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For swimming pools clean the cartridge when the pressure gauge reaches 8-10 psi above the initial system, new cartridge, or properly cleaned cartridge starting pressure. For spas clean the cartridge based on the spa usage, but in no case go longer than one month between cleanings. Failure to remove all oils and cleaning solution before acid soaking will result in a permanent restriction of water flow and cause premature cartridge failure.
TO CLEAN A CARTRIDGE FILTER:
Warning!
1. Remove the cartridge
from the filter following the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Use a garden hose with a straight flow nozzle to wash down the filter element. Work from the top down and wash all the pleats with emphasis on the area between the pleats. Do not use a high pressure hose, you will damage the filter element.
3. Rinse until all dirt and foreign material is removed.
4. Soak the element for at least one hour (over night is most effective) in a commercial filter cleaner. We strongly recommend the use of BioGuard Strip Kwik cleaner. You also may use 1 cup trisodium phosphate to five gallons of water. This removes perspiration, suntan lotions and other oils from the filter medium.
5. If the filter
has a coating of algae, calcium carbonate, iron , soak the cartridge, following
the manufacturer's instructions, in BioGuard Kleen-It®.
6. Rinse the cartridge clean and reassemble the filter.
You may use a solution of one part muriatic acid to twenty parts water, soaking the filter medium until all bubbling ceases. The ability of this method to deal with body oils and lotions which end up in the filter is questionable. Using this method results in a solution that can not be disposed of easily. Be sure and follow all local and state ordinances in disposing of the cleaning solution.
Copper stains are generally blue or blue/green. Silver stains are usually black or gray. Brown, orange or rust colored stains are from iron in the water, poor water balance or leaves and other foreign material in the pool. Remember not to fertilize your lawn in windy conditions, the fertilizer may be blown into the pool and stain your pool. Other stains can be caused by metals and minerals in the fill water.
Common causes of staining are the following:
A. Lack of water balance - any one of pH, T/A or hardness not being within the acceptable range could result in staining (just like a chlorine pool).
| Measurement | Acceptable Range |
| Total Alkalinity | 80 to 100 ppm |
| pH | 7.6 to 7.8 PPM |
| Calcium Hardness(CaH) | 150 to 300 PPM |
| Total Hardness | Greater than or equal to CaH and less than CaH+150ppm |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Less than 2300 PPM |
B. Too much copper - running too high of a copper concentration. Turn the ionization output "off" until the copper is in an acceptable range.
C. Bouncing the pH - adding large amounts of acid or chemicals at one time may result in staining.
D. Installation problem - If there are blue or gray stains on the walls, if the automatic cleaner leaves black or gray tracks on the pool floor or if the chrome pool light ring is discolored there may be a bonding problem.
The pool bond is a solid copper wire that should be connected to the steel in the pool. This wire usually comes out of the dirt or cement at the equipment pad. It is normally hooked up to the pump motor at a copper lug at the back of the motor. There should be a solid 6 to 8awg copper wire from this point to the copper lug on the bottom of the Purifier unit (white box). From the Purifier unit the solid wire should continue over to both bonding lugs on the outside of the Purifier chamber (plumbing fitting that holds the electrodes).
For ways to reduce or eliminate discoloration due to pool bonding, go to bonding for existing pools. (Use the "Back" button to return to this discussion.)
E. Bond Connections are Corroded - The bond wire and lugs and connectors are usually all copper. These copper parts will corrode over time. A blue-green corrosion will appear. This corrosion degrades the connections and you end up with the problem in paragraph "D" (above). About every 3 to 5 years disconnect all the bond connections clean them with sand paper or a chemical that will remove the corrosion. After cleaning, reinstall the connectors and make sure they are all tight.
HOW DO WE GET THE STAINS REMOVED?
Most of the time the "stain" is really a discoloration. A thin layer of calcium builds up on the pool walls. Copper cleats or sticks to this layer of calcium. The plaster is not stained. Three to five applications of an oxalic acid based product will remove this layer of calcium and therefore the blue (copper) discoloration. If the water turns milky or cloudy, filter the water until the water is clear. Wait at least two days between applications of stain treat chemicals.
A simple test may be used to verify if the product will work. Put a couple handfuls of the product in a cotton sock and put the sock on the worst stain. Come back three days later. If the stain is gone where the sock was placed, then the product will remove the stains in three to five dosages.
Recommended product: United Chemical Pool Stain Treat
Alternate: Bio-Guard Pool Magnet (a liquid)
DO NOT USE OTHER POOL MAGNET PRODUCTS WITH AN NON-CHLORINE SANITIZER!
1. The start up procedure was not properly followed. Please refer to the owners manual for your system for a more detailed discussion. First the pool water must be properly balanced by adjusting the pH, Total Alkalinity (T/A), and water hardness. Once the balance is correct the Output adjustment should be turned up to 50% and liquid chlorine added until the copper level reaches the proper reading. Do not stop using chlorine until the level is correct! The chlorine does most of the sanitation and allows the copper to slowly increase.
2. In certain parts of the country the fill water is very soft. Electricity does not conduct very well in soft water. Adjust the water hardness in a swimming pool. For a spa small amounts of liquid chlorine may be added. The chlorine salts will aid in the release of copper into the water by the ionizer.
3. There may be a heavy biological "load" in the pool. A common cause is an improperly designed and constructed waterfall. Materials other than tile at the waterline can cause a problem when not "sealed" properly. The "load" must be removed by a through cleaning of the materials, proper surface sealing and a heavy dose of chlorine before starting up the ionizer. Please request a copy of our technical bulletin on rock waterfalls. (Click Here to request a copy by e-mail)
On an existing pool, cracks or checked plaster can allow algae to grow in and behind the damaged plaster. The algae must be removed then the plaster repaired.
4. The filter may not be running for a long enough time period or the ion output knob needs to be increased. The units work only when the filter pump is running. If the filtration period is too short, the unit will not be on long enough. All the water in the pool must circulate through the filter at least 1 1/2 times each day. In addition, water throughout the pool must circulate. There should be no "dead" areas where water does not "move". If water does not "move" completely throughout the pool, then the sanitizing agent will not be evenly distributed throughout the pool.
5. Please note in the owners manual under the section on copper testing with a Palintest test kit that a "clear or gray" reading is a copper reading. No copper would register as an orange color. As noted in the owners manual if a pool is located in the Southwest, the zinc test using the EDTA tablets should be run about twice a year. Zinc will cause the test kit to reflect a higher copper reading than what is really in the water.
6. Copper test kit reagents may be old or not correct.
Do not use reagents from other test kits. They are specifically designed for use with each test kit and kit manufacturer.
The tablets in the Palintest test kit have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years if kept dry and in a cool place. Also chlorine in the body of water will "bleach" out the reading. There should be no chlorine residual in water used with the Palintest test kit.
Your purifier comes with two metal bars that will be suspended in the water flow. These bars are both the same mixture of copper and silver. The copper and silver that goes into the pool must come from a source - the source is the sacrificial copper and silver bars (electrodes).
WHEN DO THE ELECTRODES NEED TO BE REPLACED?
There are three conditions which almost occur at the same time which indicate the electrodes must be replaced. The electrodes normally wear by first becoming very thin and then shortening. When the electrodes get to be about 1" to 1 1/2" long they should be replaced.
When the copper level can not be maintained in the pool and all other factors are ok. The electrodes may need to be replaced.
The electrode monitor light on the front panel of the Purifier unit illuminates when the resistance between the electrodes is too high. This can be caused by the electrodes badly in need of cleaning. Another cause is an "open circuit" in the electrode circuit (broken cable, damaged connector). Also when the electrodes have just been cleaned and the electrode monitor remains "on" the electrodes need to be changed.
EXCESSIVE ELECTRODE WEAR
Under normal conditions the electrodes should last one year on a 17,000 gallon pool. Remember that a larger than average pool must have two sets of electrodes installed for proper operation. See the unit documentation for specifications. View more information about the Plus option.
1. Excessive wear is almost always caused by poor water balance. The water should be balanced as follows:
| Measurement | Acceptable Range |
| Total Alkalinity | 80 to 100 PPM |
| pH | 7.6 to 7.8 PPM |
| Calcium Hardness | 150 to 300 PPM |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Less than 2300 PPM |
2. Since the copper in the water comes from the electrodes if an excessive amount of copper is in the water then the electrodes have been unnecessarily worn. The copper level on average should be between .4ppm and .6ppm. If you are using chlorine as a shock, perform the copper measurement at least two days after the addition of chlorine.
3. When adding pool acid to the swimming pool the acid should not be added to the skimmer or just in front of the skimmer.
4. If the amount of time the circulation pump is running has been increased, increased electrode wear will occur if the output adjustment has not been lowered.
5. If the output adjustment has been increased more electrode wear will occur unless the circulation pump run time has been reduced.
6. If the water temperature has been increased, more sanitizer is required to kill the additional virus and bacteria that grow in warm water. This will cause the electrodes to wear faster than before the water temperature was increased.
7. If the pool use has increased or a change in the environment around the pool has resulted in more debris in the pool, more sanitizer will be required - thus more electrode wear.
8. If the copper test reagents are more than 2 years old or have large white spots the reagents need to be replaced. Old reagents can result in the wrong test results. Copper test kits other than the factory supplied test kit can give wrong and inconsistent results. Other test kit's reagents are very easy to damage and cause wrong results. Use the copper test kit supplied by the factory.
9. During the winter the copper level should be reduced to .3ppm. During the winter very little if any algae or bacterial growth takes place. Just as you would add little or no chlorine to the water on a chlorine pool, there is no need to keep a large amount of copper in the water.
10. Failure to clean the electrodes on a regular basis will result in uneven wear, premature wearing, "flaking" of the metal, or even parts of the electrode breaking off.
UNEVEN WEAR OF ELECTRODES
It is normal for a small difference in wear to occur between the two electrodes. However, this should be a small amount.
When installing the electrodes, you should make sure the electrodes are lined up so the water runs through them. The electrodes should not be "twisted" in the water flow. The owners manual has a diagram that shows the proper alignment of the electrodes.
If the ionization chamber is considered to be shaped like the letter T, then the water runs through the arms of the "T" and the electrodes are inserted in the leg of the "T". The leg of the "T" is called the riser of the "T". This riser should be pointed down towards the ground. An angle of 45 degrees toward the ground is ideal. The installation manual or sheet includes a diagram of this. Also see electrode installation diagram This is done so that the riser will fill with water and the electrodes completely immersed in water. If the riser is parallel to the ground or is facing up then uneven electrode wear will most likely occur. In addition, the ionization chamber or "T" must be mounted on a horizontal run of plumbing. If the chamber is mounted on a vertical run of plumbing uneven wear of electrodes will occur. Also a low copper reading may result.
Make sure that the POWER MONITOR light on the front panel of the Purifier unit changes color about every three minutes. If it does not and the FLOW indicator (if so equipped) is illuminated, please contact the factory.
ELECTRODE MAINTENANCE
The electrodes must be cleaned on a regular basis. Usually they need to be cleaned once every 4 to 6 weeks. Cleaning means (as described in the owners manual) scraping all the buildup off all surfaces of the electrodes. The crust or mud that builds up is from minerals and metals in the water. During operation these are attracted to the electrode surfaces. Thus, the cleaning frequency will be determined by the condition of the fill water.
HINT - If the electrodes are removed for cleaning and there is a "brown mud" or thin blue scale deposit on the electrodes the cleaning frequency is good. If a thick blue scale is present the electrodes need to be cleaned more often.
This must be done as described above. If the electrodes are not cleaned - electrode life will be shortened (1 to 3 months instead of 12 months). Uneven wear may result. Pits and crevices may appear. Flaking of the electrodes may occur.
For a proper range of operation the purifier circuit contains an electronic part which produces a large amount of heat. This electronic part is mounted on the front panel so the panel will dissipate the heat. During maximum output operation the panel will get quite hot. Under normal operating conditions the panel will usually be warm. These are normal conditions.
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