Liquid clorine

[pakalrtb]

Is it OK to pour the liquid clorine directly into the skimmer ? Or you should always pour it slowly in front of the return jets ?
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[chem geek]

This is a somewhat controversial topic. Clearly, one should not pour acid into the skimmer. Adding a chemical like baking soda into the skimmer slowly enough to not clump up is clearly OK. Pouring chlorinating liquid or bleach into the skimmer infrequently isn't a problem, but the question is whether regular addition has any effect on pump seals or other equipment. In my own pool, I try to open the cover and pour slowly over a return flow at the deep end, but in a pinch infrequently I pour into the skimmer if the cover is a mess, for example (I have to clear it off before opening it).

There are quite a few people who pour into the skimmer and haven't reported problems. I'm just concerned because the chlorine level is clearly higher, but the high pH moderates that somewhat and the exposure time is relatively short.

 

[Bama Rambler]

If you poured it in the skimmer as fast as it will pour out of the container it could possibly create a problem but if you poured it in a steady small stream it probably won't be an issue. Now having said that, I recommend always pouring it in front of a return. That ensures that you never have a problem.

 

[woodyp]

I vote for return.

 

[Prav]

Wouldn't pouring into skimmer guarantee dispersal throughout the pool better/faster than in front of the return?

 

[pakalrtb]

This was actually the point of my question. Pouring in front of the return will still involve some stirring in order to ensure proper propagation. While the return valve should take that by themselves .............
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[JasonLion]

Both methods insure rapid and complete mixing. The risk with pouring into the skimmer is that the bleach will still be fairly concentrated when it reaches the pump seals and the heater and could possibly cause some damage in those places over repeated applications. Theory says there is some risk to pouring in the skimmer, practice says that nothing seems to actually go wrong when poured in the skimmer.