storing liquid bleach

[newpoolguyinmo]

I am gathering my BBB supplies to open my pool in a couple weeks. I just read an MSD sheet on 7-15% liquid bleach and this is what it says on storage.

STORAGE CONDITIONS:
Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Avoid high temperatures and exposure to and dmct sunlight.
DO NOT STORE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE: 15-21 Deg. C (60-70 Deg. F)
OTHER Store in the dark at the lowest possible temperature, but keep from freezing.

http://www.corcraft.org/wcsstore/Advanc ... ach125.pdf

Does everyone store their bleach in the house where it is nice and cool? How much do you normally keep on hand? I have no idea how much I will need on a weekly basis but am concerned about keeping very much bleach indoors. I know this MSD is for higher concentrate than the 6% you get in your local stores, do outdoor summer temps affect bleach if it is stored outside? I have not found a source for liquid bleach higher than 6% but thought it might be less bulky to handle.

 

[chem geek]

6% bleach is fine to store either inside or outside, though not in direct sunlight. It decomposes fairly slowly. Chlorinating liquid at higher concentrations of 10-15% will decompose about 4 times faster. See the chart at the bottom of this link where you can see the half-life of high-quality chlorinating liquid at various concentrations and storage temperatures.

I store my chlorinating liquid in a box outside or in the pool shed that is well-ventilated. Our daytime temps rarely get above 90F (average daytime temp is around 81F in July) and our average day/night temps don't get much above 70F. I've never found the chlorinating liquid to drop noticeably over a month which is about how long I have it as I get roughly 4 gallons per month.

 

[Butterfly]

Hi Dave,

We store bleach in the garage. It is hot in the summer, but not in direct sunlight. Fans blow all day in there.
Normally we store between 4 & 8 jugs (96oz.).

Now the Muriatic Acid, we keep (away from the bleach) outside under the deck behind a brick pillar out of the sunlight, but again, hot.

Haven't noticed any drop in strength in either chemical. :-D

 

[257WbyMag]

I never have more than 3 big jugs at a time since I get the 3 pack at Costco. They reside on the back porch in one of those big Rubbermaid storage bench things. It's outside year round. Never any problem.

Loss of strength is probably more noticeable with the higher concentration stuff like the 12% and 15% jugs. But with the 6%, I haven't noticed any changes.

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I would guess you will go thru 2 large jugs in a week, but there are alot of variables, if you have a higher swimmer load, if you keep your pool covered or not. those may make your demand go up or down. I use about 1 1/2 per week. I never keep more than 2-3 around, I just pick up a jug or two on my weekly trip to the grocery store. Sometimes I pick up a case of the strong stuff from the pool store and I keep it in it's box in the cool laundry room or garage, which ever is cooler at the time (both are pretty dark.) That will last me for a month.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The higher the strength and salt content the quicker it decomposes. 6% is pretty stable but even raising the strength to 12% decreases the time it takes. Keeping it cool and out of the sun helps a lot in slowing the decomp.

 

[AnnaK]

The store where I buy the chlorinating liquid keeps it stacked on pallets out in the yard in bright sun. They get one large shipment at the beginning of the season. Probably the first two carboys I buy in April/May are still near 12% but after that the concentration degrades. So, it doesn't really matter where I store it once I bring it home: it's already sat in sun and heat for several weeks to months.

 

[Bama Rambler]

The store where I buy the chlorinating liquid keeps it stacked on pallets out in the yard in bright sun. They get one large shipment at the beginning of the season. Probably the first two carboys I buy in April/May are still near 12% but after that the concentration degrades. So, it doesn't really matter where I store it once I bring it home: it's already sat in sun and heat for several weeks to months.

I think I'd be finding a new store to buy my chorine. At 80ºF sitting in the sun, the available chlorine level in a jug of liquid chlorine will drop from 12 percent to 9 percent in one day. You'd be better off buying 6% from Wally-World after just a little while.

 

[newpoolguyinmo]

Thanks to everyone for all the help! For now I will stay with the 6% in a storage box on the shaded back porch and keep my muratic acid in a different shaded location.

 

[geekgranny]

I don't have personal experience to report about chlorine 6% as I keep it in the dark, not too hot garage in summer and also purchase the three packs at Costco, 2 per visit. We normally don't have very much freezing in winter so I store it in an unheated shed. I've never had any 6% chlorine freeze, even when the dog water buckets are solidly frozen. I will report though, that I've had white vinegar, in white opaque plastic bottles, kept in hot, sunny greenhouse turn to "water" over time; that is drinkable with no hint of vinegar.

gg=alice

 

[baudilus]

I have 16 large jugs in my garage right now, because I know I'll need to shock the pool at opening. I estimate (based on the little sliver of pool water I saw when the cover fell in over the winter) that it will take at least this much bleach and probably more if the green is all over the pool.

I'll let you know if the bleach has lost its potency at all.

 

[AnnaK]

I think I'd be finding a new store to buy my chorine. At 80ºF sitting in the sun, the available chlorine level in a jug of liquid chlorine will drop from 12 percent to 9 percent in one day. You'd be better off buying 6% from Wally-World after just a little while.

Since this is the only store in this area which sells chlorinating liquid find a new store is not in the cards. And I do buy Clorox from Sam's Club by mid-season, depends on what they sell it for as opposed to what I pay the pool store for something that's still a little stronger than Clorox.

If I understand the chart referred to by Richard correctly, the half-life of 10% at 90F is 115 days. It gets to about that temperature by the end of July here. In all honesty, given the many storage variables of bottled Clorox from manufacturer through transporter, warehouser and reseller I think we're doing pretty good with out pool store LC.