4
1. Place the conditioner where you want to install, making sure
it is level and on a firm base.
2. Do all necessary plumbing (inlet to inlet, outlet to outlet and
minimum 1/2" inside diameter drain line to drain). All plumbing
should be done in accordance with local plumbing codes.
3.
Important: Solder joints within 6" of the control valve must
be presoldered to assure that the control valve is protected
from any excessive heat.
4. Use only Teflon tape or paste on the drain fitting.
Important:
Hand tighten the drain fitting only, and if necessary, a partial
turn with a wrench. Do not tighten the fitting excessively or it
may crack the injector body. Install with a proper air gap.
5. Connect the brine line found in the salt tank to the brine
connection on the lower right side of the control valve with
compression fittings in cloth bag attached to the control
valve. Remove the nut, gripper and retainer sleeve from
the safety brine valve elbow and insert tubing through nut,
gripper and retainer sleeve. Install tubing insert (
taped to
brine well cap) inside tubing and attach tubing to safety
brine valve elbow. Make sure the floor is clean beneath the
salt tank and that it is level.
Note: On cabinet models, the brine line is connected at the
factory. Make sure the floor is clean beneath the cabinet
tank and that it is level.
6. On demand meter models, insert meter cable into meter dome.
7. A 1/2” (inside diameter) gravity drain line should be con-
nected to the overflow elbow on the side of the salt tank and
run to a drain below the level of the elbow. This overflow
drainage system provides protection from water damage
in the event of a brine shut-off malfunction. Tubing is not
provided to do this. I
n all cases where an overflow could
result in water damage for various reasons, this overflow
protection must be used. Do not connect the tubing to
the drain line on the control valve discharge line and do
not run this line above the overflow elbow height at any
point. Provide air gap.
sOfT WaTer basiCs
hardness
Excess amounts of calcium and magnesium in water produce
hardness. A water softener removes the majority of calcium and
magnesium to produce softened water.
Hardness is measured in terms of grains. (This grain weight
is derived from the average weight of a dry grain of wheat.) When
your water is tested the grain hardness is calculated and expressed
as grains per gallon (gpg). This calculation, as well as the number
of people in your household will help determine what type and
size of water softener will most efficiently soften your water.
Your water softener contains an ion exchange media
(sometimes called resin or ion exchange material) which removes
the hardness from water as it flows through the softener tank.
Eventually so much hardness collects on the exchange media
that the softener can no longer soften water. At this point it is
considered "exhausted". Regeneration is now necessary.
regeneration
To regenerate the exchange media, it must be rinsed with a
brine (salt) solution. This removes the hardness from the exchange
media and replaces it with sodium. The exchange media is then
ready to remove hardness from water. The hardness minerals
and excess brine solution are rinsed down the drain.
During the regeneration cycle the softener is also back-
washed. This reversing of the normal flow of water serves to
Pre-insTallaTiOn CheCk lisT
Water Pressure: A minimum of 20 pounds of water pressure
(psi) is required for regeneration. Maximum water pressure120
psi.
Water Quality: On rural water supplies there is often a problem
with sand or sediment in the water. (This occasionally occurs in
public water supplies also.) A sediment filter is recommended to
prevent plugging of the resin bed with sand or sediment. Well
and/or pump problems affecting the operation of the softener,
such as sediment are NOT covered under warranty. To prevent
unnecesary and expensive repairs not covered by warranty,
install an in-line sediment filter ahead of softener.
Electrical: A continuous 110 volt 60 cycle current supply is
required. Make certain the current supply is uninterrupted and
cannot be turned off with another switch. All electrical con-
nections must be connected per local codes. Surge protection
is recommended with all electric controls.
Existing Plumbing: Existing plumbing must be free from lime
and iron build-up. Piping that is built-up heavily with lime and/or
iron must be replaced. If pipe is blocked with iron, additional
equipment must be installed ahead of the water softener to
correct the problem.
Drain Line: The conditioner should be located close to a drain.
Avoid overhead drain lines if possible to prevent back pressure
on the brine injector. Overhead drains should not exceed 8 feet
above the floor and no more than 20 feet in length. Backwash
flow rates in excess of 7 gpm or length in excess of 20’ require
1” drain line.
All drain lines must be 1/2" I.D. or larger.
Bypass Valves: Always provide for the installation of a bypass
valve.
Softening: It is recommended that the conditioner be installed
to soften both the hot and cold water supply. A separate hard
water faucet may be plumbed for drinking purposes if desired.
Outside faucets should be left on hard water.
Caution: Water temperature is not to exceed 110°F; the condi-
tioner cannot be subject to freezing conditions, or to a vacuum
due to loss of pressure (such as a water main break).
remove sediment which may have accumulated during the soft-
ening process due to the filtering action of the exchange media.
Backwashing also loosens and fluffs up the bed of exchange
media to insure that during regeneration the brine solution will
come into contact with all the media.
Maintenance of your softener
Salt to a softener is what gasoline is to a car. Not only
must a softener have salt, but it should be the proper type to
insure efficient recharging of the unit. Ask your dealer what type
of salt may best suit your needs. Always have an adequate
supply of salt on hand. Check the salt level of your brine tank
every couple of weeks initially to determine how much salt you
use - this will depend on how much water you use. As a rule of
thumb, with 20 gpg hard water, about a 1/2 lb. of salt per person
per day is used. In other words, a family of four uses 60lbs. of
salt a month. If your household does not use much water, do
not fill your salt keeper over 1/2 full, salt bridging may occur in
the brine tank. This may result in hard water due to ineffective
regeneration.
Add salt to your salt tank before the salt level
falls below the water level (bottom one-third of tank). Fill the
tank approximately three-fourths full.
Salt tanks may require periodic cleaning. Inspect it at least
once a year for buildup of insoluble materials. See page 10 for
salt tank cleaning instructions.
insTallaTiOn insTruCTiOns
