Ultraviolet or UV lamps are a great way to protect your family from bacteria and diseases. But how long do they last? Typically, an ultraviolet or UV lamp lasts 12 months or approximately 9000 hours of use. The light stays on for more than 12 months, but after a year of use, its ability to kill bacteria will slowly diminish and it will stop killing bacteria, leaving your family in a vulnerable situation. If the system is used seasonally, for example for 6 months in a row, and then emptied and unplugged, you can use it during the next season for another 6 months before having to replace the lamp again.
You'll also significantly shorten the lifespan of the ballast or controller if you use the lamp for more than 12 months. There are some high-end Viqua UV systems where the lamp lasts two years, but to be sure, check your manual to make sure. As a general rule, any UV-C lamp that exceeds this 9,000 hour range has a decreasing efficiency. Most UV systems come equipped with an alarm that is triggered when the UV lamp stops emitting germicidal rays or the water stops disinfecting.
UV systems contain sensors that measure the intensity of UV radiation and an indicator light that indicates whether the system is turned on or not. Quartz covers are specially designed to be transparent to UV light and allow these UV-C rays to pass through. The quartz cover ensures that water never comes into direct contact with the UV lamp or any other electrical component of the UV purification system. The UV LED device that is mounted on the side of the print head: after 10000 hours, the intensity of the UV irradiation will be reduced by 30% compared to the new lamp. Normal glass is not transparent, and UV light could not penetrate glass and neutralize living organisms and bacteria in the water.
When these sensors detect that UV light is not penetrating the quartz case as well as it should, they will indicate that the case needs to be cleaned or that the lamp needs to be changed. But in addition, if you don't change the UV lamp, the UV system's ballast will work harder and harder to try to maintain the intensity of the UV wavelength. To prevent your UV system from suffering harmful electrical surges, it is recommended that you do not connect any powerful appliance to the same circuit that supplies power to the UV system. Just as bacteria and organisms can hide behind sediment particles, they can go unnoticed during the disinfection process if glass is too opaque for UV light to pass through. The mercury-fueled UV light that the UV lamp radiates inactivates microorganisms in the water. Whenever you replace your UV lamp, it's also important to replace the UV system's o-rings.
If you install a water softener before the UV system, you will ensure that inlays do not form crusts on the quartz cover and avoid having to change the covers several times a year. From changing your UV light every year to cleaning your quartz case regularly, taking good care of your ultraviolet purification system is essential for ensuring its effectiveness in protecting your family from bacteria and diseases.
