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SECTION 2
PLAN YOUR INSTALLATION
2B.
TOOLS, PIPE AND FWTINGS, OTHER MATERIALS NEEDED
You must first decide
how to run in and out pipes
to the softener.
Look at your house
main water
pipe at the point you will connect
the softener. Is
the
pipe
soldered
copper,
glued
plastic,
or
threaded
galvanized
or brass? What is the pipe
size? What kind of pipe and fittings
is it easiest
for you to work
with,
and what
tools
do you
have?
Now look at the common
plans for in and out
piping on pages 10 (soldered
copper) and 11
(threaded).
Select the drawing best for you and
use it as a guide to plan what materials you will
need. As you plan your in and out piping, keep
in mind the following
check list. Then get all the
materials you will need before you start.
NOTE:
Use page 9 to make a plan drawing for your
specific installation.
Some models
may include
a plastic bypass
valve, an installation kit and a length of drain
tubing.
,f In and out pipes to the softener
must be at
least 3/4 in. size. Some local codes may tell
you to use no less than I in. pipe size (see Note
on pages 10 or 11). You should maintain the
same, or larger, pipe size as the water supply
pipe, up to the softener inlet and outlet.
_t Use copper, brass, or galvanized
pipe and fit-
tings. Some codes may also allow CPVC plas-
tic pipe.
Copper
and
galvanized
pipe
corrode
fast
when
connected
together.
Use pipe and fit-
tings of the same material.
_f You can buy adaptors
to go from a copper or
threaded
main water pipe to CPVC in and out
pipe.
4
,f
Sears has kits and bypass valves you can buy
to help make installing your softener easier.
See pages 10 and 11.
ALWAYS install a bypass
valve
or valves.
Ei-
ther use 3 shut-off
valves,
or I of Sears special
valves. Bypass valves let you turn off water to
the softener,
but still have water in the house
pipes.
Drain tubing (3/8
in. inside
diameter)
is
needed for valve and salt tank drains.
See
steps I and 2 on pages 16 and 17. Some mod-
els include a length of drain tubing, or you
can buy it at most Sears stores.
If a rigid valve drain is needed to comply with
plumbing codes, you can buy the parts need-
ed (see page 16) to change the softener to a 1 /2
in. copper tubing drain.
TOOLS
NEEDED:---Common
and
cross
point (Phillips) screw drivers, slip joint pliers
and a tape measure or rule. ALSO...
...for SOLDERED COPPER -- tubing cutter,
propane torch, solid-core LEAD-FREE solder,
paste flux, emery cloth, sandpaper
or steel
wool.
...for THREADED PIPE -- hacksaw or pipe
cutter, pipe wrenches,
pipe threading tool
pipe joint compound approved for use on po-
table water.
...for CPVC PLASTIC -- hacksaw, adjustable
wrench, solvent cement approved for use on
potable water, primer.
8
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