Hague Quality Water Maximizer User manual

Series 96
Owner’s Manual
REV. 2.0

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
ROUTINE CARE 2
SERIES 96 AND YOUR WATER 4
INSTALLATION 5
PROGRAMMING THE SERIES 96 8
BLENDING VALVE ADJUSTMENTS/
HOW AND WHEN TO USE THE BYPASS 14
TROUBLESHOOTING 15
PARTS, DIAGRAMS 17
Brine Valve Elbow Installation 32
Brine Cabinet Data 33
CYCLE SETTINGS 34
EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS 35
WARRANTY 36
Page
Installation Record and Water Readings
Date of Installation
Model Number
Serial Number
Date Warranty Card Returned
Hardness
Iron
pH
Other
NOTES:

INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your decision to purchase a Hague Series 96 water
treatment appliance. Recognized internationally for built-in quality,
dependability, and ease of service, this appliance represents the state-of-the-art
in home water treatment.
While your appliance should be installed and serviced by a professional
Hague dealer, important information is contained in this manual which will
help you get the maximum benefit and enjoyment from your Series 96.
We urge you to read this information carefully and review it again at any time
you notice a change in your water or appliance. Later in the manual is a
Troubleshooting section. If you are unable to fix a problem simply, please call
your Hague dealer for expert service.
How the Series 96
Works Rain water is naturally soft. As water travels through the ground, it dissolves
some of the rocks and minerals it touches. When the dissolved minerals are
calcium and magnesium, the water is said to be hard. Hard water often also
contains traces of dissolved iron, dirt, and sediment particles. Although hard
water is not harmful to drink, it can damage your plumbing, appliances and
clothing.
The Series 96 contains a media tank filled with thousands of very small resin
beads. The beads enable the ion exchange process. As hard water flows over
the resin, the beads attract calcium, magnesium, and iron ions. These ions
attach themselves to the beads, pushing sodium ions out of the way.
Depending on your water hardness, after so many gallons have gone through
the softener, the beads are full of hardness and iron and the resin bed is said to
be exhausted. An exhausted resin bed must be cleaned or regenerated. During
regeneration, concentrated salt solution washes over the resin. This time the
beads pick up sodium ions from the salt solution and let go of the hardness
and iron ions, which are washed down the drain. Fresh water rinses the salt
from the resin tank and the water softener is ready to soften water again.
Series 96 Owner’s Manual
1

ROUTINE CARE
Salt A brine solution is used during regeneration to remove calcium and
magnesium from the softening resin. Maintain salt level at least 1/3 full; do
not let the brine tank run out of salt. Use solar or pellet salt; do not mix the
two. Be sure to purchase a clean grade of salt. Rock salt is not recommended
because it contains impurities that can plug the injector assembly.
To add salt to the Series 96:
Remove the brine tank lid
Add up to 200 lb (90 kg) of salt to the brine cabinet.
During initial installation, or if the brine tank has been emptied of salt and
water, add 5 gallons (18.9 liters) of water or 2" over grid plate.
When using potassium chloride as an alternative to nugget or pellet salt
(sodium chloride), you must select the potassium option during the
programming of the controller.
We do not recommend the use of Potassium Chloride when iron is
present in the raw water supply.
Disinfection The Series 96 unit may be disinfected with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, which
is the active ingredient in household bleach. To disinfect your appliance:
Add four fluid ounces of hypochlorite solution to the brine tank. (The
brine tank should have water in it to permit the solution to be carried into
the softener.)
Initiate a manual regeneration by pressing and holding the REGENERATE
pushbutton for 5 seconds.
WARNING: Do NOT mix bleach with commercial resin cleaners since a
dangerous chemical reaction may occur.
NOTES: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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Series 96 Owner’s Manual
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NOTE: When you can see water above
the salt in the brine cabinet, you need
to add salt.

Recommendations Water used for lawns and gardens does not require softening.
To achieve maximum efficiency from your Series 96:
1. Protect your Series 96, including the drain line, from freezing.
2. If dirt, sand, or large particles are present in your water supply, consult
your Hague dealer for filters that will eliminate this problem.
3. Bypass the appliance(s) if well, plumbing, or pump work is required, and
turn on an outside tap until water runs clear before putting the appliance
back in service.
Control Panel The Series 96 uses an electronic controller to determine how often the
appliance regenerates and the amount of salt used in each regeneration.
During installation, the control panel is set for your water conditions and the
number of people in your family.
If your electricity is out longer than 17 hours, please reset time of day. All
other settings will be maintained. For information on programming your
electronic controller see pages 8 through 13.
Manual Regeneration You may want to force your appliance to regenerate if you anticipate using a
large amount of softened water. To manually regenerate the Series 96:
Press and hold the Regenerate button until the screen displays “GOING
TO 1.” This forces the appliance into an immediate regeneration.
The appliance will then follow the regeneration steps: Backwash 1,
Brine/Rinse, Backwash 2, Brine Refill, and then return to the Service
position.
NOTES: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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Series 96 Owner’s Manual
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NOTE: Performing a manual regeneration
will not affect your normal regeneration
settings.

SERIES 96 AND YOUR WATER
Water Testing The Series 96 like any other appliance, requires correct installation and setting
for optimum performance. To ensure proper settings, you need to obtain an
accurate water test. Your representative has probably already tested your
water for you and determined that the Series 96 is the best water softener for
your needs. If you need to obtain a water test you can do so as follows:
For municipally supplied or “City” water, call your water utility company.
Ask them the hardness, iron content and pH level of your water.
Series 96 Abilities The Series 96 services 95% of the water conditioning market. It treats
hardness, ferrous iron, and sediment. If the water supply being processed
through this product has a compensated hardness of more than 90 grains per
gallon or contains bacteria, iron bacteria, tannins, algae, oil, acid, salt or other
unusual substances, special equipment must be installed ahead of the Series
96. Consult your dealer for more information about special equipment.
The Series 96 will automatically reduce influent ferrous iron concentrations
from up to 10 parts per million to below 0.3 ppm.
For the Series 96 to operate at peak performance when iron is present in
your water, the water must have a pH of 7 or greater.
The Series 96 automatically filters to a nominal 20 microns. Each time the
appliance regenerates, the sediment filter is automatically cleaned with
soft water.
NOTES: ______________________________________________________________________________________
*Iron reduction capability has been tested in the field by the manufacturer.
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Series 96 Owner’s Manual
4

INSTALLATION
Pre-Installation
Checklist
Be sure to check the following items before installing a Series 96:
Water Pressure
— Not less than 20 psi (138 kPa) nor greater than 120 psi
(828 kPa).
Minimum Flow Rate Required
— 2.4 gpm at the end of drain line.
Drain
— Drain the appliance to a floor drain or washer drain. To prevent
back siphoning, the installer must provide an adequate air gap or a siphon
break.
Water Quality—If water supply contains sulfur, bacteria, iron bacteria,
tannins, algae, oil, acid, salt, or other unusual substances, special equipment
must be installed ahead of the Series 96.
Building Codes
— All installations must conform to local plumbing and
electrical codes.
Minimum Inlet Pipe Size
— Well water recommended minimum inlet pipe
size 3/4" I.D. (19 mm). Municipal water recommended minimum inlet pipe
size is 1/2" I.D. (12.7 mm).
Installation Cautions
Do not install if the above items are not satisfactory.
Do not install if incoming or outlet piping water temperature exceeds
120°F (49°C).
Do not allow soldering torch heat to be transferred to valve components or
plastic parts.
Do not use for treating water that is microbiologically unsafe or of
unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the
system.
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Series 96 Owner’s Manual
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NOTE: If your water pressure is greater
than 90 psi (621 kPa), it is
recommended that you use a pressure
reducing valve.

Where to Locate The
Series 96 Where you will locate the Series 96 depends on what other water treatment
equipment you currently have installed. The Series 96 should be located:
After:Before:
Water Meter Water Heater
Pressure Tank
TYPICAL 96 SERIES INSTALLATION
Figure 1
Keep in mind that you need to have a drain available nearby for waste water.
In placing the Series 96, consider the following:
Install the Series 96 ahead of the water heater to prevent build-up of hard
water deposits in the water heater. This placement will maintain the water
heater efficiency.
Install pressure reducing valve if inlet pressure exceeds 90 psi (620 kPa).
A minimum of 10 feet (3 m) of 3/4" (19 mm) pipe from the outlet of the
water conditioner to the inlet of the hot water heater is recommended to
reduce the potential for hot water back flowing into the valve.
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Series 96 Owner’s Manual
6

Connecting the
Series 96 1. Place the Series 96 in the desired location. (See Figure 1.)
2. Turn off the electricity and/or water supply to the water heater. For gas
heaters, turn gas cock to “PILOT”.
3. Make sure the inlet, outlet and drain connections comply with local codes.
4. Check arrows on the bypass valve to be sure the water flows in the proper
direction.
Caution: Do not plumb backwards. Inlet is unsoftened water; outlet is
softened water.
5. Install the drain line so that there is a 2" (50 mm) air gap between the
drain line and the drain line receptacle. The drain hose must be a
minimum of 1/2" (12.7 mm) I.D. tubing and should make the shortest run
to a suitable drain.
6. Connect the salt tank to the valve head with the flexible 3/8" (9.5 mm)
plastic tube included with the system. Be sure to insert the plastic insert
in the end of the tube when connecting it to the salt tank.
7. Place the appliance in the bypass position and turn on the main water
supply.
8. Open the nearest cold water faucet to flush the plumbing of any excess
soldering flux, air, or any other foreign material.
9. Close the faucet and check for leaks. If leaks are found turn off the main
water supply and open the nearest cold water faucet to depressurize the
lines. Close the faucet to eliminate siphoning action. Repair leaks. Return
the bypass to the “service” position.
10. Add water to the brine tank. Fill to a minimum of 2" (50 mm) above the
salt shelf. After the first regeneration, the appliance will automatically
refill the correct amount of water in the brine tank.
11. Plug in the transformer.
12. Program the Electronic Controller as outlined on pages 8 through 13.
13. Initiate a manual regeneration and monitor appliance for proper operation.
14. Make sure the bypass valve is left in the “service” position.
15. Fill the brine tank with pellet or solar salt.
16. Open the inlet line and turn on the electricity to the water heater. For gas
heater, turn gas cock to “ON”.
17. To complete the installation, open a cold water tap and allow the unit to
flush for 20 minutes or until approximately 72 gallons has passed through
the unit. Verify flow rate on controller, indicating water flow. Test water
at test port to verify soft water.
18. Place covers on both cabinets.
Series 96 Owner’s Manual
7

PROGRAMMING THE SERIES 96
The Series 96 allows a variety of programming options, from setting the time
of regeneration and the number of people to adjusting the hardness, capacity
settings, and cycle settings*.
Here’s how it works:
The Series 96 calculates how much water a family will need in a day based on
the number of people. Whenever the gallons remaining drops below the
reserve capacity, the gallons remaining will be replaced with the word “Regen
Scheduled” and the Series 96 will automatically regenerate when it reaches
the REG TIME. Also as a safety feature, if the appliance's capacity is
exceeded, a demand (immediate) regeneration will occur. This way a family
should never run out of soft water and the appliance will not regenerate more
than it needs to.
*For optional cycle settings, see page 36
NOTES: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Series 96 Owner’s Manual
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NOTE: To ensure expected performance,
the controller will not allow you to enter
certain values for the number of people
if it means the amount of softening
required would exceed the appliance’s
capacity. Should the controller not
accept a value, check the capacity and
salt settings.