UV Dynamics is a privately held corporation located in London, Ontario, that designs and manufactures ultraviolet water and air disinfection systems in-house. Their UV power sources are not merely adaptations of power sources used for lighting, but are application specific products designed to optimize the UV output and lifetime of the UV lamps. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding UV Dynamic systems.

1. How long has UV Water Disinfection been in use?

In 1906, Anon, France, was the first time UV water disinfection was used for a municipal installation. Residential application interest grew again during the 1950's and has been growing at a rapid rate ever since. The technological problems and uncertainties faced by the early pioneers have all been resolved and today's UV equipment is not only competitively priced, but offers low maintenance and low operating cost compared to other disinfection methods. The UV Dynamics disinfection system is the choice for most residential applications.

2. Who should use UV Water Disinfection?

Any one who receives their water from a private well or surface water needs to be disinfected & treated before use. In many areas we can no longer assume the safety of our water source with the ever increasing effects of agriculture and industry.

3. How does UV Disinfect water?

When disease causing microorganisms are exposed to UV light their DNA is disrupted, disabling the microorganismâ€™s ability to replicate and cause illness.

4. What is UV dose?

UV dose is the intensity of the UV radiation and the length of time the water is exposed to the UV radiation. UV dose is expressed in millijoules(mj)/centimeter squared (cm2)

5. What UV dose do I require?

UV disinfection equipment is manufactured in different dose standards making it important to know the dose being used when flow rates are specified. For many years the industry used a standard of 30mj/cm2 for primary disinfection. More recently leading authorities (including the US EPA and NSF) have adopted a dose of 40mj/cm2 for primary water disinfection. If your water source is from a private well or surface water, 40mj/cm2 is the recommend dose for installation. A dose of 30mj/cm2 is recommended for all applications with municipal water supply.

6. Can I do my own installation?

UV Dynamics equipment can be DIY installed if you have basic plumbing skill & local regulations allow.

7. What are the operating costs of a UV Disinfection System?4>

The UV system uses about as electricity as a 40watt light bulb.

8. Does the unit need to be on continuously?

Yes. Excessive on/off cycling of the UV lamp will greatly reduce its life expectancy. The UV lamp needs to operate for several minutes to reach full UV output. By having the unit on continuously, the chance that untreated water will be consumed is minimized.

9. Where do I install the UV Disinfection unit?

UV disinfection equipment should always be installed at the last stage of any water treatment system. The equipment should be installed so both cold and hot will be disinfected.

10. Can I install a bypass valve?

Yes, you should have a bypass valve.

11. Installing the unit in a cottage?

UV disinfection is becoming very popular for cottages and summer homes. If your UV system is not going to be in use for several months, you can shut it down during absences. Provided you disconnect the UV disinfection system from the AC power source and completely drain the disinfection chamber in areas where freezing temperatures are possible, the lamp should last for the full 9000hrs. When used in this manner the quartz sleeve should be cleaned annually and the UV lamp should be replaced after two years regardless of hours of use. It is recommend to disconnect the unit from the AC power source in situations where the cottage will be used on a regular basis e.g. every weekend.

12. I have municipal water - do I need UV disinfection?

Majority of municipal water providers do an excellent job of providing safe and reliable water supply to their customers.

If you feel your water provider isn't part of this group, you can install a UV disinfection system to provide additional water supply security for yourself and your family.

13. Is water pre-treatment required?

The UV disinfection is a physical process and the microorganisms need to be exposed to a minimum level of UV energy for effective disinfection. To ensure low maintenance reliable operation, the water to be treated must not contain any elements which significantly reduce the UV transmission of the water or elements which will form a deposit on the quartz sleeve which will lower the amount of UV light energy in the disinfection chamber. Water, which meets the following minimum guidelines, generally requires only an annual maintenance interval, consisting of lamp replacement and cleaning of the quartz sleeve.

Turbidity
Suspended Solids
Colour = None
Total Iron
Manganese
Hardness

If you are unsure as to whether your water meets the required minimum standards, bring a glass of your water to our Victoria location and we will test it for free. It is recommended, as a minimum, to install a 5 micron pre-filter before all UV disinfection equipment. If your water needs pretreatment in addition to the 5 micron pre-filter, call us toll-free at 1-888-444-8497.

14. How long does the UV lamp last?

The UV output of the UV lamp decreases slowly with age and has a useful life of roughly 1 year. Beyond a year, the lamp output starts to degrade rapidly. The integral lamp change reminder alarm will sound informing you to change the lamp. Operating the lamp beyond 1 year will result in reducing disinfection performance.

15. Do I need to regularly test my water?

Yes. Even with a UV disinfection unit installed, regular water testing is still required to verify the safety of your entire water distribution system.

For more UV Disinfection information, click here: UV Dynamics

16. I know I am supposed to change my UV every year, but why?

This is a common customer questions particularly because the UV lamp may still be "burning" or lit. The reason you MUST change your UV lamp is because over time, the intensity of the UV lamp diminishes.

The intensity of a UV is measured in milliwatts per square centimeter. This combined with the UV transmittance of the water and time creates a UV dose. The UV dose is what is required to eliminate a given pathogen in your water. As the intensity diminishes the dosage decreases and pathogens can now pass through the UV without being eliminated - this is not good.

Most good manufacturers size the flow rate and dosage of their UV based upon the intensity of the lamp at the end of its life thus ensuring you are always protected. Most UV systems have a counter that will tell you when it is time to change out the lamp to a new one.

17. Should my UV Dynamics system be mounted vertically or horizontally?

It is recommended by the manufacturer that a UV Dynamics system should never be mounted sideways. UVD's must always be mounted vertically due to the balancing of the quartz sleeve.

18. Why do I need a surge protector for my UV system?

A surge protector will protect your UV system from being damaged from your electrical system during a power outage. As the power returns to your home, it will come with a lot of "juice" at once (like a garden hose going from zero flow to full flow in an instant). In order to prevent damage to your electronics (including the UV ballast), you should have it plugged into a surge protector.

Click HERE to view available surge protectors.

19. How do I reset my UV Dynamics after I replace the lamp?

The lamp change reminder timer is reset by disconnecting the UV power source from the AC supply, wait for fifteen seconds and reconnect to the AC supply while depressing the timer button. The UV power source will emit a solid three-second beep indicating that the reset was successful.

It is not possible to reset the lamp change timer unless the timer is in the grace period or lamp change alarm mode. If you need to reset the lamp change timer prior to the full one year time period expiring due to premature lamp failure, there are special instructions included with all replacement lamps describing the necessary procedure.

20. I have a UV Dynamics system and my cold water is coming out hot, why?

Usually in this situation the plumbing entering and/or exiting the UV system is copper. Copper is great at conducting heat and is holding the temperature of the UV light. Try unplugging the ballast for a few hours and run cold water. If this fixes issue, then re-plumbing is in order. If this does not fix the issue, then contact Van Isle Water to find out the next step.

21. Metallic of chemical taste from my UV disinfected water.

Although uncommon, it is still possible that the grounding wire connecting your UV Ballast to the stainless canister is not connected properly. Remove the ground wire and attach to the metal rack with electrical tape. Run the water for 15 minutes and try tasting again. If the chemical taste is still there, contact Van Isle Water for the next step in fixing the connection. Tape is not a final solution.

For more information on resetting your UV Dynamic system, click here: Reset & Replace UV Dynamics