FAQs

The metal beads are a normal part of the lamp and contain the mercury that the lamp needs to produce UV light. They are not always visible, as they sometimes get stuck at the ends of the lamp.

The quartz sleeve should be cleaned at least once every 12 months. More frequent cleanings (every 3-6 months) may be necessary if the water being treated has high mineral or organic content that can lead to fouling of the sleeve. The sleeve should be replaced after 2-3 years, or if the surface is damaged or scratched or seems cloudy or hazy after cleaning.

The UV is generally installed on the main water line for POE or the cold-water line for POU. The UV system must be after the pump and before the hot water tank. It must be the last system to be installed, so it must be after any prefiltration units.

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend powering the system off if you are going to be away for more than two weeks. This is simply to avoid consuming unnecessary lamp hours. There are no concerns associated with keeping your UV system on without water flow for a longer period of time, so long as there is water in the chamber. The only potential safety concern would be if you touch the chamber as it will be quite hot. It is also recommended to purge any hot water from the chamber upon return. Do not allow water to contact your skin until the hot water is purged.

We recommend that the main water is shut off, the lines are depressurized, and the UV system is powered down for 10 minutes for the lamp to cool down. The chamber should be depressurized by opening a tap after the UV system. Then the water should be drained from the UV system and filter housing(s).
The filter cartridge(s), lamp, and sleeve should be removed from the system and should be stored in a safe, dry place where it will not be exposed to the elements. It is recommended to wipe down the outside of the sleeve with CLR or Lime-A-Way, rinse with water, then dry with a lint-free cloth as well before storing for the winter. If you have water in the piping or the pre-filtration, it could freeze and damage the lines.

VIQUA does not service systems directly. We advise customers to use our Where to Buy link to find local dealers, many of which will have recommended service technicians or will be service companies.
If you have any difficulties finding a local service technician, please email us at: technicalsupport@viqua.com.

VIQUA does not sell directly to end-users. We sell to our authorized distributors only. Please contact one of our authorized dealers for pricing details, which you can find using our Where to Buy page.

Yes, we sell NSF standard 55 class A systems which are our PRO10, PRO20 and PRO30 systems. These systems have maximum flow rates of 10, 20 and 30 GPM respectively and have NSF alarm sets points at a 40mJ/cm2 UV dose. The UV dose alarm levels can be set to 40 mJ/cm2, 80 mJ/cm2 or 120 mJ/cm2 with the use of an optional COMMcenter.

Sediment filters are typically replaced every 4-6 months based on water quality, but you generally need to change them if there is a noticeable drop in water pressure or water flow. For the carbon filters, the cartridges should be replaced when a noticeable change in taste or smell is detected, typically 6-12 months.

Any water source can become contaminated by microorganisms. Unfortunately, the microbial quality of your water supply can change due to environmental conditions. By providing your own treatment, you are taking responsibility for ensuring the quality of your water supply for you and your family.

Yes, UV is known to be an effective technology to inactivate these microbes, which are highly resistant to chlorine disinfection. In addition, the UV dose level required to inactivate these cysts is relatively low, at 10 mJ/cm² for 99.9% reduction. Recommended flow rates for VIQUA UV systems are based on a UV dose level of 30 mJ/cm². (See “What is UV dose?”)

Yes, UV is known to be an effective technology to inactivate these microbes, which are highly resistant to chlorine. In addition, the UV dose level required to inactivate these cysts is relatively low, at 10 mJ/cm². Recommended flow rates for VIQUA UV systems are based on a UV dose level of 30 mJ/cm². (See “What is UV dose?).

UV dose or fluence is the amount of UV energy imparted to the water as it flows through the system. It’s related to UV lamp wattage but also how well the UV is transmitted through the water, which is measured as UVT. (See “What is UVT?”)

UVT is the proportion (%) of the UV energy from the lamp that can penetrate water flowing through the UV system. Water quality varies and this affects UVT. Turbidity in the water reduces the transmission of light while contaminants that give rise to color (for example, in lake water) reduce UVT due to absorption of the light. Water drawn from a dug well or surface source (lake, river) may have UVT in the 55% to 80% range, while water drawn from a drilled well typically has UVT in the 85% to 97% range. Published flow rates for VIQUA systems are based on water with UVT of 95%, except for NSF-validated systems, which use UVT of 70% as the basis for flow rate calculation. Different levels of UVT can be accommodated by sizing the UV system accordingly.

All VIQUA systems are equipped with “lamp-out” monitors, which indicate lamp status. Monitored systems equipped with a UV sensor indicate the amount of UV that is being imparted to the water and will go into alarm if the UV dose is insufficient.

Municipal or city water originates from a water treatment facility, and water quality is regulated by health authorities. However, once the water has left the treatment facility, it moves through an aging and crumbling infrastructure system, which can lead to contamination. There are also occasions when circumstances lead to “Boil Water Advisories.” If you wish to provide your family with added peace of mind, then a UV system is an affordable insurance policy against the possibility of drinking water contaminated with microbes.

UV systems are very economical to operate. A typical whole house UV system uses the same power as a 40-Watt light bulb.

No, UV is a physical process, so it does not add anything to or change the taste or odor of the water. It simply provides reliable treatment without the use of chemicals. In rare circumstances, untreated sulphur odor can become more noticeable after UV treatment.

No, the UV system should be left on whether you are using the water or not. By leaving the unit on, you will eliminate the potential problem of having contamination pass through the system while the unit is off. However, if water is drained from your system (e.g., winterizing), your UV system must be turned off.

Most UV lamps have a useful life of approximately 9,000 hours, which means that the lamps require annual replacement in a full-time residence. PRO Series UV systems have a useful life of approximately 18,000 hours and must be replaced every two years. There is a quartz sleeve that surrounds the UV lamp, which must be kept free from hardness or iron deposits by cleaning with a lime-removing solution and soft, lint-free cloth. Proper maintenance of any installed pretreatment equipment is also required.

Yes, for UV to be fully effective, water quality parameters should be as follows:
-Iron < 0.3 ppm (0.3 mg/L)
-Manganese < 0.05 ppm (0.05 mg/L)
-Hardness < 7gpg
-Tannins < 0.1 ppm (0.1 mg/L)
-Turbidity < 1NTU
-UV transmittance > 75%
Note: If you are unsure of the quality of your water supply, it is important to have the water tested. A UV transmittance test (UVT) is strongly recommended for surface/shallow well sources or water that is even slightly colored. To find out more information about UVT tests, please contact VIQUA or your local water treatment specialist.

Yes. Microbes can potentially be shielded by suspended particles (turbidity) in the water supply, so it’s necessary to filter the water to remove these particles. A high-quality filter system with a rating of 5 microns is recommended. Filtering to a lower micron rating (for example, 1 micron) will remove smaller (fine) particulates but can result in undesirable restriction of water flow. Several VIQUA UV systems incorporate prefiltration for easier installation and maintenance.

The most important consideration is not to install a UV system in situations where the recommended maximum water flow can be exceeded. In situations where this is a possibility, flow restrictors are available to prevent that from happening. The best approach is to choose a UV system that is sized appropriately for the maximum possible flow (present and future) of your water supply equipment.

Although not essential, the installation of simple by-pass plumbing allows for emergency use of the water in case the UV unit must be removed from service. A simple by-pass assembly with three isolation valves can be installed easily.

No, UV systems are designed with inlet/outlet ports correctly sized for the specific application. Whole-home systems typically have 3/4″ or 1″ connections, while smaller point-of-use options have 3/8″ or 1/2″ connections.

VIQUA offers different models to suit widely varying water flow demands. An average whole-home UV system ranges in size from 5 to 18 gpm. Determining the maximum flow rate of your pump will determine the UV model best suited to that flow rate. Do not undersize the UV system. If in doubt, it’s always better to choose the next largest size.

As the UV lamp and/or sleeve need to be periodically removed from the reactor chamber, you must allow at least double the length of the chamber to facilitate removal.

VIQUA systems incorporate proprietary electronic controller technology, which provides constant output voltage regardless of variations in input frequency or voltage, for consistent UV output. However, in regions that experience significant power fluctuation, the use of high-quality surge protection is recommended. UV systems should always be connected to a dedicated electrical outlet protected by a GFI (ground fault interrupter).

The chamber that carries the water flow is manufactured from passivated stainless steel. Both the UV lamp and the surrounding sleeve are manufactured from high purity fused quartz (not plain glass). All seals that come into contact with the water are FDA and NSF compliant.

Stainless-steel chambers are warranted against leakage due to manufacturing defect for 10 years. System controllers are warranted against manufacturing defect for 3 years (5 years for Arros, PRO series, H and K variants), while UV lamps, quartz sleeves, and UV sensors are covered for 12 months from the date of purchase.

A solenoid valve is an automatically controlled valve capable of shutting off water flow in the event of a problem with the UV system on monitored systems only. It is an optional component generally only used in regulated facilities.

‘Monitored’ is used to describe the class of VIQUA UV systems that have a UV Sensor.

Standard Output – VIQUA’s standard output UV lamp. They generate less heat but require longer system lengths and exposure time to equal the dose delivered by other lamp types.
High Output – A higher output UV lamp used on VIQUA’s compact systems.
Amalgam – VIQUA’s highest output UV lamp. Due to higher power requirements, it is the preferred lamp technology for light commercial applications or public facilities.

A COMMcenter data communication module accessory displays UV dose, alarm history, lamp hours and other performance parameters. It includes a dry contact connection for external functionality. It is compatible with PRO Series including H Plus and K Plus Professional UV systems. Data can be recorded to an SD card (sold separately).