I am in the process of installing a stenner pump with a 55 gallon storage tank. The tank will be under my house just on the other side of the foundation wall from my pool pump pad. I will need to be able to pump chlorine about 10 feet to fill my storage tank. I will likely be purchasing the chlorine in 25 to 55 gallon drums and have to return the empty drums. Any suggestions on a transfer pump for this?
Transfer Chlorine
- Thread starter joshua5438
- Start date
That is an interesting setup! I plan on adding a stenner too and will be lugging boxes of it to the other side of my house. I'm sure buying in bulk like that is cheaper too.
Is there a store that sells it in bulk or do you have a connection somewhere?
Is there a store that sells it in bulk or do you have a connection somewhere?
I have been doing a lot of research about large storage tanks of chlorine. It's proven that it will degrade over time but I feel comfortable with what I am going to do. The tank will be under my house where it stays dark and cool all summer and I have easy access to the tank. My crawlspace is 6 feet high. I will be paying around $2/gallon for 12.5 to 15% chlorine. That is by far the cheapest you can find in my area. Pool stores in my area do not sale liquid chlorine so I am left with Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot. They have cheaper prices at times but no clue on how its been stored. I am going to buy mine from a local chemical distributor. They mainly sale to commercial pressure washing and public pools. I just did a search in my area for chemical companies and contacted them to see if they sale chlorine.
Can you use the Stenner pump to transfer chlorine?
Alternatively, you could siphon it. Just fill a hose with water and put one end in the supply and the other in the storage. As long as the supply is higher than the storage, the liquid will flow.
You can use High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Tubing of a suitable diameter.
Alternatively, you could siphon it. Just fill a hose with water and put one end in the supply and the other in the storage. As long as the supply is higher than the storage, the liquid will flow.
You can use High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Tubing of a suitable diameter.
- Jan 4, 2016
- 5,288
- Pool Size
- 44000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
I was thinking of siphoning as well, or is there any way you can swap a full drum in and out? Maybe keep the drum on its side, slightly tilted?
I'm guessing you've ruled out a saltwater chlorinator which takes up less space
I'm guessing you've ruled out a saltwater chlorinator which takes up less space
I have thought about siphoning or using a hand pump but would like to find a reasonable electric pump. It will only get used a few times a season.
The stenner will only pump 17 gallons per day running non stop. I would rather not do that.
Swapping the drums is possible but would be a lot of work handling a full barrel under the house. I already have an empty 55 gallon drum that actually had Sodium-hypochlorite in it. It is not from the same supplier so they will not take it as an exchange.
I may go with a saltwater system later on but I came across this stenner pump for $55 in great condition. I actually bought two from the guy for $110. I figured I could always sale one and make my money back. I also figured that I could use the stenner for acid if/when I go the saltwater route.
The stenner will only pump 17 gallons per day running non stop. I would rather not do that.
Swapping the drums is possible but would be a lot of work handling a full barrel under the house. I already have an empty 55 gallon drum that actually had Sodium-hypochlorite in it. It is not from the same supplier so they will not take it as an exchange.
I may go with a saltwater system later on but I came across this stenner pump for $55 in great condition. I actually bought two from the guy for $110. I figured I could always sale one and make my money back. I also figured that I could use the stenner for acid if/when I go the saltwater route.
If you can get the supply drum higher than the Stenner drum, I agree siphon is the way to go. Have you seen THIS it is a self priming siphon they work very well no pump or using your mouth. You simply put the metal end in the tank and giggle the line up and down. The metal end is basically a back flow preventer once the liquid gets high enough you simply lay the tube over and let gravity do the rest. The metal part would not react well with chlorine if you were leaving it submerged all the time but as long as you rinse it when you are done I think you would get years our of it. If you do go with a pump I would also run clean water through it after use to rinse any metal parts inside the pump.
First, if you are going to have a 55 gallon storage tank then you should not purchase your bulk chlorine in 55 gallon tanks. Your Stenner tank will never be fully empty so if you buy 55, then you will always end up with a few inches left in the bottom.
Now, if it were me I would use the large bung on the storage tank under the house to pipe a fill to the outside of the house using large PVC pipe, like 1 1/2". I'm thinking like they do to fill under house oil tanks. A vent pipe is probably a good idea also so that the air in the top of your storage tank that is discharged while you fill is vented to the outside of your house, rather than in the crawl space.
Here is my Stenner Pump install, which is also in the crawl space (mine is about 12 feet tall tat this point under the house.
You are looking fro an electric transfer pump in the 200 - 300 gallon an hour range (GPH). Utility Pumps + Portable Utility Transfer Pumps | Water Pumps | Northern Tool + Equipment.
Good luck with the project.
Now, if it were me I would use the large bung on the storage tank under the house to pipe a fill to the outside of the house using large PVC pipe, like 1 1/2". I'm thinking like they do to fill under house oil tanks. A vent pipe is probably a good idea also so that the air in the top of your storage tank that is discharged while you fill is vented to the outside of your house, rather than in the crawl space.
Here is my Stenner Pump install, which is also in the crawl space (mine is about 12 feet tall tat this point under the house.
You are looking fro an electric transfer pump in the 200 - 300 gallon an hour range (GPH). Utility Pumps + Portable Utility Transfer Pumps | Water Pumps | Northern Tool + Equipment.
Good luck with the project.
Thanks Atttech! That looks like a good alternative if I cannot find an electric pump.
I have found this pump locally for $25 ( Wayne Self PC2 | Utility Pumps| Northern Tool + Equipment ). I wonder how well it would hold up if I flushed it with water after each use and allowed to dry before storage?
Tim, I remember seeing your install when I first started looking at doing this. Very nice setup you have! That diagram is very helpful and I never considered plumbing a fill pipe to the exterior of the house. I have thought about venting in case it were to build pressure during the season. I believe I am going to look at this option! That would make it even easier to fill not having to pull the hoses under the house.
I plan to start each season off with a clean, empty 55 gallon tank. I will use a smaller tank when I first open to get the pool up to speed and allow for a slam if I need to. I used about 70 gallons last year not including my slam. This was my first year having a pool and I feel I will use less next year as I understand more about how it all works. Once I get the pool up to speed I will fill my 55 gallon tank and cruise thru the season. I think this will get me thru most of the season and I can finish off with the smaller tank if I need more. That way I am ending the season with an empty 55 gallon tank. I hope that makes since. I would rather not have to siphon from the 55 gallon tank at the end of each season if I can prevent it.
I have found this pump locally for $25 ( Wayne Self PC2 | Utility Pumps| Northern Tool + Equipment ). I wonder how well it would hold up if I flushed it with water after each use and allowed to dry before storage?
Tim, I remember seeing your install when I first started looking at doing this. Very nice setup you have! That diagram is very helpful and I never considered plumbing a fill pipe to the exterior of the house. I have thought about venting in case it were to build pressure during the season. I believe I am going to look at this option! That would make it even easier to fill not having to pull the hoses under the house.
I plan to start each season off with a clean, empty 55 gallon tank. I will use a smaller tank when I first open to get the pool up to speed and allow for a slam if I need to. I used about 70 gallons last year not including my slam. This was my first year having a pool and I feel I will use less next year as I understand more about how it all works. Once I get the pool up to speed I will fill my 55 gallon tank and cruise thru the season. I think this will get me thru most of the season and I can finish off with the smaller tank if I need more. That way I am ending the season with an empty 55 gallon tank. I hope that makes since. I would rather not have to siphon from the 55 gallon tank at the end of each season if I can prevent it.
I went on a hunt yesterday to see what I could find in buying bulk chlorine. Several of the chemical companies I called were very cautions and a bit skeptical of why I was asking to buy bulk chlorine / bleach. I'm probably on an FBI watchlist at this point
Anyway, commercial pools have permits to buy chlorine in bulk. Without permits, I'm told I need to stick to buying gallon jugs of it at much lower FC levels. The good stuff is much more concentrated. Probably too dangerous for us 'regular folk' to be trusted with I guess.
Anyway, commercial pools have permits to buy chlorine in bulk. Without permits, I'm told I need to stick to buying gallon jugs of it at much lower FC levels. The good stuff is much more concentrated. Probably too dangerous for us 'regular folk' to be trusted with I guess.
I asked very specific questions and was told that I did not need any permits or special license to purchase 55 gallons at a time. If I were buying truck loads it would be questioned. I was very upfront with them about what I was going to use it for and they did not have any reasons that I cannot buy it. Maybe each county has it's own set of "codes"?
I'm not sure about different codes as much as varying degrees of knowledge in many of these industries. It actually makes me feel good that employees in the chemical industry are questioning "unusual" requests, but I'm not quite sure how 55 gallons of 12.5% liquid chlorine could easily become weaponized? Now, if you were asking for chlorine gas I can see some agents from DHS knocking on your door..
- May 23, 2015
- 24,411
- Pool Size
- 16000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-60
Bleach is used in the production of methamphetamines and so large quantity purchases will often have to be reported or logged in some way in case authorities need to track it down. This is the reason why some municipalities ban the sale of pool liquid chlorine to the general public as higher concentrations means less needs to be purchased (thus evading detection).
Beware though, Walter White might pay you a visit wanting to know if there's any competition in town....
Beware though, Walter White might pay you a visit wanting to know if there's any competition in town....
I spoke with my local company again just to be sure and they said I do not need permits or license to purchase 55 gallons at a time. Not sure what to tell you to do.
Here is the pump I picked up tonight locally for $25. It says for water transfer but I will flush it after use and see how it goes. It actually came with a rebuild kit for the impeller. So if it dies I will rebuild and see what else I can find. The housing is chrome plated bronze so I think that should hold up pretty good.
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Here is the pump I picked up tonight locally for $25. It says for water transfer but I will flush it after use and see how it goes. It actually came with a rebuild kit for the impeller. So if it dies I will rebuild and see what else I can find. The housing is chrome plated bronze so I think that should hold up pretty good.
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You should be good with your chosen pump. I use a diaphragm pump that worked fine through the first season (I too have a 55 g underground cistern for bleach--but I fill from 1 g bottles twice a season). I just rinse the pump with water after the transfer and so far so good.
I have a post on the whole system somewhere in this forum. There are more details on the transfer pump, temperature monitoring, low bleach alarm, etc.
Good luck with your pool!
Jay
I have a post on the whole system somewhere in this forum. There are more details on the transfer pump, temperature monitoring, low bleach alarm, etc.
Good luck with your pool!
Jay
Thanks Jay. Your setup is what I originally wanted to do.
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