Just bought an Ultra-Pure Ozonator

[Isaac-1]

As some of you know I have been considering either an ozonator or a UV system for supplemental oxidation for my indoor pool. Well as chance had it I ran across an older Ultra-Pure Ozonator (new in box) off ebay last night for a very cheap price, so I bid on it and won, it is rated for 50,000 gallon pool size, and assuming it has equal output to their current 50,000 gallon model it should output about .44 grams of ozone per hour. Now I am looking for some thoughts on installation, etc. It seems Ultra-Pure is of the position that the best way to install is by plumbing into the inlet side pool pump, probably through a drain plug replacement on the pool pump. Any thoughts, or warnings on this approach? Also I am currently running my pump 24/7 (I need to replace the dead timer, but am waiting for cooler weather), should I wire the ozonator into the same timer as the pump when I replace it (both are 240V), if so should I wire in a cut off switch/timer for the ozonator downstream from the pump timer to only run it at selective times? Any other thoughts, warnings, etc. Note I have a fairly long return plumbing path, about 30 feet to the closest return from the filter.

Ike

p.s. I plan to add in an adjustable flow meter like their current product includes so I can easily tune the output flow.

 

[learthur]

Mine is not an ultra-pure.

I do know that getting the correct airflow rate through the unit helps it run more efficiently.

I would run it any time the pump runs. More the better. 0.4 is not a lot....



Some run it as you describe where it works as a flocculant increasing filter efficiency. I have not tried this.

 

[jdjeff]

.4 grams an hour is I believe way below what would be useful in a pool that size. .4 grams is probably the rating under ideal conditions, which none of us every really have. Mine produces 8 grams an hour for a 27k gallon pool and that is just about right for that size but I use it as a primary. Problem with inlet side close to the pump is that if you don't have well prepped air going into the unit (and maybe even with it) you could be producing nitric acid which over time isn't going to be helpful to your equipment. You also don't want it too close to where you are introducing chlorine into the line. I'm no expert though, just my two cents based on a bunch of research. And I don't know the ultrapure system so maybe they have that licked. I just don't see how that little ozone will have much of an effect.

 

[Isaac-1]

It sounds like your unit is a corona discharge ozonator, the Ultra-Pure brand units are UV ozonators. It is my understanding that the UV ozone generators do not have the problems with producing nitric acid or with output reduction due to humid air that corona discharge units have. Of course the price is lower levels of Ozone output with UV systems. My goal is not to replace chlorine with ozone, but instead is to break down some of the CC since I have an indoor pool with no natural UV sunshine to help out. As to useful levels there does not seem to be much good unbiased information out there.

Ike

 

[jdjeff]

You are right about the UV. No nitric acid and works well in humidity and without air prep. The tradeoff is in the amount of ozone produced. There are a number of studies out there that talk about the production of ozone for pools and the amount required and methods for sanitation (almost entirely if memory serves in the commercial pool context....surge tank anyone?) that are still helpful as a reference. Ozone has to contact the water to have an effect, and for long enough for sanitation and oxidation. Ozone oxidizes quickly but is just as quickly consumed/turned to oxygen, so you need sufficient volume produced for the volume of water contacted. What I found hard to find was info on the half life of ozone in water. I saw things saying as little as 20 seconds and some as long as 20 minutes or more. I can say that given my pumps and contact tank I have contact for several minutes in my tank before it hits the return plumping for the long trip to the pool, and with the pump at high speed and when the water is already clean (so not much present to oxidize/sanitize), I get ozone at the surface of the pool...even having come up from the in floor heads at the bottom. Maybe the folks at ultra pure have some studies to show how well their stuff works in different applications?

 

[Isaac-1]

They do, but like any manufacturers studies I tend to only trust it to a limited degree, particularly with the disagreement we see with other parts of the industry. According to UltraPure this model is rated for pools up to 50,000 gallons at 12 hour run time or 100,000 gallons at 24 hour run time with an output rate of .435 gm/hr (10.44 grams per day by my math). These numbers in themselves are a bit questionable, the .435 gm/hr comes from the specs on the web page, but if you read the current specs pdf it shows a production rate of just 4.15 gm/hr for my model, at least still in the same ballpark, and while they have a number of articles talking about the benefits of ozone the actual numbers are often lacking. All things considered I don't may much money invested in this unit yet, so might as well try it out and see if it will reduce my reliance on MPS.

Ike