Did I ruin my TF 100 Test Kit?

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lastevns

lastevns

Silver Supporter
May 22, 2022
135
Riverside, CA
Pool Size
5000
Surface
Vinyl
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
So, I have a test kit from 2 years ago (came with the plastic case). Last year, I bought a bag of refill chemicals. When we stopped swimming in November, my BF put both into the garage - along with the unused chlorine. I live in Riverside and the summers are hot and the garage has no AC. I know the chlorine is ruined. That's easily replaced. But, will the test chemicals also be ruined? They were in a plastic bin in the garage along the wall that connects to the house. I know it takes about 2 weeks to get another bag of refill chemicals so, I don't want to start adding water until I know I have a usable test kit. Can anyone tell me if the refill chemicals (which haven't been opened), will be ruined for use this year? TIA.
 
Texas Splash said:
They are probably compromised to some degree, therefore may not be 100% accurate after one summer in the hot garage. Still better than test strips or the pool store I bet.
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Thanks for the fast response! Do you feel I could use this kit for the initial fill while I wait for another kit refill? Or do you feel the numbers would be off far enough that I will have green water by the time the new kit arrives? If it's possible that I will have green water, I will wait to fill the pool until the new kit arrives. That's why I am asking.
 
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Take a sample of pool water to the pool store and if they agree with the compromised test kit results, then you know the TF-100 chemicals are bad:p!

But seriously, fill that pool up and use Pool Math to determine how much Chlorine to put in the pool until the new reagents arrive.
 
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SecoSteve said:
Take a sample of pool water to the pool store and if they agree with the compromised test kit results, then you know the TF-100 chemicals are bad:p!

But seriously, fill that pool up and use Pool Math to determine how much Chlorine to put in the pool until the new reagents arrive.
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Yeah, I should have thought of PoolMath. I have it. That will at least give me a good start on the chlorine and that should protect me from green for awhile, I assume. Thanks for the reminder.

Oh... and... so funny about the pool stores. I learned, on TFP, early on, that the water checks in those stores were notoriously bad. I tried to tell my friend about this but he was so proud that he was a responsible pool owner. He bragged to me that he took himself down to Leslie so that they could give him a professional reading of his water quality (they also sold him everything he would need to take care of his pool). So, I didn't have the heart to argue, "You're doing it wrong." But, over time, his pool liner was completely bleached white (obvious overuse) and even his pump somehow had all the printing bleached off of it. He finally took his down because he couldn't keep the water from turning green. He is a stubborn guy who has to do things his way. That carries its own consequences. So, your comment made me laugh.
 
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SecoSteve said:
Take a sample of pool water to the pool store and if they agree with the compromised test kit results, then you know the TF-100 chemicals are bad:p!

But seriously, fill that pool up and use Pool Math to determine how much Chlorine to put in the pool until the new reagents arrive.
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Don't waste your time going to the PS for any testing.

Order a new refill kit. It should arrive sometime next week.
While waiting for the refill kit to arrive, use your old reagents. There are probably close enough for a few days.
Post results in this thread and we can refiew/advise.

Test kit needs to be stored indoors (climate controlled) when not in use. Never leave it in the garage or outside when not in active use. Maybe store in inside laundry room or kitchen.
 
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proavia said:
Don't waste your time going to the PS for any testing.

Order a new refill kit. It should arrive sometime next week.
While waiting for the refill kit to arrive, use your old reagents. There are probably close enough for a few days.
Post results in this thread and we can refiew/advise.
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I was joking!
 
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Fill it up.

Add 30 ppm of chlorine stabilizer/CYA (1 lb. 4 oz). Wait 24 hours to test.

Add 26 oz of 10% liquid chlorine to increase FC to 4 ppm (add this amount daily). Mix well and test after about one hour.

Test with your kit to see if your FC and CYA match the numbers above. See how far off the numbers are off.

I would still order a new set of reagents though.
 
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proavia said:
Don't waste your time going to the PS for any testing.

Order a new refill kit. It should arrive sometime next week.
While waiting for the refill kit to arrive, use your old reagents. There are probably close enough for a few days.
Post results in this thread and we can refiew/advise.
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No, I wouldn't go to a pool store. My first job, as a kid, was to test and add chemicals to a country club pool in exchange for use of it. So, I was familiar with testing even before finding TFP. But, I learned more here on this site.

You say order another reagent kit... but I wonder: I ordered this refill kit last summer. When it got here, via mail, it was already hot (summer in So Cal). The blue reagent was even spilled a bit when it arrived. I worried it might have been compromised from the start due to shipping in summer heat. Do you think ordering again at this time of year will give me compromised chemicals given it will be shipped during 90 to 100 degree heat?
 

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lastevns said:
No, I wouldn't go to a pool store. My first job, as a kid, was to test and add chemicals to a country club pool in exchange for use of it. So, I was familiar with testing even before finding TFP. But, I learned more here on this site.

You say order another reagent kit... but I wonder: I ordered this refill kit last summer. When it got here, via mail, it was already hot (summer in So Cal). The blue reagent was even spilled a bit when it arrived. I worried it might have been compromised from the start due to shipping in summer heat. Do you think ordering again at this time of year will give me compromised chemicals given it will be shipped during 90 to 100 degree heat?
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A few days in shipping won't really affect it. Weeks outside or in a hot garage is a different story.

Medicine we put in our bodies is shipped year-round in all kinds of temperarures and nobody thinks twice about it's efficacy.
 
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proavia said:
A few days in shipping won't really affect it. Weeks outside or in a hot garage is a different story.

Medicine we put in our bodies is shipped year-round in all kinds of temperarures and nobody thinks twice about it's efficacy.
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Thanks for that confirmation. I will place an order today. I just hope the package doesn't explode on me. It's so hot here right now. And, like I wrote, last summer, the refill kit arrived with one of the bottles leaking. So, crossing fingers! Thanks again!
 
lastevns said:
Thanks for that confirmation. I will place an order today. I just hope the package doesn't explode on me. It's so hot here right now. And, like I wrote, last summer, the refill kit arrived with one of the bottles leaking. So, crossing fingers! Thanks again!
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Riverside can get pretty hot - probably one of the hotter places in the IE.
Might be a little hotter here in the Phoenix area today at 114.

If anything is leaking, contact TFTestkits and they will make it right,
 
@lastevns, I keep my test kit on the shelf in the coat closet all year. In the winter it's buried under hats and such and does just fine. You probably don't even have the hats.

My #2 out of the way spot would be that stupid cabinet over the fridge. But I'm tall though so YMMV there. :ROFLMAO:

#3 would be under any sink in the house (with no little kids to worry about)
 
Rancho Cost-a-Lotta said:
Fill it up.

Add 30 ppm of chlorine stabilizer/CYA (1 lb. 4 oz). Wait 24 hours to test.

Add 26 oz of 10% liquid chlorine to increase FC to 4 ppm (add this amount daily). Mix well and test after about one hour.

Test with your kit to see if your FC and CYA match the numbers above. See how far off the numbers are off.

I would still order a new set of reagents though.
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Thanks for the detailed response. Had to go back and refresh my knowledge of the various chemicals (so thankful for the pool school section of the site). So, CYA first. Got it. I still have a little from last year but, yeah, he saved it in the garage for a short while (to be fair, we had last minute guests and he saw the box and just thought to get it out of the way - no blame to be assigned). Want to get new anyway. I have granulated. Can you suggest a more convenient delivery type? The sock method is slow. Or is granular the best? Actually... Amazon could get it here today in granular form. So, I guess I'm sticking with that for now. Thanks though.
 
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