The Liquidator...again

Jump to latest Follow Reply
V

vetman85

0
Feb 14, 2016
42
McKinney. TX
New to the community, but I have read a number of the Q&A's about the Liquidator. I have a Rainbow 320 tab chlorinator that I would like to stop using due to the very high CYA concentrations it has caused. I have written to the HASA folks on a number of occasions trying to get definitive info on how much suction is required to get the Liquidator to operate properly. To date, no specific info. I am one of the folks who sees potential probs with injecting chlorine into my $900 Pentair Intelliflo pump. ALL chlorine injector systems I have seen require you to set them up to inject on the downstream side of the pool equipment.

So the question I have is has anyone tried using the second inlet on the Rainbow 320 to hook up the Liquidator? As I understand it, the Rainbow setup creates a kind of venturi effect to get water circulating thru the tube feeder. Curious to know if it creates enough "suction" to draw out of the Liquidator. Any/all thoughts appreciated.
 
Welcome to TFP!!:handwave:

I agree, you need to stop using the 320 sooner, rather than later. Do you have any idea where it has your CYA level at?

I'm sorry to say that results of the Liquidator use with a VS pump are mixed, mostly leaning to the negative side. It tends to work well with single speed pumps but one you start changin ghe flow with two speed or VS pumps people report issues.

I'm kind of confused with this statement "I am one of the folks who sees potential probs with injecting chlorine into my $900 Pentair Intelliflo pump." unless it is directed at the Liquidator specifically. Most "injection" systems should inject in hte return line after all equipment (pumps, filters & heaters ). Have you looked at a true injection system like a Stenner Pump.
 
Long and boring story about the CYA level. It was over 150 at its peak (according to ALEX the Biogard computer analysis). In the end, I did a drain and refill of the pool after extensive acid washing of all the scale that had built up. At any rate, I've been on bleach for about 6 months now with no problems. CYA now hovers around 70.

The LQ hookup attaches the supply line into the suction side of the pump. On the Pentair, there is a drain plug at the base of the suction side that most folks hook the LQ into. Some folks say the bleach/water mix coming out of the LQ and into the pump is dilute enough so as not to create any problems for the pump...but I'm not certain and would rather hook it up on the pool return side after all the equipment.

Yes, I've started looking into the Stenner, but looks like a lot of options. Must do research to understand the best size for my situation. Also just looking into retrofitting an SWG unit...but, again, many options on that front.
 
Do you have your own test kit now? I ask because in my case two different pool stores told me my CYA was "fine", around 70 or 80. When I broke down and got my own test kit and tested myself I found it over 200. Are you still using tabs?

It has been calculated that the cost for a salt system or using liquid chlorine is actually about the same. With salt you will have a large up front cost to purchase the system then basically no cost until the cell needs replacement. The cell has a finite life span, so we generally recommend purchasing one that is rated at least twice your pool volume. For your 12K pool I would look at a 30K salt cell. Now, if your water gets cold in the winter the salt system may stop working due to the cold water. At that point you would need to use liquid to chlorinate manually until the water warms up.

Now, I love my Stenner and the math really isn't that hard. You just have to maintain your pool with liquid for a while to get a feel for how much you need per day. Once you have that it's easy peasy. Hers is my math:
The pump I ordered is rated at 3.0 gallons per day (with the #1 Tube) or .13 gallons per hour.
I run my pump 6 hours per day so at 100% I would get 0.78 gallons added to the pool
I wanted just shy of 0.5 gallon, so I need to set the pump at 60%

Stenner pumps come in fixed and adjustable rate pumps. I'm a fan of adjustable because you can regulate how much chlorine is added by either changing pump run times, by adjusting the pump output, or both. If you are comfortable with "handyman" projects like electric and plumbing it's an easy install.
 
Yes, off tabs and using 8.25% bleach now. Water temp now around 50 so not using much...perhaps a bit more than 0.5 gal every 4-5 days.

I am looking into the Stenner pumps as, in July/August here, temps can get to 100 with water temps over 90. Guessing I will be adding more then. I see you have the HP Stenner, I don't know what pressure I'm working against in the summer when I run my Intelliflo VS (3 HP) at 2350 prm...so I guess going with the higher pressure Stenner makes sense(?). Did you buy the tank with it or just purchase one separately? I would also favor the adjustable pump...seems it would be easier to adjust as temps vary thoughout the year.
 
vetman85 said:
Yes, off tabs and using 8.25% bleach now. Water temp now around 50 so not using much...perhaps a bit more than 0.5 gal every 4-5 days.

I am looking into the Stenner pumps as, in July/August here, temps can get to 100 with water temps over 90. Guessing I will be adding more then. I see you have the HP Stenner, I don't know what pressure I'm working against in the summer when I run my Intelliflo VS (3 HP) at 2350 prm...so I guess going with the higher pressure Stenner makes sense(?). Did you buy the tank with it or just purchase one separately? I would also favor the adjustable pump...seems it would be easier to adjust as temps vary thoughout the year.
Click to expand...
The HP pump comes with a check valve that the low pressure doesn't include.

I was lucky that another member found a deal on 3 tanks and offered up the other two to members here. Mine is like this one: ULINE - Shipping Boxes, Shipping Supplies, Packaging Materials, Packing Supplies

The adjustable does make it easy to adjust the amount of bleach added as it ramps up in the spring and back down as the fall hits.

If your installation is outdoors remember the optional hood/roof for the Stenner and take into consideration covering the bleach tank to shield it from the sun which can degrade the chlorine. Some folks just turn a black trash can upside down over the top of their tank to shield it.

Not to confuse issues, but any reason why you are not considering a SWCG?
 
Still sort of considering the SWG. Know a couple of folks who have them....and their pools are larger than mine. Big initial cost and both report having pH "creep" on their pools. So instead off adding chlorine frequently, they are adding more expensive acid on a regular basis. Overall, comparing costs, it appears the BBB system is less than or equal to their costs...without the high upfont cost.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, one additional question on the tank. It's not open to the atmosphere is it? Does the pump require venting?
 
All my equipment is outside. Guessing (after looking at the pics of your setup) that the tank does not need pressure equalization as the pump sucks out the bleach. Also guessing that means the tank (with the uptake hose running into it) is not completely sealed, but not "open" enough to be concerned about chlorine fumes...and chlorine loss??

I think my biggest concern would be the chlorine tank temp here in August. The equipment is on the north side of the house, so in the shade most of the day...but still gets mighty warm in the shade. Maybe I should relook at the SWG system....
 
vetman85 said:
All my equipment is outside. Guessing (after looking at the pics of your setup) that the tank does not need pressure equalization as the pump sucks out the bleach. Also guessing that means the tank (with the uptake hose running into it) is not completely sealed, but not "open" enough to be concerned about chlorine fumes...and chlorine loss??
Click to expand...
Correct. The hole for the suction tupe is slightly larger than the hose so it has space to draw in replacement air.

Most find the SWCG setup "easier" but I would not write off a Stenner just because of the heat. There are many of them installed in the S/W and with a little shielding they work fine.
 

Enjoying this content?

Support TFP with a donation.

Give Support
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread Status
Hello , This thread has been inactive for over 60 days. New postings here are unlikely to be seen or responded to by other members. For better visibility, consider Starting A New Thread.
Top Bottom
Back
Jump to latest Follow Reply