Tests
British Gas
The following are excerpts from a research report conducted by British Gas, to evaluate the performance of the water conditioning device sold in Europe by the same manufacturer that is producing it under the HydroCare name in the US.
British Gas evaluated a selection of magnetic and electromagnetic water conditioning and automatic chemical dosing devices in order to establish their effectiveness in protecting appliances from scaling and identify the potential benefits from reduced service and maintenance.
- "Although all the devices had some physiochemical effect on calcium carbonate in the water, none of the physical permanent magnetic devices were significantly effective in preventing the water from scaling."
- "The electrolytic, electromagnetic and electrosonic devices were only able to increase the time to failure by approximately 50%."
- "It is considered that the ideal device for reducing or eliminating hard water scaling problems should be continuously effective, cheap and simple in operation, need no constant attention from the user and have long periods of operation without the necessity for servicing".
- This is the first non-chemical water conditioning device, of the type required by British Gas, to show potential for reducing the scale formation, and to offer economic benefits for reducing service and maintenance on water heaters and boilers."
- "The unit is unique in the way in which the electromagnetic field is applied to the water and the way the device varies the strength of the fields according to flow rate, monitored by the sensor in the transducer unit. These two factors are critical to the propensity for this device to work effectively to prevent scale deposition at low and high temperature under varied heat flux conditions."
- "The device operates continuously and is not dependent upon flow although it does sense it, and by its AC pulsed field it holds and releases nuclei continuously throughout the system"
CONCLUSION
"The technology is in large measure substantiated according to the claims of the manufacturer and it is the only device to approach an ideal device for reducing/preventing scale formation on a continuous operational basis at high temperature. This is an essential and unique feature required by water heating appliances."
OnSpeXTM Consumer Product Evaluation
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, OnSpeX was developed, in large part, as the result of inquiries from major retailers and certification testing customers of CSA International.
The OnSpeX Vision and Strategy is to provide a portfolio of services, knowledge and capabilities that streamline and facilitate the task of product performance measurement and overall quality assurance program management.
Test Description The HydroCare technology was tested on a tankless water heater. Test results on the effectiveness of preventing limescale with the HydroCare technology were compared to a control heater without the unit.
Protocol Attach the device (HydroCare unit) under test to the inlet side of the water heater. Test the unit by running both of the water heaters for 15 minutes intervals at 120° F, then an off period of 45 minutes with no water flow through the heater. Water was conditioned to have a content of 500 parts per million of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) primarily Calcium Carbonate to simulate hard water in a household environment. No mechanical gas or electrical connections were shared in common with any other heater at any time during these tests. Test end criteria was determined to be at six weeks or if the flow of the water falls below 0.9 gallons per minute of heated water.
Executive Summary After six weeks of testing the flow remained constant at 3.0 gallons per minute on the heater with the attached unit (HydroCare). The control unit with no anti scale device installed was shut down because the flow dropped below the test parameters of 1.0 gallons per minute after 39 days.
CONCLUSION
"The device under test has kept the hard water from depositing enough minerals to impair heater operation during this series of time accelerated testing. Analysis of the deposits and flow readings indicate that this unit is effective in preventing clogging due to calcium carbonate build up."
Worldwide Success
The validation of this technology is in the real world success of its usage in over 30 countries in residences, heavy industry and commercial applications for over 15 years.
Units sold and still operating years after installation in the following:
| Oil well drilling | Mining | Property Management |
| Cooling towers | Food processors | Hospitals |
| Hotels | Farms | Government Buildings |
| Power stations | Solar power | Heavy Industry |
For additional case studies call for further details.
