Stenner pumps/tanks

[jcichocki]

I am trying to automate my pool, having been wavering between a SWG and a bleach injector. I am now leaning toward a Stenner tank with bleach, plus or minus a second tank for muratic acid. And most likely a CAT controller to further automate. Question: 1. what size Stenner pump flow rate should I be looking at (adjustable or fixed rate)? 2. Size tank? 3. How long is the bleach good for once added to the tank? Thanks.

Jeff

 

[JasonLion]

It would be good to start with an estimate of how much chlorine you are currently using a day. Indoor pool chlorine usage varies dramatically depending on bather load so it really depends on how your pool gets used. Then figure out how much bleach that translates into. Divide the amount of bleach per day by your normal pump run time and then add a safety margin, say three or four times that, to get the flow rate you need on the pump. This process will also give you a good idea of how large a tank you need. One thing to keep in mind is that large quantities of bleach are easier to buy by the drum and then you can use the drum as the tank.

If you are going to use a controller then go with a fixed rate pump.

The shelf life of bleach depends on the concentration and the temperature. Higher concentrations spoil much more quickly and higher temperatures spoil more quickly. 6% is reasonably stable, many months no problem unless it is very hot. 10-12% is good for one to three months at reasonable temperatures.

 

[jcichocki]

Ok, here is my problem. I have only recently started using bleach and so far it has been a sporadic nightmare of adding bleach. Half a jug here, half a jug there, and then OMG I need to two jugs. I have not found a rhythm to titrating the bleach. Just a frustrating up and down.

That was my thought on automation, especially if I go as far as an ORP and pH controller.

I run my pumps currently 16-18 hours a day. My water temps stay fairly close to 90. My pump room air temps are between 65-70. The bather load is also somewhat variable. 2-5 people weekdays and 10-15 on weekends. As my child grows (he is 4 months), I'm sure those numbers will change dramatically especially on weekends.

Until recently, I had been using the "evil" pucks. Is there a way to quantify the differences with bleach. I guess I used 12-15 pucks every one and half to two weeks (a 50# pail in about 4 months).

Where can you get bleach by the barrel? Would that be a good idea for my volume usage?

Thanks jeff

 

[JasonLion]

Working from a 50# pail of trichlor in about 4 months gives me just under 3/4 of gallon of 6% bleach a day average, which appears to fit with your bleach experience. Adding in the pump run time and a safety factor suggests a 5 gallon per day pump, possibly more if you want to be prepared for large pool parties. A 15 gallon tank would last about 20 days, a 30 gallon tank would last about 40 days and a 55 gallon drum would last about 73 days.

You can get bleach in drums from commercial cleaning supply companies as well as other places. Having a drum delivered every other month is a lot more fun than having to carry five gallons of bleach home every week and it might well be cheaper.

 

[Aquaman95]

The nice thing about Stenners is that they have various feed tube sizes that adjust the overall output of the pump. They only make two different motors; the rest is just feed tube size and if it is an adjustable rate pump where the dial is set so you have a lot of flexibility even after you install the pump. I prefer to run the pump at the highest possible setting on the feed rate control and just use a smaller tube. Less wear on the feed rate control that way. A 45M2 would get you closest, at 10 GPD max capacity.

 

[jcichocki]

This site continues to be awesome with the information, thanks. That was exactly what I needed. Anybody know the difference between the Series 45 and 85 Stenner pumps, and does the pump pressure (maximum) make a difference. They seem to be either 25 psi or 100 psi.

I called around looking for drums of bleach. Everyone was very suspicious of my request and hesitent to sell it to me. I even went to 2 laundry places to see if they would sell it to me after market. No luck so far.

 

[Aquaman95]

You'll only need 25 psi; that's the head pressure it can pump against. The only difference is the 100 PSI pumps use an injection check valve and are limited in feed tube size.

The 45 and 85 are the same, just different gears for faster RPM thus the 85 will feed more product. The 45 is all you need.

Try some chemical distributors for the bleach like Brenntag, Harcros, Univar, etc. They may or may not sell to you but it's worth a shot.

 

[cliff_s]

I had a similiar setup in my last house. I used a peristaltic pump and a
15 gal. plastic drum. This will last almost a month in most cases.

The smallest pump is more than enough as you will only need less than
a gallon a day. Most pumps have a way to adjust their output.
Once you get it set you will only have to adjust it a couple of times a
year.

The only problem I had was when I forgot to fill the chlorine tank.

Cliff s