Pre Qualifying Questions:

These questions are intended to qualify a potential copper silver ionisation manufacturer or dealer in relation to domestic hot water systems or cooling towers.

1- Is the copper silver ionisation solution safety approved as an assembled unit? (CSA, CE, ETL, UL)
2- Is the copper silver ionisation system for an open or closed water system?
3- How different is the technology in comparison to swimming pool ionisation systems?
4- Can you control multiple ionisation chamber cells (independently) with one controller or do I need multiple controllers?
5- Do you have an fixed or variable power output?
6- If you have a variable power output, is it manual or automatic?
7- What are the power output levels? (Volt and Amps.)
8- What is unique about the electrical current applied to your electrodes?
9- Is water conductivity important? Why?
10- Is water pH important? Why?
11- How do you maintain safe levels of ionic copper and silver in the water distribution systems?
12- How do you test (method) for ionic copper and ionic silver?
13- How often do you test for ionic copper and ionic silver?
14- Do you have a "No-Cure, No-Pay" policy?

Once one or more potential manufacturers or dealers have passed these first critical questions, then you should ask the following technology questions to understand and clarify key features and benefits.

The Electronic Control Unit:

15- Is your technology hardware or software driven?
16- Do you have standard Internet management systems?
17- Do you have remote monitoring features?
18- Do you have remote management features?
19- What king of software will I need if you have remote features?
20- Do you have standard BMS interface ports?
21- Is your system reverse polarity based or do you use negative draw electrodes?
22- What type of display control panel to you offer?
23- What are the safety features associated to your systems?
24- Do you have any patented technology features?
25- How do I connect the control system electrically to the chamber cell(s)?
26- What types of electronics enclosure do you use and why?
27- Does your technology manage other environmental variables?
28- Do you use electrical circuit breakers of fuses?
29- What other communication features do you offer?

The Ionisation Chamber Cell(s)

30- What materials are used for the chamber casing? (Stainless Steel, PVC, CPVC, Resin coated steel, other?)
31-Do you use copper and silver electrodes independently? or
32- Do you use copper-silver alloy electrodes?
33- How do you calculate the amount (mass) of electrodes required?
34- How are the electrodes mounted within the chamber cell?
35- What is the metallic purity of your electrodes?
36- What kind of unions or flanges do you use for the ion chamber cells installation? (bolted, threads, common, snap-joints, proprietary, other)
37- How do you install your chamber cells into existing piping?
38- How long will a set of ionisation chamber cell last and why?
39- How do you change the sacrificial electrodes once they are worn out?
40- What are the ion chamber cells temperature limitations?
41- What is the ion chamber cells pressure limitations?
42- How do you deal with electrode scaling?

Other Important Questions:

43- What are the real maintenance costs associated your unit?
44- How much will it cost to replace the electrodes?
45- How do you deal with replacement parts?
46- What types of guarantees to you offer?
47- Are you directly involved with Legionella testing?
48- How modern is your technology in comparison to your competitors?
49- Can you treat multiple water networks (independently) with one controller?
50- How many patents do you have and what are they?