Liquidator question

[ronniem]

I just hooked up my LQ this weekend and was wondering how long before you guys with the WS noticed it?
Mine is in sunlight for now so I wrapped it in aluminum foil for the time being.

 

[JohnT]

Hope this helps...

Well water

FC 8.5
CC 0
TC 8.5
pH 7.5
TA 100
CYA 70

Well water! Both you and Sabot have well water and no WS!
I wonder if this is relevant. Maybe yes.
What's your Calcium Hardness?

Add me to the low CH well water crowd with no WS.

 

[Sabot]

I believe the solution resides in a low pH. I try to keep mine as close to 7.2 as possible. Having a tool to measure your pH will be an important. Everyone I have talked to at HASA and related people, all say pH is key.

My CH reading from last night was 380. It bounces between 350-400.

 

[pooltime]

My pH is typically 7.5 to 7.6.

 

[JoseJones]

LQ is rock solid

I installed my LQ 3 weeks ago and have been waiting for the WS and it hasn't come. I bought the unit a few weeks before and was dreading putting it in because of the leaking and WS posts that popped up. But, I'm pleasantly surprised how simple a device it is and how well it works. As others I think HASA should of charged a bit more and used better quality parts. The water feels a lot better. Softer? Silkier? I dunno, just feels good. I guess everybody's experience is different, but dang, I'm pretty happy with the $150 or whatever it cost.

Installing was 20 minutes and a couple cuts on my thumbs. I had to tapped into only one pipe and used the Basket drain with a barb for the other. I used both check valves and used Form A Gasket on the flow indicator. My biggest problem is I get too much flow and really have to wrench the flow volume down to around .5 - 1 to get a 2-3 CC. I swear I'm using less chlorine. I get the returnable 12.5% HASA brand Chlorine from our local pool store.

My guess is keeping the numbers in the range of what HASA recommends and using 12.5% Chlorine wards off the WS.

Here's the readings from this morning.

FC? 2-3
PH 7.3
ALK 90

 

[duraleigh]

Re: LQ is rock solid

JJ,
Excellent post. All chlorine application methods have side effects and none are maintenance free. Heck, even some SWG's get WS from time to time and require cleaning.

I think because LQ is pretty new to many of us and an unknown quantity, we all have been perhaps a little overly sensitive to the side effects of operating the LQ.

I would purchase another one in a heartbeat. The WS on mine seems to require cleaning (30 seconds, honest) every 3-6 weeks which would mean a total of less than five minutes per swim season.....that's virtually as troublefree as any other system.

That said, I hope we continue to pursue the WS dilemma. It may be something you simply live with but, if a solution can be found, that'll make it that much better.

For me, it is already so much superior over manually adding bleach I would never go back.

Obviously, I sell the LQ and have an agenda but all my comments about it I have tried to do as a consumer. I am apprecitive of all LQ posts on the forum....positive or negative. It helps us all understand the product better.

 

[revstriker]

Re: LQ is rock solid

I think because LQ is pretty new to many of us and an unknown quantity, we all have been perhaps a little overly sensitive to the side effects of operating the LQ.

I would purchase another one in a heartbeat. The WS on mine seems to require cleaning (30 seconds, honest) every 3-6 weeks which would mean a total of less than five minutes per swim season.....that's virtually as troublefree as any other system.

That said, I hope we continue to pursue the WS dilemma. It may be something you simply live with but, if a solution can be found, that'll make it that much better.

For me, it is already so much superior over manually adding bleach I would never go back.

I too hope that a solution for the WS problem is found, and its something manageable. However, I take exception to the overly sensitive comment. While I am not anti-Liquidator by any means (other than for myself), the equipment has just not worked for me. I tried new tubes, a new flow valve, adjusting the meter high and low, and I still ended up with problems. There was the white stuff, enough to greatly reduce the flow, after only 1 week. There was the air getting into the pump and losing its prime (due to the WS build up on the out flow floater valve), and then of course, there was the difficulty trying to get the flow "right" in order to maintain a consistent FC level in my pool.

So after trying numerous possible solutions, the best thing for me was to remove it. Luckily I was able to install it without tapping into my lines, so reversal was easy. Now I test everyday and add bleach manually everyday which I have found to be so much easier and much less time consuming than having to go out and test, only to find too much or too little FC, and then going to tweak the LQ, only to find the same or the opposite problem the next day.

I am glad to hear that so many people have been successful with their use of the Liquidators. I'm also glad to hear that many have either not had WS issues, or have been able to manage through them. It just has not worked for me.

In conclusion, I think what I wanted in the LQ was a piece of equipment which would allow me to maintain a consistent level of FC in my pool. Knowing now how the LQ works, I realize that this is not the right piece of equipment to do this. Even with a solution to the WS, this will never be able to maintain a consistent level of FC, at least in my pool. My FC usage varies daily, based on swimmer load, outdoor temperatures, and how much sun the pool gets on any given day. Add to that the fact that the FC level in the liquidator reduces as the chlorine level goes down, and this leads me to believe that I would always be struggling with adjustments on it.