Viable alternative to red ph drops???

[crek31]

Happy New Year, everyone! I was browsing a website that has supposedly ultra-accurate cooking thermometers and came across a meter for measuring ph. Looks like they have three models, of varying margins of error. My question is if anyone has ever used one, and if so, would it be a good alternative to using the regular red drops for testing ph. I'd love something less subjective than figuring out which shade or red I ended up with. Thanks for any input, and happy swimming to any of you with temps that still allow it!

Edit -- here is the link:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/pH/ ... _8682.html

 

[susa]

here's more

calibration needed regularly

OTOH, you could always get an automatic ph measuring system, see my sigline for one such example

 

[bk406]

A drop based pH test is by far the easiest and the least troublesome test you can get. Meters, while they can be accurate, have to be calibrated meticulously. In general, masuring the pH of the pool with the accuracy of the drop test is all that is needed.

 

[crek31]

susa -- thanks for the info re other testers and the automatic system.
bk406 - thanks for the response, and I know you are right since so many of you guys keep your pools and equipment happy using the drops. I was just hoping for a more fail-safe method since that is the test I am least comfortable with and since my understanding is if I am wrong on it my equipment could suffer. I've never had a problem with water feel, but I'm hoping to get "real" equipment this year and don't want to shorten its life with bad ph. I'm still struggling with the decision for gas or heat pump when I buy a heater this Spring -- is either more or less prone to problems from ph that is not spot-on?

 

[bk406]

No, gas heaters or heat pumps are not affected differentially by a pH that is out of balance. The truth is, a pH between 7.2 and 7.8 is just fine. Thats a pretty big range to work with.

 

[crek31]

OK, you sold me on staying with drops. Thermoworks has enough of my money from buying one meat thermometer. Now to settle on how to most inexpensively keep a pool at 88 degrees in Nebraska. Thanks!

 

[bk406]

Now to settle on how to most inexpensively keep a pool at 88 degrees in Nebraska. Thanks!

LOL, Gas!

Seriouslt, start a new thread and I'l give you my 2 cents. I have a heat pump in new england so i can give some advice. Give me the following in a new thread:
1) do you have natural gas? If so how much is it per therm?
2) Do you have at least 50 amp electrical service by the pool?
3) how much are your electric rates?
4) how early and late in the year do you want to use the pool?
5) how do you use the pool? Weekends only? Week days as well?

Give me those in a separate thread and I can go thru some scenerios.

 

[Richard320]

...
I was just hoping for a more fail-safe method since that is the test I am least comfortable with and since my understanding is if I am wrong on it my equipment could suffer.
...

There's actually a pretty wide range on the color block. As long as the color looks like one of the three center samples, you're all right. Barbie Pink is bad, Yellow is bad, orange or peach is good enough. A day or so out of range probably won't do anything. Go test your tap water - I bet it's not perfect, yet the plumbing in the house hasn't dissolved in years....

 

[crek31]

Bk406--- I'll gather that info and definitely leer you figure it out for me in a new topic this week!

Richard - good point! Or ... Maybe I'm not sleeping cuz now you have me worried about my pipes?

 

[Pacifica]

I have a pH meter that I use on a regular basis and it works great. The only trick is making sure to clean it off with fresh water. I have had to replace the sensor once but it was well worth it.