DIY Liquid Chlorine Dispenser

[piku]

Hello all,

I thought I'd share my little problem and resolution. My local pool store sells liquid chlorine in discount 2.5 and 5 gal containers. Now this is all fine and the chlorine is really cheap. Cheaper than walmart and close to ALDI price. The big problem is that I only need to add 2.5gal to the pool when shocking - and even then it's a bit much. So how do you measure and dispense from these unwieldy containers that like to spill everywhere? Pictured is my solution.

I bought everything from Home Depot - it's important to note that Lowes didn't have everything necessary, namely lids for 5 gal buckets. I took a 3/4" (IIRC) bit (whatever was slightly larger than the 1/2" pipe). I formed a bulkhead fitting out of 2 threaded electrical PVC fittings and joined it to an elbow, which joined to a ball valve which joined to a threaded end. The bulkhead is detailed here http://www.truetex.com/bulkhead.htm. You'll see pictured I have a screw in plug in the end just to be sure there's no leaking. I bought another electrical PVC fitting which included the pictured rubber o-ring. I used the pictured spray solvent which while probably wouldn't be adequate for high pressure pool plumbing did the trick here. It literally dissolves the PVC (something I didn't realize). Might want to wear Nitrile gloves like I did.

After the wild storms

The M3 is down but not out What I do when I'm not working on the pool.

 

[haze]

I was thinking of using an almost identical set up for dispensing bleach during vacation. I will add a small bit of tubing to the end and open the valve just enough to drip slowly into the pool.

5 gallons should last the week I am gone

 

[piku]

Some things I learned after using my bucket:

1. My bulkhead method works
2. It would be good to turn the spout down at the end and extend it the length of whatever bucket I am filling. I've had turbulent liquid splash onto my clothes and bleach them in spots. Then there's your eyes to watch.
3. Filling it with those 2.5 gal can be troublesome. I do it on the steps of my pool so any splashover just goes right into the pool water.
4. Having bleach on hand will get you by between dilutions of the 12.5 stuff - I still buy several gallons of bleach at walmart every time I am there.

 

[piku]

I bought a nice measuring bucket from Lowes and I pour over an open skimmer from the 2.5gal jugs now. So this was a useless idea. Still a fun experiment. The chlorine ate the rubber gasket and it started leaking.

 

[AnnaK]

It was a good idea though.

I use a syphon to transfer liquid chlorine from the carboy to an old Clorox bottle and pour from the bottle into a plastic measuring cup that's calibrated in ounces. I learned to rinse the syphon with water or the LC will eat it in no time.