Chlorine Locks and How do you undo one

pc4854


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 243

Message Posted:
16/05/2011 13:33

I have managed to obtain a chlorine lock in my 10 x 5 pool. It has been there now for a couple of weeks. Stangely the water in the pool is crystal clear. The question is how do I unlock this thing, have tried putting in a large dose of chlorine but it is still there.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 10:07

Sounds like you'll need to do a bit of breakpoint chlorination to me.

Why not get away from chlorine with an Aligator.

http://www.aligator.co.uk

pc4854


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 243

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 13:14

Hi Vaughan,

What exactly is 'Breakpoint Clorination' please and as I have just purcased about three years supply of granulated chlorine, I shall stick with it for the present.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 13:42

All Chlorine reacts with any organic materials present until they are destroyed.

Chlorine then reacts with amino acids or urea.

These compounds come from proteins or from urine in pool water.

The products of this reaction are called chloramines.

It is these products which give pools their characteristic smell. There are three stages of chloramines:

(a) Monochloramine (0.4 PPM Combined Chlorine is maximum before you cause eyeburn)

(b) Dichloramine (causes ‘smell’ and ‘chlorine odour’)

(c) Trichloramine (reduced oxidation, algae encouraged, time to Super Chlorinate!)

The tri-chloramines are suspected of causing the most health and odour problems. If more chlorine is added the chloramines are themselves broken down until there is nothing left to react.

At this point chlorine begins to appear as 'free chlorine residual'.

This point is termed 'breakpoint'.

What is your Cyanuric Acid level? It may be cheaper in the long run to change your pool water.

joseph


Joined: 17/04/2008
Posts: 709

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 14:07

In a nutshell, Chlorine Lock occurs when the level of Cyanuric Acid in the swimming pool gets too high and stops the chlorine from doing its job. Cyanuric Acid is also known as Pool Conditioner or Pool Stabilizer. Ironically, its job is to protect the chlorine from the sun. Without this conditioner, the chlorine will dissipate very quickly leaving the pool unprotected from bacteria and algae. The recommended level of cyanuric acid in a swimming pool ranges from 30 � 80 ppm. Chlorine lock happens when the conditioner level gets too high. As the cyanuric acid level rises above 80 � 100 ppm, the chlorine becomes less and less effective until at some point, it becomes difficult to hold a chlorine reading in the pool for any significant amount of time. Most likely this is what you are experiencing if you keep adding more chlorine only to find when you test for the chlorine level, it is zero again.



cont...

joseph


Joined: 17/04/2008
Posts: 709

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 14:09

If you are having trouble holding the chlorine level in your swimming pool, test the cyanuric acid levels to eliminate this issue. There are Cyanuric Acid Test Strips and Cyanuric Acid Test Kits that are fairly accurate, or you can take a sample of the pool water to your local pool store and ask them if they test for cyanuric acid.



Once you identify that the cyanuric acid level is too high, there is really only one way to solve the problem. The swimming pool needs to be partially drained one or more times until the conditioner level is diluted and the cyanuric acid reading is between 30 � 80 ppm, preferably between 30 - 50 ppm. Once this is accomplished, shock the pool and make sure the filter is clean and your pool maintenance routine should get back to normal!



Hope this helps ... Joseph

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 15:10

Hi Joseph,



Strictly speaking chlorine lock has nothing to do with Cyanuric Acid. They are two separate problems coincidently with similar solutions - drain the pool and start again.

In order to reach breakpoint an extremely heavy shock of chlorine is required in order to overcome the chloramines present in the water. However, if your CYA is too high you will still need to drain your pool and start again saving yourself the cost and inconvenience of super chlorination.



pc4854,



Bring a sample into Octopus Pools and I will take a look at your CYA.,

0maintenance


Joined: 22/09/2010
Posts: 2179

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 15:20

Maybe you would like to move away from chlorine?



http://www.zerochlor.co.uk

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 15:22

0maintenance,



msg 3.

0maintenance


Joined: 22/09/2010
Posts: 2179

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 16:38

Message 3



I feel if you have bought 3 years supply of chlorine now,it will not be any use in maybe 1 years time if not stored correctly,but in saying this im still in the mind that the chlorine shall of lost its strenght in 1 years time.



Im sure vaughan may give you a better explanation regarding if the chlorine you have will be of any use in 3 years time.

lionel


Joined: 21/04/2011
Posts: 179

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 16:46

where can i purchase an aligator and what is the price ?

joseph


Joined: 17/04/2008
Posts: 709

Message Posted:
17/05/2011 17:11

Hi Vaughan... how are you... as ever I bow to your superior knowledge and more importantly.. experience !



I must admit to being a zerochlor user, though only for six months or so.. and have no complaints... so far



Regards Joseph