CLEARWAVE CW-125 - HARD WATER CONDITIONER

 

  

 

 

Ref: Hard Water Conditioner / Water Softner/ Salt free/ Magnetic water conditioner

 

Satisfaction Guaranteed
Three Year Limited Warranty
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
Please read the following information.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND WARRANTY REGISTRATION
The ClearWave Hard Water Conditioner comes with a 90 day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the performance of this product, return it with the sales receipt within 90 days of date of purchase to where you bought it for a full refund. The ClearWave is warranted against defects in workmanship. If the ClearWave fails within the warranty period, return it to Field Controls with proof of purchase for repair or replacement. Please refer to the warranty sheet provided with each ClearWave for the length and terms of the warranty.

TESTING FOR HARDNESS AND IRON LEVELS
The length of time required to alter the characteristics of the lime scale is dependent on the mineral makeup of the water being treated. The mineral content of the water can influence the operation of the ClearWave's electrical field. Before installing any water conditioning system, it is very important to know the type and concentration of minerals in the water being treated. Contact your local health department or county extension service to locate a water testing service near you.

Iron is a natural mineral found in the ground and that frequently is leached out into ground and well water. EPA recommends that the levels should be below 1.5PPM, however levels as low as 0.5PPM have an adverse taste and undesirable iron staining.

Total Hardness is a measure of the total amount of calcium and magnesium that has naturally leached into well and ground water. Levels between 50 and 125PPM are desirable. Low total hardness levels, below 50PPM, can be corrosive to plumbing made from copper and iron. High total hardness levels, above 125PPM, tend to form scale inside pipes creating a barrier for the water to flow freely after many years

Iron Concentration
A high concentration of iron (soluble and insoluble) causes a disruption and weakening of the ClearWave's electrical field, reducing its effectiveness on scale reduction. Under these conditions an iron removal system is required to filter out the iron prior the ClearWave. We recommend an iron removal system for total iron levels above 0.3 ppm (parts per million.)

Water Hardness
Definition of hardness: (Taken from the 1992 edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.) "Originally, water hardness was understood to be a measure of the capacity of water to precipitate soap. Soap is precipitated chiefly by the calcium and magnesium ions present. Other polyvalent cautions also may precipitate soap, but they often are in complex forms, frequently with organic constituents, and their role in water hardness may be minimal and difficult to define. In conformity with current practice, total hardness is defined as the sum of the calcium and magnesium concentrations, both expressed as calcium carbonate, in milligrams per liter."

The current practice of determining water hardness is the measurement of the concentration of calcium and magnesium in the water. The traditional water softener removes the calcium and magnesium from the water through a process called ion exchange; which will show a change in hardness using the current practice for measuring water hardness. Since the ClearWave does not remove any calcium or magnesium ions from the water, testing the water before and after the installation of the ClearWave will not show any change. The best method of evaluation is to monitor the effects the ClearWave has on scale forming areas such as: the effects on humidifier media pad scaling, showerhead scaling and the amount of soap needed to do the laundry.

The degree of water hardness in the table below (according to the Water Quality Association) will allow you to determine what type of water hardness you have after you receive your water test data.

Description of water hardness Parts per Million (ppm) of Calcium Carbonate equivalent Grains per Gallon (gpg) of Calcium Carbonate equivalent

Description of water hardness	Parts per Million (ppm) of Calcium Carbonate equivalent	Grains per Gallon (gpg) of Calcium Carbonate equivalent
Soft	Less than 17.1	Less than 1.0
Slightly Hard	17.1 to 60	1.0 to 3.5
Moderately Hard	60 to 120	3.5 to 7.0
Hard	120 to 180	7.0 to 10.5
Very Hard	180 and above	10.5 and above

If your water falls under the description of Soft or Slightly Hard, the effects of the ClearWave on the scale (if any) will not be noticeable. Any water problem you have is probably not caused by calcium or magnesium. On hardness levels above 250 ppm or 15 gpg two ClearWave units should be mounted in series on the incoming water pipe. The maximum hardness level the ClearWave will effectively work on is 425 ppm or 25 gpg. Above these levels, the ClearWave should be used in conjunction with a traditional ion exchange water softener to remove hardness and condition the water. This allows you to minimize the salt used to remove the hardness and maintain the cost saving benefits of the ClearWave water conditioning system.

OPERATION TIMETABLE FOR THE CLEARWAVE
The following timetable of events should be used to evaluate the operation of the ClearWave during the 180-day customer satisfaction period. This is the best way to evaluate the ClearWave operation and benefits the ClearWave technology can provide for you and your home. Again, the ClearWave does not remove any calcium or magnesium ions from the water, testing the water hardness before and after the installation of the ClearWave will not show any change.

DAY 1: The ClearWave action immediately starts to loosen existing scale in both the hot and cold water systems. One should find soap lathers more easily.
DAY 5 and onwards: Scale begins to break down and come off water heater elements (immersion heaters) and tanks. Most particles are microscopic and will flow through your water system, but some small particles may be seen in the water coming from the hot water tap.
DAY 10 to 16: It should be noticeably easier to wipe clean ceramic, plastic, glass, and metal surfaces. By now the quantity of bath soap, dish soap, laundry detergent, and laundry softening agents can be reduced. Scale should have loosened on faucets, showerheads and frequently used appliances that boil water (such as coffee makers.)
DAY 16 and onwards: Scale should continue to loosen from faucets, showerheads, and pipes. With the continuing break down and reduction of scale from the heating surfaces of water heaters, water should heat up quicker using less energy to achieve the desired temperature.
After 1 to 2 months: Any scaly crust or stains in toilets or under faucets should be significantly reduced. No new stains or crust should form. Mold that attaches to scale will begin to disappear from shower curtains and once cleaned should not reappear. Depending on the water hardness in the area, the full effects can take up to 12 weeks, especially if the system has been heavily scaled up over many years.


WHERE TO INSTALL THE CLEARWAVE

The ClearWave coils should be mounted on the water supply pipe as it enters the building, before the piping branches off to supply the water heater and any cold water taps. This allows the ClearWave to condition all of the water supplied to the building. The ClearWave should be mounted after any water meter or grounding cable attached to the water piping system. The ClearWave is designed and tested to cause little or no interference to other communication devices. Install the ClearWave at least ten feet from any radio, television or cordless telephone base unit to eliminate any possible interference.

HOW TO INSTALL THE CLEARWAVE

Mounting the unit to the pipe
There are two sets of pipe clips provided with the ClearWave, one set is for mounting on 3/4" water pipes and the other is for mounting on 1" water pipes. Select the proper size clips by attaching one of each size clip onto the water pipe where the ClearWave is to be mounted. Choose the clip size that fits tightest onto the pipe. First, mount the selected pipe clips to the base of the ClearWave housing by using the screws provided. Next, mount the ClearWave onto the pipe by pressing the clips onto the water pipe. The clips may not fit tightly on all pipes. For these cases and other size pipes, secure the unit to the water pipe with wire ties.

The performance of the ClearWave is not affected by the direction or orientation. The unit may be mounted horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The ClearWave can be used effectively on any type of water pipe; galvanized, copper, or plastic.

Properly wrapping the antennae
The antennae wrap around the water pipe on each end of the ClearWave. (See Figure 1.) A minimum of seven fully wrapped coils of the antenna wire, with each coil wrapped tightly against the pipe and pressed snugly against each other is required for best results. (See Figure 2.) The operation of the ClearWave and the antenna installation is not based on direction of water flow, but one antenna MUST be wrapped in a clockwise direction and the other wrapped in a counter-clockwise direction. First, wrap the antenna onto the water pipe by securing the right antenna to the water pipe next to the ClearWave housing with a wire tie. Wrap the right antenna clockwise (over the top of the pipe first), keeping the antenna wire tight against the pipe and the preceding coil. Secure the end of the right antenna wire to the water pipe with a wire tie. (See Figure 2.) Wrap the left antenna onto the water pipe by securing the antenna to the water pipe next to the ClearWave housing with a wire tie. Wrap the left antenna counter-clockwise (under the bottom of the pipe first), keeping the antenna wire tight against the pipe and the preceding coil. Secure the end of the left antenna wire to the water pipe with a wire tie.

Connecting to power supply
Insert the power supply plug into the power supply jack on the side of the ClearWave, then plug the power supply into a standard electrical wall outlet. (See Figure 1.) When energized, the ClearWave modulation indicator lights start flashing sequentially indicating that the ClearWave is functioning properly.

TROUBLE SHOOTING INTERFERENCE
The ClearWave is designed and tested to cause little or no interference to other communication devices. Install the ClearWave at least ten feet from any radio, television or cordless telephone base unit to eliminate any possible interference.

POWER SURGES AND LOCK UPS
If you find the ClearWave worked for a while then seemed to stop producing the same results, the microprocessor may have locked up due to a electrical spike or power surge. If your home is in an area that these types of problems occur, install a surge protector on the electrical outlet that the ClearWave transformer is plugged into. To evaluate the operation of the ClearWave to determine if the unit has locked up and needs to be reset, observe the flashing indicator lights on the front of the ClearWave. They indicate the changing frequency of the unit. The output frequency cycles every 5 minutes, so you should see the lights flash progressively faster throughout the cycle, then slow down and repeat. If, during this 5-minute cycle, you do not see any change in the frequency of the flashing lights, unplug the power supply and wait at least one minute. Then plug the power supply back in. This will reset the microprocessor. You should observe the changing of the frequency in the indicator lights and proper operation.

LOOSE ANTENNA WIRES
If you find the ClearWave worked for a while then seemed to stop producing the same results, and the unit appears to be operating fine (see the Power Surges and Lock Ups section), then the antenna wires could have loosened on the pipe. The antenna wires must be held tightly against the pipe and the coils must be pressed snugly against each other to transfer the energy into the water. If the antenna wires are loose, tighten them and also retighten the wire ties. Be sure that the antennae are wrapped in the proper direction. (See Figure 1.)

HOW IT WORKS
Pure water contains nothing but H20. But water, as it comes out of the ground, is rich in a multitude of minerals. Minerals such as calcium and magnesium are the main components of hard water, and the cause of scale formation and other problems.

There are three basic methods used to control the problem of hardness and specifically scale formation.

ION EXCHANGE:
One method is to remove the calcium and magnesium from the water through ion exchange (the traditional water softener.) This method requires the use of a resin filled tank with a high concentration of salt ions. As the water flows through the resin tank the salt ions (typically sodium) are exchanged for the calcium or magnesium ions. This lowers the concentration of the minerals that cause scale and therefore inhibits scale formation.

CHEMICAL ADDITION:
A second method used to control hard water scale is the addition of chemicals (such as phosphates) to the water. These materials chemically alter the scaling characteristics of the calcium or magnesium, allowing the concentration of the minerals to stay the same while still reducing scale formation and its effects.

Both of the above methods require the use of consumable materials to change the makeup of the water. For these devices to function properly, the homeowner must continuously replenish the salts or chemicals as well as perform periodic maintenance on the equipment. In addition to these inconveniences, the chemicals and salts discharged into the effluent water present problems downstream to the municipal water treatment facility and the environment. Many U.S. cities have been enacting and/or evaluating environmental legislation to limit or reduce the levels of chemicals or salts that result from these types of water treatment methods.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL:
A third method used to treat the hard water problems associated with scale utilizes changes in electrical potential in the water to produce the effects of chemical addition. The electric potential applied changes the scaling characteristics of the calcium or magnesium without the removal of these ions or the addition of chemicals.

Magnets
Bar magnets were the first types of equipment used to generate electric potential changes in water. Bar magnets have been used with limited success to inhibit scale formation. The fixed magnetic field of a bar magnet creates electric potential changes in the water only when the water moves through the magnetic field. Electromagnets function in much the same way as bar magnets, but the magnetic field is created by passing a current through a coil, essentially creating a more powerful fixed magnetic field. Inherently, fixed magnetic fields are limited to a narrow range of applications, pipe sizes and water flow rates.

Permanent bar magnets and electromagnets have been promoted as a method of "treating" hard water, but they do not treat the vast and complex array of mineral contents and concentrations found in water. Particles can also build up inside the pipe where the magnet is placed, eventually causing blockage at the very point it is supposed to be doing its job.

Electrostatic Devices
Electrostatic devices create an electric potential in the water between two electrodes. One electrode is mounted in the water stream in the center of the pipe housing, while the pipe itself acts as the other electrode. The device applies a voltage across the two electrodes to create the electric potential in the water. This electrostatic approach was an improvement upon the bar magnets and electromagnets, but increased the initial cost considerably while not dramatically improving the range of effective conditions.

ClearWave
The ClearWave water conditioning system operates on similar principles as the magnets and electrostatic devices. But unlike those previously mentioned, the ClearWave uses microprocessor technology to electronically generate inaudible wave-forms which help keep calcium carbonate particles (scale) dissolved or suspended in water. With the ClearWave, the electric field generated is always being applied to the water, while a magnetic field relies on the movement of water to produce the electric potential changes.

Low frequency waveforms are emitted through two coiled wires attached to the outside of the water pipe. As a result of these waveforms, the two coils are constantly inducing a voltage into the water in the area of the ClearWave. When one coil induces a positive voltage the other coil induces a counteracting negative voltage. This electric field causes the calcium or magnesium to remain in solution or suspension and the treated water continues to dissolve scale as it flows downstream. Over time, the ClearWave treated water helps solve hard water problems in the entire system, including pipes, water heaters, showerheads, and appliances. The ClearWave microprocessor-controlled technology continually varies its frequency, affecting the widest range of mineral concentrations and other variables that cause "hard water" problems.

The ClearWave® originated in Great Britain where hard water scale build up is a problem nationwide. The product was brought to the U.S. in the early 90's. Over 50,000 units have been sold worldwide.