Copper in Hot Water-Sacrificial Anode

stevieg1978

Hi all.
I have a major water problem in my newly built house. We use well water and run it through the softner but last summer my partners highlighted blonde hair turned green. We tested the water to see if it was causing the problem.. The cold water tested high in iron but ok for copper but the hot water had high ammounts of copper >4000. we are now starting to get small copper stains on the sanitary ware.
Now My house is plummed with a high pressure system a 300l storage tank in the garage and piped into the hot press with hydrodare piping, the cylinder is a dual coil stainless steel one which is also heated by the solar panels. The water in the cylinder only passes through about 8 foot of copper piping either side of the cylinder as the rest of the piping is hydodare.
How am I going to fix this problem ? most water treatment companies and plumbers suppliers here in the midlands have never heard of this problem before. Some people have said a sacrificial anode may fix the problem. Does anybody know anyone who sells/ installs these or knows anything about this sort of problem ?

Snaggerman

Dont know if anode is your fix or not, but they can be purchased in any marine chandlery. HTH

TPM

By any chance is the ph low as well?

I cant see the anode helping.

If the water coming from the well is ok for copper but you have high copper in the house something is adding the copper to the water.
it might be no harm to get the water retested.
low ph will corrode the copper which could explain your problem, you could remove the copper pipe from your system, but low ph can attack the welds in the stainless cylinder as well.

its likely you will need to install a filtration system including ph correction but this would be depending on your water test results

shane0007

If you have low levels of copper in your well & high levels in the hot water, then the issue is not high levels of copper.
Most likely a chemical reaction.

Have you checked the pH of your incoming mains?

stevieg1978

The water in the cold tap (not throught the softner) was tested it is high in iron, but no copper, it has a ph of 6.8. water in the hot tap has >4000 level of copper. I even tested the water from the electric shower which had <50 level of copper.
The problem is just with the hot water from the cylinder system

TPM

A combination of soft water, low PH (below 7.2) and hot water 60c and above can cause copper corrosion.
This is rare and your PH isnt very low but at the moment its the only thing that I can think of in relation to your problem.

stevieg1978

so what is the best course of action. Increase th ph ?

TPM

I would recommend another test of the water.
Without seeing the complete results its hard to suggest what to do, but correcting the PH would seem a logical step, this would need to be done taking into account your softener, and any other filters required (iron etc.)

old n grey

I am experiencing same symtoms and have same system as u .I am awaiting test results before spending further monies.My problem is a bacterial one in 300 litre vessel.

shane0007

old n grey wrote: »

I am experiencing same symtoms and have same system as u .I am awaiting test results before spending further monies.My problem is a bacterial one in 300 litre vessel.

If you have a bacterial issue with your domestic hot water, on no account use the hot water. It can be extremely dangerous to health & even death in some cases.
Install a UV light treatment system with bulb replacement alarm immediately & have your water tested right away for the types of bacteria you are affected with.

You need to find the source of the bacteria & eliminate or treat before it enters the property.

old n grey

what type of water softener are u using?