Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting - FAQs

1. How to use a Cleaning Cartrdge to remove mineral deposits.

   When you see the water from the Top Spout of the Ionizer slowing down and the bottom spout speeding up this is an indication you have calcium buildup on the alkaline side of chamber. Also, if your PH starts to decline and you see a white deposit at the end of the production spout. A Cleaning Cartrdige should be used at laest once a year for proper maintenance. Below are the directions for the Cleaning Cartridge which comes on the label of the Cartridge. 

   Citric Acid Clean Out Procedure for Tyent Units

   • Remove Ceramic Filter (green label) 2^nd filter to right.
   • Install Citric Acid Filter in place of Ceramic filter.(Filter 2)(UF)
   • Adjust water flow to full pressure, cold water.
   • Run unit on the H2O cycle only for a period of 5 minutes.
   • Let stand for 3 hours. 
   • Remove Citric Acid Filter and install Ceramic filter.
   • Run H2O cycle for a period of 5 minutes, cold water, full pressure.
   • 7.  Check Ph levels of machine. Flow rate and PH levels should return to normal after cleaning. If not repeat steps 1-7. (MAX 4 repeats). 
   •  
   • Note:  When cleaning machine with Citric Acid Filter, be sure to always use the H2O purified water level only, do not use any other level while cleaning or damage could occur.
   • Note:  If unit was subject to hard water conditions, an Anti Scale filter should be installed. This filter will prevent scale build up on plates. Below is the link to the Cell Safe Anti Scale Pre-Filter. ::
   • http://tyentusa.com/replacement-filters/pre-filters/cell-safe.html
   • Note: You can not save a Cleaning Cartridge for future use, it is only good for 1 Cleaning. (Up to 4 (5-min runs). 
   • Note:  If unit does not perform as normal after cleaning, contact service center. (1-855-893-6887EXT513/541)
   Read more
2. Troubleshooting Slow Alkaline Flow on UCEs

   If you are experiencing slow flow from your top or “alkaline” spout on your UCE but the bottom “drain” spout is as fast or faster than normal then the following guide will help you determine the cause and how to correct it.

   Slow top spout or “alkaline” flow is generally caused by one of three problems.  Please check them in this order.

   1.)  Your Acidic an Alkaline hoses to the tower from the ionizer could be reversed.  Please run the machine on Turbo for 1 minute and then take a pH test from the top spout.  If it's purple or blue your hoses are NOT reversed but if it's orange or red they ARE reversed.  If they are reversed simply remove the hoses from the Alkaline and Drain ports on the ionizer and put them back in the opposite position.  Then repeat the pH test.

   2.)  You could have a kink in your Alkaline hose.  Follow white hose from the ionizer to the tower.  Look for any kinks.  This hose connects to either another white hose or a clear hose coming from the tower.  If it's a clear hose this is a much softer maternal and is much easier to kink than the white or orange hose.

   3.)  Your chamber and/or tower could be partly clogged.  Disconnect the Alkaline hose from the tower.  There is a junction about 4 to 10 inches below the tower  (press the ring in to pull the hose out of the junction)  Run that hose into the sink (or a bucket if it won’t reach) and run H2O.  If the water comes out at full speed then you have a clog in your tower (see #1 below).  If the water is still just as slow then the chamber is probably clogged (see #2 below).

   1. Get White Vinegar and a turkey baster.  Disconnect the Alk line from the tower under the sink and remove the top spout from the tower.  Using the turkey Baster Fill the top spout hole with vinegar until it starts coming out the disconnected hose.  Then reconnect the hose and top off with vinegar.  Also submerge the disconnected Alkaline spout in vinegar.  Let both sit overnight.  This should clear the clog.

   2. Get and use a Citric acid cleaning cartridge.   https://www.tyentusa.com/replacement-filters/cleaning-cartridges/uce-under-counter-extreme-ionizer-cleaning-cartridge.html 

      • Steps for cleaning: 

        • Install the cleaning cartridge in the place of filter 2.  

        • Run on H2O for 5 Min.  

        • Let sit for 3 hours.  

        • Repeat steps b  & c three more times.  

        • Put filter 2 back in it’s place.  

        • Flush for 5 min.  Your flow should be restored.

   Read more
3. Is my ionizer cleaning too much?

   The screen flashing Red/Purple on MMP models or Displaying a Cleaning Notice or Warning on ACE and UCE models indicates that the ionizer wants to do a cleaning.  It means that the next time you ask for water it will clean first for 15 seconds and then it will pour whatever level water was asked for.  The automatic cleaning is based on 2 internal timers, or more accurately a timer and a meter.  There is also a 3rd condition that only affects MMP series ionizers.  It works like this...  

   1.) (TIME) If the unit sits unused for 8 hours it will want to clean.

   2.) (VOLUME) After 30 liters of water has flowed through the system it will want to clean.

   3.) (POWER ON) [MMP ONLY] When MMP series ionizers are first powered on or after loosing power they will always want to do a cleaning.

   Because of the time based system virtually everyone sees the cleaning in the morning and in households where everyone leaves the house for 8 or more hours for work or school the unit will want to clean again when it's next used after you get home.  Then you must add that every few days your ionizer will hit the 30 liter mark and it will do an additional cleaning because of that.

   The end result is that, depending on use, it is normal for an ionizer to clean between 1 and 3 times in any given day.

   If you have doubts about whether your ionizer is behaving as it should the recommended action is to place a pad and pencil beside the unit for at least 3 days and use it to log the times you use the unit as well as every time it performs a cleaning when you go to get water.  You can then compare your log to the above rules.

   Final thoughts on self cleaning: The self cleaning feature in your ionizer is there for a reason.  It should not be thought of as a bad thing.  During the normal use of your ionizer the negatively charged plates will attract calcium from that water and this calcium can become stuck to the plates themselves.  Over time this will lead to reduced ionization performance and eventually it can cause the system to clog.  The cleaning works by reversing the polarity of the plates which repels the calcium and produces acidic water which helps dissolve it also.   The cleaner the plates are in your ionizer the more efficiently it will operate and the more hydrogen it will produce.

   Read more