Descaling and filter change
Every water ionizer must be regularly descaled. How often depends on the following factors:
- Water hardness, i.e., the limescale content of your tap water: – the harder your water, the faster the device can calcify
- Water flow: the slower the water flows through the faster the device calcifies
- Which ionizing level is used: at the highest level the device calcifies more rapidly than during lower levels of ionization
- The limescale protection mechanism that is used. Few water ionizers are very well protected from the electrode plates calcifying. The water ionizers that are well protected against limescale are the brands ALLSTON, EOS, and ALKAMEDI, in Germany Aquion
The following two videos are in German. They will show you the points of how to descale a water ionizer which is essential for any water ionizer user:
General descaling of a water ionizer
In this video, the descaling is explained in principle. For this purpose you should know, depending on the water ionizer and the decalcification pump, you can either via the drain hose of the water ionizer introduce the citric acid, or as suggested in the video, using the outlet tap of the water ionizer on top of the unit. Both possibilities go.
- Citric acid is strong enough to descale your device. Stronger acids like vinegar essence could attack the inside of your ionizer
- Citric acid cleans organically and is biodegradable
- The sensitive diaphragm membranes between the electrodes accumulate the most limescale as well as the outlet hose where ionized water flows out
- With soft water descale every 6 months
- With medium water hardness every 3 months
- With hard water every 6 weeks
- With extremely hard water every 3 weeks
- 3 tablespoons of citric acid in 250 ml water in a pot. Allow to boil until the citric acid has dissolved
- Place the decalcification pump in a 1 litre jug and fill with 750 ml cold tap water
- Add the hot citric acid solution
- Connect the pump to the ionized water outlet hose with a pipe
- The acidic water outlet hose has to be placed into the 1 litre descaling solution
- Try to place your descaling solution at the same height as your ionizer, not lower. If the pump is too weak, place it higher, for example on top of the ionizer
- Remember to unplug the ionizer before you plug the pump in
- Descale for 1 to 3 hours. Overnight is also a good option
- Then unplug the pump and pour the descaling solution down the drain
- Fill the jug with cold tap water
- Plug the pump back in and let it run for 1 minute. This cleans the inside of it
- Then unplug the pump and disconnect the pipes
- Plug the ionizer in and let water flow through, best on acidic level 2 or on purified water for 4 minutes
- Decalcifying has finished and you can use your ionizer normally
Descaling a water ionizer with rotary flow controller
This video shows the individual descaling steps that must be followed precisely for water ionizers with a flow regulator.
According to the latest experiences you can only descale one hose, and you do not have to switch the ionizer on and off during the descaling process. The duration may be extended, depending on the use and degree of calcification, up to 12 hours.
The descaling does not harm the water ionizer.
- Descaling a water ionizer
- The valves and ionized water outlet hose calcify after 4 months use with hard water
- place 4 to 5 tablespoons of citric acid into 1 litre of warm tap water
- Set the decalcification pump to maximum
- Connect the pump to the acidic water outlet hose
- Turn the ionizer on and let water flow until it flows out of the pump
- Place pump into the citric acid solution and plug in
- During decalcification turn the rotary controller to OFF
- Place ionized water hose into the citric acid solution and let water flow in
- After half an hour the solution becomes clear and the limescale on the outlet hose dissolves
- After 30 to 45 minutes turn the ionizer on so that the pole reversal takes place. Like this all areas and valves are cleaned
- You can use your water tap normally during the decalcification
- You can end the decalcification process after 1 to 1 and a half hours
- The pump is rinsed with the ionizer on filtered water/purified water
- Let the ionizer run on filtered water for 3 to 5 minutes
- Now the device is ready for the next 2 to 6 months
Filter replacement Water Ionizer | Example Nexus X-Blue
Multilayer activated carbon filter replacement for water ionizers
After the drinking water regulations (TWVO) must the non backwash filter system be replaced every 6 months. In almost all water filters that are integrated into the water ionizers, one of the activated carbon layers is vapor-coated with a very thin layer of silver.
This layer prevents the accumulation and contamination of the filter, which would be noticeable because of unpleasant odors. Therefor is the risk of contamination of the integrated filter is unlikely but cannot be excluded.
An example of such a water filter replacement can be seen in this German video, please view the example of the Nexus X-Blue water ionizer.
With most ionizers, depending on the amount of limescale and depending on the water flow and the chosen ionization level, the value decreases in the first few weeks to 3 months. Therefore, you should descale this ionizer according to the level and use every 2-4 weeks.
The Allsbon Dion ionizers (Dion Special, Dion Family), the Aquino ionizers, the Nexus X-Blue and the Ionquell Alphion have a very sophisticated technique for protecting the electrodes before premature calcification.
However, we also recommend descaling these ionizers every four months, since the valves and the outlet hose acquire limescale. Depending on your usage and water hardness can decalcification also be done after six months.
You can identify the right time for descaling of the ionizer with reverse polarity and also the volume flow ratio of alkaline water to acidic water. After descaling approx 3/5 alkaline water arises to 2/5 acidic wastewater. The more calcified the outlet hose of the ionizer is, the less alkaline water flows through, so the quantity of waste water increases depending on the degree of calcification and is a good indicator.
The descaling is performed once and practiced the next few times easily. This is explained in the short video above.
If you prefer soft water, there are two options: Do not set the ionizer to the highest level, but for example, level 3 at a flow of about two to 2.5 liters/minute. Thus, the active water is less alkaline, so it contains less calcium oxide and is softer.
Disinfection is usually not necessary. In some applications, e.g. in the commercial sector, it is advisable to disinfect the outlet hose with a disinfectant spray and wipe it with a 10% hydrogen peroxide solution. Like this any germs are eliminated, which can be transmitted by touching the spout with bare hands. For especially effective cleaning / disinfecting a complete rinsing of the equipment with a 10% hydrogen peroxide solution is recommended. These are available at the pharmacy.
How it is done, please check here> Instructions for disinfection
On 1 February 2007 the hardness ranges were among others adapted to European standards and the indication millimoles per liter of total hardness is replaced by the (nonsensical from a chemical point of view) specification millimoles of calcium carbonate per liter. Water supply companies should continue to publish the total hardness, this is by law not mandatory.
The new hardness ranges are hardly different from the previous, only the areas 3 and 4 have merged to hardness range “hard”. The numbers 1,2,3 and 4 replace the standard categories “soft”, “medium” and “hard”. The new hardness ranges are defined as follows:
Water hardness and conversions:
