I've defected to the dark side! New peristaltic pump

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Bama Rambler said:
25 to 30 feet on the discharge side isn't a concern. It can easily be that long or even much longer.

25' of suction lift is the limit on the suction side but I've never seen an installation that came even close to that.
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Sounds good. I was planning to put the pump near the tank so the suction side shouldn't be much more than 2-3'.

Do you see any issues with my plan to place the tank/pump in the basement? This would most likely be near the water softner / sump pump.

Thanks again!

Jay
 
Wow. Why put it in your basement? Could be nice, clean install next to pool equip and easy exit for winter. The output line could even be put on a qd (male) so you just cut and run in the fall. Most tanks, at least the REAL chem tanks, have a mounting pad built in. A real sexy dedicated outlet would work nicely too. Unless your pad doesn't have room.
 
jdp39 said:
Wow. Why put it in your basement? Could be nice, clean install next to pool equip and easy exit for winter. The output line could even be put on a qd (male) so you just cut and run in the fall. Most tanks, at least the REAL chem tanks, have a mounting pad built in. A real sexy dedicated outlet would work nicely too. Unless your pad doesn't have room.
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My only thought was to keep the bleach cool so it wouldn't loose it's strength as quickly; maybe that isn't an issue I should be worried about?

My equipment pad is not shaded much until the middle afternoon and I thought I read on here that heat and sunlight cause the bleach / liquid chlorine to loose strength quickly.

I definitely have room and could even run the "sexy" dedicated outlet from the pool sub panel on the pad. It would definitely be easier to refill / service as well.

Regards,

Jay
 
Bama Rambler said:
If you use 6% bleach you won't have to worry about degradation before it gets used up. You'll use it faster than it will degrade.
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So, based on your answer, it sounds like if I choose to use a higher concentration (10 or 12%) it may be a consideration?

Regards,

Jay
 
12% will probably be ok but, If you lose 2ppm per day that's about 1/2 gallon of hypo so a 15 gallon drum would last you a month. In a months time of hot sun it will probably degrade a little but I don't think it'd be a big issue. It may not be enough to notice.
 
Bama Rambler said:
12% will probably be ok but, If you lose 2ppm per day that's about 1/2 gallon of hypo so a 15 gallon drum would last you a month. In a months time of hot sun it will probably degrade a little but I don't think it'd be a big issue. It may not be enough to notice.
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Got it. Thanks!

Regards,

Jay
 
Most chem tanks are opaque so UV degradation isn't an issue. As far as concentration is concerned I guess it depends on how much you want to get "touchy feely" with your stuff. If you want it to run more, use a lower concentration. If you want it to run less go the other way.
IMHO the whole point to doing things like this is so you have to mess with them less; not more. Kind of like putting in perennials as opposed to annuals. If you like messing in your garden - put in annuals. If you like flowers but don't like messing around so much - put in perennials. Automation to me is about letting you work on your Corvette and play in your pool, not the other way around.

Just my thoughts
 

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A couple of questions for anyone else using this type of setup...

Are you noticing a slight buildup of salt at the junction of the delivery tube and nut by the injector (externally visible)? I can post a pic later on if need be, but you would likely be aware of this if it's happening. It's not a big deal (yet) just curious why it is occurring. FYI, I cleaned it off, and it returned in just a couple days time.

Also, I assume that your pump also makes a fairly noticeable CLICK every time the pump performs an injection cycle. Although my setup is enclosed in a pump building and not all that noticeable, I find it quite annoying if I leave the door open for too long and would think this would be an issue for you that have them outside. Maybe I'm just easily irritated by stuff like that :? Overall though, I am pleased at the performance of the setup and would likely do it again (though it's only been in use for about a week now).
 
I have the black UV resistant tubing so I couldn't see any buildup unless it was on the outside and that'd mean I had a leak.

Mine "clicks" too. It doesn't bother me even if I leave the shed pulled back. I just veiw it as a sign that it's working. :)
 
I, too, have the black UV tubing and it is on the outside of the tube, though it doesn't appear to really be a leak per se. Yes, it is material backing up between the tube and nut, but no chlorine is actually leaking out. Just wondered if this was in any way due to using the 100 PSI-compatible check valve. Per the directions, I've only hand-tightened those nuts, but could maybe tighten a little more to see if that helps. Thanks, just wanted to see if it was just me on this one.
 
Sounds like vapor leakage at connections. Bleach is a gassing fluid and will push gas out of an otherwise seemingly leak-free connection. Black tubing absorbs insolation (sunlight) and will transmit that energy (heat) to the fluid inside. All fluids have a vapor point and the bleach is reaching that and gassing thru the threads of your connections. The salt is the residual solid from sodium hypochlorite. One more reason to use a pump w/ a degassing ability. A Stenner pump does not have that feature. The gas will leak where a fluid may not.
The clicking is just the metering clutch engaging-disengaging. If you watch it while it's in operation you will notice the "click" sound coincides w/ the rollers rotating or ceasing rotation. Since it's a Stenner, and that sound doesn't mean it's acutually moving fluid, it's a reminder to go check your tube............ :cool:
 
Sounds like you have a tiny leak at the fitting. Just clean it up and tighten the nut a little more and that should fix it. The check valve doesn't put much pressure on the line. Only a few inches of pressure. If the bleach was gassing it would just be injected into the piping through the check valve. The check valve is to prevent the process fluid (water) from backing up to the pump.
 
Where is the best place to put the injection point? I assume it's as close to the returns and after the heater and solar etc? Is there any issue injecting before or after the filter but before a heater or solar system? Before the filter might provide more water in which to dilute the CL?
 
carlscan26 said:
Where is the best place to put the injection point? I assume it's as close to the returns and after the heater and solar etc? Is there any issue injecting before or after the filter but before a heater or solar system? Before the filter might provide more water in which to dilute the CL?
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There is a school of thought that injecting before the filter give a strong dose of chlorine to the largest surface area of the setup (the filter) and reduces the likely hood of anything being able to live in the filter. Of course you would have to think carefully if your heater will take that idea without damage. It is something I am just about to try funnily enough.
 
There are a couple of issues with injecting it before the equipment. Only one of which makes a big difference, after all the LQ injects into the suction of the pump and doesn't hurt anything.

1. If you inject the chlorine into the system at a very high rate (which has been discussed in this thread and elsewhere) then you could possibly damage some equipment. Not likely, but possible.
2. If you have a filter that requires backwashing then either you're going to lose the bleach that you're injecting during backwashing (not a big deal) or you're going to have to remember to turn off the injector if it's on the same timer as the pump.
 
Bama Rambler said:
There are a couple of issues with injecting it before the equipment. Only one of which makes a big difference, after all the LQ injects into the suction of the pump and doesn't hurt anything.

1. If you inject the chlorine into the system at a very high rate (which has been discussed in this thread and elsewhere) then you could possibly damage some equipment. Not likely, but possible.
2. If you have a filter that requires backwashing then either you're going to lose the bleach that you're injecting during backwashing (not a big deal) or you're going to have to remember to turn off the injector if it's on the same timer as the pump.
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You just hit my follow-up question which was going to be comparing low doses by a pump vs the LQ output. even full bore you said was like a drip rate.

I don't have a heater but I do have solar. Using the feed inlet feed from the LQ (in my case after the pump but before the filter) would be easiest as I wouldn't have to tap another hole and placing it on the return plumbing there's no spot that can supply the returns and the waterfall so
I'd have to be careful turning on the waterfall to not stop feeding the returns if it was during a CL dispensing window. Thought that could be the impetus for automating my return valve now that I've found a way to do it with a relay circuit. Slippery slope this automation stuff <insert diabolical laugh>
 

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