Yeah, it's all black plastic. I was thinking it looks like really thin egg shells almost so a calcium deposit would definitely fit with that. I'll try the citric acid soak, I just didn't want to do one without checking it was something that should be handled differently.
Unless it’s a thin plastic inner liner for the UV sterilizer body crumbling from extreme wear and tear, calcium is most-likely!
I tried the google box and didn’t find a liner as a replacement part. Doesn’t mean it for sure doesn’t have one as I’m no good. I just know some brands, like Lifegard, have them.
I actually use solid stainless steel UV sterilizers intended for drinking water purification on my freshwater systems just for this reason!
Ha yeah, spendy! Although most chillers have titanium coils….titanium heaters…so maybe not that far off.
Buying an replacing plastic sterilizers is probably going to be more cost effective than buying 1 titanium body UV filter?
So I went looking, and who knows?
Good idea. I’d like to see what happens when added to vinegar or citric acid.
You’d be surprised! It’s effectively a short length of thin-wall pipe, two ends welded on, and two threaded fittings welded on.. the material itself isn’t that enormous of a cost; I think it’s a demand issue! — a product the market doesn’t even realize it needs!
Another thread recently we were discussing if the plastic fittings were also getting damaged from exposure to UV light that could be leaking from the main cylinder at the two attachment points?You’d be surprised! It’s effectively a short length of thin-wall pipe, two ends welded on, and two threaded fittings welded on.. the material itself isn’t that enormous of a cost; I think it’s a demand issue! — a product the market doesn’t even realize it needs!
(Can easily be built like this stainless steel UV sterilizer, for example!)
Any fitting is an opportunity to spring a leak! — in some system design; minimum fittings is actually a priority!
The other conversation was focused upon tubing that was UV resistant, and how much light was going to impact the life of the area there.Any fitting is an opportunity to spring a leak! — in some system design; minimum fittings is actually a priority!
I would imagine damage to either of the fittings from UV would be predominantly around the base of the fitting, where it attaches to the UV housing itself!
It’s a question of how much UV intensity, and for how long with plastic… so anything not directly exposed to the UV bulb/further from it will inherently last longer!
Too much thinking and not enough material to work with here at home.
Back in 47 when I could see (ha), any areas where the housing, end caps, etc., were exposed (areas the liner didn’t protect) on my lifeguard uv were obviously affected. They were getting porous, brittle, and slightly graying as opposed to dark black. I would say that even with a liner being replaced annually, the housing, fittings (basically entire unit) would not last indefinitely.
No!
I completely agree that it is not wise at all to look directly at a UVC bulb, especially with bare eyes!
