Chlorine in Bulk Sizes

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S

sbe

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Sep 4, 2008
39
I just checked out my local pool store and they can get sodium hypochlorite 12% in both 5 gallon and 15 gallon containers. The larger size comes in a returnable Carboy and costs $47. A small diameter spigot is free or you can buy a larger heavy duty 2" one for $25.

It seems like a reasonable deal so I'm wondering if anyone had any experience with this. I called the chemical company that actually supplies the stuff and they say it comes in 3 times a week from the factory about an hour north of where I live so it should be quite fresh. They promised to send over a chart showing how fast the stuff loses potency but I haven't gotten it yet.

It seems like an interesting option. If nothing else it saves a lot of trash in the form of gallon containers.
 
You are one of the lucky folks who has a pool store willing to work with their liquid chlorine customers. Take advantage of it. It's a great way to do things.
 
Portland, OR. But when I called the distributor they were happy to sell direct also. Funny thing is it cost a bit more than from the store.

As far as I can tell bulk is pretty readily available because most commercial pools buy their acid in bulk and it all comes from the same place. The store didn't stock Chlorine but was happy to piggy back it on their next order for acid.

If that doesn't work try calling your local distributor. I can't see why they would differentiate between an individual and say a health club. At least mine was happy to take my business and they didn't even ask that I open an account. Cash was fine.

I'm thinking that besides being cheaper the stuff is probably more potent since its so fresh.
 
DBfan187 said:
$47 for 15 gal? WOW! That's expensive!
Click to expand...

Uh, Ok. A box of 4 gallons is $27 so I thought it was a good deal. What do you pay for 12.5% where you are? Or do you have a good source for lower concentration (unfortunately no Walmarts near here)?
 
If you buy in bulk here, my store and all of the others around, 20gl min, $1.64 per gallon. Bottled gallons are $3.29, refillable 2.5gl are $4.10 if you have a jug. It's all 10.5%, we get shipments of 3K gallons 3-4 times a week. Plant is 1.5hrs away.

This is interesting to see prices from around the country though. Now I see why people say it's expensive. You just may have got a killer deal in your area.
 
DBfan187 said:
If you buy in bulk here, my store and all of the others around, 20gl min, $1.64 per gallon. Bottled gallons are $3.29, refillable 2.5gl are $4.10 if you have a jug. It's all 10.5%, we get shipments of 3K gallons 3-4 times a week. Plant is 1.5hrs away.

This is interesting to see prices from around the country though. Now I see why people say it's expensive. You just may have got a killer deal in your area.
Click to expand...

Nice. Just so I understand correctly if you fill 8 of the 2.5 gallon jugs at a time the cost is $4.10 each?

Can you tell me anything about what these jugs look like? They sell the same size here but they're not refillable. I'd like to know what they look like so I can ask to see if we can get them.

At the price you're paying the carboy should be around $25. I'll shop around and see if that is possible. Unfortunately I don't think so.

You lucky dog.
 

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jugs look sorta like these
web-chlorine-jug.gif


the gallon jugs look just like these but with our label and EPA info on them
1GallonJug_ProductSize.gif



That's $4.10 plus tax, so $4.39 total, sorry. If you don't have the jug of course there's a $6 deposit on them.(you buy them)
 
I'm really surprised they let you use your own container. Up here first time they give you the carboy and its covered with labels and warnings specific to whatever is inside and when you bring it back they trade it for another full one.

It could be exciting if there was some residue in left over in one of those that was incompatible with whatever you are buying. Plus I'd think the EPA and a whole bunch of other agencies would have a cow over something like sodium hypochlorite being sold this way. Or do I misunderstand how the system works.

But I'm still jealous of the deal you guys have.
 
sbe said:
I called the chemical company that actually supplies the stuff and they say it comes in 3 times a week from the factory about an hour north of where I live so it should be quite fresh. They promised to send over a chart showing how fast the stuff loses potency but I haven't gotten it yet.
Click to expand...
If they still didn't send you a chart, you can use the one at the bottom of this page.
 
Two local pool stores on US Rt 22 here sell LC in 5 gal. carboys. One is $18 plus $6 deposit for LC from Buckman Labs. The other is $17 plus a $7 deposit from I don't know where. Carboys are identical but different colors and you can't turn in the yellow for the blue or vice-versa.
 
Table 1 is all you need to look at. The charts that you click through to are about decomposition by-product differences between this particular brand of chlorinating liquid vs. other lower quality brands. Basically, some other brands have more metals in them which makes them degrade faster and product more of certain by-products. I wouldn't worry about those charts.
 
Would you happen to know roughly what happens to half life for temperatures below 75F? I assume it increases but does the rate of increase flatten out?

Also Table 1 only gives the half life so without knowing the shape of the curve its not possible to estimate what strength the solution would be for at say 90 days. Any idea what the curve looks like?

It would be nice to be able to stockpile a 30-60 days supply since I've got a cool dark place to store it assuming the loss of potency was relatively minor, perhaps only 10-25%.
 
sbe said:
DBfan187 said:
$47 for 15 gal? WOW! That's expensive!
Click to expand...

Uh, Ok. A box of 4 gallons is $27 so I thought it was a good deal. What do you pay for 12.5% where you are? Or do you have a good source for lower concentration (unfortunately no Walmarts near here)?
Click to expand...
Last year a shop near me had 4 gallons 12.5% for $16.60, but also had a 2-for-1 web special so it's actually half that. I did have to put down a one-time deposit for the crates but now I just trade in the empties for fresh.

The list price is competitive with Target or grocery store bulk Clorox, but the 2-for-1 really cinches the deal.

I haven't been by yet this season, but I'll have to remember to ask them how often they get deliveries.
--paulr
 
sbe said:
Would you happen to know roughly what happens to half life for temperatures below 75F? I assume it increases but does the rate of increase flatten out?

Also Table 1 only gives the half life so without knowing the shape of the curve its not possible to estimate what strength the solution would be for at say 90 days. Any idea what the curve looks like?

It would be nice to be able to stockpile a 30-60 days supply since I've got a cool dark place to store it assuming the loss of potency was relatively minor, perhaps only 10-25%.
Click to expand...

I haven't looked at the table, but isn't the definition of a 1/2 life the amount of time that an item takes to deteriorate by 50%? That would mean 100% solution with a 1/2 life of 10 days would be 50% in 10 days, 25% in 20 days, 12.5% in 30 days, 6.25% in 40 days, etc. Every 1/2 life time period cuts in 1/2.
 
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