CleanWaterMadeEasy
www.cleanwaterstore.com
Fleck9100SoftenerInstallation&
StartUpGuide
ThankyouforpurchasingaCleanWaterSystem!Withproper
installationandalittleroutinemaintenanceyoursystemwillbe
providingfilteredwaterformanyyears.
YournewsystemcomeswithaprintedFleckServicemanual,which
alongwiththisstartupguidewillhelpguideyouintheinstallationand
startupofyournewsystem.TheFleckservicemanualcoversothertypesofsystemsaswellsuchaswater
softenersandfilters,sotheremaybeinformationinyourFleckservicemanualthatdoesnotpertaintoyour
system.Pleasereviewthisstartupguideentirelybeforebeginningtoinstallyoursystemandfollowthe
stepsoutlinedforbestresults.
Questions?
Callustollfree:18886005426or18314628500
Emailus:[email protected]
Seemoreinformationonourwebsite:www.cleanwaterstore.com/resources
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TableofContents
PackingList............................................................................................................................................................3
PreInstallation......................................................................................................................................................4
BestPracticesforPiping&DrainInstallation........................................................................................................4
Fig1...............................................................................................................................................................5
AddingMedia&InstallationInstructions..............................................................................................................6
Attachingthebrinetubingtothebrinesolutiontank&theFleck9100brinevalve...........................................7
WhattoDoIfYourFilterTankDoesNotSitLevelontheFloor............................................................................8
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PackingList
ModelSize:1.0CubicFootSoftener:
Quantity Description
1 Fleck9100backwashcontrolvalve&bypassvalve
1 Pipeconnectorkit(either1”or¾”)
1 10”x44”filtertankwithdistributortube
1 Mediafunnel
2 ½cubicfootboxesofSoftenerfiltermedia
1 Brinesolutiontank
1 12lbsGravel(ifyouhaveselectedfinemeshresinoption)
ModelSize:1.5CubicFootSoftener:
Quantity Description
1 Fleck9100backwashcontrolvalve&bypassvalve
1 Pipeconnectorkit(either1”or¾”)
1 10”x54”filtertankwithdistributortube
1 Mediafunnel
3 ½cubicfootboxesofSoftenerfiltermedia
1 Brinesolutiontank
1 16lbsGravel(ifyouhaveselectedfinemeshresinoption)
ModelSize:2.0CubicFootSoftener:
Quantity Description
1 Fleck9100backwashcontrolvalve&bypassvalve1 
1 Pipeconnectorkit(either1”or¾”)
1 12”x52”filtertankwithdistributortube
1  Mediafunnel
4 ½cubicfootboxesofSoftenerfiltermedia
1 Brinesolutiontank
1 20lbsGravel(ifyouhaveselectedfinemeshresinoption)
ModelSize:2.5CubicFootSoftener:
Quantity Description
1 Fleck9100backwashcontrolvalve&bypassvalve1 
1 Pipeconnectorkit(either1”or¾”)
1 13”x54”filtertankwithdistributortube
1  Mediafunnel
5 ½cubicfootboxesofSoftenerfiltermedia
1 Brinesolutiontank
1 35lbsGravel(ifyouhaveselectedfinemeshresinoption)
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PreInstallation
1. Reviewyourpackinglistandmakesureyouhavereceivedallthepartsbeforebeginninginstallation.
2. Ifyouaregoingtobeturningoffthewatertothehouseandyouhaveanelectricwaterheater,shut
offthepowertothewaterheaterbeforebeginninginstallationincasewaterheaterisaccidentially
drained.
3. Pickasuitablelocationforyourfiltersystemonadrylevelspotwhereitwon’tbeexposedtofreezing
temperatures.Aminimumof20PSIisrequired.Maximumpressureis90PSI.
4. Getallofyourplumbingpartstogetherbeforebeginninginstallation.Installationtypicallytakes3to
5hours.HoweverafterinstallationtheWatersoftenermustbeallowedtorunthroughacomplete
backwashandrinsecycle(alsocalled‘regeneration’).Youdon’thavetobepresentforthisfirst
backwashnecessarily,butitdoestake90minutes.
5. Afterthesystemisinstalledandrunning,youmaynoticesedimentorcolorinyourwater.Thisoccurs
whensedimentthatishasbeeninthepipesforyearsisdislodgedbythesoftwaterorbythesimple
actofturningthewaterpressuronandofftothehouse.Thisrarelylastsformorethanafewhours
toafewdaysbutifyouhaveoldgalvanizedironpipeandtherustorcolordoesnotstopafterafew
daysitmaymeanthatyourpipesarecorrodedordeteriorated.
BestPracticesforPiping&DrainInstallation
1. Seetypicalinstallation(seeFig1).Thewatersoftenerisinstalledafterthepressuretank.
2. MakesuretoconnecttheinletpipetotheFleck9100inletandtheoutlettotheoutlet(seeFig2).
Youcanseetheinandoutarrowsonthebypassvalvewhichiswherethepipesareconnected.
3. Makesurethereisaworkinggateorballvalvebeforethewatersoftenerandalsooneafterasshown
inthediagram.Ifyouareinstallingmultiplefiltersystems(suchasironfilterthenwatersoftener)
youdonotneedavalveinbetweeneachsystem.Thepressuregaugesareoptionalandnot
necessarybutahosebib(whichisafaucetthatyoucanattachagardenhoseto)isstrongly
recommendedafterthewatersoftenerbeforethesecondballvalve.Thismakesiteasytorinseyour
newsofteneronstartupandgivesyouaplacetotestthewaterbeforeitentersyourhousehold
plumbing.
4. Ifyouwillbeusingcopperpiping,donotsweatthecopperpipedirectlyontotheFleck9100bypass
valve.Avoidheatingupthebypassvalvewiththetorch.
5. Youdonotneedunionstoinstallyourwatersoftener.Ifyouneedtoremoveit,theFleck9100has
quickreleasecouplingsonthebypassvalvethatmakeiteasytoputthewatersofteneronbypass
andremovethefiltersystemfromthepiping.
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6. Thedrainlinetubing(notsupplied)isconnectedtoadrainfromthedrainoutletusingflexible½”ID
tubing.NotethatthedraincanrunupabovetheFleck9100controlandintoadrain,itdoesnot
havetodraindown,asthefilterbackwashesunderlinepressurefromyourwellpump.Most
plumbingcodesrequireanairgapconnection,sothatifyoursewerorseptictankbacksup,itcannot
crossconnectwiththedraintubing.
7. Usuallyyoudonotwanttowaterthegardenorirrigateyourlandscapingwithsoftenedwater.This
willrequiremoresaltthanusualtobeusedandinsomecasesthesodiumcanbuildupinthesoil
causingsomeproblemstosensitiveplants.Itisoftennotdifficulttorunhardwater(notsoftened
lines)totheirrigationtherebybypassingthewatersoftener.Ifyoudowanttoirrigatewithsoftwater
werecommendyouusepotassiumchloridesalt(widelyavailable)insteadofregularsodiumchloride
(watersoftenerrocksalt).Anytypeofsaltthoughcanbeusedinthewatersoftener.
Fig1‐Typicalwatersoftenerpipinginstallationwithballvalveandhosebibafterthefilter
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AddingMedia&InstallationInstructions
1. UnscrewbyhandtheFleck9100controlvalvefromtopofthetanksifitwasshippedscrewedon.
Placedistributortubesintankifnotalreadyinsidetanks.Ifnotalreadydone,makesurebluecapis
ontopofdistributortubes,orwrapthetopofdistributortubeswithelectricalorducttape.Theidea
iswedonotwantgravelorresintogodownthedistributortubewhenyouareaddingmedia.
2. Ifyoursystemcamewithfiltergravel,additfirstusingthefunnelsentwiththewatersoftener.
Dividegravelequallybetweentanks.
3. Nextaddsoftenerresinmedia.Tankwillbeapproximately2/3to3/4full.Divideresinprovideequally
betweentanks.
4. Removecaportapefromtopofdistributortube.Becarefulnottopullupdistributortubewhen
removingcaportape.
5. AttachplastictopscreentotheundersideoftheFleck7000controlvalve.Itisafunnelshaped
plasticscreenthatsnapsontothecontrolvalveandpreventsresinfrombeingbackwashedoutto
drainduringtheregenerationcycles.
6. Ifpossibleatthispoint,filltankcompletelywithwater.Thiswillallowthesoftenerresintosettleand
eliminatetheneedof“purging”theairoutofthetanklater.
Plugortapetopofdistributortubeto
preventmediafromentering.Remove
cap/tapewhenfinished
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7. AddasmallamountofvegetablecookingoiltothetankthreadsandscrewonFleck9100control
valvecarefully.Alternativelyyoucanusesiliconegrease,butdonotusepipejointcompound,Teflon
tape,orVaselineorotherpetroleumgreasestolubricatetankthreads.
8. SeehowtheFleckbypassisconnected.Thereareinandoutarrowsonthebypassvalvefortheinlet
andoutletpipe.Installinletandoutletpiping,draintubingandbrinelinetubing.Thebrinelinetube
isincludedandisshippedinsidethebrinetank.
Attachingthebrinetubingtothebrinesolutiontank&theFleck9100brinevalve
9. Beginbyslidingtheplasticbrineinjectornutontothebrinetubingbyputtingthetubingthroughthe
nonthreadedsideofthenut.Next,slidetheblack(orclear)compressionringontothetubingwith
thenarrowerdiametergoingonfirst.Thenslidethetaller,whitecompressionringontothetubing
withthewiderdiametergoingonfirst.Thetwocompressionringsshouldlayfleshagainsteachother
onthetubing.Slidethemintothebrineinjectornutandplacethebrinetubingintothebrinevalve.
Finally,pushthebrineinjectornut,whichnowhasthecompressionringsinsideofit,ontothe
threadingofthebrinevalveandrotatethenutclockwise,screwingitontothebrinevalve.Tightenit
downtofingertightness.Thetubingshouldbefirmlyattachedandnotslideoutifpulledon.
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10. Notethattheoverflowfittingonthesideofthebrinetankdoesnotneedtobeconnected,unless
thesoftenerisinstalledinaclosetorsomewherewhereoverflowingsaltwatercouldcausea
problem.Waterrarelyoverflowsfromthebrinetankhowever.
11. Addapproximately5gallonsofwatertobrinetank,thenfillbrinetankabout2/3fullofsalt.ItisOK
touseanykindofwatersofteningsalt;howeverwefindthatextracoarsesaltworksbetterthanthe
pellets.Youdonothavetoaddwatertothebrinetankagainafterthisfirsttimeduringthestartup.
12. Closethevalveafterthewatersoftener.Connectagardenhosetothehosebibafterthesoftener
andopenhosebib.Turnonthewatertothesoftenerandallowthewatertorunoutthegarden
hoseuntilthewaterisclear.
13. SeetheFleck9100ServiceManualforinstructionsonhowtoprogramandsetsoftener.YourFleck
9100isalreadyprogrammedforthesizetankyouhave,butyoudoneedtosetthecurrenttimeof
dayandprogramthewatersoftenerwithyourwaterhardness.Whenprogrammingadd2or3
grainsofhardnesstoyourwaterhardnessasasafetymeasureifyouhaveironinthewater.
14. StartamanualbackwashbypressingandholdingtheExtraCyclebuttonfor5seconds.Aftersoftener
hasbeenregeneratingfor20minutes,lookinsidethebrinetank,andyoushouldseethatishas
suckedoutthebrine.Attheendoftheregeneration(90minutes)checktomakesurethatthe
softenerhasaddedwatertothebottomofthebrinetanktomakebrineforthenextregeneration
cycle.
WhattoDoIfYourFilterTankDoesNotSitLevelontheFloor
Yourblackfiltertankbaseisnotgluedtothebottomofyourtank.Occasionallytankbaseswillbecome
crookedduringshipment.Ifyoufindthatthatyourtankdoesnotsitlevelonthefloor,youcaneasilyadjustit
byholdingtheemptytankandrappingitonaconcreteorsolidflooronceortwiceinordertolevelit.
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