When to Clean Your Quartz Sleeves

Man holding quartz sleeve to find out when to clean it


Quartz sleeves protect and insulate germicidal ultraviolet lamps, allowing for high UV output over a range of temperatures. A dirty quartz sleeve blocks UV-C wavelengths from passing into the water, preventing your water purifier from operating properly. Since water quality varies greatly from site to site, it can be difficult to determine when it’s time to clean your quartz sleeves.

How to Know if Quartz Sleeves Aren’t Clean

Method 1: Visually Inspect Your Quartz Sleeves

Visual inspection of quartz sleeves after one week of operation. Re-check weekly until fouling is spotted. The inspection period of time can then determine the cleaning cycle (see more in the Frequency of Cleaning section below).

Method 1 - Visual Inspection

Method 2: Use a UV-C Monitor

UV Intensity level displayed by an optional monitor will decline from Normal (green) to Low (red). Shop our GUARDIAN™open_in_new.

Method 2 - Digital Monitor

Method 3: Get Your Water Tested for Bacteria

A rise in the total bacteria count from test samples will be present, indicating your UV intensity has decreased due to dirty quartz sleeves.

Method 3 - Bacteria Tests

How to Determine the Frequency of Quartz Sleeve Cleaning

For Most Applications, Clean Quartz Sleeves Weekly

This practice is the simplest way to make sure that the quartz sleeves remain clean. Quartz sleeve cleaning can be done in three different ways, depending on the features of your UV water purifier:

  • Manually: Remove your quartz sleeve from the unit and rinse with a mild detergent or citric acid. Sleeves can be hand wiped or dipped into a cleaning tank, then rinsed with water. Stubborn stains can be removed using a dilute hydrochloric acid.
  • Use a built-in wiper mechanism: Certain models, like our SANITRON®open_in_new, have a wiper you can push back and forth, gently wiping your quartz sleeve without shutting down water purification.
  • Set an automatic wiper schedule: If your model has an automatic wiper cycle, like our MEGATRON®open_in_new, set it for weekly cleaning.

Monitor UV Output Weekly, Cleaning as Needed

At a minimum, quartz sleeves should be cleaned 3/4 of the time that it takes for fouling to occur. If weekly cleaning does not make quartz sleeves visibly clean, fix low UV output, or remedy failed water test results, do the following:

  1. Increase your quartz cleaning cycle to twice a week, keeping watch on the indicators listed above (visibly dirty sleeves, UV intensity drop, or a failed water test).
  2. If desired results are not achieved, quartz sleeve cleaning should be done at about half the time it takes for a significant drop in the UV meter. For example, if the ultraviolet meter drops into the red zone after 96 hours, the cycle time should be set to 48 hours.
  3. Repeat this procedure, cutting your quartz cleaning schedule in half until your UV monitor shows only a small drop in intensity, or until water tests indicate an acceptable bacteria count.

Learn More & Shop Quartz Sleeves

Our quartz sleeves undergo quality control by our trained staff. They are available in a wide range of diameters, wall thicknesses, open or closed ends, and in virtually any length. Firepolishing and custom fabrication are also available upon request. We stock equivalent replacement sleeves for over 200 equipment brands and 5,000 models of ultraviolet equipment.

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