CH test reads 0?

[cygnusecks]

While waiting for my PS234, I bought the walmart $15 drops-based test kit (under the brand "Aqua Chem" in a blue box). While opening the kit, I noticed what looked a lot like black dye or ink leaking. After opening, I discovered that it was the "Harness Solution A" (a very dark liquid) that was leaking (and staining everything it touched).

Anyhow, I figured no huge deal, so I lost 30 or 40 drops of the stuff, I still had over half the bottle left, enough to tide me over until PS234 arrives.

The first time I tested CH, it read 0. That is, I put two drops of the dark solution into my test water, and it remained clear. The instructions say a "violet color will develop if hardness is present" (as an aside, I find it funny how harness can be "present"). Anyway, I figured it meant I had low CH (even after adding 5 lbs to my 14000gal pool a few weeks ago after initial startup (pool was just finished a month ago)). So yesterday I added another 4 lbs of calcium chloride and ran pump all night. This morning, I just tested it again, and nothing! No violet color in the test tube. I was like WTF? So, I added 10 or 15 granules of calcium chloride to the test tube, swirled, and tried again. The "Hardness Solution A" didn't do a darn thing to the test water, no violet color developed. Surely putting Calcium Chloride directly into the test tube would "present" some "hardness" to the water. So is my CH test solution defective? Did it somehow get worn out when I found it leaking??

We have a new propane heater installed, and will be fired for the first time on Tuesday when the gas company fills the tank, so I want to make sure CH is at a reasonable level, as I have read that incorrect CH (too high or low) can hurt equipment, esp. heater cores.

[waterbear]

I have the same Walmart test kit (among others) and had the same problem with that test. (My indicator was NOT leaking) I found out by experimentation that the test works properly if you put about 8-10 drops of the indicator in the water instead of just 2 and have verified the results by checking it against my Tayor test kit and it was pretty close. (the Walmart kit has an accuracy of 50 ppm while the Talyor kit has an accuracy of 10 ppm)

Hope this helps.

[cygnusecks]

Waterbear, that definitely helps. I'll give it a shot tomorrow with 8 drops and see what it reads. I just hope I didn't make the water too hard by believing the walmart kit.

[PoolDoc]

Can y'all photograph that kit, and post the photograph?

In some parts of the country, the kit Walmart sells *is* a relabeled Taylor, often under the HTH brand. I'm not sure what you've got there, but it's not Taylor. With two kits from different areas, odds are that the kit is 'defective from the factory'.

People need to be warned against it, if this is more than just a coincidence affecting two kits.

Ben

PS: It would be great if we could ID it, get everyone to test their test, and then get everyone with a bad one to take it back. Walmart's inventory control system would almost instantly flag it as a quality control problem, to be 'discussed' with the manufacturer. And trust me, you do NOT want to be having that conversation with Walmart, if you are a manufacturer.

[Tootie]

Ok, I hope this works!!!!

Mine seems to be working,after 2 drops it turns a violet color..

Hope This helps


http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/attachm...9&d=1147002658

[waterbear]

Here are the pics of my kit. Intersting to note that I am in St. Augustine, Fl and cygnusecks is about 2 hours away in Orlando, Fl! Might be a regionally distributed kit. I think the quality control might not be very good. The first one I got had a defective Cl/pH comparator...the color bars had come unattached on the Cl side and had moved out of position and the tube was cracked so I returned it for the one I have now. Also, the Ch test is different than Taylor's. There are only 2 reagents...indicator and titrant, no calcium buffer (reagent #1 in Taylor kit)
aquachem1.jpg

aquachem2.jpg

[Watermom]

When I clicked on Tootie's link posted above, I got an error message.