ScaleBlaster SB-MAX Pro Series Installation & Operation Manual

SB-MAX Pro Series

Residential Use • Indoor/Outdoor Installation

Installation & Operation Manual

A. Identify The SB-MAX Pro Series Components

Your ScaleBlaster SB-MAX Pro Series unit includes the following components:

1.

One (1) SB-MAX

Pro Series power

unit that works on

115VAC or

230VAC

automatically. If

230VAC is desired,

replace plug. This

unit comes with a 5

foot power cord.

2.

Signal Cable (52’) and

four (4) nylon cable ties

3.

Warranty

Card

4.

Installation &

Operation Manual

The ScaleBlaster SB-MAX Pro Series unit can be installed on the following types of pipe:

All types of Copper Pipe

All types of PVC Pipe All types of CPVC Pipe All types of PEX Pipe

Galvanized

Magnetic

Pipe

DO NOT INSTALL ON GALVANIZED PIPE THAT HAS MAGNETIC CHARACTERISTICS

Sizing the

proper model

How can I test my water hardness level?

A simple calcium hardness water test will give the
reading instantly. All pool stores will do this free of
charge.

I just installed ScaleBlaster and was
wondering when I can expect results?

To realize the full benefits of ScaleBlaster, please
allow up to a couple months. The descaling process
does not happen overnight. This is why we offer a full
90-day money-back guarantee. If you ever have any
questions on the installation, please do not hesitate to
contact our customer service department. You can
email us photos of the installation for analysis if you
have any questions. Depending on the

Galvanized pipe:

If you have galvanized pipe (with magnetic characteristics) on the area you intend on wrapping the coil at, you
will need to replace a small section of the pipe with PVC or copper. Simply cut out about 12 inches of pipe and
replace it with the PVC or copper. This will be on the incoming line entering the house. You do not have to
worry about replacing the rest of the pipe in the house – only replace the galvanized pipe in the area of where the
signal cable will get wrapped. The descaling process will work at this point forward and the galvanized pipe will
get descaled downstream.

The SB-MAX Pro Series is designed for indoor or outdoor installation

There are two other main items to consider when sizing the proper ScaleBlaster model:

a. Water hardness level - The SB-MAX Pro Series

gallon) or 342 ppm (parts per million).

b. Size of house - The SB-MAX Pro Series

homes with pressure tanks. For homes over 5,000 sq. ft., an additional unit may be required. Contact your
dealer for more details

circumstances, you may notice more soap lather, a
softer feeling on your skin and hair, increased water
pressure and “hotter” water. This means your water
heater will be working much more efficiently now.

Will ScaleBlaster lower the water harness
level and the total dissolved solids (TDS) in
the water?

No, the water hardness level and TDS will remain the
same. ScaleBlaster is a water conditioner –not a water
softener. Water softeners remove calcium from the
water, ScaleBlaster does not. Calcium is good for our

Q & A

metabolism, so why remove it?

will generally handle large homes up to 5,000 sq. ft. in size and

2

will handle water hardness levels over 20 gpg (grains per

Where does the scale go when it is
removed?

ScaleBlaster dissolves the scale - molecule by
molecule right back into the water – where it used to
be, so the process is gradual. In a worst case
scenario, your aerators may clog up a little in the
showerhead or faucets. Simply clean them out and it
should not be a reoccurring problem.

Will ScaleBlaster remove scale buildup in
the pipe that is already there?

Yes, over time it will. Depending on how much water
the household uses and how bad the scaling is, the
process takes about 3 months to fully descale the
pipes.

B. Site Survey - determining the best location for install

There are several factors that go into determining the best location for the installation of ScaleBlaster.

The installation involves mounting the ScaleBlaster power box on a wall and wrapping a signal
cable around the outside of the incoming pipeline and connecting it to the power box.

1. L

ocate the incoming main waterline going to

the house

The most desirable place to install the unit is on the main cold water pipe
entering the house after the shutoff valve. Install the signal cable on the pipe
that is as close to the house as possible and before it splits off at the water
heater. The pipe can be copper, PVC, CPVC or PEX and the unit can be

installed on a horizontal or vertical pipe.

If you cannot access the main waterline before it splits

You will need to follow the main cold water pipe as far back as possible
from the water heater and install the ScaleBlaster unit there. It is
possible not all of the water will be treated, but you will be treating the
hot water pipe, which is the main cause of limescale formation. Some
older homes built on slabs may have this issue.

Well water / Pressure tanks

For customers with a private well, the best place to install the
ScaleBlaster unit is AFTER the pressure tank. If that is not possible,
you can still install the unit before the pressure tank, but risk
diminished results downstream of the pressure tank.

Softener Loop

Cold Water

Supply Line

You can install the ScaleBlaster unit on the water softener loop, but if
there are other options, install it elsewhere. Water that is going to the
kitchen faucet and to the outside spigots may not be fully treated.

Installing ScaleBlaster with other water purification
equipment including water softeners

For best results, we recommend installing ScaleBlaster AFTER any
household filtration or water purification equipment – including water softeners – that
treats the entire house. Under-the-counter or kitchen filtration systems do not fall
under this category. You can keep the water softener on if you like and have
ScaleBlaster work in conjunction with it, or simply turn the water softener off and
put into the bypass mode. If you do not have the room to install ScaleBlaster after
the water filtration or purification equipment, you can still install it before the
equipment if needed.

My house has both galvanized pipe and
PVC pipe in it. Will ScaleBlaster still work?

Yes, we are only concerned about the location where
you wrap the coil at. The same thing can be said if
you have galvanized and copper pipe. If the location
where you want to wrap the pipe is galvanized, you
will need to replace a small section of 12 inches with
copper or PVC pipe. The descaling process will work
downstream on all types of pipe after the signal cable
location.

Does ScaleBlaster work better on copper
pipe, PVC, or CPVC pipe?

ScaleBlaster will work on all of the above mentioned
types of pipe equally as well as the others.

Q & A

Will a protective cover placed over the signal
cable interfere with the signal in anyway?

No, as long as it is a non-magnetic cover.

Can ScaleBlaster be installed in the attic
where it gets very hot in the summertime?

We recommend the average air temperature to operate
ScaleBlaster at 32 to 122 degrees F. The unit will
operate at temperatures below and over those numbers,
but not for long periods of time. The unit should be
installed in an area that is ventilated.

Is the signal cable a special wire? How can I
get a replacement signal cable?

3

Yes, the signal cable is a special wire and is not
readily found in hardware stores. You can purchase
additional signal cable wire packages from
ScaleBlaster, which includes the zip ties. However, if
you need a short-term replacement, an 18-gauge, tin
coated stranded copper wire will work.

My electrical outlet is more than 5 feet away
from the only place I can mount the power
box. Is there anything I can do without
having to add another outlet?

You can plug the ScaleBlaster unit into an extension
cord if needed. Our ScaleBlaster units are UL and
CUL approved.