Field Question#2 - I Think My Second Wind UV Lamp is Broken....

We often receive calls to our customer service department with a comment that the contractor or homeowner thinks that the lamp they are using to service their Second Wind Air Purifier might be broken.  We will ask a few questions before investigating the problem to see if we are looking at an OEM replacement part but following that, we are often pleased to discover that our attentive and caring customer has noticed some apparent solids within the glass on their lamps that led them to believe that something was amiss.  What they notice as you can see in the photos below, is that there are two small balls inside the glass of the lamp that roll around and often make a slight rattling noise when the lamp is shifted in position.  These balls are the pieces of mercury (chemical symbol- Hg) that have solidified in the lamp used to create the fluorescent effect that you may be familiar with in drop ceiling lights or the newer compact fluorescent lights (CFL's).  

These components do not indicate a lamp is broken, it is merely the cooled mercury in a solid or liquid form.  When lamps are cold, some of the mercury in the lamp is in liquid form, but while the lamp is operating or the lamp is hot, most of the mercury is in a gaseous or vapor form.  

Although there is only a very small amount of mercury, there are procedures to follow to dispose of old lamps.  This National Geographic article provides some insight on how much mercury is there and LampRecycle provides good guidance for the appropriate disposal methods

We will continue to post any questions sent in that pertain to Second Wind Air Purifier or Indoor Air Quality that you may have. Please click here and send us your questions too!

Evaluation & Optimization of UV/Photocatalytic Air Purification Devices

Contact Us for your copy of the public document with reports on each aspect of the study.
We've got some great information to share about how our products perform in competitive testing against Volatile Organic Compounds and Bioaerosols

Second Wind UV Air Purifier Model 2000 Whole House PCO HVAC Review - Video Dailymotion

Check out the review posted about our model 2000 air purifier.  A satisfied customer talks about the benefits the unit brought to her home.

Second Wind UV Air Purifier Model 2000 Whole House PCO HVAC Review - Video Dailymotion

Display Stand for Duct Mount units

Here's a couple photos of our new display stand for our duct mounted purifiers.  These can be set up anywhere in a store or tradeshow booth.  It is CRITICAL to note that if the units are going to be powered up to attract attention that you must use Non-UVC lamps, sometimes called 'Dummy Lamps' so passersby are not harmed by the germicidal light.

Model 2124 on display stand

Model 2000 on display stand

Either model can be easily put on the stand.  The stand can serve when training as a demonstration of how easy it will be for contractors to install in customers homes, as the vertical panel simulates a duct wall.  Instructions for use are provided with each unit.  Stores can use units from stock, but please contact us at 800-387-4565 if you need a 'Dummy Lamp' or two for your in-store display.

Field Question#1 - What are those 'strings' on your lamps?

A great question came to us from John G. in Clearwater, FL.  We're going to post any questions sent in that pertain to Second Wind Air Purifier or Indoor Air Quality in the next few blogs.  Please click here and send us your questions too!

Q. What are the strings for that run along the length of Second Wind Air Purifier UV lamps?

exposed end of lamp showing
connection of strings to filament

A. The strings are coated pieces of wiring that are connected to the filament ends.  The coated wires travel to the other end of the lamp where they terminate at the four-pin ceramic mounts.  The 4-pin end is where power is supplied via the custom ballast, sending current to both ends of the lamp.

If one or both of these 'strings' is severed, the lamp will not function and will need to be replaced immediately.  

MERS could be SARS v2.0

Back in April 2012, a SARS-like coronavirus was detected.  It has taken some time to develop, and in fact it is spreading slower than the original SARS outbreak of 2003 that devastated tourism in Toronto Ontario, Canada.  It has been designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Novel Coronavirus.  Since that time, an acronym has developed and it will likely be recognized as MERS - Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome.  As of June 3, 2013 there have been 54 confirmed cases of MERS, and among those cases there have been 34 deaths reported.

The MERS coronavirus has yet to surface in the United States, but experts say it's "only a plane ride away." 

"It would be easy for this to be imported to this country," said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "CDC works 24/7 to track infections around the world because we are all connected by the air we breathe."

The history of the virus has already been posted on Wikipedia and can be found here. There are concerns posed about 'superspreaders' accelerators of virus distribution as was found in Typhoid Mary & SARS.  These carriers are ideal hosts that are highly infectious people who seem to be a perfect host and increase the spread of a particular strain.

Thankfully, as an informed global community, there are many helpful links that are providing information to us, as well as international news outlets.  The medical community has also been monitoring the development of this virus, something I believe we can all give thanks for, as 'chance favors the prepared mind'

A great article and video by ABC News - click here 

The CDC article on this topic - click here

It has been expected that many of the lessons learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak will be applied to treating this new virus.  The outbreak peaked in April and May that year, but in early July it was declared that the outbreak had been contained.  An estimated 774 people died of the disease and 7322 infected people eventually recovered, including the Singaporean doctor whose case prompted the worldwide alert on March 15.

When it comes to controlling global outbreaks such as these we must continue to let evidence speak louder than politics.
David L. Heymann, former executive director of communicable diseases at the World Health Organization

We will continue to report on this worldwide concern, especially with helpful information about taking care of your air and preventive measures you can consider for the health of you and your family.  Back in 2003 it was clarified that there has never been a bacteria or virus identified that cannot be killed by UVC light.  Adequate dosage is what is required, so we have confidence that Second Wind Air Purifier products will provide some assistance in addressing this new concern.

Standard & Classes Needed for UV Products

As the supply base of ultraviolet products continues to grow, the buying public is starting to get wary of the manufacturers' claims.  People are trying to gain an understanding of what makes 'Product X' better than 'Product Y'?  There is a ton of glamorous content on the internet and in the literature that many manufacturer's provide, but there is not a grade established to define which one's are the best, the same as others, or the worst.


From some research I have done, we know that a standard was proposed back in 2004-but its adoption proves to be difficult, as testing procedures are a stumbling block.  Click here for the link to the PDF document from 2004.

ASHRAE has had a committee working on a standard as well.  The technical committee is designated as TC2.9 .  Its focus is:
 "TC 2.9 is concerned with all aspects of equipment and systems that utilize ultraviolet radiation to destroy or de-activate chemical and / or biological air and surface contaminants in HVAC systems and indoor spaces, including but not limited to effectiveness, safety, maintenance, and economics."


It is with some hope that the TC2.9 committee will be able to introduce a working standard for ultraviolet devices that will define best applications for different devices, and which may serve in multiple classes - and provide an accepted rating within each volume.  As we've mentioned in previous blogs, there is not a Swiss Army UV device - some are suited for surface cleaning, some are suited for in-duct purification, etc.  The committee actually is showing 11 different classes that a UV device can be listed under.