What is ORP? Part 3.

Testing the level of oxidant reduction potential (ORP) in water is very tricky business. There are all kinds of gadgets that can help, but the truth is that unless you really know what you're doing, it can be quite complicated. There are several ORP meters on the market priced from fairly affordable to insanely expensive. The sad fact is that no ORP meter, no matter how expensive, can accurately read the negative (-) ORP created by water ionizers.

The platinum electrodes used by ORP meters are just not made to read the negative charges and require a little coaxing to do so. The easiest way to do this is to purchase ORP electrode polishing strips. Use them before every test by scuffing the platinum on the ORP reader probe and then you can get a pretty good reading. The problem with this method is that it voids most manufacturer warrantees. The benefit is that it's the easiest way to get a good reading and is the fastest method of ORP meter conditioning available today.

Also, there are different conditioning solutions available on the market that can help oxidize the probes enough to get a more accurate, negative reading. These solutions will not void a warranty, but they're not user-friendly at all! We've found one that works great, but takes an hour to use. Starting with two chemical solutions and a glass of distilled water, you stir the probe in the first solution for one minute, rinse it in the distilled water, and then stir it again for five minutes in the second chemical solution. Easy enough to do, but these steps must be repeated about a dozen times to get the job done, and then a few times every week to keep the meter reading right! Also, once the probe tips have been oxidized, they can never be allowed to dry - not even for a few hours. If this happens, the probes are ruined and must be replaced.

As you can imagine, ORP is one of the greatest benefits of alkaline, ionized water. But ORP can be lost if the water is allowed to sit for any length of time while waiting for someone to drink it. To keep this amazing benefit for as long as possible, you can store the water in an air tight container; keep it cold, and in the dark. These conditions are true for all the benefits of alkaline, ionized water. But why? Because exposure to air gives our freshly-brewed electrons the chance to meet oxygen-gone-bad molecules that steal away its (-) ORP! When exposed to heat, the molecules move around faster - when this happens, they meet many more molecules at a quicker rate and get used up before we drink the water and experience their anti-oxidant benefits. Exposure to light has the same ruinous effect. So remember - keep your water cool, keep it stored tight, and don't let it sunburn!