New Construction: Cathedral City CA

[Yorker]

kimkats
-I want you to run out and look at the date code of the chlorine please. Just to be on the safe side.

THE DATE CODE ON THE BOTTLE IS 2/6/18

-Lets do a "test" of the chlorine and your pool size-When it is time to do your next test and add of FC do this for me. Have the pump on high when you add the chlorine. Wait about 30 mins and go out and retest it. Did it hit the target?

OK - AT 7AM THE FC WAS AT 6.0
I TESTED IT AGAIN AT 5:30 PM AND IT WAS 3.5
PMATH SUGGESTED 31 OZ (I PUT IN 32 OZ)
AN HOUR LATER THE FC WAS AT 6.0 (THE TARGET I WAS GOING FOR).

 

[kimkats]

Yorker you are rocking your pool care now! Good job. It sounds like you have your pool size dialed in. That is a good date code. You don't want the chlorine/bleach to be older than 3months. (We had one person buy "water" while doing a SLAM. It was over a year old . She got her money back)

Kim

 

[Yorker]

Morning All,
This mornings test results:
FC: 5.5
TA: 80
pH: 7.8+ (it's not as pink as 8.2 but I'm guessing 8.0?)
Sounds like I need to prepare for m.a. argh... but I know I got to get used to it.

I will need to store this outside and not in the garage or near the equipment pad, air conditioner, aluminum patio cover, house windows?.

Our back yard gets sun all day, the side yard with the equipment gets the sun from noon on, and the very narrow side yard where the air conditioner is gets the least amount of sun (but is a slight pain to get past the AC if I was to store stuff back there). Also, on both side yards, there are solar panels that go all the way to the edge of the roof.

Recommendations on were to store the m.a.?


Will a resin storage unit like the one below work? Would it be ok to use as side table in a seating area?
(The interior measurements are 14 in. H x 13.75 in. D x 15 in. H. ((yes I know it shows 2 heights)).

 

[Dirk]

Will a resin storage unit like the one below work? Would it be ok to use as side table in a seating area?
(The interior measurements are 14 in. H x 13.75 in. D x 15 in. H. ((yes I know it shows 2 heights)).

View attachment 75255

Good morning Three-Months-Ago-Dirk! (I have several of those exact boxes!)

No, and NOOOOOO!

Those boxes have metal hinges and the MA fumes will make quick work of them. Go back to my thread and see if you can find any of the boxes I'm using online. I'm pretty sure they still make them. They're Suncast, and that brand is fantastic. My boxes are like 20 years old or something crazy like that. If they're still made the same way, they'll have plastic hinges. Also read about my child-proofing them, especially the part about the Kool-Aid, please.

If you were asking about using the above box only as a side table, they're great for that. Sturdy and flat for drinks, etc. Mine are three years old and still look like new (I think those are Suncast, too.) I keep my guest pool towels in them. If you're asking if they can be used that way and store your MA in them, then absolutely not (refer to Kool-Aid). MA should be no where near an active area, or people, or pets. Period. And it should be kept locked up if there are going to be small children around.

Why'yay,yahta!

 

[Yorker]

Thanks Dirk, I did read that portion of your thread, but missed the name and the mention of metal hinges. I still have the tab for your thread open in my browser. I find it good to have it nearby . I certainly remember the Kool-Aid!

"...MA should be no where near an active area, or people, or pets."

OK, we don't have kids, and 99% of the time we entertain our friends don't have kids (just dogs), but I don't know if I want to rely on remembering to lockup the MA on those 3 days a year a child IS brought into our home. So a full-time lock up may be the way we go.

I’d really prefer to put it the larger side yard where the equipment pad is not an active area. Here I could place it against the cinder-block wall, where it would be far away from the equipment, and to close to guest bedroom metal window or with the solar panels 10’ directly above. The down side is side yard is where Bosco the dog does his business. Though he never lingers there for more that a minute or two - but perhaps that’s too long.

So, unless I’m missing something, the only place to be that 4.5’ narrow side of the house. I’m attaching a sketch with measurements for the proposed distance from the AC. The plus to this location is there are no solar panels on the that area of the roof. If this is too close to the AC I would have to go further towards the front side of the house to get further from the AC, but that IS where the solar panels are as well as another guest bedroom window.
I called Suncast and they said this model at Home Depot has plastic snap hinges.
Wicker 22 Gal. Resin Storage Deck Box
Model # SSW900 - $39.00 /each

 

[Dirk]

MA isn't flammable, if that was your concern about panels, solar, etc. And the fumes are much less of an issue if it's stored outside. You'll tire of unlocking that box as much as you'll be dosing MA into a new pool, but I applaud and encourage the safety effort. Do the best you can, as I am. Behind a gate seems like a good solution, especially if that gate is tough to open for little ones. Dog? Can't advise. Not being a dog owner is it mean to say: If he goes sniffing around that box, the first time he gets a whiff of MA will be the last time he goes sniffing around that box! Is he prone to chewing things? Etc? Doggie owners advise, please.

I think MA is less prone to heat than chlorine. Maybe immune to it? Not sure, hope so, because I'll bring my chlorine inside the garage in the summer, but my MA is staying outside. Like yours it's up against a fence, so it'll get some sun, but not all day long. Find your spot, plant a tree near it for future shade. Hopefully MA fumes won't affect the big bush shading mine, I'll post it if it does in one of the many Adventures of Dirk threads!

 

[Dirk]

I re-read your post. I haven't yet caught a whiff near the box, nor from a closed jug. It's only when the jug is open, and worse while in the measuring cup. I doubt it's going to waft around into a window or pool up like acid fog or something. You can keep an eye on the window frames, but that seems like a long shot.

The "active people" part had more to do with banging into the box, or curious peeps lifting the lid and fooling around, etc. Things of that nature. Not so much that there'd be a toxic cloud around it.

Mine is close to my pad, and that's handy. Pool business area. I'm dispensing, checking the pad and flow and pressure, etc all in the same area at the same time. That'd be my vote. Is that the "dog side?" Would he mess with the box? Otherwise where that bag is leaning on the wall, or where that roll of yellow is, seems fine.

Or put a little fence around it all? Anti-eyesore a bonus? There's a thread here describing a pup that took out the pad's electronics by chewing the wires!

 

[Yorker]

MA isn't flammable, if that was your concern about panels, solar, etc. And the fumes are much less of an issue if it's stored outside.

Thanks Dirk - my main concern was the fumes corroding metal, such as the AC and the solar panels - not flammability. Regarding chlorine storage, I was thinking I would just but it every week or two at Home Depot and store it on the garage. We'll have to wait and see how much the summer heat inside the garage effects it.

I saw your measuring cups at BBB. Will probably go tomorrow to pick up a few. One for MA another for chlorine and a third for everything else.

Also, I did my first salt test this morning - those color instructions REALLY need to be written differently (milky salmon / red brick). The suggestion of when it changes from yellow to red, and stays - your done. Mine took 2 drops. So my Salt is 400. PM suggested to replace 100% of my pool water. I know not to do that. We'll see what the numbers are over the next 2 weeks and after I start adding salt.

Pavers start to be installed tomorrow along with the irrigation.

 

[Yorker]

Our posts crossed - So I just might reconsider the side with the equipment pad. We've had Bosco for 4 years now (he's going on 14 years old) he does not chew, dig, lick anything. Though I can't say what our next dog will be like. We'll cross that bride when it comes. But if the fumes stay in the closed bottle he should be fine.

However, if storing it in the garage near metal is problem, I would assume something gets out. Perhaps whatever does get out is diffused when outside.

 

[Dirk]

Thanks Dirk - my main concern was the fumes corroding metal, such as the AC and the solar panels - not flammability. Regarding chlorine storage, I was thinking I would just but it every week or two at Home Depot and store it on the garage. Well have to wait and see how much the summer heat inside the garage effects it.

I saw your measuring cups at BBB. Will probably go tomorrow to pick up a few. One for MA another for chlorine and a third for everything else.

Also, I did my first salt test this morning - those color instructions REALLY need to be written differently (milky salmon / red brick). The suggestion of when it changes from yellow to red, and stays - your done. Mine took 2 drops. So my Salt is 400. PM suggested to replace 100% of my pool water. I know not to do that. We'll see what the numbers are over the next 2 weeks and after I start adding salt.

Pavers start to be installed tomorrow along with the irrigation.

Our posts crossed - So I just might reconsider the side with the equipment pad. We've had Bosco for 4 years now (he's going on 14 years old) he does not chew, dig, lick anything. Though I can't say what our next dog will be like. We'll cross that bride when it comes. But if the fumes stay in the closed bottle he should be fine.

However, if storing it in the garage near metal is problem, I would assume something gets out. Perhaps whatever does get out is diffused when outside.

The caps on the acid jugs vent (not sure why), so that's why even a capped jug in a garage or box will cause problems, as it would have for those metal hinges. That's why my thread was indicting "plastic, nylon, silicon, etc."

It's enough to affect things in a closed space, but probably not enough to get to your windows across a yard space. Just keep an eye on 'em.

Separate cups are good.

Chlorine storage, check. Keep an eye on Home Depot's expiration dates.

PM would have indicated the drain if the target was set to zero. Set the target to the SWG's recommended salt level, then the dosage should make more sense.

No salt for four weeks, though. I waited six months! (But really only because it was winter.)

Paver pictures please!!

 

[Yorker]

"...PM would have indicated the drain if the target was set to zero. Set the target to the SWG's recommended salt level, then the dosage should make more sense."

"3 months older York" is right ... again!

I see the target is set to zero. I assume that the SWG's recommended target would be in the owners manual (which they have not given to us yet). I found this IntelliChlor Power Center Installation and User's Guide (IC60, IC40 and IC20), but I see no references to target values in that. I do see on the actual unit it says ideal salt 3600ppm. I guess that's my target. PM now says to add about 6 1/2 - 40lb bags (when that time comes). I'll continue reading your thread soon to see what process is like.

Updated pictures will be coming soon

 

[kimkats]

Storing M.A. in the sun is no biggie. Sun does nothing to it. I like the idea of putting it by the pool equipment. With it being a wide open area it should be fine.

You only really need two measure cups-one for m.a. and the other for everything else.

Kim

 

[Yorker]

Hi Kim! Did you see that my pH was above 7.8 (not quite 8.2). PM is suggesting 3 cups of 14.5% M.A. I can add that tomorrow if you think it's time.

PS THANKS

 

[riley00dog]

Trying to figure out where to store my MA too. I would like near the pool equipment in a lockable box but not sure his close it can be. Don’t want to corrode any of the equipment. This is also our shady side. We have kids and dogs who chew, lick and dig [emoji31]

 

[Yorker]

Hi riley00dog!

From what I'm reading now, the small amount of fumes that do leach out are diffused in the open air. I'm going to keep reading, and not store it real close to metal stuff. I can be locked up from the kids but a dog that chews would make me want to keep a close eye out.

 

[riley00dog]

Thanks. If you find out how close it can be to the pool equipment/metal let me know. I don’t think the dogs would chew through an outdoor box. The one we currently have just has the corners partially nibbled! They are getting better now... well with the chewing, not the digging!

 

[kimkats]

So long as the m.a. is not in an enclosed building with the metal you can store it by the equipment. The fumes will blow away into the air and not settle down on any one thing.

Yorker you can lower your PH now aka tomorrow.

Kim

 

[Dirk]

I assume that the SWG's recommended target would be in the owners manual (which they have not given to us yet). I found this IntelliChlor Power Center Installation and User's Guide (IC60, IC40 and IC20), but I see no references to target values in that. I do see on the actual unit it says ideal salt 3600ppm. I guess that's my target. PM now says to add about 6 1/2 - 40lb bags (when that time comes). I'll continue reading your thread soon to see what process is like.

Later in the thread you'll find my current experiment that deals with my salt target. I'm trying out a theory about it. I think I have a faulty SWG, so that experiment is stalled until it's fixed, but you'll get the gist...

 

[Dirk]

You only really need two measure cups-one for m.a. and the other for everything else.

Ha, "own it" time!! I'm going to go back to BBB and get one more than I need, too! I like it so much, and it is so perfect for how I use it, I want a spare in case I step on it or something, only to find out later that OXO has discontinued it, or changed its design or china-cheaped-it-out, like they tend to do.

But that's just me. Sometimes when I find the perfect thing, or the perfect fit, or whatever, I can't help myself, I'll go buy more of it/them, just so I'll never be without. Just one of my many burdens...

​

 

[Yorker]

Later in the thread you'll find my current experiment that deals with my salt target. I'm trying out a theory about it. I think I have a faulty SWG, so that experiment is stalled until it's fixed, but you'll get the gist...

Dang it Dirk - you're making me want to skip ahead! I won't (but I want to).

Since I'm buying the BBB measuring cups today - I assume that they held up to the acid? How does one know if a plastic will hold up to m.a.?

Dirk .... as I'm typing, I just got notice of your recent addition to this thread.

"I'm going to go back to BBB and get one more than I need, too! I like it so much, and it is so perfect for how I use it, I want a spare in case I step on it or something, only to find out later that OXO has discontinued it, or changed its design or china-cheaped-it-out, like they tend to do.

But that's just me. Sometimes when I find the perfect thing, or the perfect fit, or whatever, I can't help myself, I'll go buy more of it/them, just so I'll never be without. Just one of my many burdens... "

We do live in parallel universes ...
York