Another pool first- acid whiff!

[steve57765]

Well, yet another first for my pool ownership. Just added Muratic acid to pool and when pouring into measuring cup, 1 quart version, then into water slowly, long enough for fumes to make it up to my nose!
I was holding my breath, not long enough obviously because I was doing this all "slowly" as not to splash it. But slow enough to where I had to take a breath, and Bam! Nose burn! I walked up wind, looked back, and I could see the cloud of fumes drifting away.

So next time I'll pour into measuring cup, up wind away from pool, Take a breath, take to pool and pour slowly, up wind again.

Any advise?

 

[chiefwej]

Don't use a measuring cup. The less exposure to air the better. I just estimate the quantity I'll need, carry the jug to the edge of the pool near a return, uncap it, hold it out with the bottom touching or just under the water and pour a pencil sized stream into the pool. Also pick the side of the pool that puts you upwind. A couple ounces difference in thousands of gallons of pool water won't make much difference.

 

[duraleigh]

I can't improve on what chiefwej says.

Upwind is the key.

 

[steve57765]

I thought I was up wind, it was very clam, no breeze. Fumes just drifted up, which is why I could see the cloud of fumes, (I guess anyway). Pouring into container is probably what caused all the fumes. As suggested, no more measuring for me!

 

[jmastron]

I took an empty jug and a stick, and used a measuring cup to put a quart of water at a time into the jug, marking the level each time on a 1x2 stick I had. Now before I open a new jug, I take the stick and a sharpie that lives next to it and mark the quart lines onto the new jug. Helps me with estimating when I pour it in (a quart of 31% is about the amount I usually want to put in).

I used to be a cup measurer until doing it at night under a headlamp once where I could really see the fumes rising. That, and the thread here from the guy who had some eye injury from pouring (he was wearing a respirator, which may have made things worse because now you don't have your nose to give you the early warning to get away) convinced me that direct pouring was the best method. I'm especially not a fan of doing extra steps like pouring into a bucket of water, walking around distributing it, etc. Just sit steadily in one place, pour in front of a return, and let the pump do the distribution.

 

[steve57765]

Excellent tip! I'll do that with my next empty jug

thanks. That would be a great "tip" to add to the tip thread,

A couple of tips I thought everybody knew. Anybody got some

It's your tip but I would be happy to add it for you

 

[aussieta]

i take the bottle and pour a guesstimate amount in front of return reasonably quickly
with my head turned the other way
usually a 3 second pour out of bottle drops my ph 0.4-0,5

 

[Sparkle]

i take the bottle and pour a guesstimate amount in front of return reasonably quickly

I do that, too - and I use the 20% "green" MA because it produces less fumes and is more forgiving to inaccurate guesstimates.

 

[borjis]

I hold breath and position it up wind but fill a 1 gallon bucket halfway first and pour it in that then slowly
move it around before slowly pouring it all in to a return jet area.

 

[wjr75]

I hold my breath but seems to get me at least once a year