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Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system is an advanced whole house water purification system designed to provide clean and safe drinking water for home and cottage use.

MEGA8 incorporates a sophisticated filter design that provides clean, great tasting & microbiologically safe drinking water.

It:

• Kills/inactivates disease causing microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, coliform, E. coli etc.
• Reduces sediment, dirt, rust and other particles down to 5 micron.
• Reduces chlorine and associated taste and odours in the water that affect the taste of drinking water and beverages, juices etc made with the water.

BENEFITS

• Makes ALL the water in the home safe to drink including bathrooms and showers
• Bracketed design makes installation a breeze
• Compact wall-mounting design
• Natural non-chemical method of treatment so you do not have to deal with chemicals
• Very little maintenance required other than filter and UV lamp changes
• Can be used on any water source such as well, lake, river or even municipally treated (see feed water quality specifications below)

Features

Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system has the following features

• Compact design that can be oriented in left to right or right to left pipe configuration
• 8 GPM max flow rate suitable for most homes with up to 3.5 bathrooms
• 1″ Female NPT inlet and 3/4″ Male NPT outlet
• Sediment designed for greater dirt-holding capacity and long life
• Activated carbon filter delivers high chlorine/taste/odour and organic reduction efficiency throughout the life of the filter
• Ultraviolet disinfection system is controlled by a sophisticated electronic power source that sets off an audio and visual alarm in case of system malfunction.
• Audio and visual reminder for UV lamp change
• Powder-coated stainless steel bracket with mounting holes 16” apart for stud mounting
• UV independently tested for > 40 mJ/cm² UV dose at end of lamp life (NSF/ANSI 55A dose requirement) at rated flow
• Audible alarm and visual LED lamp expiry indicator (with 7-day override feature) to show end of lamp life – 9000 hrs of use (approx 1 year)
• High quality stainless steel chamber
• High output UV lamps specifically designed and engineered for high disinfection performance

INSTALLATION

• MEGA whole house UV system is installed on the main water pipe in the home after the pressure tank and any other treatment devices (e.g. water softener, iron filter etc), before the water line divides into hot and cold.
• For the MEGA whole house UV system to work properly, water must not have any colour or tannin. Also, for waters with high hardness, iron or manganese, additional pre-treatment may be required. If you are unsure about your water quality, you can send a water sample for a free water analysis.
• A surge protector is highly recommended to protect the ballast from voltage spikes

Feed water quality requirements

Hardness < 7.0 gpg (120 ppm); Iron < 0.3 ppm; Manganese < 0.05 ppm; Turbidity < 1 NTU, Tannins/Colour: None; UV Transmissivity > 85%

If any of these parameters in your water are outside the limits, you may need additional filtration. Please contact Rainfresh for help.

• Water Temperature Range : 4°C to 37°C (39 to 100°F)
• Feed Water Pressure : 10 to 100 psi (68.9 to 689 kPa; 0.68 – 6.89 bar)

REPLACEMENT UV LAMP

Rainfresh UV systems have one UV lamp that lasts 9,000 hours of use (approx 1 year), after which it must be replaced even though it may continue to light. This is because after 9,000 hours the ability of the UV lamp to kill bacteria drops below safe limits and can thus compromise your family’s health.

Use only GENUINE Rainfresh UV lamps :  Use only GENUINE RAINFRESH UV Lamps with your UV system. Rainfresh UV lamps are designed with extensive product research and engineering to provide reliable and consistent UV output and performance that ensures the safety of your drinking water. Using non-Rainfresh UV lamps can not only compromise the system performance but also voids the electrical and CSA certification on the product  and may result in unsafe drinking water, ballast failure or even an electrical fire.  Use of non Rainfresh lamps will void warranty & product certification

WARRANTY

• 7-year limited warranty

Click to download Brochure or Instruction Manual (PDF)

Rainfresh MEGA8 brochure – English

Rainfresh MEGA8 manual – English

A) UNDERSTANDING UV SYSTEMS

Q What does the Rainfresh UV System do? Will it clean up my water?

UV systems disinfect water by inactivating bacteria, coliform (such as E. coli), viruses etc. UVC light at a wavelength of 254nm disrupts the DNA of microorganisms preventing them from multiplying. This makes water safe to drink from virtually any potable source.

Q How does the Rainfresh UV system work?

The Rainfresh UV system consists of a low-pressure UV lamp enclosed in a transparent quartz dome, housed in a stainless steel disinfection chamber. As untreated water enters the chamber from one end, microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, cysts etc in the water are exposed to ultraviolet light being emitted by the UV lamp. The UV light kills/inactivates these microorganisms instantaneously and treated water flows out of the chamber and is ready for consumption.

Q) Does a UV system add anything to the water?

Rainfresh UV systems use chemical-free and environmentally responsible technology that does not require use of any chemicals. UV systems do not alter the water quality, other than disinfection.

Q) Can I drink the water after it has been treated by a UV.

Yes the UV system will make the water safe to drink from a microbiological safety point. You no longer will need to buy bottles and jugs to have safe drinking water in your home.

B) INSTALLATION, SIZING QUESTIONS

Q Can I install a UV system if I am on well, lake, cistern or river water?

Yes. Rainfresh UV systems are designed to be used on water from any source. However, tannin, organic colour etc can significantly reduce the efficiency of the UV system and may require additional pre-treatment. Send us a sample of your water (see link at the bottom of the page) for a free water quality report.

Q What kind of water quality is required for the UV system to work efficiently?

The unit should only be operated with water that meets the following minimum criteria:

• Turbidity/Suspended Solids: Water should not have any dirt as microbes hide behind dirt particles and get shielded from UV light. Therefore water should have turbidity of less than 1 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit). This can be achieved by installing a 5 micron sediment filter before water enters the UV. We recommend Rainfresh Model FC150 or FC100 (5 micron sediment filter and housing assembly) or high flow filter housings (BH010 or BH020). If the water has abnormally high turbidity, a back-washable multi-media filter is recommended.
• Hardness: Less than 7 gpg (120 mg/L). Hard water causes scale build-up on the quartz sleeves thereby reducing the UV transmittance in the water and in turn reduced performance. For high hardness water, a water softener should be installed prior to the UV system.
• Iron & Manganese: Iron less than 0.3 PPM (mg/L) and Manganese (less than 0.05 mg/L) is desirable. At higher concentrations, a suitable water conditioner (e.g a greensand filter) should be installed prior to the UV system to prevent iron build-up on the quartz dome.
• Tannins and Colour: Water with tannins or colour has low UV transmissivity that reduces UV system performance. A tannin-removal / colour-removal activated carbon system should be installed to improve UV performance.

Q How do I know what my water quality is?

You can send a sample of your water to our test lab for a no-charge analysis of your water. The link to details on how to send the sample is at the bottom of the UV information page. Our lab can test for hardness, iron, UV transmissivity, pH, Turbidity and Total Dissolved Solids

Q If I find that I need additional treatment such as softener or tannin filter, where can I buy that?

You can buy these at various retail outlets such as Home Hardware, Lowe’s etc or order some of these systems directly from Rainfresh. Click on the “online store” link at the top of the page to order direct

Q Is a sediment filter necessary before the UV?

Yes. Regardless of your water quality, a 5 micron sediment filter should be installed before a UV system

Q Can I install the UV before the pressure tank?

No. UV systems should always be installed as the LAST stage before water gets divided into hot and cold. Never install a UV before any storage tank.

Q Can I install the UV horizontally?

Although we do not generally recommend horizontal installation, it can be done if there is no other way. There are 2 limitations with horizontal installation. First, it is not easy to drain the unit to winterize it and secondly you will have to be more careful when removing the dome for cleaning as chances of breaking it are greater (broken domes are not under warranty).

Q Should the UV be installed before, or after, a water conditioner?

UV should be the last stage of treatment. It should always be AFTER any water conditioners.

 Q How do I know what size/model of UV unit to buy?

There are 3 Rainfresh UV models.

All models are based on the max water flow at which the UV system can disinfect the water. While water flow rate depends on your pump capacity and pipe size, as a rule of thumb, you can select the UV system based on the number of bathrooms as follows

To make sure that the water flow rate never exceeds the rated flow of the UV unit, you can purchase Rainfresh flow control kits that can be easily attached inline before the UV without solder. Please contact customer service for these flow control kits.

Q Does a UV light consume a lot of energy?
No, a UV system consumes only 28 – 63 Watts, depending upon the model. This is as much or less than a 60W bulb.

Q Does the UV light stay ON all the time? Can I not turn it OFF when I don’t need water?

Yes the UV light stays ON all the time, even when you don’t need the water (e.g. during the night). Repeated ON/OFF actually shortens the UV lamp life. However, if you are going away from the house for a week or so, you can turn the UV system OFF. In this case first turn OFF the supply valve before the UV and then turn the UV off. Upon return, first turn the UV system ON, wait for about 10 minutes and then flush the water for a few minutes prior to consumption

Q Do I need a surge protector for my UV system?

Yes. You should never install the UV without a surge protector. A CSA or UL certified surge protector rated for a clamping voltage of less than 400 Volts, response time of less than one nanosecond, and energy absorption of at least 1,000 Joules.

Q Can I plug in the UV on the same circuit as my pump?

You should never install the UV on the same circuit as the pump as that can destroy the ballast. The UV should be installed on a dedicated circuit only.

C) MAINTENANCE QUESTIONS

Q Do I have to replace the UV lamp? Why?

The UV lamp degrades over time and after 9000 hours (approx 1 year) of use, its killing ability drops to levels that are considered unsafe. Therefore the UV lamp must be replaced once a year even though the UV lamp continues to lights up.

Q Can I use any generic UV lamp with the Rainfresh UV system?

Use only GENUINE RAINFRESH UV Lamps with your UV system. Rainfresh UV lamps are designed with extensive product research and engineering to provide reliable and consistent UV output and performance that ensures the safety of your drinking water. Using non-Rainfresh UV lamps can not only compromise the system performance but also voids the electrical and CSA certification on the product  and may result in any one or more of the following issues:

• Unsafe drinking water • Ballast failure • Electrical fire

Use of non Rainfresh lamps will void warranty & product certification

Q How do I know when to replace the lamp?

Rainfresh UV systems have a built-in alarm feature that signals end of lamp life by a flashing red LED and an intermittent beep. You can silence the alarm for 1 week three times to allow yourself time to purchase and install a new lamp. After that, the alarm cannot be shut off until the lamp is replaced.

Q Is there any other maintenance that is required?

You should routinely check the quartz dome and clean if scale has formed. The dome should also be replaced every 3 years. Also replace sediment filters regularly.

You should also replace the dome “O” rings whenever you replace the bulb (included with replacement UV bulbs).

Q Is there a need for me to test the water for bacteria now that I have a UV installed?

It is recommended that you continue to monitor your water safety through regular testing at least 2-3 times a year, even though you have a UV system.

 D) TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS

Q My UV system is beeping? What does that mean?

If the beeping is intermittent with the green LED ON and a flashing red LED, then it is a lamp-replacement alarm. You can silence this alarm for 7 days by pressing the black button on the ballast. Install a new lamp as soon as possible and reset the timer (instructions are included with the lamp).

Q I just replaced my lamp, but the beeping hasn’t stopped. What do I do?

You have not correctly reset the lamp timer. The lamp-change timer is reset by depressing the timer button

while reconnecting ballast to electrical outlet and keep the button depressed until the ballast emits a solid three-second beep. This will re-set the lamp-change-timer to zero and the 3-second beep will confirm that the re-set was successful.

NOTE : It is not possible to reset the lamp-change-timer unless the timer is in the grace period or lamp-change alarm mode or lamp-failure mode.

Q The UV is beeping, the UV lamp & green LED is OFF and red LED is ON. What’s wrong?

If the power to the UV goes beyond its operating limits, the ballast will shut down to protect itself from unsafe power. To correct the problem, simply unplug the unit, wait for 15 seconds and re-plug it.

Q I am getting a high-pitched squeal from the ballast and no light is ON. What is wrong?

Power surges may have destroyed the ballast. Contact customer service.

Q Why does the water seem hot first thing in the morning?

Sometimes over period of non-use the UV lamp heats up the water in the UV chamber. Simply flush a toilet first thing in the morning before using the water in the sink or showers.

E) MISCELLANEOUS QUESTIONS

Q Are Rainfresh UV systems tested?

Rainfresh residential UV systems are tested and certified by CSA International to CSA B483.1 for material safety and structural integrity. They are also independently tested for microbiological inactivation and tested to deliver > 40mJ/cm² UV dose at end of lamp life. This is higher than most other UV systems that rate their “kill dose” at only 30 mJ/cm² or even less. Rainfresh also manufactures UV systems certified to NSF/ANSI Std 55A. Please click on the link at the top of the UV page for more info on these systems.

Q) Where are Rainfresh UV systems made?

Rainfresh UV systems are made in Canada.

Have more questions? Enter you own question below and our customer service will get back to you within 24 hours.

Buy parts directly from Rainfresh webstore

Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system is an advanced whole house water purification system designed to provide clean and safe drinking water for home and cottage use.

MEGA8 incorporates a sophisticated filter design that provides clean, great tasting & microbiologically safe drinking water.

It:

• 
  Kills/inactivates disease causing microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, coliform, E. coli etc.
• Reduces sediment, dirt, rust and other particles down to 5 micron.
• Reduces chlorine and associated taste and odours in the water that affect the taste of drinking water and beverages, juices etc made with the water.

Features of MEGA whole house UV system Canada

Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system has the following features

• Compact design delivers clean, safe water
• Sediment designed for greater dirt-holding capacity and long life
• Activated carbon filter delivers high chlorine/taste/odour reduction efficiency throughout the life of the filter
• Ultraviolet disinfection system is controlled by a sophisticated electronic power source that sets off an audio and visual alarm in case of system malfunction.
• Solenoid safety feature – Shuts off the water in case of UV malfunction (optional)
• Audio and visual reminder for UV lamp change
• Powder-coated stainless steel bracket with mounting holes 16” apart for stud mounting

The beauty of the system is that it can be oriented to suit piping from left to right or right to left, making installation a breeze in all situations.

If your water comes from a private well or lake and you worry about the microbiological safety of the water, Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system could be the solution that you have been looking for.

Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system disinfects water by using the natural, non-chemical disinfection properties of ultraviolet light (UV for short). UV light inactivates bacteria, coliform bacteria (e.g. E. coli), viruses, parasitic cysts and other microorganisms using a germicidal wavelength of 254 nm & a UV dose of >40 mJ/cm², making the water safe to drink from virtually any potable source.

UV disinfection is used by many municipalities across the world including North America for primary disinfection of water. It has multiple advantages over conventional chemical disinfection methods, such as:

• UV systems are highly effective against a broad range of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses & parasitic cysts such as Cryptosporidium & Giardia
• UV systems do not alter the water chemistry and thus there is no affect on taste, odour or colour of the water
• UV systems do not create disinfection byproducts such as Trihalomethanes (THMs ) which are suspected carcinogens.
• UV systems are easy to operate and require very little maintenance as compared to chemical disinfection methods

Rainfresh MEGA whole house UV system are made in CANADA and manufactured to the highest performance and quality standards.