Assembly of the Aquatell ProSoft 2 Series Water Softeners

Your new ProSoft 2 water softener requires a small amount of assembly before it can be installed. Before beginning the assembly and installation process we strongly recommend that you position the Media Tank and Brine Tank where they will ultimately be installed. Have a look at the Aquatell Water Softener Installation Schematic to learn where the system should be installed.

The assembly of your new Aquatell ProSoft 2 Series water softener involves the following steps:

1. Installation of the Control Valve on the Media Tank
2. Connection of the Bypass Valve & Yoke to the Control Valve
3. Connection of the Brine Line to the Safety Float
4. Connection of the Brine Line to the Control Valve

Installing The Control Valve

The installation of the control valve is a critical step in the assembly of the system. Please follow these steps carefully:

• Remove the cap from the Media Tank: The cap unscrews from the media tank to reveal the riser tube and the lip of the tank:

• Reposition the Riser Tube: Often in transit, the riser tube will be pushed to the side of the tank opening when the media in the tank moves. The riser tube should be re-positioned so it's closer to the center of the opening (but doesn't have to be exactly in the center). There are a couple of ways to do this. You can pull the riser tube to the other side while shaking the media tank. Or, you can put the tank on a 45-degree angle and roll it while pulling the riser to the side. Either will work. Again, it does not need to be perfectly centred.
• Brush softening resin from the tank threads: Brush any resin from the tank threads and the riser tube to prevent them from interfering with the installation and sealing of the control valve on the tank.
• Apply lubricant to the Riser and Tank Lip: Using the silicone lubricant that's provided, apply a thin layer of lubricant to the tank lip surface and the outer surface of the top 1/2" of the riser tube.
• Connect the upper media screen to the Control Valve: The upper media screen is a cone-shaped plastic basket that affixes to the underside of the control valve. It fits into a groove in the underside of the control valve. This groove has "tabs" that correspond with openings in the larger end of the upper media screen. Line up the tabs with the openings and push the media screen into the groove. It then locks into place with a small turn so it looks like this:

• Lower the control valve onto the media tank: Do a quick check to make sure that the o-ring is on the underside of the control valve and hasn't fallen off. Lower the upper media screen onto the riser tube and into the valve body. As the riser tube passes through an internal o-ring in the control valve there will be some resistance. Push down on the control valve until the valve threads can engage with tank threads. Thread the control valve onto the tank in a clockwise motion (if viewed form overhead). When the valve o-ring contacts with the lip of the tank there will be some natural resistance to the continued turning of the valve. At this point, give the valve an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn but not more than this. Over-tightening of the the control valve can cause damage to the tank or the control valve that can result in poor seal and a leak.

Connecting The Bypass Valve & Plumbing Yoke

The bypass valve is a set of two valves that can be used to either supply water to the softener for treatment or can be repositioned to divert water around the softener. The bypass valve connects just behind the control valve meter, and the plumbing yoke connects to the bypass valve:

Follow these steps to connect the bypass valve and the yoke to the control valve:

• Lubricate the O-Rings on the Flow Meter: The flow meter terminates in two stems and each stem has an o-ring. Use a small amount of the silicone lubricant provided to lubricate both of these o-rings.
• Install the Bypass Valve: Push the Bypass Valve onto the Flow Meter and make sure it seats all the way.
• Lubricate the O-Rings on the Bypass Valve: The Bypass terminates in two stems and each stem has an o-ring. Use a small amount of the silicone lubricant provided to lubricate both of these o-rings.
• Install the Metal Clips: A pair of metal clips and screws are used to secure the bypass to the meter and the bypass to the yoke. There are 4 clips in total to install (two on each side) and one pair that are factory-installed to hold the meter to the valve body. The proper installation of these clips is important in ensuring the assembled apparatus does not leak, however, it is important to understand that these clips simply hold the components in place and do not help them to seal properly (this is accomplished by the o-rings). Excessive tightening of the clips will not make the connection point more secure and will often result in damage to the components. If you find a leak in this apparatus after installation it is rarely due to the under-tightening of the metal clips.

Connection of the Brine Line to the Safety Float

The Brine Line is a 3/8" plastic tube that serves as the connection between the control valve and the brine tank:

The Brine Line carries brine solution from the brine tank during regeneration and fresh water to the brine tank at the end of the regeneration. Creating airtight and watertight connections at each end of the brine line is critical to the proper functioning of the softener. An incorrect connection at either end of the brine line is the single most common reason for softener malfunction. So please follow these instructions carefully.

The brine line connects to the brine tank by interfacing with the safety float. The safety float is found in the brine well by removing the brine well lid:

Removing the lid reveals hexagonal nut. This nut is the top of the safety float and connection point for the brine line:

With one hand under the nut, unscrew it and carefully remove it. Inside the nut there will be a black retaining ring and white ferrule. Remove both of these. Pass one end of the brine line through the upper hole in the brine tank and into the brine well. Using the photo below as a guide, position the nut, retaining ring and ferrule on the brine line:

Push the nut towards the threaded fitting and drag the retaining ring and ferrule along with it. Ensuring that the brine line is held into the threaded fitting, hand tighten the Nut. You can give the nut an extra 1/4 turn with a wrench, but not more than this. Give the brine line a gentle tug to ensure it's connected well. It should not budge.

If you're unhappy with the connection for any reason, it can be undone, however, if the retaining ring or ferrule have scored the plastic brine line, you may want to trim the scored portion of tube before you try again to ensure an air/water tight seal. Use a sharp knife to make a clean, square cut, and then try again.

Connection of the Brine Line to the Control Valve

The brine line needs to be connected to the control valve and this is accomplished in much the same way as the connection to the brine tank from the last step. The brine line connects to the brass port on on side of the control valve:

The compression fittings that are used to connect the brine line to this brass port are found in the "small parts" kit shown here:

To connect the brine line to the brass port on the control valve, arrange these fittings on the brine line as shown in the photo (a brass tube stay is likely already in the end of the brine line):

The photo shows the "expanded" view so you can see each component. To prepare the brine line to be connected with the brass connection port on the control valve, make sure the tube stay is pushed all the way in and that the filter screen is fully inserted into the tube stay. Then push the end of the brine tube into the brass port on the control valve and finger-tighten the brass nut. It's important to ensure that the tube stays fully inserted into the brass port while you tighten the nut. You can use a wrench to turn the brass nut another 1/4 to 1/2 turn but not more than this. Once the connection is made, tug slightly on the brine line - it should not move in or out of the port at all.