Softener Drain Line Question

[DG123]

Hello,

I am a bit confused with what I "think" is the builder's pre-installed softener drain line.
I opened the wall to see better what is going on. Glad I did.
This is in a garage, and the house is on a slab in SoCal.

First question: Is this 3/4" copper pipe sticking out of wall the Softener Drain input line?
Second Question: If this is the drain line, am I to assume that it is connected into a drain with an air gap?
Third Question: Why is there an "Open" Tee at the bottom, inside the wall? Would that need to be capped so that it doesn't flood the inside of my walls?

An alternative approach is that I could run a flexible line over to the drain for the washer, since it is about 6 feet away on the other side of a door way.
Fourth Question: Should I do this instead of risking using this line in red?

Thanks for any input and help.

Below, is what is down by the floor that you can see at the bottom of the above image.
Both line, the 1/2" to what I think goes to the spigot & what I "think" is the softener drain line, both look to go down into the slab.

 

[Bannerman]

With the proximity of the open tee compared to the adjacent elbow feeding the outside spigot that is now pointed forward to connect to the main line inside the garage, I suspect that line was not intended as a softener drain. Perhaps the protruding stub was to be connected through valves to give a choice on routing either un-softened or softened water to the outside spigot and wherever else the line below the open tee is routed. You might locate an abandoned water line to the kitchen faucet as previous water softener installations often fed un-softened water to the cold kitchen faucet.

Any air gap present would be located where the pressurized drain from the softener will discharge into the home's sewer/septic drain system which will then flow by gravity. That air gap would need to be accessible.

It sounds that the washer drain might be the best location to discharge the softener. If the washer utilizes a drain standpipe, an air gap device can probably be easily added. As the drain line from the softener is usually pressurized, there should be no issue on routing the drain line upwards and over the door opening.

Air gap examples: http://goodwaterwarehouse.com/cat/9_agd.shtml

 

[Sponsor]

 

[DG123]

Thanks Bannerman,
I think you are right that I should just route to the washer drain with an airgap device. It is a bit too tight to get in there to fix that open Tee anyway. If the intention was to route softened or unsoftened water to the spigot I wonder where the other end of that line that goes into the slab terminates? There are no dead or unused lines in the kitchen, so it is a mystery, but not one worth risking the unknown for I guess.
Thanks.

 

[DG123]

My next issue is getting both the washer discharge and the airgap hose into the same 1.5" ID pipe behind the washer.
You can see in the pict that it's like putting 5lb of beef in a 1lb bag.
Maybe there is some "Y" union that I can use to get both together into the same 1.5" ID pipe?

 

[DG123]

Because the 1.5 inch drain comes out at 45 degree, I could install a 1.5 inch 45 degree PVC elbow with a 1.5 inch to 2" PVC expander so that I can fit both in. It will just stick out like a big thumb.

 

[ditttohead]

https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/274-275

Here are several different ideas for air gaps.

 

[DG123]

Thank you dittohead. I think I have to correct the 45 degree exit issue first, then I think some of these options might work.

 

[Reach4]

It will just stick out like a big thumb.

If you use a wye with a cleanout, instead of a 45, it might look more planned.

I would support your new vertical with some kind of pipe clamp.