Before you start anything, turn off the stopcock and open an upstairs tap that is fed from the roof storage tank. Sufficient amounts of water need to be run so that the ball valve feeding tank is opened. Then turn on the kitchen sink cold tap and let it run until it stops. Your rising main is now empty.
Cut the rising main and fit the three valves, as shown, to form a bypass. Install proprietary valves with direction of flow as indicated. If garden taps and hard water drinking taps are fitted, they should be teed off before the bypass. You may have to run additional pipework to alter the existing plumbing. A check valve (complying with BS6282) must be fitted in the rising main before the bypass.
Remove the red plastic caps from the water softener inlet, outlet and drain. Run the pipework from the bypass to the water softener using a WRAS approved flexible hose. Connect the hose connectors, nuts and washers as per the diagram. Important note: If the water pressure is 2 bar or less, the length of the drain tube must not exceed 3m. The discharge point should be below the top of the water softener. The length of the drain tube may be increased by 1m, and the discharge point above the top of the water softener may increase by 0.5m for each 1 bar above 2 bar.
Connect the 3/8” drain tube via the air gap fitting by pushing the tube firmly into the connection. Run the tube to a convenient drain and connect it via the air gap fitting. If the drain runs outside, it must be protected from freezing.
Connect the overflow hose to the overflow elbow on the side of the cabinet. No securing clip is necessary as it is not under pressure. The hose should be run downhill all the way and terminate at the exterior of the building if possible.
With the bypass and outlet valve closed, slowly open the inlet valve to the water softener. Then open the outlet valve and allow the soft water kitchen tap to flush the pipework. After a few minutes, close the kitchen tap and check the pipework for leaks. Manually fill the water softener with water via a jug until there is sufficient water to cover the salt platform, on which the blocks sit, by approximately 10 mm (1/2”).
Please check installation guide enclosed within the softener box.
