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Z-ION Installation
and Retrofit Instructions
Ventura Deluxe and MPC-5000 versions
20 Mariposa Road, San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone 415-526-2780 Fax 415-526-2787
Patent Pending
Spectra Watermakers, Inc.
www.spectrawatermakers.com
Rev 06/13
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Making Fresh Water World Wide
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Thank you for choosing Spectra’s Z-Ion system! This revolutionary adaptation of an ancient technology effectively and safely protects the membrane and filters on your Spectra watermaker.
The Z-Ion system introduces a stream of metallic ions that kill the organisms in your watermaker and create an environment that prohibits them
from growing and going anaerobic. The result is that your system will be
kept ready to operate without any additional flushing, external power
sources, pickling chemicals, or complex procedures. The whole operation
is completely automatic, controlled by the Z-ION circuit!
When properly installed and maintained it will protect your watermaker for
up to 3 months*, without requiring additional flushes or external power being present.
Please check the contents of this kit to ensure it is complete. Report any
missing items to Customer Service immediately. Any shortages must be
reported within 30 days of receiving the equipment.
Included in this kit:
Z-Ion Generator and Control Module
Flow Switch
Carbon Block Filter
Installation Kit
* Storage times may vary depending on conditions.
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Plumbing Installation
Installation should always be carried out by a qualified technician to avoid
problems and ensure warranty coverage.
Turn off the domestic fresh water pump and bleed any remaining pressure in the pipes.
Locate Ventura feed pump module
Disconnect the inlet hose.
Remove the inlet hose barb fitting.
Install the flow switch assembly.
Make sure that the flow switch arrow is
pointing towards the inlet!
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Remove the carbon filter bowl and replace with the Z-ION generator bowl
Mount the control box on the bulkhead adjacent to the feed pump module.
(shown just above the filter bowl ).
Plug the Z-ION connector from the generator into the control box.
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Wiring Installation
Turn the main DC breaker off or remove the main power fuse to the watermaker.
Locate the DC Bus Bar, as shown below, which is the main power feed for
the watermaker.
Incoming DC Bus Bar
Connect the DC power leads from the
Z-Ion Control Box to the Incoming DC
Bus Bar.
Pay attention to polarity!
Connect Red (fuse) to DC +
Yellow (or black) to DC -
Replace protective cover!
Z-ION Fuse
block
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Testing the system
Normally no adjustment is necessary as the unit has been set up at the factory for your watermaker, however it is advisable to make sure it is working properly. You will need Spectra test
kit #EL-ZION-TESTKIT. Once the installation is complete and the unit is powered up activate the
FW flush by pushing the auto store button on the MPC controller once. If you have a Ventura
Deluxe initiate a manual flush cycle. The LED on the Z-ION controller should start flashing as
the unit cycles. Close to the end of the flush cycle, take a sample of the brine discharge. If the
discharge thru hull isn't accessible you will need to use the brine discharge service hose to gain
access to the system. Once you have obtained a sample, first check it with a salinity monitor to
make sure the salinity is below 1000 PPM. Next, use the copper test kit to make sure that there
is at least 1 PPM of copper in the flush water. This will also insure that there is adequate silver
in the mix to kill the bacteria.
If the flush water is above 1000 PPM or does not have adequate copper content then please
contact our technical support for instructions on how to adjust the system.
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Z-ion Specifications
The Z-ION controller has been specifically designed to batch process (produce) metallic ions
for system disinfection. This process has been around for many years, however most systems
produce ions on a continuous slow basis rather than a short intermittent process. It was found
that the most stable way to produce ions in a batch process is to maintain a constant current to
the electrodes and vary the voltage. By being able to boost the voltage the amount of electrode
surface area can be smaller to produce the needed ions in a brief period of time.
Features
10-48 VDC inlet voltage
10-38V output @1.5A Current controlled
Polarity reverses every 10-15 seconds (adjustable)
Timed auto shutoff (adjustable)
Current output is field adjustable.
Operation
The unit can have power on at all times. Upon power up the LED will flash red/green and then
goes green. Upon the trigger being actuated by going high the operation cycle begins. The unit
will produce the set point current by adjusting the voltage applied on the electrodes. The LED
will flash green/ amber as the polarity cycles. The cycle will continue until either the trigger
voltage is removed or the adjustable timer, times out.
If the voltage is out of range, below 10V or above 56V, the LED will flash red every two seconds and the unit will shut down.
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