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The IonWays AlkaPod

In today’s world, convenience is a crucial part of our lives.  Alkaline, ionized water produced right at the kitchen tap is a luxury appreciated by all who own an ionizer!  It’s understood, however, that it is nearly impossible to carry an Athena everywhere we go and sometimes very inconvenient to carry containers full of water to our jobs, etc.  In response to the problem, IonWays offers the AlkaPod, a device designed to convert regular, treated water (tap or bottled) into alkaline, ionized water – it’s perfect for when you’re on the go!

Using thirteen different types of minerals, including tourmaline, zeolite, and Maifanshi stone, the AlkaPod is able to alter the pH of source water by up to 2 points and reduce the ORP by up to a -200 mV.  Although the filtration capabilities of the AlkaPod are limited, it does help reduce common contaminants such as chlorine; zeolite is used to absorb and retain heavy metals and toxins. In addition, Maifanshi stone not only helps absorb toxins, but also supplies trace minerals!   The tourmaline in your AlkaPod produces negative ions (measured as ORP) and also reduces the size of water molecule clusters, which helps the body absorb more water.  You can rest assured that the AlkaPod’s food-grade, stainless steel design and unique internal filter are patented and certified as 100% safe from contamination or leaching.

Measuring 8-inches tall and weighing only one pound, the AlkaPod is not bulky or heavy and is ideal for those who are constantly on the go.  Maintenance for the AlkaPod is easy – simply change the filter every 3 months or so (based on daily consumption of 2-3 liters).

 HURRY! Now through October 17th, purchase an
Athena, Delphi or Melody/Isis ionizer

Get an AlkaPod FREE! A $139 GIFT to YOU!

IonWays Flow: Vol. 2, Issue 27

The Split Between Acid and Alkaline Water

One of the most frequently asked questions here at Ionways is in regard to the 70/30, 60/40, or   50/50 split. This question has variables and definitely deserves an explanation!

How a stream of water splits will vary based on three factors: the mineral content of the source water, the speed of water passing through the ionizer, and – to a lesser degree – the selected power setting. Internally, there’s nothing in our ionizers that will affect the volume of water to either stream – it’s the use of electrolysis that persuades the ions in one direction or another. When using electrolysis to move alkaline ions to one stream and acidic ions to another, the content of the source water is the most important factor, especially when considering the ratio of water split.

All ions have mass and mass means volume. So if you have hard water that’s full of alkaline minerals with few acidic elements, more than likely the water split will have more water in the alkaline stream and less in the acidic. Soft water containing less mineral content will have a stronger acid stream and a little less to the alkaline
stream. Remember, an ionizer can only work with what it’s given, which will be reflected in the water split.

As is true with all ionizers, the flow rate and power setting will also play a role in the water split ratio – although not as much as the water itself. The stronger the power and longer contact time with the ionizer’s titanium plates will produce a deeper alteration.

The Athena and Isis models both have an adjustment screw inside the acidic drain tube, which can be used to adjust the stream of water coming from the byproduct line. The adjustment of this screw will only restrict the water’s flow from the by-product hose and can cause acidic water to back-up into the water cell. Because water always takes the path of least resistance, it will continue to flow where it can; in this case, acidic ions can be pushed through the water cell and into the alkaline water stream, decreasing the pH production in the alkaline stream.

In most cases, the level affected is very slight, but does exist, none-the-less. A very mild restriction will usually go unnoticed, but too much of a restriction can affect the performance or your ionizer. If you wish to make this adjustment, please be sure to check your pH levels as you go to make sure that your ionizer is still giving you the best water possible.   

Source: IonWays Flow: Vol. 2, Issue 26

My Water Looks Cloudy!

“The water coming from my ionizer looks cloudy! Why?”

This is a common question at Ionways and it has an easy answer!  Water from an ionizer can look cloudy for a few reasons, but with Ionways ionizers it’s usually just one – alkalinity. Also called turbidity, this cloudiness is caused by fine particles of calcium and magnesium suspended in the water. These particulates are drawn from the existing calcium and magnesium in your source water and added to your healthy stream of alkaline, ionized water. This condensing of alkaline minerals in your drinking water is supremely beneficial to your health!  It’s a permanent alteration and, even though the heavier-than-water, alkaline minerals will sometimes settle to the bottom, they will not dissipate with time.

Turbidity can also be caused by tiny pockets of air bubbles created during the process of ionization. These come from separating the acidic water from the alkaline and the micro-clustering that takes place. The air bubbles fill in the negative spaces in some source water but are not always present. This depends primarily on the amount of dissolved oxygen in the source water.  These little pockets of air are harmless and will usually go away after several minutes of letting the water sit.  In short, if your water looks cloudy, rest easy – it means your ionizer is working great!

However, if your water looks unusually cloudy after ionization or you see a white film at the bottom of a glass because the water has completely evaporated, you should obtain a water report and find out if there are hard water concerns that need addressing. Once you obtain your report, please feel free to contact IonWays with any questions you may have and one of our wonderful Technical Service Reps will be happy to help you at www.IonYouth.com!

Source: IonWays Flow: Vol. 2, Issue 24

Help, I ran HOT water through my ionizer

The electricity produced by an ionizer always generates a certain amount of heat.   In order to cool down its internal, electrical components, IonWays ionizers must have cold source water to use as a coolant.  Of course, no one ever intends to run scalding, hot water through their water ionizer – but it can happen.

Fortunately, Ionways ionizers are designed with a hot water sensor, which works
like the temperature gauge in your car – if the engine gets too hot, the temperature gauge goes up and it’s time to pull over and let your engine cool
down.

Just as the dashboard on your car alarms you when your engine is overheating, the hot water sensor installed in your ionizer will alarm you with bells and flashing lights if its source water is hotter than 86°F. This is your warning that damage to your ionizer is about to occur.  If this happens with your Athena or Isis model ionizer, you can save your unit from a trip to the repair shop by following the process outlined below.

Start by turning off the source water. Then, power down the unit by turning off the main power switch located on the back of your machine. After getting your source water as cold as it can be, open the flow control valve on the front of your unit as far as possible. While keeping the power off, let the cold water pass through your ionizer.

IonWays’ under-sink model, the Delphi, is installed directly to a cold water line. If the hot water sensor sends off an alarm, the water was made hot by plumbing exposed to high, atmospheric temperature. In this situation, you should switch the ionizer to the purified water setting and let the water pass through. After just a few moments, the tap water will get colder. Usually, water in household plumbing will only heat up if it sits and has time to collect heat. Switching your
ionizer to the purified setting will not put electricity to the cell, preventing more heat from accumulating.

In all cases, you should run the coldest possible tap water through the ionizer‘s system for several minutes.  Once this is done, the unit should be allowed to rest for at least a few hours. This will give it time to cool down completely and is the best way to prevent sending it in for repairs. If, after following the outlined procedure, the lights continue to flash, it will be necessary to contact Technical Services at Ionways and begin the process for repair.

Source: IonWays Flow Vol:2, Issue 21

IonWays Warranty Explained

I want to thank, Jay Hare, the President of IonWays, LLC to explain this in detail and he is the author of the following information.  So you are getting it directly from the top.

Respectfully,

Brad

—————————————-

IonWays feels extremely strong about the quality of its products and the level of service and support that we provide to our distributors and customers on a daily basis.

We back up our products with industry leading warranties and service. Even so, I think it is extremely important to keep the warranty issue clearly in perspective.

The warranty we offer exceeds all other warranties for similarly priced electronic products – by a wide margin. Our warranty has proven to be a great selling feature!

Also, bear in mind that we are warranting a product that breaks a cardinal rule of electronics in that we run water through our product! Lastly, it is most important to understand the varying nature of local water sources and their effects on water ionizers. We are clear in our intent to educate about this issue – and have been since day one – as evidenced on our website. See Water Quality, Filtration and Well Water. 

There is not a single other ionizer company or website to my current knowledge that is as up-front about these issues.

IonWays has always prided itself in offering the most complete lineup of pre-filtration products to help protect our customer’s investment. We even offer free expert advice from our technical staff to help solve any water quality issues. Our competitors do not offer as complete a lineup of options and certainly do not make any attempt to offer education or treatment options before making a sale. I feel our pre-filtration products and expert advice are clearly another great selling feature and a way for you to offer superior service and products to your customers.

The first link offers very specific information about water quality requirements, especially as related to hard water. This specific information is clearly reflected in our warranty cards that are included in each ionizer. Simply put, our warranty excludes certain things – as any warranty does. These exclusions include factors that are outside the intended operating parameters of the ionizer as well as things outside of IonWays’ control. Specifically the warranty excludes:

 ”…failures which result from accident, misuse, abuse, neglect, mishandling, faulty installation, misapplication, improper insertion of consumables, set-up adjustments, maladjustment of consumer controls, improper operation or maintenance, alteration, modification, power line surge, improper voltage supply, commercial use, or service by anyone other than anIonWays authorized repair facility, or damage attributable to acts of God.”

And

 “The warrantor is not responsible for incidental or consequential damage; for damages arising out of the use of any unauthorized attachment; or for damages resulting from the use of the product with a defective water faucet. This warranty does not cover repairs caused by customer neglect or by failure to stop mineral buildup such as calcium in hard water areas.”

All ionizers are susceptible to scaling damage. As we have always stated, IonWays DARC and MARC cleaning systems are, in fact, superior in keeping the plates or electrodes scale free (yet another extremely strong selling benefit and why I believe our ionizers consistently out perform the competition in side-by-side testing).  However, these cleaning systems do not clean the hoses, valves, the drinking spout or other non-water cell parts. In hard water or high mineral areas, these parts will build scale and eventually, in some, may cause unit failure of some type.

These types of failures are environmental in nature and cause and are NOT manufacturing defects. They are expressly not covered under the warranty.   

The following are IonWays‘ pre-treatment recommendations when it comes to hardness/TDS levels in your water:
 
100 – 180 ppm, TDS or CaCO3  -  Mark II EOS Device or Spartan Hard Water Package, depending on concentrations of other contaminants

180 – 350 ppm, TDS or CaCO3  – Spartan Hard Water Package 
350 and above, TDS or CaCO3  – IonWays RO

IonWays Technical Support has WQA Certified Water Experts on staff and is always happy to assist you to protect your ionizer with appropriate pre-filtration. Should at any stage the flow rate through your ionizer slows down then IonWays strongly recommends that you flush your unit with the white vinegar solution. 

There are a few additional things regarding environmental damage we would like to clear up:

1. An apparent misunderstanding has evolved around the first time a unit experiences hard water damage. To be clear, there is no policy that “the first repair is on IonWays.” If you were told that by anyone, they were misinformed and we sincerely apologize. All environmental damage issues (first or otherwise) are the customer’s responsibility.
2. The cap of $199 that is stated on each warranty card (and on the Warranty Page here) is for repairs covered under the warranty. Repairs due to misuse/abuse and or environmental damage (as shown above) are NOT covered by this cap. The customer bears the full cost of repair in these cases.

To help, we are making an “ionizer upgrade” option available to customers whose repair costs exceed $250. This program offers customers two valuable things: 1) the chance to get an entirely new ionizer (rather than a repaired one) for about the same amount they would spend on repairs and 2) receive free, expert advice on pre-treating their water so they can safely enjoy ionized water without damaging their new unit.

I hope this helps you understand the warranty issue more clearly and how IonWays is committed to helping people get real solutions, real support and real results from their ionizer experience.

Jay Hare

President

IonWays, LLC