Bad batch of AquaChek testing strips?

[Julius]

There may be a bad batch of AquaChek strips. I got two bottles this season, same lot number, and I have checked at least two or three strips from each bottle and none of the strips "darken" across the top band as my strips (different lot number) did from last year. I can let them sit for over an hour and they still don't darken at all although I believe they are accurate in their readings because they match the readings that last year's bottle is still giving me. My new Taylor test kit gives me the same 3200 PPM as the all of the strips do, regardless of which bottle they come from.

Lot number 9026 dated 2010/12, no darkening whatsoever across the top yellow band.

Brad

 

[duraleigh]

Did you purchase them from TFTestkits?

The AquaChek strips have a reputation of being the most accurate and dependable strips on the market.

There is always a chance for bad ones but, in the three years TFTestkits has sold them, I cannot recall a problem that repeated itself within a batch #. Is anyone else using this same batch.?

Tftestkits is currently selling batch #9130 with an expiration date of April, 2011.

 

[MikeInTN]

I'm not using either of those two batch #'s, but did discover a problem w/ batch 8046 - exp 01/2010. The strips were reading much higher than the actual salt level. I purchased these strips from the local pool store.

 

[Julius]

Did you purchase them from TFTestkits?

The AquaChek strips have a reputation of being the most accurate and dependable strips on the market.

There is always a chance for bad ones but, in the three years TFTestkits has sold them, I cannot recall a problem that repeated itself within a batch #. Is anyone else using this same batch.?

Tftestkits is currently selling batch #9130 with an expiration date of April, 2011.

I got them from Poolcenter.com.

I thought that it was strange with the first few strips from one of the bottles, then thought it may be a bad batch because of the second bottle doing the same thing and being the same lot number.

Oddly, there is no stamp on the label itself with the lot number and expiration month/year. The bottle that I have from last year has "Lot A7290 USE BY 08/2009" on the label near the yellow cap. This stamp is NOT on either bottle's label that is marked "9026 2010/12" on the yellow cap. Hmmm !

The readings on the strips themselves are accurate because I checked them against a strip from last years bottle and also against a Taylor test. 3200PPM all around. It's just that the yellow band at the top will not darken at all. I left one in for over 24 hours and the whole strip was washed out as you would expect.