For those who remember me, you know I like to cheap out. If there is a PoBoy way of doing something, I will find it! After the countless hours of squatting by the pool last year, painstakingly pouring the bleach (not too much, but as fast as possible to get it over with) I decided to find a way to make a chlorine feeder. My wife is tired of me bleaching my good clothes because I don't change before pouring bleach... I'm not sure how it compares to the ones that are sold on the market, but I know it is going to work just fine for me, plus this is less than $50 to make, and I'm poor!! I WOULD like to go larger, and may try to perfect my design later, but here is the first failed attempt, and the "rough draft".
First off, I bought this siphon mixer
Dramm 22625 Syphonject Siphon Mixer with External Check Valve 3D Print Town
I tried to use it by rigging it up on a 5 gallon chemical bucket from our detail shop. Looking back on it, I probably could have made it work. I took it all apart because I didn't know what the issue was. I think my water pressure is a little too low for the siphon mixer to work on its own. If there is ANY resistance on the exit side, it will not siphon, so using a spray nozzle to mist it around the pool will not work. Some photos of this setup.
I knew at least part of my issue was the lack of pressure to work the siphon, so I started kicking ideas around. I went to Harbor Freight and got a 2 gallon pump sprayer (going back for a 4 gallon later) and went to work. I took the pressure release valve off, and plumbed a feed line the same size as the outlet line, and it works like a charm. I ran 4 or 5 gallons of water through it to test, and then (my kids are still mad) I used a pack of kool aid, so I could see how long it takes for the tank to change from chemical to water. I have also played with water volume, and during SLAM, I'm going to try to set it to run low volume and hope to make it keep the FC in range while I am at work, without overfilling the pool. I have timed it quite a bit, and for my particular setup and water flow, I THINK I may have it close already. I hope to put it to the true test this weekend!
First off, I bought this siphon mixer
Dramm 22625 Syphonject Siphon Mixer with External Check Valve 3D Print Town
I tried to use it by rigging it up on a 5 gallon chemical bucket from our detail shop. Looking back on it, I probably could have made it work. I took it all apart because I didn't know what the issue was. I think my water pressure is a little too low for the siphon mixer to work on its own. If there is ANY resistance on the exit side, it will not siphon, so using a spray nozzle to mist it around the pool will not work. Some photos of this setup.
I knew at least part of my issue was the lack of pressure to work the siphon, so I started kicking ideas around. I went to Harbor Freight and got a 2 gallon pump sprayer (going back for a 4 gallon later) and went to work. I took the pressure release valve off, and plumbed a feed line the same size as the outlet line, and it works like a charm. I ran 4 or 5 gallons of water through it to test, and then (my kids are still mad) I used a pack of kool aid, so I could see how long it takes for the tank to change from chemical to water. I have also played with water volume, and during SLAM, I'm going to try to set it to run low volume and hope to make it keep the FC in range while I am at work, without overfilling the pool. I have timed it quite a bit, and for my particular setup and water flow, I THINK I may have it close already. I hope to put it to the true test this weekend!
