what do you pay for chlorine / how much per unit / what concentration?

[primuspaul]

Just wondering since prices have been all over the place the last few years. I hear liquid chlorine is popular around here.

I located 100 lbs of cal hypo 68% for $289.99. I think it's pretty good given even the cheapest cal hypo approaches $4/lb. Also saw tri chlor at 50 lbs for $179.99. I typically start out with the cheapest tri chlor which also has the benefit of adding CYA until I reach the needed CYA, and then switch to cal hypo. I just can't find liquid chlorine that's cheap enough to compete, even though chemically it's ideal since there's no need to worry about CYA runaway (tri chlor) or cloudy water (cal hypo).

item	lbs OR gal	price	fc incr on 10k gal pool per pool math from 16 oz OR gal	price per lb OR gal	price per unit of fc increase
cal hypo 68%​	100​	$289.99​	8.1​	$2.90​	$0.36​
tri chlor​	50​	$179.99​	11​	$3.60​	$0.33​
liq chl 10%​	1​	$5.67​	10​	$5.67​	$0.57​

 

[Newdude]

WalMart is my regular spot. We don't have any pool stores near the normal shopping areas and if someone had a better deal with 12.5%, the trip there would eat any savings and then some.

You want a SWG and then it no longer matters. A Circupool RJ60+ would make about 5000 FC for you @ $1579. With tax it would be about 35 cents per FC.

The install would cost some bucks, but future cells don't need the controller and make BANK. The replacement cell is $794 and makes the same 5000 FC. (16 cents per FC ?)

 

[TinFoilHat]

Wally World for liquid which is about $5.44 per gallon in a two gallon carton. But as stated, a SWG is the way to go in the looooooong run. It pays for itself. If you don't do SWG now then you will still pay for it in the next couple of years with all the OTHER chlorine you have to buy. And stay away from pucks after they add what else you need. I would do liquid and add some granular CYA myself. Unfortunately, in the east your season is over so Wally, HD and Lowes will all be out. A pool store will still have 12.5%. If your water is good now and you are closing then get the FC up to SLAM level with liquid and then shut it down.

 

[Mdragger88]

I’m lucky- I have a good source for 10.5% fresh liquid chlorine year round. It’s $4/gal. & has been since covid. Prior to that it was $2/gal
It still beats all other manual methods hands down economically.
Thankfully I don’t need much as my most economical pool appliance (my swcg) makes most of my chlorine for me

 

[Mdragger88]

Those are lucrative prices. But as you know they have hidden costs.
You’ll need to do a mix of things or you’ll end up with too much calcium or too much cya - both of which require water exchange (not free).
I personally don’t appreciate the ph hit trichlor gives. It messes with my otherwise extremely stable ph/ta if i am not really sparing (more sparing than can adequately chlorinate). Some folks have a climbing ph & high ta but for those who don’t the subsequent cost of baking soda needs to be added to the trichlor cost.
I still say the best time to get a swcg was yesterday the second best time is today! The long term math beats even my cheaper liquid chlorine prices from before covid.

 

[pjt]

I just can't find liquid chlorine that's cheap enough to compete

Get a SWCG.

Over its lifetime, my cell should produce the equivalent of ~1,000 gallons of liquid chlorine. At ~$6/gallon, that would be ~$6,000 of chlorine. The replacement cell costs $1,300. SWCG wins by a large margin, plus the ease and convenience are unbeatable.

Edit: I must have fat fingered the math in my original post. I suspect @Newdude caught my mistake. 1,000 gallons of LC is accurate.

 

[Newdude]

equivalent of ~1,000gallons of liquid chlorine. At ~$6/gallon, that would be ~$6,000 of chlorine. The replacement cell costs $1,300.

For me, the sales tax difference between the SWG and bleach is $405. That pays for 25% of my next SWG, to then make even more bank.

But the *not lugging* 1000 jugs....... or 1600 lbs of trichlor....... or 2000 lbs of cal hypo..... is beyond priceless.

The convienence simply cannot be over stated.

 

[setsailsoon]

I've had 2 months of "jug-lugging" on my new pool and I'm done. Already added the salt because my wife requires it to get in. She hates the feel of non-salt pool on her sensitive skin; says a salt pool is like going to the spa every day! Hope to turn on the swg next week!

 

[primuspaul]

Those are lucrative prices. But as you know they have hidden costs.
You’ll need to do a mix of things or you’ll end up with too much calcium or too much cya - both of which require water exchange (not free).
I personally don’t appreciate the ph hit trichlor gives. It messes with my otherwise extremely stable ph/ta if i am not really sparing (more sparing than can adequately chlorinate). Some folks have a climbing ph & high ta but for those who don’t the subsequent cost of baking soda needs to be added to the trichlor cost.
I still say the best time to get a swcg was yesterday the second best time is today! The long term math beats even my cheaper liquid chlorine prices from before covid.

BTW does anyone know the shelf life of cal hypo? You seem to have some experience.

 

[setsailsoon]

BTW does anyone know the shelf life of cal hypo? You seem to have some experience.

EPA shows storage life 24 months with proper conditions. If kept dry, cool and out of direct sun I expect it could go longer.

 

[Mdragger88]

Personally I’d make sure to store it all alone away from all other chems in some kind of plastic container. You don’t want it mixing with anything should a package break/rip. Its very dangerous and can cause an explosion

 

[primuspaul]

EPA shows storage life 24 months with proper conditions. If kept dry, cool and out of direct sun I expect it could go longer.

I always keep it indoors (air conditioned room). Only exception is if it's a batch that has already been earmarked for use that season (meaning within 1-2 months), in which case it's kept in a cabinet outdoors.

Personally I’d make sure to store it all alone away from all other chems in some kind of plastic container. You don’t want it mixing with anything should a package break/rip. Its very dangerous and can cause an explosion

Well it comes in a plastic bucket, so of course.

 

[Mdragger88]

I always keep it indoors (air conditioned room). Only exception is if it's a batch that has already been earmarked for use that season (meaning within 1-2 months), in which case it's kept in a cabinet outdoors.

Well it comes in a plastic bucket, so of course.

Some is just packets in a box- a lady not long ago had some leak out & rust her garage refrigerator and it was a big mess to try to clean up safely.