What are the electrodes made and what keeps them from becoming plated with minerals in areas such as South Australia where the water is highly mineralised (hard water)?
A. This is an important question because the biggest problem with ionizers is the potential for electrodes to become plated, thereby rendering the unit useless. It is for that reason that we use platinum-coated titanium instead of stainless steel, which is used in some low-price units. The cleaning of the electrodes is accomplished by reversing the polarity. This, in effect, causes the electrodes to repel those minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium) that were attracted during normal processing. Older units performed this function after the unit was turned off (no water running through it) and then only for a few seconds. This technique causes excess minerals, primarily calcium carbonate, to be dumped off into the electrolysis chamber. This can result in “packing” of the chamber in hard water areas. The chamber eventually will plug up necessitating a return trip to the manufacturer/importer who will attempt to dissolve these deposits by forcing vinegar through the unit. The Akai Water
