Commercial Pool Testing

What parameters of the water require testing and recording?

Er, and isn't the lifeguard there to safeguard lives, not to test the water?

Interesting... I'm currently working on a pool dosing system for a third party.

The initial stages are a system which responds to manually entered data.

(Controlling Ph, the customer's chemical [not chlorine based], and a 'regenerator' to maintain the redox level)

The reasoning behind this is that automated systems still require calibration and maintenance, also where there is a mandatory requirement to take the various readings then they may as well be used to drive the dosing unit.

Fully automated systems are expensive and when checked against manual readings there will be discrepancies.

We are expecting to develop a fully automated system long term but reliable sensors are problematical.

It looks like there is a market for automated lifeguards in New Jersey.

Dont think I would like your pool. How would your automated tester save my childs life??

I work in the wastewater/water treatment business and run across this type monitoring all the time. Depending on what you want to monitor the cost of these systems vary widely. Getting a system to test every 2 hours will probably cost as much as a continuous monitoring system. You still need all the same "pieces parts" in either case. Go online and search for water quality monitoring equipment and you will find a crap load full of stuff!!

It is critical to understand the difference between free chlorine and total chlorine.

Free chlorine is what is available to sanitize, Total is , well, total. If these numbers don't match, it can be problematic.

Water quality test is no more than 5 minutes maximum, (I do it each morning before I make breakfast) using either wet method (drops and color scale) or dip strips.

The salary savings are a red herring.

milo

I worked in the commercial pool business for 7 years out here in California and was a LA County certified pool technician. There are two companies that I think make the best controlers in the market for monitoring and controling Ph and ORP(free available chlorine) levels.

The first is made by Santa Barbra Controlers. I would recomend the PC 2000.

They also make a version that has a Cl ppm probe so you don't have to understand the ORP/Free available CL conversion.

The second is made by U.S. Filter (Stranco) their system 3 controler works very well also.

You have to change the Ph and Orp probes every two years (assuming you don't leave them out over the winter and they freeze) and the Santa Barbra controler probes are half the cost of the Stranco.

Personaly I would go with the Santa Barbra cotroler. It is a small company and they are a great group of guys that go out of their way to help you solve any problems you encounter.

If our pool got some use, then yes to the lifeguard purpose. The problem is only a few people use the pool during the week, and other than testing the water required by code, the guard sits there with absolutely nothing and no one there most of the time. I would still like to have a guard when people are there. Plus some people want to do laps early in am. In any event, I thank all for your comments and will investigate ideas and also pass feedback onto our committee and Board. Any other comments would also be appreciated.