Anyone use the test kits from ebay

Has anyone tried any of the "5-way" test kits available on ebay such as the Kokido such as the K331SW?
[ URL deleted - moderator ]

Looks like a Chinese cheap OTO phenol red kit with alkalinity testing and acid / base demand.

The most important tests, in order, are:

#1 - Accurate chlorine tests over the whole range
#2 - pH
#3 - Stabilizer

#4 & #5 are calcium & alkalinity tests, which are important on pools with heaters and concrete pools, less so on other pools.

Acid & base demand tests are included, partly as a hold-over from the post, when chlorine gas treated pools could end up needed LARGE adjustments in pH value, and partly because they are very cheap to include.

So, for 2x the cost of a $6 Wally-world special, you get a kit in a bigger box that does the 2 tests in the Wally-world kit -- which you need -- plus 1 test (alk) you might need plus 2 tests (acid/base demand) that you don't need. And then you have shipping costs and lack of a "return if broken" option.

So, I guess it's an OK option, but it's certainly not a good deal. I'd recommend that you stick with the Wally-world versions, till it's practical to get a Taylor K2006 (nothing against the LaMotte FAS-DPD . . . but it costs more than 2x as much).

Ben

Can't comment on that test kit because the URL has been removed.

I have ordered a few kits off eBay, as a test, and obtained infrmaton from a Chinese manufacturer, again as a test. A 6-way Chinese test kit costs $3.18 and a 5-way $2.65 from the manufacturer in Ningbo China, minimum order quantity 3000.

What you get for that price are dropper bottles that leak, inconsistent drop sizes, labels that peel off the bottle, comparator block with many colors identical. I've seen kits that are copies of Taylors K-1004 series but there's just no quality.

Stay away.

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like it best to save my money and buy quality the first time.

I think you are right about that!