Diy liquid chlorine pump

[mwemaxxowner]

So, I was researching Stenner pumps, which led me down a rabbit hole looking at DIY liquid chlorine pumps. My favorite is still the 110v $25 pump that it looks like several folks have used with success!

I started thinking (sometimes that's bad), I have an old methanol injection system I pulled off my truck. Pump, tubing, controller, tank, etc. The pump is rated at 200 psi, 1 gpm. Surely that's enough power to pump on the pressure side of my system using the commercially available stehner pump port?

Power supply, timer, figure out how to adapt my 3/8 tubing to connect, shouldn't be too difficult, no? I don't know if there's anyone I can really trust to tend to the chlorine when we are away. I will need a larger tank than 1 gal but that should get me started for testing purposes.

I like the simplicity of a low pressure pump and a simple drip line into the skimmer or something, but the way my pool is laid out I can't do that without cooking up some sort of janky looking solution. The line would have to run over the concrete patio around the pool. Es no bueno!

 

[kimkats]

Chlorine is tough on stuff so that makes it harder to find equipment that can handle it. If you decide to try it make sure to do it when you can check on it daily to be on the safe side.

good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I would just play with it at first, maybe test it with water to get a good handle on the flow rate and setting the timer for proper dosing. The pump is compatible with 100% methanol, which is corrosive, but I don't think it is on the level that bleach is. The cheap pumps used in other threads that are *not* peristaltic and have lasted are what give me hope.

This is just sitting around collecting dust right now. I've almost thrown it away several times.

I have a check valve for it too that was installed right before my injection site on the truck. I might get lucky and find that my nozzles will fit the threads in the drain plugs on my Frog 5400 cartridge. I thought otherwise I could still and tap the cap on the frog cartridge. If it's a flop that would be easy to replace. I've seen other installs where folks used an in line chlorine feeder for the LQ injection, I figure using the frog the same way would be similar.

If the pump bites the dust I think I could, at that point, acquire a peristaltic pump and put it on.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

The more I look and research, it looks incredibly easy to diy a chlorine dosing system. Stenner injection quill, tubing, peristaltic pump, timer of some kind. In a nutshell.

I'm seeing lots of dosing pumps in the 20-100 dollar range (that come with a power supply). Some are even programmable and automated, closer to 100 dollars.

So I have to ask, what's the catch? Why aren't more being implemented? Are those cheaper peristaltic pumps not capable of overcoming the pressure after the filter? My pre filter pressure is 12ish psi. I have a 3/4 HP Hayward single speed pump.

There won't be that much pressure post filter. I'm guessing these mid priced dosing pumps can overcome that?

 

[mknauss]

Why aren't more being implemented?

At the end of the day, you still have to go out and buy chlorine and fill your tank. Now one member I have seen buried a large tank that essentially he fills once per year. From a 55 gallon drum of sodium hypochlorite he gets delivered. Not all of us live in an area or home that can do that kind of DIY.

But if you are OK with filling up the tank every week or so, go for it. I am lazy, the SWCG is much easier.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I'd prefer filling the tank once a week or something vs storing 5-10 bottles of chlorine at a time and still having to lug or dump those bottles.

The real draw for me in my mind right now is having the ability to dose while away from home. My cya is high, I don't need to use tablets for that. But I still like the idea of pouring 5-10 gallons in a tank at one time and dosing in small increments through the day.

My pump/filter is all enclosed in the pump room, shielded from the sun and elements, and with ample room to do something like this.

 

[RDspaguy]

Be sure to use a check valve or you may overflow your chlorine tank with water when the chlorine pump is not running, creating dangerous gas and a potential fire hazard. Stenner makes a chemical resistant one, as do several others. I would not mess around with questionable parts on that. Safety first! Might want to mount that pump over a catch basin too, just in case.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I plan to use one.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

So I did a thing.

I used to have a healthy power supply from an old HAM radio that I would run an amp and a sub off of when I was a teenager (don't ask). I guess I threw it away when we moved into the new house. I had hung on to it for 10 years or more, but I guess I tossed it since I hadn't used it in forever. I also seem to have thrown away my check valve, nozzles, and sandwich bung I would have needed.

By the time I buy a power supply, check valve, injection quill, timer, etc, OR buy a programmable peristaltic pump, I would have spent this much.

It includes the injection quill, and the weighted and filtered pickup fitting. No tubing but I have tubing.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

My first inclination is just to use a 5 gal bucket with a lid as my chlorine "tank".

However, at first I think I need a clear container so I can gauge use accurately and dial it in properly. My pool uses about a gallon a day, so I need at least five gallons to be useful.

What sort of containers are y'all using? If I mark the inside with a sharpie, the bleach will remove it in short order won't it?

 

[RDspaguy]

Amazon.com: 5 Gallon Wide-Mouth Water Bottle by PWH: Home & Kitchen

Buy 5 Gallon Wide-Mouth Water Bottle by PWH: Sports Water Bottles - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[GDN]

There are many options for a "tank" for your chlorine. This is a write up on my Stenner install and information and pics of the "tank" I found and purchased. Stenner install - Pentair ET8

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Well, how'd I do?!

I think I'm going to drill and tap the lid on my Frog reservoir to mount the injection quill if it won't fit the drain plug (and I don't think it will). I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about a tank. I hope I will be able to see enough of a shadow through a 5 gal bucket to mark off lines for each gallon. I'll test that and go from there.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Well, time to do some testing and dial it in! I have it set to run for an hour a day for now. I'll test the waters and adjust as needed! I have10% bleach right now, and I'm currently at 8 ppm.

 

[RonsPlc]

At the end of the day, you still have to go out and buy chlorine and fill your tank. Now one member I have seen buried a large tank that essentially he fills once per year. From a 55 gallon drum of sodium hypochlorite he gets delivered. Not all of us live in an area or home that can do that kind of DIY.

But if you are OK with filling up the tank every week or so, go for it. I am lazy, the SWCG is much easier.

Who would THAT be?

 

[mknauss]

He is a regular member. Do a search.
I am a bit concerned with where you are adding the liquid chlorine. I realize you will never do it, but if someone ever put trichlor in that chlorinator, and the pump put liquid chlorine in there, the explosion would pretty much destroy your equipment pad. And harm anyone nearby.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

Live it but I agree with mknauss, there is a real risk. Perhaps put a thread lock on the lid so that it is not easy to remove?

 

[RonsPlc]

@mknauss I think I found him sitting in my chair!
Actually I was surprised to find out that they had not raised the price on it this year.
Still $140+tax delivered for 55gal.
I have a barrel coming on Wednesday.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

The Frog packs do use trichlor, don't they?

At any rate, we haven't administered any chlorine through the frog system in years. We were using pucks placed in the skimmer basket. We have, until this year, used it for the mineral pack and the algaecide that they offer.

Nobody but me ever messes with this thing, but I suspect I could cook up a way to lock the lid and/or add a warning note on the lid.

 

[mknauss]

That would be a good idea.