Shelf life of regents

[richmgreen]

I have had my TF100 kit for a couple of years now. Many of the regents have been replaced. I am curious to know if there is a shelf life on the regents after which time they must be replaced to remain accurate?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[poolsupplysales]

If kept in a cool dry place out of the sun the average life of most reagents is one year

 

[JasonLion]

If carefully stored they can last several years. If left out in direct sunlight some of them can go bad in a few weeks. Taylor says a year, many people here routinely get two years or more. However, the longer you try to go the more likely you are to run into problems.

Some of the reagents are much more sensitive than others. The FAS-DPD titrant and the dyes used in the OTO, PH, TA, and CH tests are the most sensitive. Several of the others can last a really long time as long as they are properly closed and kept in the dark at cool but not freezing temperatures.

 

[duraleigh]

Jason is just KILLIN' my refill sales but his words are quite true. I had some DPD powder that had turned charcoal and was four years old but it still worked. I had some new powder to check behind it but it worked fine.

I left my K-1000 (Thats the OTO chlorine test and the pH test together) out in the sun for a couple of days and it was TOAST.

Again, Taylor says one year but, if you store it properly, you can get more.

At some point, (maybe 2 years?) it is probably cost effective to replace everything at once and save on both reagent cost and shipping.

I always test indoors and keep the kit in a cool, dry closet when not in use...next to the GOOD bourbon (when not in use)

 

[mas985]

The FAS-DPD titrant and the dyes used in the OTO, PH, TA, and CH tests are the most sensitive.

I recently noticed that my CH indicator was really thick and caused clumps in the vial. At first I thought it was magnesium but then I used a backup kit and it turned out that the reagent must have been bad. But that had to be over three years old as far as I can remember. The TA is that old too but seems to match the results of the newer reagents. I don't go through TA and CH reagents very fast but the other stuff is not around long enough to worry about.

 

[texasdad]

If carefully stored they can last several years. If left out in direct sunlight some of them can go bad in a few weeks. Taylor says a year, many people here routinely get two years or more. However, the longer you try to go the more likely you are to run into problems.

Some of the reagents are much more sensitive than others. The FAS-DPD titrant and the dyes used in the OTO, PH, TA, and CH tests are the most sensitive. Several of the others can last a really long time as long as they are properly closed and kept in the dark at cool but not freezing temperatures.

What are the signs that the Reagents are too old? Will it stop working completely or will it give inaccurate results.

 

[JasonLion]

It can be either way. As they start to go bad the results are off, and then when they go completely bad the results are clearly impossible.

One clear sign that the dyes have gone bad is when they stain the plastic bottle they are in. Unfortunately they start to go bad before staining becomes completely obvious. For R-0871, the drops should be clear. If they are yellow it has gone bad.

 

[mek]

I'm reading here they can last anywhere from 1 to 3 or 4 years (if stored properly). That is good news! I would hate to throw away a bottle that is still 3/4 or more full just because it is a year old!

Here is a follow up question...if they are ready to go, how do you dispose of them (especially if there is any liquid left in them)? Pour them down the drain? Chuck 'em into the garbage? These don't like responsible options to me. Luckily for me there is a hazardous waste collection day at the local landfill in a couple of weeks (No, the stuff doesn't go into the landfill! ).

Mike

 

[Bama Rambler]

There have been several discussions about disposal, and given the chemicals and the quantities involved, it's not too bad to pour them down the drain. However, taking them for proper disposal is always a better idea, and I whole-heartedly encourage that.

 

[kal2002]

At some point, (maybe 2 years?) it is probably cost effective to replace everything at once and save on both reagent cost and shipping.

It is cheaper to replace all the chemicals at once. I store them in a kitchen cabinet and test indoors so I still use some of the older left over chemicals from last year.

 

[tfpAg87]

In trying to test Chlorine, no amount of drops will turn the water from pink to clear. Does the R-0870 also eventually expire?

Thanks

 

[nikon5400]

What's the best temperature to store regents?

I have these temperatures in my house:

basement 62-65 in the summer
one room upstairs 55-60 in the winter
first floor 67-72 all year round

I don't mind storing them anywhere as I keep my liquid chlorine in the basement anyway and for the winter I can move them upstairs to coldest room in the house if that will extend regents life.

Thanks

 

[tfpAg87]

Bump for my question couple days ago.

 

[pooldv]

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