Hi,
As an early adopter of this device and with many more people buying them I figured I'd start a small "tip" thread to make living with the unit more pleasurable. It's a great design but doesn't use high end parts and can be a bit quirky. What do you want for $150
Anyway, I'll start and feel free to add on. In no particular order.......
1. Try and mount the unit out of direct sunlight and away from high heat sources. Sunlight and high heat can break down the chlorine rendering it ineffective. If you have to mount it in the sun then spend the time to cover the Liquidator in the silver wrappable insulation available at hardware stores. This will keep the sun out and your chlorine will last MUCH longer. Trust me, I used mine for a year without it covered and my chlorine use was at least double last year. Thanks for the idea Sabot.
2. If you can, try to use a barb to install the unit in the pump drain. One less hole you don't need to drill or plug later if you don't like it. You may even be able to use a barb for the input from the heater drain if you have one. This tip was learned from another forum member (sorry can't remember who it was). I drilled holes and have no issues but others have had problems.
3. The tubing that comes with it is cheap. Order some Tygon tubing from US plastics. It's much better quality and resists chemicals and UV. Order more than you think you'll need (learn from my mistake)
4. The flow meter has a tendency to leak and create air bubbles. I tried using teflon tape, pipe dope and they both leaked. I tried permatex #2 gasket maker and it works like a champ. It's now very tight. It is removable so if you need to take it apart you can. Also use it on the top (where you put the ball in) with the oring.
5. Keep a supply of muriatic acid on hand. Calcium will eventually build up and you will need to clean it. I found from my experience that the calcium builds up more if my TA is high and my pH is above 7.5 I have a water feature so I am always adding a little acid to keep the pH down. If it gets really bad it will eventualy cause the floats to lose seal and you won't be able to prime on startup.
6. Try and keep a decent amount of chlorine in the Liquidator. Once you set the level, it is set at the saturation of what is in the Liquidator. Meaning if you have 4 gallons of bleach in the Liquidator the saturation is much higher than with 1 gallon remaining. The amount of chlorine introduced into the pool will not be the same at either extreme. Try and keep it fairly steady. I add every 3-4 days or so.
7. Turn your pump off and let the Liquidator drain down before adding bleach. This will give you a lot more space at the top of the Liquidator so you don't overfill.
8. You don't need a one way valve for the outlet but I keep one on the inlet. These too are cheap and one of mine failed (stuck closed) I putzed with it for quite some time before I realized it was functioning fine but the one way valve was stuck shut.
That's all I can think of now. I really like the unit and it is unique. If you want a set it and forget it device you may want to look elsewhere (when you find one let me know) but for those that don't mind a bit of work it beats the heck out of adding bleach to the skimmer. Much more consistent delivery.
Joe
As an early adopter of this device and with many more people buying them I figured I'd start a small "tip" thread to make living with the unit more pleasurable. It's a great design but doesn't use high end parts and can be a bit quirky. What do you want for $150
Anyway, I'll start and feel free to add on. In no particular order.......
1. Try and mount the unit out of direct sunlight and away from high heat sources. Sunlight and high heat can break down the chlorine rendering it ineffective. If you have to mount it in the sun then spend the time to cover the Liquidator in the silver wrappable insulation available at hardware stores. This will keep the sun out and your chlorine will last MUCH longer. Trust me, I used mine for a year without it covered and my chlorine use was at least double last year. Thanks for the idea Sabot.
2. If you can, try to use a barb to install the unit in the pump drain. One less hole you don't need to drill or plug later if you don't like it. You may even be able to use a barb for the input from the heater drain if you have one. This tip was learned from another forum member (sorry can't remember who it was). I drilled holes and have no issues but others have had problems.
3. The tubing that comes with it is cheap. Order some Tygon tubing from US plastics. It's much better quality and resists chemicals and UV. Order more than you think you'll need (learn from my mistake)
4. The flow meter has a tendency to leak and create air bubbles. I tried using teflon tape, pipe dope and they both leaked. I tried permatex #2 gasket maker and it works like a champ. It's now very tight. It is removable so if you need to take it apart you can. Also use it on the top (where you put the ball in) with the oring.
5. Keep a supply of muriatic acid on hand. Calcium will eventually build up and you will need to clean it. I found from my experience that the calcium builds up more if my TA is high and my pH is above 7.5 I have a water feature so I am always adding a little acid to keep the pH down. If it gets really bad it will eventualy cause the floats to lose seal and you won't be able to prime on startup.
6. Try and keep a decent amount of chlorine in the Liquidator. Once you set the level, it is set at the saturation of what is in the Liquidator. Meaning if you have 4 gallons of bleach in the Liquidator the saturation is much higher than with 1 gallon remaining. The amount of chlorine introduced into the pool will not be the same at either extreme. Try and keep it fairly steady. I add every 3-4 days or so.
7. Turn your pump off and let the Liquidator drain down before adding bleach. This will give you a lot more space at the top of the Liquidator so you don't overfill.
8. You don't need a one way valve for the outlet but I keep one on the inlet. These too are cheap and one of mine failed (stuck closed) I putzed with it for quite some time before I realized it was functioning fine but the one way valve was stuck shut.
That's all I can think of now. I really like the unit and it is unique. If you want a set it and forget it device you may want to look elsewhere (when you find one let me know) but for those that don't mind a bit of work it beats the heck out of adding bleach to the skimmer. Much more consistent delivery.
Joe