Automatic Liquid Bleach Dispenser

[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.

[aquarium]

Not yet. I'd like to place the tank inside because of the high air temps here in the summer. But correspondence with the manufacturer indicates that it's not an airtight lid, nor is it set up to vent the tank to the outside.

[keithw]

I am going to rehash this old thread. Has anyone found an inexpensive, reliable way to automatically dispense small amounts of bleach into a pool? I have a 6000ish gal pool that I would estimate that I add about a cup of bleach a day to maintain. It would be nice if I could automate that process.