Got my penny pinched

[Katygreys]

I’m getting my bleach from Pinch a Penny. 2.5 gal of 12.5% for $10.18 after tax. Hope that’s a good deal.

I took a water sample in today just for kicks, as I really don’t need them because I am fully armed with the (cue: rainbows, unicorns, and crescendoing philharmonic resolution) Taylor K-2006C. I noticed the girl behind the counter, unlike the Leslie’s dude who employed a magical electronic all-in-one device, was drop-by-dropping, titrating, and precipitating. I came home, rigged up the 2006, performed my own chemical investigation and got similar results.

In any case, given the (what I hope are) good prices for bleach and the use of a liquid test kit…I’m wondering if the consensus on PAP is better than Leslie’s. Thoughts??…

 

[Texas Splash]

Seems like a good prices for 12.5% if it is indeed still that strong. If memory serves me right, I recall Leslie's 2-packs of 12.5% being around $17 or so now. Sometimes Leslie's' doesn't even carry 12.5% and only 10%. Crazy.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

As long as all you’re buying is liquid chlorine and what you buy is fresh, then whoever has the lowest price is best. I’ll buy from my supermarket if they have a good price on LC. I have found that Leslie’s tends to hide the LC in the back and then they give you attitude when you ask for it instead of buying all their magic potions. Ace Hardware has a good supply. All 2 X 1 gallon boxes of 10% are running around $12 right now.

 

[Berger82]

As long as all you’re buying is liquid chlorine and what you buy is fresh, then whoever has the lowest price is best. I’ll buy from my supermarket if they have a good price on LC. I have found that Leslie’s tends to hide the LC in the back and then they give you attitude when you ask for it instead of buying all their magic potions. Ace Hardware has a good supply. All 2 X 1 gallon boxes of 10% are running around $12 right now.

I used to get my LC from home depot but when it became non existent there, I had to start going to Leslie's. The first time I told the cashier I needed 4 cases of LC , they looked at me like I was out of my mind

 

[Mechanicman]

Before converting to salt I called Pinch a Penny and asked how the refillable chlorine jugs worked (up front cost, able to swap etc). He asked if I was using it to "shock." I told him that is how I chlorinate the pool. He said that is fine but I need to use tabs on a daily basis for stabilizer. I just agreed with him and bought a SWG

I do think they have the best price now though. I will probably be buying some jugs when it gets too cold for the SWG in the winter.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

He asked if I was using it to "shock." I told him that is how I chlorinate the pool. He said that is fine but I need to use tabs on a daily basis for stabilizer.

I wonder if he'd try to refuse to sell it to you?

 

[Mdragger88]

As far as the testing thing goes- titration is superior but you likely won’t always get the same person, will the next person perform the tests the same way?
Also the cya test should be done outdoors. Not doing so can give false results. Not to mention that most people don’t generally make it to the pool store with their sample nearly as fresh as if they were testing themselves. I also clean my vials especially if testing someone else’s water - but do they? How often? Who knows?
Consistency in testing is hugely important. You have that at home with your kit. At the PS its a toss up.

 

[atxjmy512]

As long as all you’re buying is liquid chlorine and what you buy is fresh, then whoever has the lowest price is best. I’ll buy from my supermarket if they have a good price on LC. I have found that Leslie’s tends to hide the LC in the back and then they give you attitude when you ask for it instead of buying all their magic potions. Ace Hardware has a good supply. All 2 X 1 gallon boxes of 10% are running around $12 right now.

100%. I got a low key lecture the last time I bought 12.5% at Leslie’s.

I’ve been getting pool essentials 10% at Walmart for $4.60. The last batch I bought was maybe 5 days old.

 

[duraleigh]

As we know, chlorine degrades.

My takeaway from my bulk chlorine guy was he gets 2 - 275 gallons at 12.5% but that QUICKLY reduces to 10% or so by the FEW DAYS it takes to get sold.

After 10%, the rate of degradation is MUCH slower.

 

[dfwnoob]

Picked up a few jugs at the Pinch-a-Penny across town today since I absolutely cannot find liquid chlorine anywhere around me. Home Depot (multiple stores) has been out for a month, Walmart (multiple stores) has been out for a month. Lowes HAD some a few weeks back but it was north of $5/gal, now they are out.

Refills are $14.98 right now for the 2.5 gallons "12.5%" stuff (I wish I had some way to test this - anyone know of a way?). I got a few jugs so I can always have some on hand before I go for refills. Comes out to 4.6¢/oz for the 12.5% PAP chlorine vs 3.8¢/oz for the 10% "Pool Essentials" chlorine that everyone sells. Right now the peace of mind of having some on hand is worth paying a little more. My jugs are stored inside, in the dark at 72 degrees, so I'm not too worried about degradation. Willing to bet I'll have a SWCG by the end of the year.

I didn't check Leslies because man I hate that place. The girl at PAP didn't question why I wanted a lot of liquid chlorine or try to sell me anything else.

Edit: Unless I'm reading the receipt wrong, the jugs are $9.98 and refills after that are $14.98.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I was once told by an LPS employee that he couldn’t sell me any liquid chlorine without a valid contractors license because of federal laws … . The stuff they make up to sell you their buckets of tabs and bags of shock is ridiculous. I didn’t argue, I just left. Plenty of other stores are happy to take my money.

 

[dfwnoob]

The first (and only) time I've ever been in a Leslies was when I was buying a Jandy 3-way valve for my heater install (by the way, what have listed as "Jandy" 3-ways are not Jandy, they are CMP valves). I overheard them selling some poor older guy TONS of garbage for what he described as a mild algae problem. Nothing a SLAM wouldn't have fixed in short order. There's no way he walked out of there dropping less than a C note. I should have talked to him and referred him to this place but I was in a hurry and the store was packed.

 

[Katygreys]

Picked up a few jugs at the Pinch-a-Penny across town today since I absolutely cannot find liquid chlorine anywhere around me. Home Depot (multiple stores) has been out for a month, Walmart (multiple stores) has been out for a month. Lowes HAD some a few weeks back but it was north of $5/gal, now they are out.

Refills are $14.98 right now for the 2.5 gallons "12.5%" stuff (I wish I had some way to test this - anyone know of a way?). I got a few jugs so I can always have some on hand before I go for refills. Comes out to 4.6¢/oz for the 12.5% PAP chlorine vs 3.8¢/oz for the 10% "Pool Essentials" chlorine that everyone sells. Right now the peace of mind of having some on hand is worth paying a little more. My jugs are stored inside, in the dark at 72 degrees, so I'm not too worried about degradation. Willing to bet I'll have a SWCG by the end of the year.

I didn't check Leslies because man I hate that place. The girl at PAP didn't question why I wanted a lot of liquid chlorine or try to sell me anything else.

Edit: Unless I'm reading the receipt wrong, the jugs are $9.98 and refills after that are $14.98.

Yea refills are around 10 bucks although they just jacked it up a buck here in Katy, Texas.

I went into PAP to get refills a few days ago. I asked the guy to measure my salt (as I’m thinking of going SWG and was curious what my salt was) and told him that I did not have a salt pool, mainly because I knew that after he measured it he was going to say it was low. But since I told him I did not have a salt pool he said, well if you don’t have a salt pool then you shouldn’t have any salt. I said OK you’re right, can you please just measure it for me. It was 700 ppm. Also he was being a jerk about a couple other things but I don’t feel like reliving them at the moment or describing it here

I actually love going in these places now. Remember everybody, your local pool store employees are the Socrates, Euclids, Pythagoras of the recreational backyard DIY swimming pool universe!!! Question not!!

 

[Katygreys]

Sounds like a lot of people get crazy looks, 3rd degree, or lip if they buy a bunch of LC. I must say that every time I go to PAP there are always multiple people homing in with 2-4 empty 2.5 gal jugs. Seems like they go through it quick.

It’s either fresh and pretty close to 12ish%, or my pool volume guesstimate input in pool math is incorrect by the exact amount to make up for the difference in actual concentration. ;-p

 

[Mdragger88]

They always ask me questions about how my water looks & want to test it. I generally just politely say everything is great- no thanks. The only thing i have ever asked them to test was salt a couple times before i got the Taylor salt test. Even though I don’t ask for advice- they often give it anyway. That is part of their job after all but i think the weird looks are because I am not asking their advice when most people are. I also think i may suffer from RBF which makes me seem mildly unapproachable

 

[PoolStored]

RBF

Oh, my, Lord. Learn something new EVERY day.

 

[Katygreys]

Actual conversation:
PAP dude- “Yea, it’s going out your overflow drain.”
Me- “Actually, I don’t have one.”
PAP dude- “So what happens when it rains a lot.”
Me- “The water goes up to the coping and will top the coping if I don’t manually drain.”
PAP dude- “You must have an overflow/auto drain line”
Me- “I don’t”
PAP dude- “You have to have an overflow drain.”
Me- “Ok that’s fine I’m just telling you that I don’t.”

Looove it!!! Think I’ll go back tomorrow!!

 

[Mdragger88]

I am truly afflicted.. I also can’t hide my feelings with my facial expressions. It’s literally all over my face. My husband says I scare car salesmen. I must have that affect on all salesman

 

[atxjmy512]

Actual conversation:
PAP dude- “Yea, it’s going out your overflow drain.”
Me- “Actually, I don’t have one.”
PAP dude- “So what happens when it rains a lot.”
Me- “The water goes up to the coping and will top the coping if I don’t manually drain.”
PAP dude- “You must have an overflow/auto drain line”
Me- “I don’t”
PAP dude- “You have to have an overflow drain.”
Me- “Ok that’s fine I’m just telling you that I don’t.”

Looove it!!! Think I’ll go back tomorrow!!

I don’t have one either. The number of people that insist I do is off the chart. It got to the point where I called my builder just to make sure.

 

[Katygreys]

You definitely have one.