What is an ozone generator
Written by: Vinnie van Rooij
An ozone generator is a device that turns regular are into ozone, which is capable of removing contaminants in the air and has an effect on some sources of odor inside a vehicle. Ozone is dangerous and should be used with caution.
Contents
Why use an ozone generator
When a vehicle has a source of bad odor, or certain types of dirt is very difficult to remove, the generator can help to get rid of the bad smell. Its advantage is that it works on its own. You set it up, turn it on and leave it for a certain amount of time. It can remove odor from the air inside the car, but also has a slight effect on certain sources of bad odor. This is very handy when the source of the bad odor is hidden behind a panel, or unreachable for other reasons. An ozone generator how is dangerous to use, and caution should be taken when working with this device.
What is an ozone generator
An ozone generator is a device that sucks in air from 1 side, passes it through an area where electrical discharges turn the Co2 into O3. The device is placed inside a room or vehicle, when there are no animals or humans present, the device can be turned on. After a certain amount of time (depends on level of odor and size of room), the device is turned off. The room or vehicle is then opened up to let the ozone filled air blow away. After the gas is completely gone, the room is safe to enter. Ozone is especially effective to clean air and remove smoke odors. Ozone doesn’t linger for very long, the gas will quickly decay into diatomic oxygen. This treatmentcan also be used to disinfect fabrics during the washprocess.
Using an ozone generator
Use of the generator is not overly difficult, however care should be taken when using one to minimize the risk involved.
- Clean the car mechanically and chemically, the less left behind the more effective the ozone will be
- Remove all loose items
- Vacuum the car
- Make absolutely sure that no animals or humans are inside the vehicle
- Place the device inside the car, or use a hose to blow the ozone inside the vehicle through the window
- If using a hose from outside, it is recommended to seal off the open window to create an “air tight” seal
- Run the generator between 30 minutes and 2 hours (the manual will help to determine how long it is needed)
- Open all doors to let the gas dissipate, it will carry a strange smell which might linger for a few days. Repeat the above steps if the interior still has an unpleasant smell
- Wait for at least 2 hours with all the doors wide open before getting inside the vehicle
- The smell of ozone might remain for a few days, but the unpleasant odor should have been removed
Safe or not
There are several reasons why people disagree or agree with the use of an ozone generator in the world of detailing. Due to the level of expertise needed in different field to fully judge these parameters, there has yet to be made an conclusive decision about its use. The points mentioned below or only arguments that have been said, none have been scientifically proven in real world usage.
Safe
- Ozone quickly decays in diatomic oxygen
- Large quantities are needed to cause serious harm to living animals
- It is widely used to kill bacteria on food or on contact surfaces, it can even be used to sanitize swimming pools
- It is approved to be used in water plants to kill parasites
- It is approved to be used in hospitals where it is used to decontaminate surgery rooms
- 50ppm is considered lethal for humans, which would require a very large ozone generator to run for several hours
Not safe
- Ozone will attack any polymers, including the polymers that make up rubbers and plastic
- It should never be used in an occupied room!
- It is used to kill insects in stored grains
- It has been proven that large concentrations can be harmful, which is possible in unventilated rooms
- There is no proper regulation on the workings of these generators, they might not work properly or put out more then described
- It has been proven that regular use of an ozone generator can harm certain parts of the interior. This treatment should therefore be used very sparingly
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