Water Softener Manual

(NOTE: THIS IS THE 36K MODEL NOT THE 40K MODEL. THE SYSTEMS ARE IDENTICAL OTHER THAN CAPACITIES. THIS MANUAL IS INTENDED TO BE A GUIDE FOR INSTALLATION OR TROUBLESHOOTING.)

CLICK HERE to go to the Troubleshooting Guide.

Introduction:

The SP36 water softener is very efficient in its salt and water usage. The system is completely automatic and will contribute to better and longer service of all your water using appliances. There is very little maintenance to a water softener and the SP36 will give you many years of trouble free use. This system has been engineered with the finest quality components and materials. You'll soon be enjoying better water quality and the personal health benefits that come from soft water use.

Specifications:

TOTAL GRAIN CAPACITY             36,000
Maximum Water Hardness 100 Grains GPG
Maximum Ferrous Iron 5 PPMS
Minimum pH 7
Salt Efficiency 3000-5000 Grains Per Lbs.
Water Efficiency (with low water, use piston) Approximately 29 Gallons Per Regeneration
Regeneration Length Approximately 80 Minutes
Water Pressure 30 min.-100 max. PSI
Service Flow Rate/Maximum Flow Rate 12 GPM/16 GPM
Temperature 40° to 120° F
By-Pass Valve Size 3/4" or 1"
Drain Line Size 1/2"
Electrical Continuous 110 Volt, 60 Cycles
System Dimensions: Resin Tank/Brine Tank 9"Dx52"H/18"Dx33"H
Salt Storage Capacity 320 Lbs.
Approximate Weight 95 Lbs.
Water Pressure Drop at 5 GPM .6-1.0 PSIG

Warnings:

  1. Do Not Let Unit Freeze.
  2. Hook Up TO Cold Water Supply Only.
  3. Check Existing Plumbing And Repair Prior to Install Of Water Conditioner.
  4. Improper Installation May Void Warranty. Read Manual Completely Before Installation.
  5. Do Not Lay Unit Down On it's Side, Or Drop, OR Set On Sharp Protrusions.
  6. Avoid Setting Unit in Direct Sunlight Or Outside, If Possible.
  7. Do Not Use Soft Water On Your Outside Faucets For Watering Or Sprinkling.
  8. Check With You Evaporative Cooler Company To See What They Recommend About Soft Water Use In Their Coolers.
  9. Check With Your Pool Company To See What They Recommend About Soft Water Use In Their Pools.
  10. Never Let Your Water Softener Run Out Of Salt. Can Void Your Warranty.

 

Installation Inspection:

IS YOUR HOME PRE-PLUMBED?

Your home is pre-plumbed for a water softener if you have a loop in the garage or laundry room. Typically, there will be 110 volt outlet within 6 feet of the loop and a 1/2" drain line stubbed out of the wall. If your home is pre-plumbed, skip now t Step1 of Installation Procedures.

Caution: Before starting system up, check water softener drain line to insure that it will drain properly.

 

IF YOUR HOME IS NOT PRE-PLUMBED

If your home is not pre-plumbed for a water softener then we recommend calling for professional installation. If you are attempting to install the system yourself, you must determine where to locate the water softening system.

The best location depends on several questions:

  1. How will you get the water from the water main to the water softener?
  2. Where will you run the drain line?
  3. Where is a 110V outlet within 6 feet of the softener? Optional: Use a 24 volt timer motor and transformer. Run a longer wire to most any 110V outlet.
  4. Do you need to run a hard water line to your outside hose bibs, pool filters or sprinkler system?
  5. Where can the water softener sit on a firm, fairly level concrete floor or slab?

If you've determined the location of you water softener, taking into account the above factors, and determined what materials and tools will be needed for installation, you are now ready to move onto Step 1 of The Installation Procedures.

 

INSTALLATION PROCEDURES:

STEP 1 - CONNECT TO WATER SUPPLY

  1. Shut off main water supply to the house. Open the highest faucet in the house and then the lowest (if there is water in the pipes, you can't soldier). Cut the plumbing at you loop or main water line. Wait until all water drains out of the plumbing.
  2. Connect your incoming cold water supply to the inlet side of the by-pass valve (designated by a directional flow arrow). The by-pass valve comes standard with 3/4" ports (optionally available in 1" ports). Warning: Be sure you do not connect incoming water-flow to the outlet side of the water softener. This can damage the water softener and your household plumbing.
  3. Connect the outgoing softened water side of the by-pass valve back to the other side of you loop or to your main water line feeding your home.

STEP 2 - CONNECT TO DRAIN

Typical Drain Line Runs To: A floor drain, washing machine drain, sanitary sewer line with p-trap,a sink drain, or a sump. CAUTION: Check with all local plumbing codes to insure proper installation in your area. An air gap may be required.

  1. Unscrew black plastic drain nipple on water softener. Teflon. Screw back into water softener but do not over tighten. (Finger tighten, then one full turn with a wrench). Slide a 1/2" tube over ridged drain nipple. It should not come off with a firm pull. Depending on type of tubing used, you may want to tighten drain line down on nipple with hose clamp.
  2. If home is pre-plumbed, connect 1/2" drain line from water softener to 1/2" drain stubbed out of wall. CAUTION: Be sure the drain line discharges properly into a drain to prevent flooding.
  3. If home is not pre-plumbed, run drain line to an appropriate drain. Drain line can not be run over 50 feet without increasing drain line to 3/4" and the drain line cannot be run with a vertical rise of more than 10 feet above the water softener.

STEP 3- PLUG SYSTEM TO OUTLET

  1. The electrical cord is 6' long and can be plugged into any 110 volt, 60 cycle continuous current outlet.
  2. If no outlet is within 6', an optional 24 volt timer motor and transformer can be acquired to run most any 110 volt outlet in your home or garage.
  3. Plug the system in and you are ready to go.

STEP 4 - SYSTEM START UP

  1. Put by-pass valve into the by-pass position.
  2. Turn on main water supply to the house.
  3. Close the open household faucets once all the air is out of lines. Check for leaks.
  4. Turn the by-pass valve approximately 1/3 of a turn toward the in service position and allow the water to slowly fill the softener's resin tank. Once the tank is full, open by-pass all the way to the in service position. Check for leaks.

STEP 5 - SET THE VALVE

Before setting the valve, test how many grains hard your water supply is.

Metered Valve

TO PROGRAM, just set the time, set the hardness and you softener automatically regenerates only when necessary. To set time of day, press red time set button and turn 24 hour gear until present time of day is opposite "time of day". Set program wheel by lifting the "people" dial and rotating it so that the number of people in the household is aligned with the grains per gallon water hardness scale. Release the dial and check for firm gear engagement at setting.

STEP 6 - START-UP PROCEDURE

  1. Turn regeneration knob to the backwash position. Check drain to be sure it's properly draining. Allow to flow for 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Turn knob to the brine rinse cycle for 1 minute. Turn knob to the rapid rinse cycle for 1 minute. Turn knob to brine refill. Brine tank should start to fill with water. The regeneration knob will continue to rotate by itself to the in service position (approximately 7 minutes). The brine tank should have approximately 3" to 4" of water in it at the end of the brine refill cycle.
  3. Add between 150 to 300 lbs. of water softening pellet salt to the brine tank. Refill the salt when you can see the water under the salt. Approximately every 3 to 6 months.
  4. The resin tank is pre-charged at the factory to give you soft water immediately ot of the cold water faucet. Your hot water tank will take a couple of days before the water in it is completely soft, unless you drain the tank completely.

TROUBLE SHOOTING GUIDE

Some basic areas to check before calling for service:

  1. Is there any salt in the brine tank? Is the salt bridged above the water?
  2. Is the system plugged in? Is it a continuous current outlet? Has a fuse or circuit breaker blown?
  3. Check time of day for accuracy.
  4. Is bypass valve in the service position?
  5. Is drain line kink free?
  6. Is meter cable inserted into the meters port?
PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION
Softener fails to regenerate.

 

 

 
  1. Electricity interrupted to system
  2. Timer motor defective.
  3. Power failure.

 

 
  1. Assure continuous current outlet, fuses ok, plug system in.
  2. Replace timer motor.
  3. Reset time of day.

 

 
Softener is not softening.

 

 

 

 

 
  1. Bypass valve is in the bypass position.
  2. No salt in brine tank.
  3. Internal leak.
  4. Hot water is hard.
  5. System may not be regenerating often enough

 

 
  1. Move bypass valve to service position.
  2. Add salt to brine tank above water level
  3. Replace seals, spacers, piston or distributor tube.
  4. Drain hot water tank and fill with soft water.
  5. Increase hardness setting.

 

 

 
Unit uses too much salt.
  1. Excessive water in brine tank.
  1. Brine draw not functioning. Clean injectors.
Loss of water pressure.
  1. Iron build up in water conditioner.
  2. Inlet of control plugged.
  1. Clean control and add resin cleaner. Increase regeneration frequently.
  2. Remove piston and clean control of foreign material.
Iron in conditioned water.
  1. Fouled resin bed.
  1. Add resin cleaner, increase frequency of regeneration.
Too much water in brine tank.
  1. Plugged drain line flow control.
  1. Clean flow control. Put system into brine, rinse and draw until only 4" of water is left in bottom of brine tank.
Softener fails to drain brine.
  1. Internal controls leak.
  2. Injectors plugged.
  1. Change seals,spacers, or piston.
  2. Clean injectors.
Valve cycles continuously.
  1. Faulty timer mechanism.
  1. Replace timer motor.
Drain flows continuously.

 

 
  1. Internal control leak.
  2. Timer motor stopped or jammed.
  3. Control valve jammed in brine or backwash position.
  1. Replace seals, spacers or pistons.
  2. Replace timer motor.
  3. Replace seals, spacers or pistons.

 
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