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Author Topic: UV Sterilizers  (Read 3798 times)

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Offline woody

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UV Sterilizers
« on: March 10, 2011, 12:57:51 PM »
Hi guys im trying to find info on the UV sterilizing units used in apartment buildings/hospitals hot water return lines, can anyone lead me in the right direction i.e are there specific codes relating to them?? - maintenance of; at what point do they become a neccessity in a system; etc..
I cant seem to find much in AS/NZ 3500  ....yet.... >:(
Maybe I need to have lunch then come back with fresh eyes!  8)

Thanks a lot

Linkback: https://www.plumbers.nz/ask-plumbers-trade/43/uv-sterilizers/598/
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Offline Thunderhead

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Re: UV Sterilizers
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2011, 05:16:08 PM »
all i can see is maybees...3500:2003...Part 4... pg91 ...section 9.......heated water below 60 degrees...maybees you need to contact NZStandards and ask em if in 7-8years of printing this if they have finished there handbook as they state here?

Ive asked my old ageing boss before about UV sterilisers and he says in his understanding it is needed when you have a circulating system with a return temp of under 60 degrees or when you are circulating 60 degree water so your storage tank does not have to be set to say 70-80 degrees to acheive a return temp of above 60...but thats just his take on things...and i havent seen anything else in the codes about uv units...Haha so much for us having to do CPD when even the codes cant keep up with new technology!.

When/if you find any info please post here as i would be very intrested to find more on this as we have had to quote a few houses now with these units.
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Offline Plumber

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Re: UV Sterilizers
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2011, 06:11:25 PM »
Your right Thunderhead the AU Standard Handbook HB 263 deals with Heated water systems below 60deg. Basically if you have a ring main it must circulate at 60deg+ to comply. Then tempering valves can be installed before going to a fixture. Alternatively there is a great valve from Water Ware that you can buy (advanced tempering valve) that will automatically introduce hot water into the ring main if it should drop below a preset temperature. This valve is usually used when circulating below 60deg and T'ing off straight to the fixture. In such cases council could argue that someone might not use the hot water for over a week and because the water has been circulating at low temp for a long period of time a buildup of bacteria could possibly take place. >>> Hence a UV filter

Plumber
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Offline woody

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Re: UV Sterilizers
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2011, 07:58:43 PM »
Thanks guys that makes complete sense.
Im in the process of emailing a couple of suppliers re these units and will let you know if they can tell me anything different
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Offline Thunderhead

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Re: UV Sterilizers
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2011, 07:18:47 PM »
cheers PLUMBER that sort of solidifies what the boss told me so i can now assimilate that into my reserves of plumbing knowledge...hehehe....Which sort of makes me think that CPD points and displinary fees should only apply to plumbers in say there first 10 yrs of plumbing...because if you are not brought before the board on any matters relating to these issues in 10 years... THEN you have proved your self to be as competent as needed and also proved through time to independantly be up to date with cpd and therefore if no issues are raised towards you in 10 years of practising then you should be exempt from these fees...A sort of bonus for doing the job right of sorts,or something to that effect...cus i just think if someone practises for such a long time and has never had a complaint layed then one could say with certinanty that he was up to date with the play and was a very compentent practionisher of his trade...

Intrested to see what the suppliers say. cheers corkstarrr
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Offline woody

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Re: UV Sterilizers
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2011, 11:16:35 PM »
Talked to a sales rep today, apparently UV sterilizers were brought in to NZ's commercial scene after people started coming down with Legionellosis in a newly built police station with a tempered hot water ring main.
You can only get Legionella from breathing the bacteria (not drinking it), so they thought that maybe it was the mist coming off the cooling towers - after a lot of testing and monitoring they realised people were actually getting it from the steam in the showers!
So in came the UV sterilizers to kill the bad bugs, installed on the return line.

Although there doesn't seem to be a code or standard they are generally included in the specs for large commercial ring mains by the designer so that it doesn't happen again!

I really cant understand why this isn't standard regulation, unless im missing something, or there is still something I havn't found.... They are touched on in water supplies ie. tank water etc, but not for heated water.
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