Note that a prefilter is recommended to keep the
inside surface clean and transparent to UV light.
6-20-98, Pete wrote:
>
> Anyone know how ultraviolet light manages to kill germs?
> What exactly are the mechanics involved? Is it action
> similar to that produced by the Rife ray? Just saw an
> ad for a UV gizmo thats supposed to purify water and was
> wondering if it it worked...
Pete,
The short answer: UV light produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
in water, or ozone (O3) in air, and either of these products
is germicidal. If that 'UV gizmo' you saw is a quality unit,
then it should work well.
I got mine from Jim Nigra, 818-889-6877 -- a Coast Filtration
(factory phone 714-990-4602) model UVMB-6, 6 watts, 125 vac,
12-18 months life, 1 gal/min (2.5" dia x 13" long, with
1/4" tube fittings), was $70. Intended for use between your
prefilter and main filter (it should keep germs from breeding
in your main filter).
--Bill
~~~~~~~~~~
Pete,
The 'life' rating is for the fluorescent UV light tube.
The tube may 'light up' longer, but the UV-emitting phosphors
eventually degrade, and usually don't emit enough germicidal
UV-B and UV-C for more than 12 - 18 months of full-time use.
I only turn my unit on while I'm filling several 5-gallon bottles,
so it should last for 25 years, assuming that all the on-off
cycles don't limit it's life. (There's 8,760 hours in 12 months.)
--Bill
~~~~~~~~~~
At 02:39 PM 12-29-98 -0800, Jerry wrote:
>Hi Folks!
>
>Here is news of a commercial UV water purifier that might be of use.
>
>Wonder if they actually bubble ozone into it also, like they do in the
>aledged cure for AIDS where living blood is passed through a quartz
>tube and exposed to both ozone and high intensity UV.
>
>That UV irradiated blood is then readmitted and mixed with the rest of
>the blood, the idea being that it continues to re-radiate the UV and
>kill further infestations.
>
>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/12/981218075610.htm
>
>UV Waterworks, which was invented by Ashok Gadgil, a scientist with
>Berkeley Lab's Environmental Energy Technologies Division, is ideally
>suited for emergency situations.
>
>"Unlike other ultraviolet-based water purifiers, UV Waterworks does
>not require pressurized water-delivery systems and electrical
>outlets," says Gadgil. "It is designed to rely on gravity for water
>flow which means it can be used with any source of water."
>
>Needing electricity only to operate its small UV lamp and automatic
>shutoff valve, UV Waterworks can be powered by a car battery or a
>60-watt solar cell.
>About the size of a microwave oven and weighing seven kilograms (15
>pounds), it can disinfect water at the rate of four gallons per
>minute, similar to the flow from a typical American bathtub spout.
>
>Passing water through ultraviolet light inactivates the DNA of
>pathogens and purifies the water at a cost of about five U.S. cents
>for every 1,000 gallons.
>
>