More help with incessant pH rise

[skyeboysteve]

Yea, bottles need to be held vertically. I also don’t think you need to dry the tip of the bottle after every drop. I’ve heard people say it helps for cases where the drop size from the tip is “off” but I don’t know when that would be. Maybe you were just doing that for the demo but that would drive me crazy if I had to do that.

I’d give you an A. Probably A+ for video editing skills.

I honestly don't usually dry the tip either as I've noticed in the past when testing it didn't seem to effect anything... I only did it for this video as that's what the supplied instructions say to do for the TA. Didn't realize it had anything to do with static electricity as @Turbo1Ton said... but that actually makes sense. Static electricity is rarely a problem here though it seems; as humidity is ridiculously high (okay not as ridiculous indoors with AC... but still not enough to shock the cat).

 

[skyeboysteve]

As others have mentioned, you should have the reagent bottles fully inverted. You are wiping the tip of the R-0009 reagent between drops. Are you using a damp cloth? That is for reducing static buildup in the tip, as the R-0009 reagent drops can be affected by static. Total Alkalinity

The static could be affecting your tests when you are getting a large jump in TA, as the static causes the reagent drops to be smaller, therefore requiring more drops.

I think the wiping is generally only needed the first couple of times you use the reagent, but I do it every time as well.

--Jeff

Thanks Jeff... this is intriguing to me that angle could effect drop size enough to presumably error greater than 10ppm. As I said before... I'm going to test this next when the festivities subside.

 

[skyeboysteve]

@JoyfulNoise …….I’d like your opinion on this as I’m not sure.

The TA test took about 90 seconds to add 7 drops of reagent 0009. It seemed to take a good amount of time. Could the test be “off” because of the length of time it took?

I was much slower on this than normal. In retrospect I shouldn't have been so lazy and taken the time to find a tripod and search the house / car / garage for my phone tripod adapter... I was having a hard time aiming my phone (keeping auto focus engaged on the right thing) and aiming my droppers... Apparently I can't rub my head and pat my stomach at the same time very well... so it took much longer than it normally would.

But that's a good question... for example, I've noticed with the combined chlorine test... if I let the sample sit for a minute or so after neutralizing the color, it will slowly start turning pink again.

 

[mknauss]

I've noticed with the combined chlorine test... if I let the sample sit for a minute or so after neutralizing the color, it will slowly start turning pink again.

That is normal. That test once you get clear, the test is over.

 

[Leebo]

Keep in mind you want the drops to “fall off” the tip without pressure from yourself. This creates evenly sized drops.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The TA test is nothing more than a pH indicator. You are counting drops until the pH goes below 4.5. Testing time does not really factor into it. That said, being consistent on drop size does affect the test within a few ppm. The 0.75oz Taylor bottles work way better than the 2oz bottles in terms of ease of droplet dispensing.