RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION MANUAL
INSTALLATION
Installation procedures for Soo-Soft™ Digital Water Softener Systems
Unlike conventional salt-based water softeners, the Soo-Soft™ unit does not require the services of a plumber or electrician for installation. Most homeowners, following these simple instructions will be able to install it themselves in less than one hour. All that is required is that the incoming pipe to the water supply of the house be wrapped with inductor wire and inserted into the control unit. The provided wall transformer is then plugged into the unit and plugged into an outlet or extension cord. If desired the unit can be mounted to a wall or ceiling near the coil. No further installation or maintenance of the unit is required.
COPPER OR PVC PIPE
This unit is only intended for use with copper or PVC pipe. The Soo-Soft™ water coil will not operate correctly on steel pipe. For use in a location that has steel pipe in the building, a plumber must install a section of copper pipe. The coil for the unit can then be installed over the new section of copper pipe. It will then work on the entire plumbing much as it does on a complete copper pipe system. The steel pipes will be cleared of calcium.
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEMS:
LOCATION OF COIL
Locate the water line coming into the home. This is usually at the location of the water meter. Find a section of pipe just after the water meter (about 8 inches long) that can be wrapped with the coil. It does not matter whether the pipe is horizontal or vertical.
If the water meter is located outside of the home and the incoming pipe in concealed inside of a wall you can wrap the pipe that is outside of the home and bring the wires into the house for attachment to the control unit. Only a very small hole is required that can be sealed with conventional caulk.
The control unit can be mounted outside if it is installed into a NEMA type weatherproof enclosure. These are available at an electrical supply and some remodeling stores that sell electrical supplies. The wires can then be routed through holes in the bottom of the NEMA box. The box should be at least three times larger than the control unit to allow for heat dissipation. THE CONTROL UNIT IS NOT WATERPROOF AND SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS.
The coil should be located at least 3 ft from electric motors or high voltage electrical lines to prevent interference with the operation of the coil. High voltage lines are located near electrical panels. A larger field can disrupt the electromagnetic field of the coil and reduce its effectiveness.
WELL WATER SYSTEMS:
LOCATION OF COIL
The coil can be wrapped around a copper or PVC pipe as it leaves the surge tank. Do not locate the coil within three feet of the pump. The coil should be located at least 3 ft from electric motors or high voltage electrical lines to prevent interference with the operation of the coil. A larger field can disrupt the electromagnetic field of the coil and reduce its effectiveness. Also, if there is too much turbulence in the pipe the coil will not be able to operate correctly. The output of the well, surge tank, or a foot or so from the output of the pump will work fine.
IF YOU HAVE A SALT-TYPE WATER SOFTENER
The salt water softener should be by-passed. If it is left in the system, the Soo~Soft™ water softener will remove all the stored calcium and put it into your system. If you must use the existing system for iron filter etc. then install the coil for the Soo~Soft™ conditioner after the existing salt water softener, to eliminate the de-scaling of the old unit. It is recommended that you eventually remove the salt-type unit from the system or the resin beads from the unit. This is for both water taste and the health benefits of calcium and magnesium.
As salt based softeners do not de-scale pipes, you may find that a great deal of calcium is released initially. The water heater should be drained on a monthly basis during this time to eliminate the scale that has accumulated in the system.
WINDING THE COIL
Mount the control unit first. It can be mounted either on a wall or ceiling using the supplied screws or in drywall using the supplied plastic wall anchors. The control box should be mounted no farther than 4 feet from where you intend to wind the coil over the pipe.
Diagram A
The wire for the coil has been provided on a spool. Do not "unwind" all of the wire from the spool. It is much easier to wind the coil directly from the spool.
The residential model has been supplied with 50 feet of wire on a spool. This is enough to wrap a 1- inch pipe and attach to the control unit. Commercial units are supplied with enough wire to wrap a 1 or 2-inch pipe. Included in the package are several wire wraps to aid in wrapping the coil.
Do not cut the wire until after you have completed the coil and brought the end of the wire to the control unit. Begin by unrolling 4 feet or 5 feet of wire from the spool. Take one of the wire wraps and attach the wire to the pipe at the point where you intend to begin the coil. See diagram "B" below. Pass the coil of wire around and around the pipe as shown in the illustration, so that each wire touches the next.
Diagram B
When you have completed about 5 to 5&1/2 inches of coil, stop, and then continue winding the coil back in the direction of where you started. See diagram "C" below.
Diagram C
Wind the second coil on top of the first. When this is complete install another wire wrap at the end of the pipe where you started. The coil is now complete. See diagram "D" below.
Diagram D
Unwind the balance of the wire from the spool and take BOTH wires, the one you used to start the coil and the one at the end of the coil (the remainder of the spool) and bring them over to where the control unit is mounted.
Bring the wires from the control box, cut both wires to length, leaving them long enough to attach to the control unit. Then strip the insulation for about ½ inch at the end and insert them into the connectors by holding down on the spring clip and inserting the bare end of the wire into the hole on the clip. Release the connector and the spring clip should now hold the bare section of the wire firmly.
Take the wall transformer and insert the round connector into the control unit. Install the wall transformer into a wall outlet or extension cord. The light on the control unit should now start flashing GREEN indicating that it is working correctly. The installation is now finished.
If the unit should flash RED or not light at all, see the instructions below.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Condition: NO LIGHT AT ALL
Diagram E
Check to see if the outlet that the unit is plugged into has power. Be certain that the outlet it is not controlled by a switch. Plugging a lamp or other device into the outlet can test this. The Soo-Soft™ unit must be left on at all times.
Diagram F
Be sure that the wires have been inserted into the hole above the spring clip that is used to hold the wire. Do not install the wires under the spring clip itself.
Check that the coil wire has not been cut. It should be one continuous piece of wire from the beginning of the coil to the end.
Check that the insulation has been removed from the ends of the wire where they enter the connector on the control unit. The wire should have bare copper at the end where it goes into the hole on the connector of the control unit.
Check to see that the two bare wires are not touching each other as they enter the control unit.
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