Amateurplumber1
Member
Is it important that I use full port ball valves when constructing a bypass for the water softener I plan on installing? Or can I get away with just using regular ball valves?
The by pass on the wall is called a 3 way manual by pass.
You can do the same with the factory type by pass made for your control valve. And in some cases you can do more than just by pass the softener with the factory BP.
I would not remove the bypass. Here is why:
1) If you leave it in place, you can take all the time in the world installing your softener. Then, once it is installed, you simply open the two vertical valves and close the horizontal one. Easy.
2) If you leave it in place and something goes wrong with your softener and you have to remove it, you simply close the two vertical valves and open the horizontal one and do what you need to do with the softener.
3) If you remove the bypass, you have to shut down the water to your entire house and drain it, the whole house. When you open the vertical valves, more water will drain out - have buckets and towels ready as you will need them. Then you have to remove the bypass. Then you have to install whatever it is you are going to install. Then you install the softener. If you were a professional plumber this might be a quick job, but you are not. It will take a long time, during which, you will have no water in your home.
4) If you remove the bypass and something goes wrong with your softener, you will have to shut down water to your home to deal with it.
This is awkward, but...
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