Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you get the water out of the two units when done ionizing?
A: Remove the electrodes, put the lid on the alkaline side, and pour out the acid water. Then immediately put the lid on the acid side and immediately remove the lid from the alkaline side, and pour out the alkaline water into a container. The lids create a vacuum that prevents much water from leaking to the other side.

Q: Does the ionizing process eliminate aluminum, chlorine or fluoride?
A: The ionizer is not a purifier and does not eliminate any minerals. However, those ions with a negative charge will be attracted to the + electrode and migrate to the acid side, and those with a positive charge will be attracted to the - electrode and migrate to the alkaline side.

Q: How long does alkaline and acid water last?
A: The pH remains pretty constant because is determined by the mineral content which doesn't change. The oxidation reduction potential (ORP) of the alkaline water, a general measure of the water's anti-oxidant properties, declines rather rapidly. The ORP of the acid water, a general measure of its oxidant properties, also declines rather rapidly; both tend to approach zero. I recommend keeping the water in the dark. Colored glass is good. Keeping it refrigerated will make it last longer. Heating the water will drive all the anti-oxidant benefits out of the water. Use the water within one or two days.

Q: Do you need to add minerals, and what kind?
A: Yes, minerals are required in order for the ionizer to work. I have found that the most effective mineral to add is salt. Salt is needed to make the water conductive so that the ionizer will work. 1/8 tsp per gallon each side is good, 1/4 tsp works even better but then you can taste the salt. I recommend Himalayan sea salt as the best; Celtic is also good. There are a lot of brands on the market; see what your local health food store stocks. Get a fine grain so that it dissolves quickly. Sun dried is better than kiln dried, with no additives. Regular supermarket salt is not recommended as it may be toxic. Remember that doctors tell us to minimize our consumption of salt for that reason. But we have been taught that salt is an essential nutrient, people were once paid in salt, and animals are given salt blocks to lick as desired. So it probably means that good quality salt is good for you, while regular supermarket salt is toxic. A good site on salt is http://www.curezone.com/foods/saltcure.asp.

There are other salts you can use if you have a problem with sodium. You can try potassium chloride. It is very inexpensive, and available from NOW company. One supplier is iHerb.com.

Q: What is the best water to use?
A: I recommend spring and well water of known good quality as a first choice. Next best is reverse osmosis. Distilled is not recommended because, according to Dr. Mercola, it is too aggressive in leaching minerals from the body. While not so aggressive, if you use reverse osmosis, be sure to take a mineral supplement; I recommend Min-Ra-Sol.

Q: Can I re-use the acid water that has already been ionized?
A: No. The minerals have been transferred from it to the other side. If more salt is added it might be possible, but you would have to test this to see if it works; I haven't tested it.

Q: What pH / ORP meter would you recommend?
A: To measure ORP, I recommend the Milwaukee SM-500, available from eBay for under $100. I previously recommended the Hannah HI-98121 which measures pH, ORP, and temperature, but I have found big differences in ORP measurements between the Milwaukee and the Hanna. Measuring pH is much less of a problem; I recommend the Hanna HI98103, $25 on eBay. I also recommend you buy calibration and cleaning solutions; you can use tap water as a storage solution. And get 470mV test solution for ORP verification. Get cleaning solution (see www.hannainst.com/usa/ HI7007, HI70300, HI7061, and HI7022).

If just pH measurement will get you by, the simplest approach is to use low-ion pH test paper, available from HiddenCures.com, $12 for a roll.

Q: Why can't I use regular pH test paper? Why do I need a low-ion pH test kit?
A: The water produced by a water ionizer has a low amount of ions. The amount of ions in regular test paper will swamp out the number of ions in the water, causing erroneous readings. A low-ion test kit is made just for low-ion solutions.

Q: Would it be possible for you to build a water ionizer with square glass jars instead of plastic?
A: The problem with glass is that it is difficult to cut 2" holes into it, so no, it is not practical to do this.

Q: How long does it take to produce a gallon of either alkaline or acidic water with your unit?
A: It takes between 1 to 8 hours to produce a gallon of acid and alkaline water. It depends on the desired strength. For a chart of time vs. strength, see http://www.hiddencures.com/Articles/G-2-measurements.htm. This chart is based on the original G-2 design with the ball fiber membrane. The latest design, the G-2B, uses a cloth membrane which runs about twice as fast.

Q: Does it do any harm to run the unit for longer than 8 hours?
A: There is no harm, but you might find the the taste to be disagreeable. Early experiments showed that there was a point of diminishing returns after 8 hours, but test results were not consistent.

Q: How can I test the power supply?

For the original model G-2 rated at 24V (see the label on the power supply):
A: Do not do the following procedure in the presence of explosive gas. Be sure the power supply alligator clips are not connected to anything and not touching anything. Plug the module into the 120VAC wall outlet for about a second (a tenth of a second is adequate). Be sure the outlet is actually live. Then unplug the module from the wall. Before going to the next step, be sure the module is unplugged from the wall, or you will blow the power supply. Now, touch the two alligator clips together; you should see a spark. If you don't see a spark, repeat the above procedure. If you see a spark, the power supply is good. If no spark ever occurs, the module is defective.

For the G-2A and G-2B models with 32V power supply (see the label):
A: Do not do the following procedure in the presence of explosive gas. Be sure the outlet is actually live. Plug the module into the wall outlet rated from 100 to 240VAC, and then short (i.e. touch) the alligator clips together. Shorting the clips will not damage the supply. You should see a spark sooner or later, and the clips will tend to weld together causing them to stick when you pull them apart.

Q: How long does the ball fiber membrane last?

For the G-2 and G-2A models:
A: I have used the same membrane for over a year. The main issue with the membrane is that if you are not careful, mold might grow on it. The solution to this is to store the membrane in acid water when the machine is not in use. You can use a plastic container for this. The membrane can be pushed out, and kind of screwed back in like a light bulb. Or squeeze out the water and let it dry out if the machine will not be used for a longer time.

Alternatively, the normal instruction for removing water from the ionizer is to pour out the acid water, then the alkaline water. If you pour out the alkaline water first, and do not pour out the acid water, then the acid water will stay in contact with the membrane, and slowly seep into the alkaline side. This will only work if you fill both sides full with 1-gallon of water when starting out. This will keep the membrane in acid and prevent mold from growing.

For the G-2B model:
The main issue with the membrane is mold growth. This model comes with a flat cloth membrane which will quickly dry out. It is recommended that you allow the membrane to dry out between uses to avoid mold. It may be preferable to remove the membrane from the machine, but if you keep it in, leave the lids off to let things dry out.

An alternate solution is to store the membrane in acid water when not in use. Let me know which method works best.

Q: How long do the electrodes last?
A: The electrodes are guaranteed for a year; no customer has ever reported a failed electrode, so I really don't know how long they will last. Replacement cost is $15 for a pair, and are available from the HiddenCures order page. For more information on electrodes, see this page.

Q: Does the ionizer remove harmful chemicals such as chlorine and fluorine?
A: The ionizer does not remove any chemicals. For that reason, you should start with water that you are happy with in terms of purity.

That said, chemicals such as chlorine and fluorine which have a negative charge, will be attracted to the positive electrode on the acid side and migrate out of the alkaline side.

Q: I have heard that going above a pH of 9.5 can be harmful.
A: I have not heard an explanation why a pH above 9.5 would be harmful. The pH is determined by the minerals in the water. We add 1/8tsp of sea salt per gallon to each side. This is a very small quantity of minerals compared to the pound of minerals in your stomach from food which totally swamps the minerals in the water. So, in my opinion, the pH of the water is not dangerous.

Q: I am not getting the ORP I am expecting.
A: For the G-2 and G-2A models, try soaking the ball fiber membrane in salt water before installing it; this seems to work well. For the G-2B model, the cloth membrane produces twice the strength as the ball membrane and doesn't require soaking in salt water. If you are chasing high ORP, I recommend upgrading to the cloth membrane, but be sure you also upgrade to the new power supply as the original one will be damaged by the higher currents produced by the cloth membrane.  The older 24V power supply is not warranted if used with a cloth membrane.

Q: I don't like the taste of the water.
A: The taste is determined by the minerals in the water. The ionizer causes minerals to migrate from one side to the other which will change the taste of the water. If you don't like the taste, try using a different type of water or salt. Also, the longer you run the unit, the more the migration of minerals and change of taste.

Q: You use PVC pipe to connect the two sides. Isn't PVC toxic?
A: My supplier states that the pipe is NSF-61 compliant.