 Please give careful consideration to the planning of the system. In an existing building you may wish to compromise between the position of the faceplates, location of the power unit and convenient installation of the connecting pipework. Whilst these three aspects of the system are considered separately, each has an effect on the others: a small change to the position of a faceplate could make the pipework much easier to install.
If the system can be incorporated into the design of a new building, then provision for the faceplates and pipe work can be made during construction of the building and the faceplates can be placed in the optimum positions.
(a)Existing Buildings
 In an existing building, the best way of determining the positions of the faceplates is to use a 30-foot (9 metres) tape or length of rope to represent the flexible hose. Having chosen an initial position for a faceplate, make sure that every inch of the floor, walls, cupboards and ceiling can be reached by the hose on that floor or part of the floor if more than one inlet is to be installed at that level – Fig 1. Not forgetting that the hose may have to reach round large pieces of furniture. Ideal positions for the faceplates are centrally in hallways or cupboard walls near doorways. Make sure the faceplate is accessible and will not be obstructed by furniture or positioned where a door slides along a wall.
Decide whether you want to mount the faceplate in the wall or floor. When wall mounted, the faceplate should be arranged so that the cover is pulled downwards to insert the flexible hose. Floor mounted faceplates have the disadvantage that the hose must be inserted at floor level rather than at more convenient height but, if there are wooden floors, it is often easier to mount the faceplate in the floors than the walls.
(b)New Buildings
For a new building when only plans are available, a piece of string of suitable length should be used to represent the flexible hose. Most floor plans are drawn at a scale of ¼" to 1' scale so that a 7" length of string will be suitable. As in (a) above, make allowances for furniture or other obstructions – some imagination will be called for!! With a new building, wall mounted faceplates will be preferable, probably at the same height as the electrical power sockets. For ease of use however, it may be preferable in some instances, to install the faceplate higher up the wall.
The power unit can be mounted on almost any wall but the height of the unit (with a full collector) should be taken into consideration. It should be out of the way, yet accessible so that the dust container can be emptied. A garage integral to the house makes an ideal location. Over time dust may become noticeable in the discharge from the exhaust of the power unit – for this reason it may be preferable to pipe the exhaust to the outside of the building (this ducting must not exceed 12').
A 13 Amp mains fused electrical socket will be required in close proximity (maximum of 5½’) to the unit. (see section 6)
 The complete pipe work route from the power unit to each of the faceplates should be planned before work starts - Fig 2. As a principle, you should choose the route that uses the fewest bends and least amount of piping. It is generally more convenient to run the piping under the ground floor if there is sufficient space. Similarly, for the upper floors the piping may run under the floor or, alternatively, the pipework may run vertically to the attic or loft space and then down to the faceplates. It can be hidden in the underneath the bath, kitchen units, back of built in wardrobes, airing cupboards, under the stairs, beside the soil pipe or within stud partitioning.
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