Kuro507 Posted January 3 Posted January 3 We recently moved to a house with an existing borehole, a water test was arranged by the seller and the recommendations included installation of a UV filter. We had a local company install a UV filter, along with a new media filter etc. All working ok. Onto my question, is there a need for the UV filter to be running 24x7? Or could it be on a timer switch so its only on when we are awake? Could switching it on and off decrease its life in some way? Its consuming 42w, 24hrs a day at the moment.
JohnMo Posted January 3 Posted January 3 So you don't open a tap or flush a loo in the night? Nothing uses water? If you do use any water - you introduce anything UV kills off. Do you want that? My answer was no. So run 24/7/365 and replace every 365 days. 1
sharpener Posted January 3 Posted January 3 If there is a pump which is controlled by a flow/pressure switch then you could link it to that, providing the lamp is instant start (which our Pentek UV lamp is). Ideally with a bit of run-on time after pump switches off. But I haven't bothered to do this, the system is complex enough already. We are away quite a lot and turn the system off then. There is a 5 micron filter upstream which avoids nasties hiding in the shadow of any dirt particles. And a solenoid valve which prevents downstream migration of any nasties when the lamp is off. I have replaced it once in 17 years, they seem to last more or less indefinitely and the advice to replace annually is IMHO nonsense. Our steriliser is specified for twice the actual flow rate so the dwell time is twice as long as necessary which gives a good margin. Tested for bugs yesterday and all OK.
JohnMo Posted January 3 Posted January 3 On 03/01/2025 at 19:02, sharpener said: If there is a pump which is controlled by a flow/pressure switch then you could link it to that, providing the lamp is instant start (which our Pentek UV lamp is). Ideally with a bit of run-on time after pump switches off Expand But don't do that if there is a accumulator between pump and UV filter. From here https://www.knowyourh2o.com/indoor-4/uv-disinfection#google_vignette UV systems are designed for continuous operation and should be shut down only if treatment is not needed for several days. A few minutes for lamp warm-up is needed before the system is used again following shut-down. In addition, the plumbing system of the house should be thoroughly flushed following a period of no use. 1
SteamyTea Posted January 4 Posted January 4 Can you change, what I assume is a fluorescent light to an LED one? That may save a few quid a year.
JohnMo Posted January 4 Posted January 4 The bulb heats mercury I believe, so a different type of bulb
SteamyTea Posted January 4 Posted January 4 On 04/01/2025 at 07:53, JohnMo said: The bulb heats mercury I believe, so a different type of bulb Expand Right. Found this page. https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/121-uv-lamps-water-sterilisation They have, what seems to me, cheap, low powered units. No idea what the technology is. I like old Jeremy Harris's ozone treatment, when he was showing me it, I asked if it could have been smaller, and he said yes. An old customer of mine had a commercial laundry (quite big business down here) and they used ozone and a lower temperature to save energy. Needed a special license/approval, but that was a formality, so nothing special. Meant they could wash at 55°C with water heated from a CO2 heat pump.
sharpener Posted January 4 Posted January 4 On 04/01/2025 at 08:01, SteamyTea said: An old customer of mine had a commercial laundry (quite big business down here) Expand On the A303 we often see Johnson's Workwear vans taking hotel laundry from London to ?Cullompton to be washed. I imagine the tourist industry in the SW creates a big demand for such services. On 04/01/2025 at 08:01, SteamyTea said: Found this page. https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/121-uv-lamps-water-sterilisation They have, what seems to me, cheap, low powered units. No idea what the technology is. Expand Low pressure mercury arc. Like a fluorescent tube without the phosphor coating, and with a quartz envelope which transmits UV.
SteamyTea Posted January 4 Posted January 4 On 04/01/2025 at 12:10, sharpener said: I imagine the tourist industry in the SW creates a big demand for such services Expand It does. And during the off season they 'take in laundry' for pin money.
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