Difference in FC test using TFTestkits refill bottle

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rynd96

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LifeTime Supporter
Jun 14, 2015
23
Akron Ohio
This is my first TFP season, thank goodness I don't have to back up the Brinks truck to the pool store anymore, thank you all!

My question is, I have a Taylor 2006 kit and began to run low on the R-0871 so I ordered the big 2oz bottle, (along with other stuff) from TFTestkits. While testing the FC the other day I ran out of the original r-0871 mid test and grabbed my big bottle from TFT. It appeared to me that the drops coming from the refill bottle were smaller than those from the Taylor bottle. I refilled the Taylor bottle and then started doing comparison tests between the two droppers. With the original Taylor bottle FC was 4.2. Using the 2 oz TFT bottle, FC was 5.8. I repeated these tests and have done the same at different times over the past few days with very similar results.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Which bottle is dispensing the correct drop size?
 
A proper dropper tip is supposed to be 24 drops per milliliter with an error of +/- 1 drop. So you can see if you get 120 +/- 5 drops in 5 ml. That's the best way to know what is "right". If you have any bad dropper tip in a TFTestkit, just ask Dave for a new one and he'll send one (or more) right out to you.

You can transfer the dropper tip to another (empty) bottle to just use tap water for testing so you save on reagent. You can save an empty bottle for this purpose and just switch dropper tips.
 
Thanks for the suggestion chem geek, I will try that tonight if I can figure a way to accurately measure 5ml.

Doesn't viscosity of the liquid have an effect on the amount of drops per ml?

I sent an e-mail to TFTeskits last night and was shocked that they responded on a Saturday evening, talk about great service. They didn't quite understand my issue so I had to explain it better but they seem to be on top of it so we will see how that goes. One thing they did say is that the tip on their bottle is the same as the tip on the Taylor bottle so I checked. It is not as you can see in the pic.



The one on the left is the Taylor, on the right is TFTestkit. The TFT one has a piece of molded plastic that spans the inside, also this tip does not fit in the Taylor bottle, it's a bit too big.

They are looking into the issue and that is all I can ask for at this point, my main concern is that if their tip is not dispensing the right amount of reagent, there could be a lot of people out there with incorrect readings.

I will update when I hear back from them.
 
I just got off the phone with Dave, had a great conversation and he wanted me to try a couple of things tonight when I get home and report back to him.

After speaking with him, I understand the difference in the inside of the tips makes no difference.

That is the type of service every company should provide, unfortunately no one really does, except TFTestkits!

Thanks Dave
 
Thanks to Dave, I figured out my issue, I was dripping too fast. He also said there is no real point in doing the .2ppm test for our needs so I switched to the .5ppm.

There is a slight difference in the amount coming out of the two bottles when allowing gravity to pull the drop off the tip as Dave suggested. This was evidenced by measuring 2ml of the reagent "gravity dripped" from each bottle, a 4 drop per 2ml difference. At the quantity we use, that 4 drop difference does not matter when your doing your FC test because you would normally only use 25 % of that amount. That may lead to a .5ppm difference but there are so many variables that could throw a test off by one drop. I did experience that when doing a "gravity drip" there was a .5ppm difference in the results between the bottles, with the Taylor reading higher now for some reason.

I also believe the difference could easily be related to my error due to the difference in the "squeezability" of the two bottles. I noticed that the TFT bottle will usually give me 4 or 5 drops without any real squeeze.

The long and short is, drop really really slow, a gravity drip if you will. Don't be so worried about you tests being accurate down to .1 or .2 ppm and finally Dave and TFTestkit are amazing!
 
The long and short is, drop really really slow, a gravity drip if you will. Don't be so worried about you tests being accurate down to .1 or .2 ppm and finally Dave and TFTestkit are amazing!
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Thank you. Those are very nice words. Actually, though, it's members like you that get the credit. It would have been easy for you to say, "This POS doesn't work!" Instead, you chose a path of due diligence and were willing to take your time and your trouble to figure out what was happening. TFP is all about managing your pool through increased knowledge and Rynd96, you are a true TFP dude. nice work on your part.
 
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