How do Hydro-Guard® Units work?
How are Hydro-Guard® Units installed?
What is the difference between Hydro-Guard® Units?
How much water flows while the Unit is flushing?
There are watering restrictions within our community; doesn't daily flushing waste water?
How much do Hydro-Guard® Units cost to operate?
Are the Units secure? What about vandalism?
Do Hydro-Guard® Units come with a warranty?
How do Hydro-Guard® Units work in freezing climates?
What do we do with our current flushing crews?
Can I use the discharged water for irrigation purposes?
Is a separate set of accessories required for each Unit?
How long will the battery within the Hydro-Guard® Unit last?
How
do Hydro-Guard® Units work?
Hydro-Guard® Units are programmed to flush for a specific duration,
from one minute to 24 hours, with a maximum of six or 16 flushes per
day depending on the Unit selected. The programmer operates on a two-week
repeating cycle. The programming actuator within the Unit sends a signal
to a solenoid that opens a slow-opening, slow-closing valve. Once open,
the valve allows water to flow until a second signal is received, prompting
the valve to close, completing the flush.
How
do I program the Unit?
A hand-held programmer is used to program Standard and LongNeck Units
while the HG5s and HG2 models offer integrated programming capability.
Once the correct, current time and date are input within the programmer’s
memory, all you need to do is follow the straight-forward programming
instructions (supplied with each Unit).
There is an optional radio-control upgrade available for the Standard
(HG1) and LongNeck (HG3 & HG4) Units. The radio programmer allows
the user to program the Unit from a distance up to 60 feet from the Unit.
This acts as a time-saving device when multiple Units are installed and
is an especially attractive option in freezing climates.
How
are Hydro-Guard® Units installed?
With a minimum of advance planning a two-person crew with the proper
tools can install the Hydro-Guard® Unit in about one to three hours.
Simply excavate the site as illustrated in the Operation Manual, install
new or use the existing curb and corp. stops, tap the main line for a
2-inch lateral feed, turn off the water supply at the corp. stop and
connect to the Unit’s feed line. Hydro-Guard® Units come equipped
with male threaded ends. Simply confirm the connection by turning on
the water supply. You’ll likely notice water flowing through the
Unit at the time of the connection. This is caused by the pressure within
the line and should cease in a matter of minutes. At this point, the
Unit is ready to be sanitized, programmed and placed into service.
What is the difference between the Standard and
Direct Discharge Units?
Regardless of the most appropriate
model based upon your discharge preference and local frost depth Hydro-Guard® Units
function to achieve the same goals and benefits related to water-quality
preservation and maintenance
as well as conservation. The atmospheric discharge units flush water
onto a built-in splash pad where it is diffused. These models employ
an air gap to prevent backflow. The directed-discharge style units route
the flushed water into a sanitary sewer, storm drain, or retention pond,
through a discharge line. Depending on the model selected, the directed-discharge
models offer either an air gap, an RPZ backflow preventer or a pressure
vacuum breaker for backflow prevention.
How much water flows while the Unit is flushing?
The same slow-opening, slow-closing valve is used in either Unit. It is
rated at 150 psi, allowing a maximum flow of somewhere between 150 and
200 gallons-per-minute (gpm). Typically, with a static feed-line pressure
within the 35 to 50 psi range, the flow rate will be approximately 130
to 150 gpm. Hydro-Guard® Units are designed to maintain water quality
through advanced maintenance flushing and are not intended for use as
a scouring mechanism. If biofilm and/or buildup must be eliminated, scour
the main line and then install your Hydro-Guard® Units.
How long do we need to flush?
The answer to this question is unique to every individual Hydro-Guard®
application. It is a matter of main line size and length, water temperature
and draw on the system, to name a few variables. Most users begin by flushing
for a longer time than they believe will be necessary to maintain water
quality. This creates the immediate benefit of increased residuals. Then,
users can gradually decrease the flushing minutes to find the point where
water quality is maintained. Many customers find that a daily or every-other-day
15-minute flush is their final solution.
There are watering restrictions within our community; doesn't daily flushing
waste water?
Contrary to wasting water, a timed, daily, small-volume flush acts to
effectively maintain water quality with a minimum of waste. Hydro-Guard®'s
patented technology allows a controlled flush over a specific duration.
This results in a flush designed to maintain mandated residual levels
and overall water quality. In comparison, a typical hydrant flush is performed
on an infrequent basis, and often in reaction to customer complaints.
These flushes of no-specific duration result in the discharge of uncontrolled
amounts of water while adversely impacting the performance of the rest
of the distribution system (turbidity, system pressure, etc.). Additionally,
as soon as the hydrant flush is complete, chlorine residuals within the
line will continue to drop until the next time the crew is scheduled to
flush the line, or there is another end-user complaint.
How much do Hydro-Guard® Units cost to operate?
Many Hydro-Guard® Units are powered by a 9-volt alkaline battery.
This battery sends a signal to the solenoid instructing the valve to
open and close. This is the only time there is a draw on the battery.
With one scheduled flush per day the battery typically lasts for one
year. As a proactive measure it is recommended that the battery be changed
at the beginning and end of daylight-savings time, ensuring two changes
each year. The battery in the hand-held programmer will require occasional
replacement. The Units designed with the integrated programmer are powered
by a 6.3 volt lithium battery offering up to six years of daily flushing.
Based on either battery-replacement schedule the annual cost of operating
the Hydro-Guard® Unit is in the range of $15.00
Are the Units secure? What about vandalism?
To date, there has not been more than one reported incidence of vandalism
concerning Hydro-Guard® Units. This is in part due to the ordinary,
unobtrusive nature of the Units themselves. Rather than employing obvious,
and sometimes enticing, locks, Hydro-Guard® Units are designed to
incorporate a low-profile security system.
Do Hydro-Guard® Units come with a warranty?
All Hydro-Guard® Units come with a one-year warranty on parts and
labor. The use of marine-grade polymers within the housing guarantees
a virtually fade-free part life. Extended warranties may be available
through your independent sales rep company.
How do Hydro-Guard® Units work in freezing
climates?
Not all Hydro-Guard Units are ideal for use in every region. A complete
overview of cold-weather suitability is available for your review. In
brief, Hydro-Guard® has pioneered myriad technologies specifically
designed to ensure continuous operation regardless of the local frost
depths. From engineering devices designed to take the valve and electronic
components below the frost line, to the configuration of thermal control
technology designed to sense the water temperature within the lateral-feed
line and resulting in a brief automatic flush, we have taken every step
to ensure your utility enjoys the maximum return on investment.
How do we comply with the EPA standard mandating
the dechlorination of all discharged water into the environment?
All Hydro-Guard® Units are available with dechlorination capability
as an upgrade.
What do we do with our current flushing crews?
With recent cutbacks in municipal spending, now more than ever before
it is necessary to maximize labor resources. With the implementation of
an advanced flushing program employing Hydro-Guard® automatic flushing
devices, labor hours previously dedicated to manual flushing may now be
reallocated.
Can I use the discharged water for irrigation
purposes?
There are many reports of atmospheric-discharge units feeding shrubbery
and other landscaping around the installation site. Additionally, a number
of Hydro-Guard® municipalities direct discharged water into culverts
or retention ponds for use in feeding irrigation systems. Due to the
controlled discharge offered by a number of the Hydro-Guard® Units,
any one of these may be well suited to this purpose. Please feel free
to contact us concerning your specific application.
Hydro-Guard® technology may eliminate the
need for flushing hydrants, but can the Units be used as sample stations?
All Hydro-Guard® Units offer built-in sample stations designed for
use with our own quick-connect portable sample valve. While standard
on the vast majority of the Hydro-Guard line this is an upgrade on the
LongNeck models. When bacteriological sampling is required for reporting
purposes, simply perform a brief manual flush in order to ensure you
are getting a representation of water in the main and then take the sample
using the convenient sample port. The sample is taken from the upstream
side of the valve, allowing you to sample water when the Unit is flushing
or when it is not flushing. This will ensure reliable, consistent results
and eliminate the need for separate, costly sample stations.
Is a separate set of accessories required for
each Unit?
No. Hydro-Guard® accessories are designed to be used interchangeably
with as many Units as is convenient for the end user. Not every accessory
is required with each model so be sure to ask.
How
long will the battery last?
Battery
life will depend upon the model selected and the number of flushes per
day demanded. The 9-volt battery powered models flushing once per day
generally require battery replacement approximately twice per year. The
integrated 6.3 volt lithium powered models are designed to hold a charge
for as long as seven years. In either case, based on a single flush per
day, operating cost will run approximately $15.00 annually.