Author: John's Atlantis Home office

Cera-soft Installation Instructions
Congratulations on your new purchase! Our water softeners are built with pride to the highest possible standards. Please take care to follow the installation instructions to ensure trouble free operation.
BEFORE INSTALLATION
Test the water pressure (see Item 1). Locate the rising main, drain facilities and electricity supply. Ensure there is only one rising main. Always observe the Water bylaws. Allow room for salt filling, maintenance etc. If you are connecting to a tank fed system ensure that the float valve opens fully. If in doubt fit a delayed shut-off valve such as the Fluidmaster Pro series.
FIND THE BEST LOCATION
The softener requires: A mains water supply; a power supply; a drain outlet; and an overflow. If possible site the softener near to the rising main. Make provision for any hard water draw off points, for example outside taps and drinking water taps.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that the softener and pipe work is not subjected to freezing or unduly high temperatures. Where the softener is installed above ground level fit the softener inside a tank with a rigid overflow pipe. If terminating the overflow outside, ensure that this is not done where damage could occur.
INLET & OUTLET CONNECTIONS
Your softener can have either a 15mm standard kit or a 22m high flow kit, depending upon what was ordered. The standard 15mm kit for use on traditional plumbing systems with a 15mm main, and a storage tank in the loft. The 22mm Hi-flo kit is for use on mega-flow type unvented systems with a 22mm main. You may notice the softener swivels inside the cabinet this is quite normal.
DRINKING WATER
A tap to be used for drinking water must be left on the hard water supply.

FINDING THE CAPACITY

Using your water local authority website you can find your water hardness by the water quality search for your postcode. Then use the chart to find your capacity required.
Example: 15.886 Degrees Clarke round up to 16 Degrees Clarke which would give a capacity setting of 788.
Make a note of your capacity you will need it to program your softener.

My capacity setting is:

PPM	Degrees Clarke	Capacity
143	10	1260
186	13	969
229	16	788
272	19	663
300	21	600
343	24	525
386	27	467
429	30	420
458	32	394

EXAMPLE OF POSTCODE CHECKER

1.TEST PRESSURE
The water pressure needs to be between a minimum of 25 PSI and a maximum of 70-PSI (daytime). Excessive pressure will cause noisy regeneration, overflowing and generally shorten the life of the softener. If the water pressure is too high, fit a pressure-limiting valve, if it is too low a pressure pump is required. Test the pressure at the cold kitchen tap or an outside tap.

2. BYPASS ARANGEMENT
Please note the installation kit is ordered as an extra. Turn off the water supply and make up a bypass arrangement. (Depending on the kit you have ordered you will have either a set of conventional valves or a bypass manifold as shown.) You will need to tee off to any hard water outlets before the bypass set. If fitting a pressure-limiting valve ensure it is fitted before the inlet to the softener.

3. WATER INLET AND OUTLET CONNECTIONS
If you are using the flexible hoses ensure that the rubber washers are in place and then screw on to the inlet/outlet valves. Connect the other ends of the hoses to the inlet/outlet of the water softener. Tighten firmly to avoid leaks (Note: Connecting the hoses the wrong way around will prevent the water softener from working properly). You will need to tee off any hard water outlets before the bypass set. If fitting a pressure-limiting valve, ensure it is fitted before in the inlet of the softener.

Outlet

Inlet

4. DRAIN CONNECTION
Use the jubilee clip to connect the white drain hose to the drain barb on the rear of the control valve.
The hose can be run to a standpipe or an outside gully.
IMPORTANT. The drain and overflow must be run separately – NOT joined together.
IMPORTANT. If running the drain outside ensure it is properly insulated otherwise it will freeze and may cause the softener to overflow.
Provided you have a minimum of 40-PSI inlet pressure you may extend the drain hose up to 30 feet. If the supplied hose is too short it may be extended using 15mm copper tube. The discharge from the softener may be run into a septic tank if required.
IMPORTANT. Ensure that the drain hose is not kinked or restricted, as this may cause the softener to overflow.
Running the drain hose uphill - Provided you have at least 40-PSI inlet pressure the drain hose may be raised up to eight feet.
Ensure the red drain cap is removed before connecting the drain hose.

Drain hose fitted
Drain hose cap

5. CONNECTING THE OVERFLOW
IMPORTANT. It is essential that the overflow runs downhill.
Where the softener is installed above ground level fit the softener inside a tank with a rigid overflow pipe. If terminating the overflow outside, ensure that this is not done where damage could occur.

6. TURN ON WATER SUPPLY
Slowly turn on the main stopcock and run a tap. The first water produced may be amber coloured this is normal.
7. CONNECT POWER SUPPLY
Plug the power supply into a suitable outlet and connect the end of the flying lead into the socket on the softener.
8. ADD SALT
Fill cabinet to around three to four inches from the top with tablet salt. If using granular salt only fill the cabinet half way. Maximum salt capacity 10kg.

9. SET PROGRAMMER
Connect the power supply. The softener will beep and the panel should illuminate.
The display will then scroll through various displays which indicate which mode it is in. Regeneration; “service” soft water mode; which mode is programmed “intelligent upflow”; remaining capacity; and water flow rate.

Before we can program the unit you need to unlock the display. To do this press and hold both the up and down buttons for five seconds. The display will change as shown. A beep will be heard and the lock icon will disappear.

Next press the menu button.

This will bring up the menu as shown.

You need to set the clock for the right time of day.
Press the down button until “set clock” illuminates as shown.

Next press the menu button.

The menu will change as shown.

Use the up and down buttons to set the correct hour.

Press the menu button

Use the up and down buttons to change the minutes.

Press the menu button to save and return to main menu.

Press the down button until advanced settings is illuminated.

Press the menu button.

Press the down button until set residual water is illuminated.

Press the menu button.

Use the up and down buttons to set your capacity. Using the table and postcode checker (see page 1)

Press the menu/confirm button to save.

Press the return to go back to main menu.
Programming is now complete.

Cera-soft Installation Diagram

Description of parts

HOW IT WORKS
Hard water enters the softener and travels down through a bed of ion exchange resin. As the hard water flows through the resin the calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water are exchanged for sodium ions. The softened water then travels out through the flow meter and into the house.
The softening capacity of the resin is limited and it therefore needs to be recharged (known as regeneration). The frequency of regeneration depends on how much water is used and how hard the water is.
The electronic circuitry in your softener monitors water use and the remaining capacity. It then decides when to regenerate. Regeneration normally occurs at 2am.

ISOLATING YOUR WATER SOFTENER
If this softener was purchased with an installation kit, you will either have a bypass manifold or conventional valves.
By turning all three conventional valves (turning 2 off and 1 open) you will have bypassed the water softener
By pushing the plunger in the bypass manifold all the way through you will bypass the water softener

Softener in Bypass

Softener in service

Softenergeeks
Unit 3A Homefield Road
Haverhill
Suffolk
CB98QP

Softenergeeks.com
admin@softenergeeks.com
01507 700373

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