These instructions apply to timber-framed houses clad with bricks (brick veneer), timber or other materials on the outside and plasterboard (drywall) on the inside. To install the ducted vacuum system, you will require the tools & materials as specified in the following list. Plan the use of the ducted vacuum fittings carefully, because one fitting short will leave the installation incomplete. Study the instructions thoroughly and familiarise yourself with the diagrams illustrating the various options available for the installation of the ducted vacuum system. After you have planned the system, count all components in the kit to ensure that you will have sufficient parts and fittings for the completion of the installation. Ducted vacuum inlet valves can usually be installed in more than one possible location to service the area you wish to cover. Study the diagrams and choose the positions that best suit your requirements. In selecting the ducted vacuum power unit location, the following points should be carefully considered: 1. Install the ducted vacuum power unit as far away from the living areas as possible so that normal activities will not be disturbed by the noise coming from the ducted vacuum power unit while vacuuming is in progress. This also ensures that there is no recirculation of dust into the living areas. 2. An ideal location for the ducted vacuum power unit is in the garage, where the inlet valve on the ducted vacuum power unit can be used to vacuum your car. Emptying the dust collector and cleaning the filter will also be easier there. 3. Other suitable locations can also be found in the laundry, basement or carport, under a sundeck (in a weatherproof area) or in any ventilated storage area. In apartments and townhouses even a cupboard with louvered doors can be used as a suitable out-of-the way location. 4. If the ducted vacuum power unit has to be mounted outside, you will need to fit a canopy over it to ensure that it does not get wet. 5. Should the layout of the premises not permit the use of any of the locations away from the living areas, a muffler can be fitted to the ducted vacuum power unit to quieten it substantially. POWER WIRING The ducted vacuum power unit should be located within 1m of a standard electrical power outlet so that its power cord can be safely plugged into it. If there is no suitable power outlet available, a new grounded circuit should be installed by a qualified electrician after checking the ducted vacuum unit's specifications for the proper power supply requirements. Caution: do not overload the circuit! LOW VOLTAGE WIRING In your kit you have been provided with a low voltage wire that passes all electrical codes in any area. The method of splicing the wire from inlet valve to the main line may be subject to varying electrical codes depending on the area in which you are located. Check with the prevailing electrical codes in your area. Two of the most common methods of wire splicing are "T-splicing" and "Looping". In the "T-splicing" method (see diagram A), the low voltage wire is spliced at the T’s. In the "Looping" method (see diagram B) the low voltage wire is looped from inlet valve to inlet valve and joined at the inlet valves. The latter method is generally preferred as it facilitates easier repair to any unravelling of connections or breaks that may have been caused when wire was being stripped. 1. Inlet valves can be installed either on a wall or on the floor as per the Mounting Plate Installation Diagram. First determine the locations that will give the best hose coverage. This process may require two people - one person to hold one end of the actual 9-metre hose or a 9m piece of string at the proposed ducted vacuum inlet valve location, while the other determines whether the other end can reach the furthest point from the valve. The end of the hose should reach both floors and ceilings. 2. Alternatively, if an accurate plan of the premises is available, a piece of string of a length equivalent to 9m at the scale of the plan can be used to determine the ducted vacuum inlet valve locations. Simply lay the string from the proposed inlet valve locations to every corner of the areas you intend to reach from that particular inlet. In doing this, consider the location of doors and furniture as they may impede free movement of the hose. Repeat this procedure until you are absolutely sure that the most effective locations for all ducted vacuum inlet valves have been chosen. 3. Also keep in mind that staircases are more conveniently vacuumed from the top down. Therefore, an ducted vacuum inlet valve should be located close enough to the bottom of a staircase so that the hose reaches the upper step comfortably. This way the hose is always behind you and doesn't get in the way. 4. The advantages of locating inlet valves on inside partition walls is that this provides 18m diameter coverage, and that the inside walls in which the branch pipes will be located usually do not contain insulation material. Check the walls in which the inlet valves are to be mounted for possible obstructions between studs by tapping with your finger or a hard instrument along the wallboards until it sounds hollow. Mark this location and continue this procedure until all the ducted vacuum inlet valve locations have been established. 5. Now proceed with the installation of the branch lines from the inlet valve to the main line location. 1. It is important that you have all the necessary tools with you in the roof space to save you avoidable trips through the manhole and up and down the ladder. 2. In order to determine where to drill the holes for the branch lines into the top plates, establish a reference point for the ducted vacuum inlet valve by measuring from the centre of the intended inlet valve location to the nearest comer of the room in which the inlet is to be located. Find this corner from the roof by peeling back the insulation to expose the top plate. 3. Measure the same distance that you have measured at floor level from where the top plates form that corner (remember whether you measured from the inside or the outside of the corner). You should now be directly above the intended inlet valve location. 4. Drill a 52mm~55mm hole into the centre of the top plate (provided this will not compromise structural requirements). After you have done this, you can visually check using a flashlight whether the space between the studs is free of obstructions. If a noggin blocks this space, use the wrecking bar to tap it down gently at its ends until it drops to the base of the wall. Alternatively, drill holes in it using drill bit extensions. NOTE: it is extremely important to verify that the wall does not contain any electrical wires or water pipes that may be damaged by the drill bit. 5. Measure from the top plate to the inlet valve hole below, cut the pipe and feed it through the hole in the top plate. If, due to inadequate headroom, the entire length of pipe cannot be inserted in one piece, then shorter sections can be cut and glued together with the use of couplings and fed into the hole in the top plate section by section until it reaches the inlet valve opening. Alternatively, if the roof is tiled, you can remove some roof tiles to create extra headroom. 6. Install mounting plates and ducted vacuum inlet valves according to the Mounting Plate Installation section. 7. You are now ready for the installation of the main line. The main line connects the entire system from the inlet valves to the ducted vacuum power unit. It carries the low voltage wire along its entire run. During the planning process you should have carefully checked for possible obstructions along the intended run, such as double joists, ducts, electrical wiring or water pipes that will need to be bypassed. Locating the main line directly above a branch line should be avoided as it will result in dust collecting in the bottom of the branch line and falling out every time the inlet valve is opened. 8. Glue main line fittings to the exposed branch pipes above the top plates. Make sure each fitting points in the direction of the power unit. Measure and cut the pipe lengths for the main line and glue into hubs of fittings leading from Branch to Branch. Apply glue to both the end of the pipe and the inside of the hub, then twist pipe into hub until firmly seated. Glue will set instantly. 9. Fasten low voltage wire to pipe with cable ties or duct tape approximately every 6' (150mm) and at each elbow, which will prevent drooping and possible damage to wire. Electrical tape may be used if double-wrapped around wire and pipe. For the proper way of splicing refer to the section on low voltage wiring. Houses with flat roofs and slab floors require all inlet valves to be installed in exterior walls and branch lines to be run outside of the house. The piping system can be run underground or under the eaves of the house. If the ducted vacuum power unit is to be mounted outside, it must be housed in a weatherproof cabinet that has adequate air vents. Locate and install the inlet valves in much the same way as for closet installations. Use a tight 90º elbow to keep the pipe close to the exterior wall. Seal the edges of the hole in the exterior wall with silicone. If the piping system is to run under the eaves, the pipe must be supported by pipe straps at least every 2m. On vertical sections hide the low voltage wire behind the pipe. Houses with flat roofs and slab floors require all the ducted vacuum inlet valves to be installed in exterior walls and branch lines to be run outside of the house. The piping system can be run underground or under the eaves of the house. If the ducted vacuum power unit is to be mounted outside, it must be housed in a weatherproof cabinet that has adequate air vents. Locate and install the inlet valves in much the same way as for closet installations. Use a tight 90º elbow to keep the pipe close to the exterior wall. Seal the edges of the hole in the exterior wall with silicone. If the piping system is to run under the eaves, the pipe must be supported by pipe straps at least every 2m. On vertical sections hide the low voltage wire behind the pipe. Houses with flat roofs and slab floors require all the ducted vacuum inlet valves to be installed in exterior walls and branch lines to be run outside of the house. The piping system can be run underground or under the eaves of the house. If the ducted vacuum power unit is to be mounted outside, it must be housed in a weatherproof cabinet that has adequate air vents. Locate and install the ducted vacuum inlet valves in much the same way as for closet installations. Use a tight 90º elbow to keep the pipe close to the exterior wall. Seal the edges of the hole in the exterior wall with silicone. If the piping system is to run under the eaves, the pipe must be supported by pipe straps at least every 2m. On vertical sections hide the low voltage wire behind the pipe. -- FLOOR INSTALLATION - VINYL OR TILES Cut a rectangular hole in the floor at the desired location and screw mounting plate from below to underside of floor. Connect pipe to mounting plate with a short 90° elbow. Connect low-voltage wire to lugs on inlet valve and screw inlet valve into place. -- FLOOR INSTALLATION – CARPET Cut a rectangular hole in floor and carpet at the desired location. Connect coupling to mounting plate. Insert a 25mm sleeve of pipe (shown as dotted tine) between the coupling and the short 90° elbow. Connect to pipe. Connect low-voltage wire to lugs on inlet valve and screw inlet valve into place. -- WALL INSTALLATION - NEW CONSTRUCTION - ROUGH-IN Drill a hole for the pipe in the centre of bottom plate or top plate and noggin, with the edge of the hole 6mm from stud. Nail or screw mounting plate to stud at desired height. Push the pipe through the hole. Connect the pipe with a short 90° elbow to mounting plate. Bend low-voltage wire behind mounting plate, leaving enough length to permit future connection to lugs on the inlet valve. Strap low-voltage wire to pipe with cable ties or tape. WALL INSTALLATION - EXISTING CONSTRUCTION -- First establish the location for the inlet valve as described before. Cut mounting plate along dotted line with hacksaw or score with a sharp knife and break flange off. Using the raised edge of mounting plate as template, scribe exact opening on wall and cut the opening with the keyhole saw. -- If the pipe comes from below the floor, drill a pilot hole using a 3.2mm (1/8”) drill bit right through floor directly below the selected location and as close to the plinth board as possible. Insert a coat hanger wire or equivalent into hole so that it projects below the floor. From underneath the floor measure from coat hanger to centre of bottom plate, allowing for the thickness of plinth board and plasterboard. Drill a hole for the pipe in the centre of bottom plate, then push the pipe up to the inlet valve location. -- Slip a short 90° elbow over projecting spigot at the back of the mounting plate. Tilt the top of the mounting plate upward into wall opening until it is completely inside wall. -- Pull the mounting plate towards you until it fits snugly against the back of the plasterboard, and secure firmly in place using the supplied screws. -- Connect the low voltage wire to lugs on the back of the inlet valve. Hold entire assembly in place with a bent coat hanger wire while twisting the inlet valve onto the mounting plate. Do not glue, as the rubber seal ring provides maximum air-tightness. Line up mounting screw holes and screw inlet valve to mounting plate.

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