Automatic Liquid Bleach Dispenser

[Hawksnestbay]

Once the temperature gets above 80 and we start swimming every day, My 5 gallon barrel lasts 7 or 8 days. When I change it, it usually has about a gallon left in it, which I use to supplement in the evening. I usually keep a routine of changing the barrel on Sunday evening, So I can remember before it empties out. If it does empty, it just adds air to the line until I get to it.

[Brock]

WOW, 4 gallons a week of 12.5%? I am lucky if I use 1 gallon of 5% a week, granted I have an indoor 16k pool. I am thinking of trying this CL feeder but I am wonder if I can slow it down enough for me. Maybe if I dump in one gallon of 5% and 4 gallons of water and set it on 1?

[Amir]

I had ordered this but canceled my order when I saw the chlorine demand! I am going to wait until they fill the pool this weekend (fully renovated pool) and measure my chlorine demand using bleach before ordering.
Amir

[Hawksnestbay]

Hello Again-

I did not mention that we heat our pool to 85 degrees. I believe the temperature increases demand slightly.

1. Assume your 16,000 gallon pool needs twice as much, so 2 gallons per week of 5%. We swim every day, all day, as long as the sun is shining. 4 kids, their friends.
2. I am thrilled with 4 gallons per week, because almost never shock, I do not use anything else besides a sequestering agent and Ascorbic acid, my pool looks like glass, and a 5 gallon barrell at Namco is usually $8.99 plus deposit so my "miles per gallon" $$ is low. I wish it used less, but it will require cleaner children, which is a topic for another thread.

[Amir]

Thanks for the details. I have a 35000 gallon pool and was hoping to use regular 6% bleach. The nearest Namco is 40 min drive. if the demand is too high for my use, I might go the SCG route.
Regards
Amir
PS they are plastering now - will have water this afternoon!

[LearningCurve]

[QUOTE=Brock]WOW, 4 gallons a week of 12.5%? I am lucky if I use 1 gallon of 5% a week, QUOTE]

When I entertained this idea, I was thinking of an IV drip

[Brock]

Same here I use about 3/4 gallon a week depending on load.

Just for the record I switched to 5% this year and guess what I use the same amount as I did with 12.5% from the pool store at 1/2 the cost. My guess is the 12.5% had lost most of it power and was darn near 5-6% when I used it.

[medvampire]

CarlD

I keep thinking of getting a peristalitic pump and a timer. A rate that would add about 1-2 FC/day would probably keep it VERY clear.

My thoughts as well. I can get one from work that is 12v. My Cl demand at this time is 2 cups per day. These pumps are very good at accurate delivery so set it to deliver 2 to 3 doses per day with a timer. Since it is a peristalitic type pump back drain is not a problem you so could add a Y to the pump plumbing and feed directly in to the return line. The peristalitic pump is DC so you could vary with a variable resistor or timeing for delivery volume.
I looked at the Linux thing and seemed a lot of work and little pay back. You still need to test so why bother. If it provided for a Cl dilevery based on Cl level I may be inclined to build it but if I am gonna test each day its not too hard to turn a knob to vary delivery.
Steve

[aquarium]

I'm considering two of these, one for bleach and one for muriatic acid.



I have the Intermatic timers with the yellow disk:



Similar to that image, but two since I have a booster pump for the Polaris.

My thought was to hook the peristalic pumps for the chemicals to the Intermatic timer electric lugs for the main pool pump so they couldn't turn on unless the pool pump is running. My concern is that some bleach and acid would be squirted into an empty PVC pipe upon being energized at the beginning of the cycle. How are bleach and acid feeders normally timed?

[catnip]

I'm considering two of these, one for bleach and one for muriatic acid.



I have the Intermatic timers with the yellow disk:



Similar to that image, but two since I have a booster pump for the Polaris.

My thought was to hook the peristaltic pumps for the chemicals to the Intermatic timer electric lugs for the main pool pump so they couldn't turn on unless the pool pump is running. My concern is that some bleach and acid would be squirted into an empty PVC pipe upon being energized at the beginning of the cycle. How are bleach and acid feeders normally timed?

aquarium, did you proceed any further on this idea? I too am looking for a highly reliable liquid chlorine feeder that can safely operate unattended with only weekly maintenance visits.