Before You Begin - A.O. Smith Pro AOW-S400 Owner's Manual

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

4
Test Your Water
The first step in setting up your appliance is determining what elements are contained in
your water supply. Use one of the options below to determine characteristics of your water.
• Call Your Water Provider- For municipal
water, call your water department to
determine the hardness and pH of your
water supply.
• Test Strips - If test strips are provided,
follow the instructions on the test strips. If
the color on your test strip is between two
readings, use the higher number. Compare
the colors as soon as you remove them
from your water.
• Hardness Test - The resulting number
gives the hardness in grains per gallon
(gpg) and/or parts per million (ppm or
mg/L).
NOTICE: If the water supply contains sand, sulfur, bacteria, iron bacteria, tannins, algae, oil, acid, or other
unusual substances, consider pretreating the water to remove these contaminants before the water supply
enters the water softener, unless the water softener is certified to treat these contaminants.
Other Things To Know
Water Pressure - If water is municipally/
well supplied, then water pressure must be
greater than 20 psi (1.4 bar) and less than
120 psi (7 bar). If water is from a well, then
water pressure must be greater than 40 psi
(2.8 bar) and less than 120 psi (7 bar).
Water Temperature - Not less than 40° F
(4° C) or greater than 120° F (49° C).
Water Supply Flow Rate - A minimum
of 2.0 gallons (7.6 liters) per minute
is recommended. For the purposes of
plumbing sizing, only the rated service flow
rate and corresponding water pressure loss
may be used. Prolonged operation of a
water softener at flow rates exceeding the
tested service flow rate may compromise
performance.
NEED HELP? GIVE US A CALL 833.232.9712
• pH Test - The pH number is used to rate
the level of acidity or alkalinity of water
soluble substances. Water should have a
pH of 7.
• Testing Laboratory - To ensure proper
settings, have a sample of your untreated
water tested for hardness, iron and pH.
To find a water testing facility, check
online or in the Yellow Pages under Water
Analysis or Water Testing. Alternatively,
contact the company below to conduct a
test for you. National Testing Laboratories,
Ltd.1-800-458-3330 www.watercheck.com.
Drain - Connect water softener to an
appropriate drain, such as a floor drain or
washer drain that will comply with all local
and state plumbing codes. To prevent back-
siphoning, provide an adequate air gap or a
siphon break. (see Installation Steps)
Power Supply - The transformer supplied is
for a standard 110 volt, 60-cycle AC outlet
or 220 volt, 50-cycle AC outlet for locations
outside North America.
Iron - A common problem found in many
water supplies is iron. It is important to
know what type of and how much iron is in
the water supply.
NOTICE: If ferrous iron is not present in your
water, please skip the next page.