PVI Industries M8408-COM, M8410-COM Operation & Maintenance Manual

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

Anti-Scale Systems
Chemical-Free, Salt-Free
Scale Prevention

M8408-COM (12GPM)
M8410-COM (20 GPM)

Important: Read this Manual BEFORE using this equipment. Failure
to read and follow all safety and use information can result in death,
serious personal injury, property damage, or damage to the
equipment. Keep this Manual for future reference.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN

Manufacturing ASME Commercial Water Heaters Since 1961

PVI Industries • 3209 Galvez Avenue • Fort Worth, TX 76111

USA: T: [phone] • Toll Free: [phone] • PVI.com

Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

© 2019 PVI

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

INTRODUCTION

The PVI AquaSolve Anti-Scale System provides pro­tection from scale formation on internal plumbing
surfaces. The AquaSolve system can be installed
at the point of entry to a building to treat both hot
and cold water, or it can be located directly before a
water heater, boiler, or other water using device that
requires protection from hard water.

AquaSolve prevents scale by transforming the normal
dissolved hardness minerals into undissolved crys­tal microparticles. These crystals stay suspended in
the water and have a greatly reduced ability to react
and attach to surfaces like dissolved hardness does.
Therefore the problem of internal buildup of scale
in pipes, water heaters and on fixtures and glass is
greatly reduced.

AquaSolve is not a water softener or a chemical
additive (like antiscalants or sequestrants). It is a
scale prevention device with proven third party lab­oratory test data and years of successful residential
and commercial installation. AquaSolve is the one
water treatment device that effectively provides scale
protection and is a great saltfree alternative to water
softening (ion exchange) or scale sequestering chem­icals. Laundry and warewashing chemistry will like­wise require adjustments.

• Compatible with all on-site and community
wastewater treatment systems.

• Perfect system for towns or communities where
water softeners are banned or restricted

• For high-flow applications, install multiple tanks
in parallel

• AquaSolve does not remove minerals or add
sodium to the water supply

• AquaSolve can be installed as pre-treatment to
commercial reverse osmosis systems (contact
your PVI representative for further details)

**For high-flow applications, contact your PVI
Representative for details on larger, multi-tank sys­tems plumbed in parallel that can meet high flow
applications from 100 gpm to and above 1000 gpm.

WARNING

Do not use with water that is microbiologically unsafe or of
unknown quality without adequate disinfection before or after the
system.

Systems are certied through WQA against NSF/
ANSI Standard 372 for Lead Free compliance.

AquaSolve Benefits

• Chemical-free scale prevention and protection –
converts hardness minerals to harmless, inactive
microscopic crystals making AquaSolve an effec­tive alternative technology to a water softener for
the prevention of scale due to water hard-ness

• Virtually maintenance free – no control valve

• Uses environmentally friendly technology by
using no salt or other chemicals to constantly
add, no electricity and no wastewater

• Improves efficiency of all water using appliances
– both hot** and cold

• Simple sizing and installation – all you need to
know is pipe size and the peak flow rate.

• Safe for landscaping and lawn watering.
No need for costly bypass plumbing.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 2 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

Specifications

AquaSolve scale prevention system shall be installed
on the main water service pipe just after it enters the
building, but after other whole building water safety
devices (backflow preventers or pres-sure reducing
valves), to effectively address water hardness con­cerns. A system may also be installed further down­stream to protect specific equipment or areas within
a plumbing system. The system shall be plumbed
with a bypass valve to allow isolation of tank(s) and
to allow the bypass of untreated water in the event
that service or media replacement be necessary. The
installation area should be suitable in size for the
tank(s) to be serviced without encumbrance and sit
upright on a flat level surface.

The system must operate in an upflow manner and
does not require additional water to backwash, flush,
or regenerate once put into service. The system does
not require any chemical additives and does not
require electricity for operation.

Multi-tank systems shall be installed in parallel with
PVC/CPVC manifold to meet peak flow rate require­ments – see image below.

Standards

Independent scientific testing has confirmed
Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) technology
provides scale reduction of over 95+%. Testing was
conducted under protocol based on DVGW W512
test to access control of scale formation.

NOTICE

Spotting may occur on external plumbing surfaces.

AquaSolve media systems perform best in single pass pota­ble water applications with NO additional chemical additives.
Depending on hardness, soft scale spotting may occur. Soft scale
spots in most cases can be easily wiped down with a damp cloth
and will not form hard scale deposits. A Point of Use (POU) Water
Softener should be used on mandatory spot-free applications (e.g.
glass stemware, dishware).

CAUTION

• Not for use on closed loop systems.

• Do not let the system freeze. Damage to the tank may result.

• System must be operated in a vertical position. Do not lay
it down during operation. The system may be placed in any
position

• for shipping and installation but must be operated in the verti­cal position.

• Place the system on a smooth, level surface. Because the sys­tem operates in an upflow, fluidized bed mode, having a level
surface is more important than with a softener or media filter.

• A bypass valve should be installed on every system to facili­tate installation and service.

• Observe all local plumbing and building codes when installing
the system.

WARNING

Using AquaSolve with other water treatment equipment.

Due to the unique properties of AquaSolve, there are some unique
requirements for using AquaSolve in conjunction with other forms
of water treatment:

1. AquaSolve must be the last stage in the treatment chain. Do
not install any filters after AquaSolve or before any devices for
which scale prevention is required. POU filters, e.g. carbon,
RO or Ultraviolet (UV) are exempt from this requirement.

2. Do not apply phosphate or any other antiscalant before or
after AquaSolve.

3. The addition of soaps, chemicals, or cleaners, before or after
AquaSolve treatment, may reverse its anti-scale treatment
effects and/or create water with a heavy residue or spotting
potential. Any adverse conditions caused by the addition of
soaps, chemicals, or cleaners are the sole responsibility of the
end user.

4. AquaSolve is not a water softener and does not softener the
water - water treatment chemistry (e.g. antiscalants, seque
trants, soaps, chemicals or cleaners etc.) will most likely have
to be changed to be compatible with AquaSolve treated water.
Laundry and ware-washing chemistry will likewise require
adjustments.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 3 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

Equipment Specifications

AquaSolve systems are complete, selfcontained,
loaded with media, and ready to use. A simple
inlet and outlet connection is all that is required for
installation. Please review operating pressures, tem­peratures and water chemistry limitations to ensure
compatibility.

Feed Water Chemistry Requirements

pH 6.5 to 8.5

Hardness (max.) 30 grains

Water Pressure 15 psi to 150 psi

Temperature 40ºF to 100ºF (5ºC to 38ºC)

Chlorine <2 ppm

Iron (max.) 0.3 mg/l*

Manganese (max.) 0.05 mg/l**

Copper (max.) 1.3 ppm**

Oil & H2S Remove prior to AquaSolve

Silica (max.) 20 ppm***

TDS 500 mg/l****

NOTICE

*Iron and Manganese

Just as with conventional water softening media, AquaSolve needs
to be protected from excess levels of certain metals that can easily
coat the active surface, reducing its effectiveness over time. Public
water supplies rarely, if ever, present a problem, but if the water
supply is from a private well, confirm that the levels of iron (Fe) and
manganese (Mn) are less than 0.3 mg/L and 0.05 mg/L respectively.

**Copper

Pursuant to the EPA drinking water standards, the copper concen­tration permitted is up to 1.3 ppm. Typically originating from new
copper plumbing, high levels of copper can foul AquaSolve media.
For applications with copper concentration greater than 1.3 ppm,
please contact PVI Technical Support at 1-800-433-5654. To further
minimize any problem with excess copper, avoid applying exces­sive flux on the inner surfaces of the pipe and use a low-corrosivity
water soluble flux listed under the ASTM B813 standard.

***Silica

AquaSolve media does not reduce silica scaling. While silica tends
to have a less significant effect on scale formation than other miner­als, it can act as a binder that makes water spots and scale residue
outside the plumbing system difficult to remove. This 20 ppm limita­tion is for aesthetic purposes.

****Hardness Maximum for AquaSolve scale prevention operation
is 514 mg/l as Calcium Carbonate. All other minerals and metals
that contribute to TDS, when combined, must not exceed the 500
mg/l Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Total Dissolved Solids
as set by the USEPA Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Minerals
and Metals must not exceed their individual MCLs established by
the USEPA SDWA. Specific Mineral and Metal MCLs, identified in
Watts’ published Feed Water Chemistry Requirements, supersede
the USEPA SDWA.

NOTICE

Water known to have heavy loads of dirt and debris may require
prefiltration prior to AquaSolve.

*See note about iron, manganese and copper (bottom left).

Systems using AquaSolve technology prevent hard water scale
formation inside the plumbing system at influent hardness levels
of 30 grains per gallon of calcium carbonate and less. Due to vari­ances in water chemistry, certain aesthetic conditions external of
the plumbing system may not be attained. AquaSolve is designed
for the treatment of potable water that meets the requirements of
the current USEPA Safe Drinking Water Act.

Mechanical Specifications

M8408-COM M8410-COM

Dry Weight 36 lbs / 16 kgs 49 lbs / 22 kgs

Service Weight 108 lbs / 49 kgs 182 lbs / 83 kgs

Inlet/Outlet
Connection

Max Service
Flow gpm

Exceeding maximum flow can reduce effectiveness and void
warranty. Pressure drop at peak flow rate is less than 14 psi.

Pressure drop reading taken with inlet and outlet gauges installed
at a common elevation and 80 degree feed water.

1” FNPT 1” FNPT

12 20

Dimensions (inches)

M8408-COM M8410-COM

A 47.5 58.0

B 46.0 56.5

C 11.1 12.0

D 1.5 1.5

E 2.0 2.0

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 4 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

Replacement Media

M8408-COM-RM Replace media every 3 years

M8410-COM-RM Replace media every 3 years

Installation

Tighten the tank head.

NOTICE

Check the head on top of the tank. It’s common for it to loosen
during shipment. Tighten the head with a strap wrench as needed.

NOTICE

Anytime AquaSolve systems are installed above the ground floor
of a building it is recommended that a vacuum relief valve also be
installed to protect against tank collapse in the event the plumb­ing system is drained. If a vacuum relief valve is not used then the
system should be placed in bypass anytime the plumbing system
is drained. The EDP code for the suggested vacuum relief valve is
0556031 (not included). The vacuum relief valve should be
installed on the outlet of the system.

System Overview

NOTICE

• We recommend the installation of a dual-union ball-valve on
the inlet and outlet to isolate the tank for servicing.

• A full bypass should be installed so that the full service flow
can be routed around the system as needed for servicing.

Install Piping

Connect the inlet and outlet plumbing according to
your preferences and any applicable local codes.
Include sample/drain ports with hose-bibb connec­tions on the inlet and outlet piping to facilitate startup
and service.

Stainless Steel Head and By-Pass Assembly

Parts List

Item Quantity Part # Description

1 1 TBD S.S. Inlet/Outlet Head

2 2 TBD By-Pass Clips (x2) required

3 2 TBD

4 1 TBD S. S. By-Pass Assembly

5 1 TBD

6 1 TBD

1” Coupling & O-Ring (x2)
required

8” x 44” Tank 2.5” Top
(not shown)

10” x 54” Tank 2.5” Top
(not shown)

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 5 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

By-Pass Valve

Installation and Start-Up

1. Turn off the main water supply to the AquaSolve
System and open an inside faucet to relieve any
pressure within the plumbing system. Close the
inside faucet once pressure is released.

2. Place the system in the desired location. Make sure
that the location is level and sturdy enough to sup­port the weight of the wetted system.

3. Connect the cold water supply to the inlet of the
AquaSolve system.

NOTE: The AquaSolve system operates in
the UP-FLOW mode which is opposite of a
conventional softener.

4. Place a bucket under the outlet port or run a line
from the outlet port to a drain.

5. Turn the water back on to the AquaSolve system.
Slowly open the supply valve (user supplied) to
the AquaSolve system. Slowly place AquaSolve
By-Pass Valve into Service position (see image
above for reference). Allow the tank to fill with
water. Close the supply valve when a steady stream
of water comes out of the outlet port. If the outlet is
flowing into a bucket, water could splash on nearby
objects. If this threatens the safety, value, structure,
or appearance of these objects, protect/remove
them or use the outlet hose to drain option.

6. Connect the outlet of the AquaSolve system to the
cold water supply to the building.

7. Open the supply valve to the AquaSolve system.

8. Open hot and cold faucets downstream from
the AquaSolve system to relieve any air from the
plumbing system. Then close the faucets.

9. Check for leaks. Repair as needed.

NOTICE

Fill in install date and rebed due date on product label located on
front of each tank as reminder to replace AquaSolve media every
3 years. The system is now ready for service.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 6 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

NOTICE

Your AquaSolve media should be replaced every 3 years.

Replacing the Media

1. Shut off the primary feed supply going to the
AquaSolve tank.

2. Open up a downstream spigot or faucet to release
pressure in the tank and in the distribution lines
before and after the system.

3. Shut the isolation valves immediately before and
after the tank.

4. Place into By-Pass position.

5. Using a step ladder and strap wrench, remove
the threaded head assembly connection (turning
counter-clockwise) and remove the complete upper
assembly including PVC upper basket. Rinse these
parts in a nearby sink or bucket of water. Do not
drain the tank.

6. Remove the distributor tube with the bottom strain­er. Rinse these parts in a nearby sink or bucket of
water.

7. Get a 6ft length of 3/4” sch. 40 PCV and a length
of 1” polyvinyl hose. The length of hose depends
on the distance to the nearest floor drain. (Both of
these can be acquired at Home Depot or Lowes.)

8. Insert one end of the pipe inside the hose and put
the other end of the pipe into the top of the tank
and down into the media. Put the other end of the
hose inside a rice bag and put the rice bag on the
floor drain.

9. Get a garden hose and put it on the open end of
the poly hose to fill the hose and pipe with water.
Air will bubble out of the tank. Once all the air is
out of the hose and pipe, you can start a siphon to
remove the media. Put the garden hose in the top
of the tank and turn it on to keep the tank full of
water. Push the pipe up and down in the media to
get it all out. The rice bag will catch the media and
allow the water to go down the drain.

10. Try not to be too aggressive when extracting the
media. You need to take it out in small bites. If you
let the whole pipe/ hose fill with media it will plug
up. You need to let slugs of water flush out the pipe
as you go.

11. When all the old media is removed turn off the gar­den hose and continue to siphon until the tank is
about half full with water.

12. Reinstall the distributer tube with bottom strainer
that was removed in step 6. Center the distributor
tube in the bottom of the tank. Keeping any and
all media from entering the distributor tube, cap
the top open end of the distributor tube with plas­tic sheeting and tape. Test it to make sure it will
not come off during the media loading process.
Carefully pour-in a new bag of media that specif­ically meets the replacement requirement of the
tank. For example, an M8408-COM system requires
(x1) M8408-COM-RM Replacement Media.

13. Inspect the threaded connection on the top of the
tank to ensure no loose beads of media are stuck
to the internal threads. If visible, wipe away the
beads with a damp cloth.

14. Re-attach the head assembly onto the distributor
tube and thread the head assembly back onto the
tank. Hand-tighten until the final turn when a strap
wrench can help tighten the connection.

15. Slowly place AquaSolve By-Pass Valve into Service
position (see image on page 6 for reference).

16. Purge the air at a downstream faucet close to the
system.

17. Once the tank is full, wait 4 hours for media to
“hydrate”.

18. Put the tank in service.

Alternative Method for Replacing Media

Follow steps 1 – 5 then,

• Remove center distributor tube and lower basket
and siphon all water from tank

• Lay tank down on its side
and tip upside down while
using hose to flush
media out

• When all the old media is
removed, stand tank back
up and install in original
position. Fill the tank so
that it is about half full
with water.

Then continue with
steps 11 – 17.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 7 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST

Operation & Maintenance Manual

AquaSolve

®

Limited Warranty

• AquaSolve tank system is warranted to be free of defects in materi­als and workmanship for 5 years from the date of original shipment.

• AquaSolve media is warranted for performance for a period of 2
years from the date of the original installation when installed and
operated in accordance with the instructions in the corresponding
Installation and Operation Manual.

• AquaSolve cartridge system is warranted to be free of defects in
materials and workmanship for 1 year from the date of original ship­ment.

• AquaSolve cartridges are warranted for performance for a period
of one year from the date of original installation when installed and
operated in accordance with the instructions in the corresponding
Installation and Operation Manual.

• Carbon replacement filter cartridges are not warranted to perform for
any period of time because the service life of replacement carbon
filter cartridges varies significantly with local water conditions and
volume.

Conditions

1. The AquaSolve system must be installed in applications with munici­pally supplied water adhering to EPA guidelines.

2. Any component failure must not result from abuse, fire, freezing or
other acts of nature, violence, or improper installation.

3. Equipment must be installed and operated in compliance with the
local plumbing codes and on an approved water supply.

4. Equipment is limited to use at water pressures and temperatures that
do not exceed our published specifications.

5. Water supply must not exceed 2.0 PPM chlorine. For water supply
exceeding 2.0 PPM chlorine, pretreatment is required. (Please contact
your water treatment specialist.)

6. Information, including model number, serial number, and date of
installation, must be provided for any claims pertaining to equipment in
warranty.

7. Defective parts are subject to inspection by either PVI Company
or any authorized representative before final commitment of warranty
adjustment is made.

8. PVI Company reserves the right to make changes or substitutions in
parts or equipment with material of equal quality or value and of then
current production.

Limitations

Our obligation under this warranty with respect to the tank or valve is
limited to furnishing a replacement for, or at our option, repairing any
part or parts to our satisfaction that prove defective within the warranty
period stated above. Such replacement parts will be delivered to the
owner F.O.B. nearest factory, at no cost, excluding freight and local
labor charges, if any.

Our obligation under this warranty with respect to the AquaSolve media
will be limited to furnishing a replacement for the media within two years
from date of original installation. Such replacement media will be deliv­ered to the owner F.O.B. nearest factory, at no cost, excluding freight
and local labor charges, if any. Damage to the media due to chlorine,
other oxidizers or fouling caused by local water conditions or any other
operation outside of the limits shown under Specifications, is not cov­ered by this warranty.

THE WARRANTY SET FORTH HEREIN IS GIVEN EXPRESSLY AND IS
THE ONLY WARRANTY GIVEN BY WATTS REGULATOR COMPANY
WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT. WATTS REGULATOR COMPANY
MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WATTS
REGULATOR COMPANY HEREBY SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL
OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

The remedy described under this warranty shall constitute the sole and
exclusive remedy for breach of warranty, and Watts Regulator Company
shall not be responsible for any incidental, special or consequential dam­ages, including without limitation, freight, handling, lost profits or the cost
of repairing or replacing other property which is damaged if this product
does not work properly, other costs resulting from labor charges, delays,
vandalism, negligence, fouling caused by foreign material, damage from
adverse water conditions, chemical, or any other circumstances over
which Watts Regulator Company has no control. This warranty shall be
invalidated by any abuse, misuse, misapplication or improper installation
of the product.

Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty
lasts, and some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of inciden­tal or consequential damages. Therefore the above limitations may not
apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may
have other rights that vary from state to state. You should consult appli­cable state laws to determine your rights. SO FAR AS IS CONSISTENT
WITH APPLICABLE STATE LAW, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES THAT
MAY NOT BE DISCLAIMED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE APPLICABLE WARRANTY
PERIODS STATED ABOVE.

IOM-M8408_M8410-COM_EN Page 8 of 8Technical Support • [phone] • Mon-Fri, 8 am - 5 pm EST