face rash ?chlorine

[engrav]

Hi
I use bleach when at the property and tabs in the Rainbow when away. So from time to time I add tabs to the Rainbow. When I do this I shutdown the Rainbow as per the directions (set to zero, turn off pump for a minute to permit Rainbow to drain, turn on pump, then remove cap on the Rainbow.)

Then I peak over the top of the Rainbow to see how many tabs are in the Rainbow.

Now I have a face, eyebrow, temple skin rash and the dermatologist is asking "what are you exposed to?"

Is it possible that the vapor emerging from the Rainbow caused the rash? Ever heard of such a thing.

 

[chem geek]

It's possible since there are strong chlorine and chloramine vapors from the wet Trichlor tabs. When Trichlor dissolves, it is very acidic in the small volume of water in the area where it dissolves if there is no circulation. The pH is in the 2-3 range, the FC level in the water saturated with Trihclor is around 1800 ppm, and the result is outgassing of chlorine gas, hypochlorous acid, and other substances. If you smelled a strong chlorine smell, then that could be an irritating gas.

 

[marty]

When pump is off, the tabs build up a super concentration of chl in the tube, are you standing right next to a return when pump turns on? :lol:
Is ph really low?
Just keep an eye on CYA when you use those tabs.

 

[engrav]

It's possible since there are strong chlorine and chloramine vapors from the wet Trichlor tabs. When Trichlor dissolves, it is very acidic in the small volume of water in the area where it dissolves if there is no circulation. The pH is in the 2-3 range, the FC level in the water saturated with Trihclor is around 1800 ppm, and the result is outgassing of chlorine gas, hypochlorous acid, and other substances. If you smelled a strong chlorine smell, then that could be an irritating gas.

thank you, I think I will change my habits

 

[engrav]

When pump is off, the tabs build up a super concentration of chl in the tube, are you standing right next to a return when pump turns on? :lol:
Is ph really low?
Just keep an eye on CYA when you use those tabs.

mostly use bleach and pH and CYA are fine
and pump is running while I check change the Rainbow

issue is when I peak over the top of the Rainbow to count tabs
I usually wait a bit after taking off the top, hissing has stopped, but still it reeks of chlorine
and the exposure is 2 or 3 seconds at most
but still ...

as above I will stop peaking, use a stick

 

[Jeetyet]

Only took me one good face/snoot/lung full to learn not to do that again. I had sinus and breathing problems for several days afterwards, not to mention the fact that I couldn't taste anything. What I started doing was loosen the lid, walk away for a while, come back and take the lid off, walk away again, and come back when it was safe. Sure glad that thing's not in use anymore. If it was up to me it would be in the nearest swamp for the gators to play with.

 

[engrav]

Only took me one good face/snoot/lung full to learn not to do that again. I had sinus and breathing problems for several days afterwards, not to mention the fact that I couldn't taste anything. What I started doing was loosen the lid, walk away for a while, come back and take the lid off, walk away again, and come back when it was safe. Sure glad that thing's not in use anymore. If it was up to me it would be in the nearest swamp for the gators to play with.

Interesting. I have had much less exposure than that. But...
Maybe the vapor, as per the other comment, even after the hissing has stopped, is so high in Cl gas that it can rash up a person.

Maybe the Rainbow should have a transparent section in the wall so that one can see the contents without removing the lid. Wait, they do. Web says Pentair has 320c with See-Thru amber body. I bought the wrong one.