SDM 300 WATER SOFTENERS.

GENERAL

The Water Icon SDM range of water softeners has been designed to remove the hardness salts
present in most municipal and borehole water supplies. All Top mounted Valves are on FRP
vessels only the 400 and 600 models are available side mounted on steel epoxy vessels.
Please note regardless of mounting position both valves operate the same way.

WHAT IS HARDNESS?

Hard water is formed as rain water passes through a layer of rock containing calcium and
magnesium. These minerals are dissolved and together are themed hardness. The more
calcium and magnesium salts that are dissolved then the harder the water and as such water
hardness levels can be expected to vary from region to region

WHY REMOVE HARDNESS?

In industrial situations hardness causes 2 main problems:

1. SCALE DEPOSITION

The calcium and magnesium salts precipitate out of solution when heated causing a solid crust
to be formed as can be seen in domestic kettles. This scale is a good insulator and must be
avoided in boilers to ensure they operate efficiently as just 3mm of scale on a heating element
can lead to a 25% increase in energy consumption

2. SCUM FORMATION

Scum is formed as a result of the reaction between hardness salts and soaps and leads to
wastage of soap because more is required with hard water than with soft water
HOW DOES A SOFTENER WORK?

In a water icon softener the hardness salts are removed using a specially selected ion
exchange resin. The hard water is passed over the resin which retains the hardness salts and
in turn exchanges them for sodium removing the hardness. This process continues until the ion
exchange resin is saturated with calcium and magnesium salts and is exhausted. The resin is
then regenerated by passing it through a solution of sodium chloride which displaces the
calcium and magnesium to drain and returns the resin to its original condition, ready to soften
more water.

HOW DOES THE SOFTENER KNOW WHEN TO REGENERATE?

The Water Icon range of SDM softeners continually monitor the volume of water being passed
to service using a water meter. This meter passes a signal to the control head so that after a
pre-set volume of water has been treated a regeneration will be initiated.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING REGENERATION?

When the meter initiates a regeneration the standby softener automatically comes on line and
the exhausted unit regenerates. Regeneration occurs automatically and involves a number of
timed cycles.

BACKWASH

To remove any impurities that may have accumulated on the resin it is first backwashed by
passing water from the bottom to the top of the resin

BRINE DRAW/ SLOW RINSE

The brine is drawn from the brine tank by means of an injector. When all the brine has been
drawn it is rinsed slowly through the bed to ensure it is well dispersed.

FAST RINSE

Any residual brine not taken up by the resin is next rinsed to drain along with the last of the
calcium and magnesium salts in the system
BREAK TANK REFILL

With the softener regenerated the brine tank is refilled with the correct volume of water to form
brine ready for the next regeneration. A minimum of a bag of salt (models 300 &400) and two
bags of salt (SDM600) should always be present in the brine tank as 150 grams of salt is
required per litre of resin in order for regeneration to take place. 1 bag of salt is 50kg

SOFTENER COMPONENTS

The softener is supplied complete with:

 Two vessels
 Two control valves with controller
 One meter
 One polyethylene brine tank
 Two riser pipes and distributors
 Resin
Model SDM 300 SDM400 SDM600
Regeneration Auto Auto Auto
Initiation 2” meter 2” meter 2” meter
Valve model 2910 2910 2910
DLFC 12 20 25
BLFC 3.5 4 7
Injector 4C 5C 6C
Vessel Diam (M) 0.61FRP 0.91FRP 0.91 FRP
Vessel height on 1.2 1.2 1.2
straight (M)
Brine tank height (M) 1.18 1.18 1.18
Brine tank Diam (M) 0.9 0.9 0.9
Minimum working 200 200 200
pressure (KPa)
Maximum working 500 500 500
pressure (KPa)
Resin Volume(L) 300 x 2 400 x 2 600 x 2
Salt consumed per 45 60 90
regen (Kg)
Connections: 2” 2” 2”
Valve inlet (NPT
Female)
Valve Outlet (NPT 2” 2” 2”
Female)
Meter Outlet (NPT 2” 2” 2”
Female)
Drain (NPT Male) 1” 1” 1”
INSTALLATION

Prior to Installation check:

1. Operating pressures are within required limits

2. Water to be treated is clean, cool and colourless
3. Suitable drain and electrical supply are available

The vessels should be mounted on a level concrete foundation preferably adjacent to the
pipeline to which it is to be connected with the brine tank nex to it.If the riser pipe and control
valve are not already mounted on the vessel and pre-assembled, this will have to be done.
Trial fit the interconnecting pipe work.
Remove the valve
Load the correct volume of resin
Pass the riser pipe with the bottom distributor through the resin bed so that the open tube is
central in the top hole.
This process can be simplified by passing a hose pipe down the riser pipe and passing the riser
through the resin with water running. This decompacts the resin easing the riser’s path.
Ensure there are no resin beads caught in the vessel thread, on the top or fouling the O ring
seal.

Screw the valve carefully in place whilst locating the riser pipe in position. Assemble the
interconnecting pipework and fit the remote meter in the outlet line.
The plant can now be piped in.
Connect the raw water to the softener inlet.
Connect the treated water to the meter outlet.
Connect a suitable drain to the drain outlet.
Connect the brine tank to the brine draw valve with the flexible pipe provided.
The unit is now installed and ready for commissioning
COMMISSIONING

1. Connect the two control heads and remove meter together with the cables supplied.

2. Connect the electrical supply

3. Remove the plastic covers from the control valves by loosening the thumb screw at the rear
and open the cover of the remote meter

4. Check that one plant is in the service position with both pistons fully out and the service
position indicator aligned with the service arrow. If the pistons aren’t in the correct position,
manually index the valve by turning the standby position with both pistons fully in.

5. Turn on the water supply by opening the inlet and outlet valves and closing the bypass. Run
the water to drain until the air is expelled from the system.

6. Remove the meter drive cable by pulling it from the meter dome.

7. Manually engage the drive gear on the meter by turning the manual regeneration knob in a
clockwise direction. When the gear engages, allow the meter to drive electrically. The Knob will
turn automatically for 6 minutes and stop with the white knob back at the pointer.

8. In approximately 5 minutes the back wash starts on the softener that was in service and the
unit that was on standby goes into service

9. Again open the outlet valve to expel any air then close it and return the softener head which
is regenerating. The time periods for the various stages of the regeneration are factory set and
we do not advise that these are altered without prior reference to Water icon. The timed brine
refill should, however, be checked. This is best done in the following manner.

10. Unclip the timer panel and pull outward on its hinge and on the back you will see the
programme wheel. The program wheel has a number of holes in which pins are inserted which
a microswitch will follow. Both the presence of the pins and their absence is significant.

1st holes Dwell

1st Pins Backwash
2nd holes Brine draw and slow rinse
2nd Pins Rapid rinse
3rd holes Brine tank refill
3rd Pins End cycle
11. Allow the time to drive electrically to the brine refill position and then to complete the cycle

12. When the brine refill stops the level in the tank should be checked against the figures in the
table above. As the flows are pressure dependant the times should be adjusted to give the
correct brine levels.

13. To adjust the brine refill time the power should be off. The programme wheel can be
removed by pressing the tabs inwards and lifting off. The two final pins should then be moved
using a pair of pliers closer or further away from the rapid rinse pins as required to adjust to the
level required. Each hole or pin represents 2 minutes of filling time. The wheel can then be
replaced and the power turned back on.
Once the time has been checked salt can be added to the brine tank. At this point it is
worthwhile ensuring that the resins are fully regenerated by preforming a manual regeneration.
Manually engage the drive on the remove meter by turning the manual regeneration knob in a
clock wise direction. This starts the regeneration sequence after 6 minutes.
The softener must now be set so that regeneration occurs at the correct frequency. This is very
much dependent upon the hardness of the water to be treated and should be indicated in your
quotation.

Your Water Icon office would be pleased to confirm this given

a) The hardness of your raw water or a litre sample.
b) The model of softener
c) Your daily water usage.

The calculated capacity is the volume of water which the unit will soften between regenerations.
This is set on the meter as follows:-
14. Lift the clear plastic bezel in the centre of the capacity wheel and align the required volume
with the capacity arrow.
15. Replace the meter cable into the meter.
The unit is now ready for use.
NORMAL OPERATION

Under normal operation the water flows through the inlet in the control valve to the top of the
resin bed. The water flows down through the resin media, where the hardness salts are
absorbed, up through the riser pipe, and through the control valve outlet and through the meter
to service.
As the meter registers the volume of water that has been treated the counter in the head will
count down until a regeneration is indicated.
This sign initiates a regeneration on the service unit and brings the standby unit online.
The quality of the treated water should regularly be checked by taking a sample and testing with
the yes/no hardness test kit supplied.
The plant should be maintained in a clean condition and the brine tank should be washed out at
least twice a year.