A Theory About Rising pH in SWG Pools

[chem geek]

I missed that, what was the nozzle experiment?

Holding a lighter or match above the bubble stream of my primary return should produce some combustion if hydrogen is being produced. It would not be visible to the eye, but should show up on a digital camera or digital video camera. Those image sensors are quite sensitive to IR. Would chlorine burn too? Would there be a characterisitc color?

Actually I am more tempted to look on the underside of the cover for discoloration. Since I see significant pH rises, if it is due to chlorine gas in the bubble stream going into my pool when the SWG is on, then there should be fading or hardening of the material above the first return jet where most of the bubbles enter the pool. Perhaps I can check those ideas out over the weekend.

Look at this thread for more info on the use of compressors, on nozzle size and bubble size, and other info related to aeration.

If you do the flame experiment with the pool uncovered, then you aren't going to do anything dangerous since the amount (rate) of hydrogen produced isn't particularly large. In fact, I used to do some water experiments at home producing oxygen/hydrogen (using carbon cores from batteries for the "plates") and also could smell some chlorine from it as well, especially when I added lots of salt. When I lit the hydrogen bubbles, you would just get some minor popping. I didn't notice any color.

Chlorine is not flammable or combustible (it's an oxidizer just like oxygen it can't "burn") though it can be combustible (generate lots of heat) when combined with other compounds such as ammonia.

I don't know what chlorine gas does to covers. It is certainly a corrosive oxidant, but I just don't know what, if anything, it would do to a solar cover. Let us know your results of all your experiments and observations, and please be careful in any event -- the use of gloves and goggles would be wise to be extra safe.

Richard