UV light treatment and plastic water line?

[bcarli]

Hi
We just installed a UV water treatment system in our boat. I used the old plastic 1/2 ID tubing to go from the unit to the sink. Some of the plastic tubing is affected by the light coming from the unit (you can see a little light shinning about 2 inches into the hose)...so my question is, is there any reason to be concerned about drinking water that is going through plastic tubing that has UV light shinning through it? Is there a better type of plastic tubing to use that would be less affected by the UV light? Is UV light causing the tubing to breakdown and maybe be harmful to drink through?
thanks

 

[Maerin]

If you're concerned about the UV degrading the tubing (not unreasonable), fit up to the UV light with stainless nipples. As far as the tubing releasing harmful compounds due to UV exposure, you'd have to ask a chemist about that. There's enough other stuff in the world that will kill you over time, so I wouldn't expend a lot of worry over the UV exposure WRT leaching compounds. I believe a pair of 4" long stainless nipples would eliminate both issues pretty simply.



Related, I would expect you have a pre-filter ahead of the UV device? There's typically a quartz tube that the water flows through to allow it to be exposed to the UV. You need to keep that clean to insure maximum exposure level. You also need to provide a means to limit the flow through the device to its capacity, else the water doesn't have enough contact time and the UV won't kill. Your sales info did inform you that the UV device doesn't actually remove the organisms, it kills them, so they're inert. But you're still ingesting them. Just sayin' !! <grin>

 

[bcarli]

Steve thank you

 

[kthoennes]

Yep, what Maerin said, he's right on target. My experience is on large koi pond filtration systems (with UV lights), not boat water systems, but his advice matches my experience. I do know the UV light seems to degrade the tubing nearest the lights much more quickly (at the inlets and outlets) -- gets brittle and cracks much more quickly than the tubing a few inches away, but I've never been sure if that's my imagination or a actual result of the UV light bleed. I used this think the UV lights were just a gimmick or weak at best in high-volume pond filtration systems, but they actually do make a significant difference in clarity. If my bulbs burn out I can usually tell in just a couple days.

 

[koliver]

Hi
We just installed a UV water treatment system in our boat. I used the old plastic 1/2 ID tubing to go from the unit to the sink. Some of the plastic tubing is affected by the light coming from the unit (you can see a little light shinning about 2 inches into the hose)...so my question is, is there any reason to be concerned about drinking water that is going through plastic tubing that has UV light shinning through it? Is there a better type of plastic tubing to use that would be less affected by the UV light? Is UV light causing the tubing to breakdown and maybe be harmful to drink through?
thanks

When I installed my UV light water treatment in my house, it came with a brass elbow and instructions to install that elbow for the sole purpose of eliminating UV light damage to the pex lines beyond that elbow. A straight fitting was not to be attached directly to the UV unit, specifically for that reason.
No mention was made of the water, for which the UV treatment was installed, nor of the plastic possibly spewing contaminants into the newly purified water. Use a Brass elbow.