Benefits to the Speedstir for the Tf-100

rcy said:
Mine arrived in the mail yesterday (along with a new Borate drop based test - check in Chem 201 if you need a Borate test kit).

At first it didn't work - I tested the batteries and they were all 1.6 volts - more than enough. After removing and re-inserting the batteries several times, it suddenly started working. I hope there's not a loose connection or something.

One thing that I DON'T like, is that it auto stops after one minute. My calcium test takes much longer than that, by the time I add the 20 drops at the start, it's been over a minute...

Other than that, it made testing way easier.

Well be glad it does stop. Imagine that you used it one time and put it away. Somehow it go turned on and did not go back off. Then you would have to replace the batteries again. So it may be a little annoying, but helps conserve on battery life.
 
Okay, now that my order has been placed, I'll go ahead and confess that I am giving a Speedstir to brother-in-law as part of his Christmas present. His wife says he has "some sort of spinning thing", but I casually mentioned the speedstir to him once and he didn't know what I meant. Knowing him, that "spinning thing" is an industrial centrifuge...

Anyway, he's drained his pool twice in the same time span that I've owned mine, so he needs some sort of help.
 
waste said:
When I'm doing the ch or alk test, I'll turn the SpeedStir off and back on when I'm getting close to the endpoint so I don't miss it.

I do the same. It's amazing how it seems to know just when the endpoint is coming! I love my SpeedStir. Just be careful about using it in front of friends and family or risk never living down the "science geek" label.
 
I just recently bought a speedstir when I was replacing my old taylor kit. Now, I only wish I had known about it sooner. I really like the light and the way it seems to make the colors fluorescent. But ...

When I'm testing for FC and CC, I get to a point that the pink is gone, but because of the light, I can see the sample is just not quite clear/white. One more drop and it becomes very clear/white. So if I was doing this without the light, I would have stopped one drop sooner. But with the light magnifying the color, I end up with one additional drop. So, which reading would be considered correct? Obviously, if I was doing this by hand, I would have not added the last drop.
 
codybear said:
I just recently bought a speedstir when I was replacing my old taylor kit. Now, I only wish I had known about it sooner. I really like the light and the way it seems to make the colors fluorescent. But ...

When I'm testing for FC and CC, I get to a point that the pink is gone, but because of the light, I can see the sample is just not quite clear/white. One more drop and it becomes very clear/white. So if I was doing this without the light, I would have stopped one drop sooner. But with the light magnifying the color, I end up with one additional drop. So, which reading would be considered correct? Obviously, if I was doing this by hand, I would have not added the last drop.
My understanding is you add drops until the last one does nothing, then subtract that drop from you total. So using that rule, you would count the drop where it became very clear/white and you would put one more in to make sure it does not change (assuming that drop causes not change) with that drop being not counted. I do believe the speedstirs light improves the ability to see changes.
 

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I wanted to try the FC/CC test again before I better try to explain my question. In both tests I'm using the speedstir, one with the light and one without the light.

1. Without light: 2 drops needed to remove pink, third drop does nothing
2. With light: 2 drops needed to remove pink, third drop changes from clear/white to bright clear/white, fourth drop does nothing.

So in case one, I would have said 2 drops were required and in case two, I would have said 3 drops were required. So really the question is, did Taylor design these tests for the typical user that is not using a lighted speedstir or are these tests designed for the lighted speedstir, which can detect minute changes?
 
Welcome to TFP!!

The tests were made before the advent of the Speed-Stir :-D

I trust the unlighted tests more than the lighted ones. However, please keep in mind that you found a difference of +/- 1 drop - which is the accuracy of the test anyway :cool:
 
Thanks for the clarification. I had just bought the DPD test and speedstir so I can have a more accurate reading of FC and CC to see how the addition of the ozone generator is effecting my indoor pool. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't over reading the results by one drop every time.
 
Got the TF100 2010, the speedstir 2011, never go back. Do all the tests with it except the pH and the borate strip. I believe the mixing is much more thorough than manual. The wife says I'm the mad scientist with it. Like codybear, I notice a difference with that extra drop.
 
codybear said:
I wanted to try the FC/CC test again before I better try to explain my question. In both tests I'm using the speedstir, one with the light and one without the light.

1. Without light: 2 drops needed to remove pink, third drop does nothing
2. With light: 2 drops needed to remove pink, third drop changes from clear/white to bright clear/white, fourth drop does nothing.

So in case one, I would have said 2 drops were required and in case two, I would have said 3 drops were required. So really the question is, did Taylor design these tests for the typical user that is not using a lighted speedstir or are these tests designed for the lighted speedstir, which can detect minute changes?


To answer your last questions, these types of tests were designed long, long ago. The light was designed into the stirrer as an added feature.
 
I honestly don't think "wow you're a dork" would be good enough for me, so when I win the lottery and have an extra $700 plus whatever the software costs just burning a hole in my pocket, I'm going to get the wiselab. For no other reason then to be the ultimate dork! Speed stir included.

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Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
 
Hey everyone,

I have thought about getting one of these when I order my kit, but I am wondering if my ultra sonic tub would do pretty much the same thing?

I am thinking I can set the test vial down in that thing and add the chemicals, and let that do the mixing?

Any input on this one?

Thanks
 
Received my SpeedStir from TFTESTKITS.NET tonight and WOW! I feel like Beaker out on the back porch with my little science lab. Was much easier than without. Thumbs up to product and also for quick turnaround on my order! Thanks!!

Ted
 

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