NuTone Central Vacuum Installation Guide (p.6)

BEGINNING THE TRUNK LINE

Start the inlet line which is farthest from the power unit. Place 90* elbow onto a section of tubing and align it with the inlet tubing at the height it will run across the attic joists. Mark the inlet tubing where the elbow will join, allowing 5/8" for the tubing that inserts into the fitting's collar.

Marking the inlet tubing

Next, cut the inlet tubing at the marked line. Make sure that the cut is straight and even.

Attach the elbow and check its fit.

Insert the first section of tubing into the other end of the elbow.

JOINING STRAIGHT LENGTHS OF TUBING

Both branch lines and trunk lines may require lengths of tubing longer than the 8' sections supplied. Use stop couplings to join two straight lengths of tubing. Insert one end of the tubing into the stop coupling.

Join the second length of tubing into the other end of the stop coupling.

Stop couplings are also used to join long vertical branches which run from one level to another leve

A branch line connects the inlet line to the trunk line. Follow the methods previously described for aligning, marking, and cutting the inlet tubing. Attach a 90* elbow and run tubing from the inlet line to the trunk line.

To align and measure the branch line, attach a 90* Tee fitting to the trunk line. Make sure that the tee connects with the air flow going toward the power unit.

Make sure that the air flows toward the power unit

Align, measure, and mark the branch line for inserting into the tee fitting.

Cut the branch line and insert it into the tee. Check to make sure that the cut is straight and even.

Connect the next section of tubing to the out-take side of the tee fitting. Continue the trunk line until you come to another branch line junction point.

CIRCUMVENTING AN OBSTACLE

Wherever possible, the branch lines should connect to the trunk line in straight paths. The fewer turns in a tubing system, the more efficient the air flow. Accordingly, you should locate the inlets to avoid zig-zags in the branch lines. But, sometimes, when you just can't avoid an obstacle, you are required to construct the tubing around it.

In the example illustrated below, you might run the branch line at an angle to avoid a chimney. Once the branch line has run past the chimney, you can use a 45* elbow to run the branch line back perpendicular to the trunk line.

Again, the branch line and trunk line connect with a 90* tee.

You can also use the supplied 36" piece of flexible tubing to run a branch line around an obstacle. See "Using Flexible Tubing"

Continue to run the trunk line toward the power unit, connecting all branch lines as you go along. Again, make sure to connect all fittings with the air flow toward the power unit.

Bring the trunk line to the access hole have drilled for the power unit's intake tube. Place a 90* elbow over the hole and cut the trunk line ot fit into this final elbow. Allow 5/8" tubing to fit into the elbow's collar.

Leaving 5/8" of tubing

Connect the elbow to the trunk line so that it aligns over the intake access hole. You will make the intake tube connection itself after you have installed the power unit.

Connecting the trunk line to the elbow

When you are satisfied that all fittings and tubing are aligned for maximum air flow, make sure that all of the cuts are square and that all joints are tight. Then, prepare the tubing and cement the joints as described in "Working with Plastic Tubing"

CONNECTING THE LOW-VOLTAGE WIRING

Ideally, you will run the wiring and make all the wiring connections after you have completed the tubing system. Of course, the inlet wiring must be run at the time the inlet tubing is threaded through the walls.

Run the low-voltage wiring along the trunk line. At approximately 12" - 18" intervals, use electrical tape to secure the wire to the tubing. Then run wiring along the branch lines from the inlet lines to the trunk line and secure this wiring with electrical tape.

At the joint of the inlet line and branch line make a two-wire connection. Use wire nuts to make the connections and insulate each connection with electrical tape.

At the junction of every branch line and the trunk line, cut the trunk line wire and connect it to the branch line wire. Connect this wiring in groups of threes - (1) branch line wire, (1) in-coming trunk line wire, and (1) out-going trunk line wire. Insulate all wire connections with electrical tape.

Connecting all three wires

Complete all wiring connections up to the power unit's intake access hole. You will make this connection when you mount and connect the power unit.

If, for some reason, you want to connect the wire as you go along, make the same two-wire and three-wire connections where required.

Basically, the tubing network is assembled in the same way for a basement installation as for an attic installation. Begin the trunk line at the farthest inlet line from the power unit. Measure and cut the inlet tubing to the length required to align the trunk line with the joists or ceiling. Cement the inlet tubing...

Measure and cut the inlet tubing (left)
Cement the tubing (right)

...and connect a 90* elbow. Then, run the trunk line until you reach a branch line junction point.

Attach the tubing to the joists or ceiling with either perforated metal or support strapping (support strapping is available from Spaceage).

Attaching tubing with support straps

Make all branch line connections in the same way you would an attic installation. Make sure that all branch lines enter the trunk line at an angle that is at least level with the trunk line. Make sure that all fittings are oriented so that the air flows toward the power unit.

Complete the trunk line to the power unit location

USING FLEXIBLE TUBING

The supplied 36" length of flexible tubing may be used to circumvent and obstacle or to make a difficult turn. In the example illustrated here, the flexible tubing is used in order to run a branch line under a support beam. Attach this tubing to the PVC tubing, cementing only the outside of the PVC tubing as you would for a hard-fitting connection. Whenever you use the flexible tubing, you must secure both ends of it with support strapping.