are GE cartridges for the smaller housings, also on a 3 month schedule per their listings. The spec that must match is the diameter: a 4.5 in cartridge and a 2.5 in cartridge do not interchange.
Fact sheet
- Answer
- The GE GXWH40L housing takes the FXHSC pleated sediment or FXHTC carbon cartridge, replaced every 3 months per the system listing; cross-fit listings size the FXHSC at 10 x 4.5 in, the short Big Blue format. FXUSC, FXWSC and FXWTC are separate GE cartridges on the same 3 month schedule, and the WS03X10038 O-ring is listed for GXWH04F, GXWH20F and GXWH01C housings.
- Applies to
- GXWH40L
- GXWH35F
- GXWH04F
- Compatibility basis
- No GE spec sheet or manual could be read for this page; every GE page tried was blocked to fetch or rendered as an empty shell. Fit, size and interval come from the listing titles of the GXWH40L system, the FXUSC, FXWSC and FXWTC cartridges, the Aqua Crest and PurePlus FXHSC cross-fits and the WS03X10038 O-ring, checked 2026-09-13.
- Assumptions
- The 10 x 4.5 in size for FXHSC is stated by two cross-fit sellers (Aqua Crest, PurePlus), not by GE; FXHTC’s size is not stated on any page this site could read.
- The 30 to 50 micron, 30 micron and 5 micron ratings and the 16,000 and 15,000 gallon capacities for FXUSC, FXWSC and FXWTC come from the comparison table on the GE Amazon listings, not from a GE document.
- NSF’s certified-product database returned no listing for GE, GE Appliances, FXHSC, FXHTC or GXWH04F under NSF/ANSI 42 on 2026-09-13, so every NSF claim on this page is the listing’s claim.
- Method
- Part numbers, housings named as compatible, cartridge size and replacement interval were copied from each opened Amazon listing title and comparison table; NSF’s public database was queried by company and trade name; EPA’s secondary standards page supplied the iron and manganese figures. Nothing was tested.
- Primary source
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, trade name FXHSC, NSF/ANSI 42 (standards or certification body)
- Facts verified
- Last updated
- Canonical URL
- https://ownerspec.com/water/parts/ge-fxhsc-fxhtc-gxwh04f-whole-house-filter-compatibility/
- Cite as
- OwnerSpec, "GE Whole House Water Filter Replacement: Which FX Cartridge Fits the GXWH40L, GXWH35F and GXWH04F Housings", https://ownerspec.com/water/parts/ge-fxhsc-fxhtc-gxwh04f-whole-house-filter-compatibility/, facts verified 13 September 2026.
Every figure above also appears, with its source, in the page below. All sources ยท How OwnerSpec verifies numbers
The picks
Replacing the whole housing, not just the cartridge
GE GXWH40L whole-house system
Install kit included; replace FXHTC or FXHSC every 3 months, per the listing title
GXWH40L owner who wants the sediment cartridge alone
PurePlus PPL10BB-20 for FXHSC
20 micron pleated, 10 x 4.5 in, 2-pack; listed for GE FXHSC, GXWH40L, Pentek R50-BB and Culligan R50-BBSA
GXWH40L or GXWH35F owner who wants a finer second stage
Aqua Crest FXHSC bundle
5 micron and 20 micron cartridges, 10 x 4.5 in, 2 of each; listed for GE FXHSC, GXWH40L and GXWH35F
Owner of GE's smaller FX-series carbon housing
GE FXWTC carbon cartridge
5 micron carbon, 15,000 gallons, replace every 3 months, per the listing; housing fit not confirmed against a GE document
Housing that drips at the sump after a filter change
WS03X10038 housing O-ring (3-pack)
Third-party O-ring cross-referenced to WS03X10038; listed for GXWH04F, GXWH20F, GXWH20S, GXWH01C, CXWH08C, GXRM10 and GX1S01R
What fits
Replacing the whole housing, not just the cartridge
GE GXWH40L whole-house system
Install kit included; replace FXHTC or FXHSC every 3 months, per the listing title
GXWH40L owner who wants the sediment cartridge alone
PurePlus PPL10BB-20 for FXHSC
20 micron pleated, 10 x 4.5 in, 2-pack; listed for GE FXHSC, GXWH40L, Pentek R50-BB and Culligan R50-BBSA
GXWH40L or GXWH35F owner who wants a finer second stage
Aqua Crest FXHSC bundle
5 micron and 20 micron cartridges, 10 x 4.5 in, 2 of each; listed for GE FXHSC, GXWH40L and GXWH35F
Owner of GE's smaller FX-series carbon housing
GE FXWTC carbon cartridge
5 micron carbon, 15,000 gallons, replace every 3 months, per the listing; housing fit not confirmed against a GE document
Housing that drips at the sump after a filter change
WS03X10038 housing O-ring (3-pack)
Third-party O-ring cross-referenced to WS03X10038; listed for GXWH04F, GXWH20F, GXWH20S, GXWH01C, CXWH08C, GXRM10 and GX1S01R
If the old cartridge fits inside one hand, you are on the wrong page: that is the 10 x 2.5 in standard size, and the 10 inch cartridge compatibility page carries it.
Which cartridges fit the GXWH40L, GXWH35F and GXWH04F?
Every figure below is a listing’s published claim, copied on 2026-09-13; no GE spec sheet or manual was readable and nothing was tested. GE has no standalone Amazon listing for FXHSC or FXHTC under its own brand: the GXWH40L system listing is the only GE page that names them.
| Part | Type | Fits, per the listing that names it | Size | Rating and capacity | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FXHSC | Pleated sediment cartridge | GXWH40L per GE’s system title; GXWH35F per the Aqua Crest cross-fit | 10 x 4.5 in, per Aqua Crest and PurePlus, not GE | Not published by GE on any page read | Every 3 months, per the GXWH40L title |
| FXHTC | Carbon cartridge | GXWH40L per GE’s system title | Not stated on any page read | Not published by GE on any page read | Every 3 months, per the GXWH40L title |
| FXUSC | Polyspun or pleated sediment, “Basic” | Housing not named in the title | Not stated | 30 to 50 micron, 16,000 gallons, per the listing comparison table | Every 3 months, per the title |
| FXWSC | String-wound sediment, “Basic” | GXWH20T, per the listing bullet | Not stated | 30 micron, 16,000 gallons, per the listing comparison table | Every 3 months, per the title |
| FXWTC | Carbon, “Advanced”, chlorine taste and odor | Housing not named in the title | Not stated | 5 micron, 15,000 gallons, per the listing comparison table | Every 3 months, per the title |
The GXWH04F does not appear as a current GE product: a search for it returns the GXWH40L system instead, and NSF’s database returns no product under that trade name either. Take it as a discontinued model number and measure the old cartridge before ordering anything.
FXULC is not a whole-house part. Its only GE listing is the GX1S01R single-stage under-sink system, which names FXUTC, FXULC and FXUVC as its filters on a 6 month schedule, so it does not belong in a GXWH housing.
Every GE cartridge listing above says NSF Certified in its title, and that is the listing’s claim: NSF’s own certified-product search on 2026-09-13 returned no matching products for General Electric or GE Appliances as a company, or for FXHSC, FXHTC or GXWH04F as a trade name. GE does not publish the NSF listing number on any page this site could read.
What else fits the same housing?
A 10 x 4.5 in cartridge is the short Big Blue format, and the two cross-fit sellers that name the FXHSC also name Pentek and Culligan parts of that size. The 20 inch Big Blue compatibility page covers the 20 in length of the same diameter; the two lengths do not interchange, and the 10 in Big Blue cartridges themselves are on the Culligan HF-360 and WH-HD200-C page.
| Alternative | Same size as FXHSC? | Rating, per its listing | What differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| PurePlus PPL10BB-20 | 10 x 4.5 in, listed for GE FXHSC and GXWH40L | 20 micron pleated, 2-pack | Also listed for Culligan R50-BBSA, Pentek R50-BB, DuPont WFHDC3001 and W50PEHD; the micron figure is PurePlus’s, and GE publishes none for FXHSC to compare it with |
| Aqua Crest FXHSC bundle | 10 x 4.5 in, listed for GE FXHSC, GXWH40L and GXWH35F | 5 micron and 20 micron, 2 of each | The 5 micron cartridge is finer than any published GE sediment rating and loads sooner; run it second, behind the 20 micron |
| Any 10 x 4.5 in Big Blue sediment or carbon cartridge | Same format, per the cross-fit sellers’ compatibility lists | Seller’s figure | Compatibility is the seller’s claim; GE names no cross-fit and publishes no housing dimension to check it against |
The micron rating picker sorts the 5 and 20 micron choice by what is in the water. If the problem is dissolved iron or manganese rather than grit, EPA’s secondary standards put iron at 0.3 mg/L and manganese at 0.05 mg/L, and a reading above either needs the iron in well water guide, not a finer cartridge.
Which O-ring seals the housing?
The housing O-ring part number is WS03X10038. No GE-branded listing for it was found; the Koatukys WS03X10038 3-pack is a third-party cross-reference, and its title lists GXWH01C, CXWH08C, GXWH04F, GXWH20F, GXWH20S, GXRM10 and GX1S01R as the housings it fits. The GXWH40L and GXWH35F are not on that list, and GE publishes no O-ring number for them on any page this site could read.
How often do they need replacing?
GE’s published figure is the same on every listing: every 3 months, for the GXWH40L system’s FXHTC and FXHSC and for FXUSC , FXWSC and FXWTC . The gallon capacities are in the table above; GE gives none for FXHSC or FXHTC.
Three things shorten the interval: a well with visible sediment, a pressure drop across the housing, and a 5 micron cartridge placed first in line. The whole-house flow rate calculator shows what a loaded cartridge costs in flow.
Which cartridge to order
The honest flaw on this page is that GE’s own FXHSC cannot be linked: no GE-brand listing exists for the cartridge alone. If you own a GXWH40L and need sediment only, the PurePlus PPL10BB-20 names that housing at 20 micron. If your housing is a GXWH04F, order nothing until you have measured the old cartridge’s diameter, since the only part listing evidence ties to it is the WS03X10038 O-ring .
Frequently asked questions
Which GE replacement filter fits the GXWH40L whole-house housing?
The GXWH40L system's own listing title names FXHTC and FXHSC as its replacement filters, on a 3 month schedule. FXHSC is the pleated sediment cartridge; FXHTC is the carbon cartridge. Two cross-fit sellers, Aqua Crest and PurePlus, size the FXHSC at 10 x 4.5 in; Aqua Crest also names the GXWH35F, so that housing likely shares the same cartridge format.
Is the GE FXHSC or FXHTC cartridge NSF/ANSI 42 certified?
Not in NSF's own database. Searches of NSF's certified drinking water treatment unit listings on 2026-09-13 for the trade names FXHSC and FXHTC under Standard 042, and for the companies General Electric and GE Appliances, all returned no matching products. The GE Amazon listings say NSF Certified, so that is the listing's claim, not a database-verified one.
Does the GXWH04F housing take the same cartridge as the GXWH40L?
Unconfirmed. GXWH04F has no current GE listing, and a search for it returns the GXWH40L system instead, which points at a discontinued model number. What the WS03X10038 O-ring listing does confirm is that GXWH04F, GXWH20F, GXWH20S, GXWH01C, CXWH08C, GXRM10 and GX1S01R share one housing seal, so measure the old cartridge before ordering.
What is the difference between GE FXUSC, FXWSC and FXWTC?
Per the comparison table on their Amazon listings, FXUSC is a 30 to 50 micron polyspun or pleated sediment cartridge rated 16,000 gallons, FXWSC a 30 micron string-wound sediment cartridge rated 16,000 gallons, and FXWTC a 5 micron carbon cartridge rated 15,000 gallons that adds chlorine taste and odor reduction. All three say replace every 3 months. GE's own spec sheet could not be read.
Why fit a sediment or carbon pre-filter on a whole-house line at all?
EPA's secondary drinking water standards list iron at 0.3 mg/L, with rusty color, sediment and staining as the nuisance effects above it, and manganese at 0.05 mg/L, with black to brown color and staining. A whole-house sediment cartridge catches the particulate form; a dissolved reading above those limits needs an iron filter, not a cartridge.
Sources
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, trade name FXHSC, NSF/ANSI 42 (standards or certification body)
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, trade name FXHTC, NSF/ANSI 42 (standards or certification body)
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, company General Electric, NSF/ANSI 42 (standards or certification body)
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, company GE Appliances (standards or certification body)
- NSF Certified Drinking Water Treatment Units search, trade name GXWH04F (standards or certification body)
- EPA, Secondary Drinking Water Standards: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals (government or regulatory source)