Maintaining proper pH and disinfectant levels in swimming water plays a key role in pool maintenance and swimmer safety. The task can pose a significant challenge since pool and spa water pH and disinfectant levels can change quickly. Swimming water pH can bounce up and down from factors such as adding disinfectant, and rain water entering the pool. Like pH, disinfectant levels can also alter rapidly. Swimmer load and environmental factors will affect the disinfectant level in a pool or spa. Without some form of constant control owners and operators of pools and spas will need to adjust chemical feed rates regularly. To eliminate the hassle and inherent mistakes associated with manual control, I suggest using feeder automation.
In my experience pool owners would prefer to spend time enjoying their pools instead of constantly adjusting their feeders. Along the same lines managers and operators at commercial facilities tend to wear many hats and would benefit from an automated feed system. With automation swimming water is monitored 24/7 and feeders respond accordingly
The first step in automation involves the measurement of disinfectant and pH. Sensor probes installed in the pool plumbing accomplish the monitoring process. An automated control system will have a pH probe and an Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) probe. The pH probe will read the pH level of the pool water and the ORP probe will indicate the oxidizing potential of the water. As the probes sense the water's pH and ORP they relay this information to a chemical controller.
The chemical controller processes the information the probes gather and adjust a pool and spa's feeders to meet the desired pH and ORP set points. Controllers vary in complexity. Simple models may only involve the function of adjusting disinfectant and chlorine feeders. More complex models involve proportional feed and alarm capabilities. Advanced models may also control other water factors, use remote communication, and offer data logging. Allegheny Pool Services Co. is familiar with the installation and operation of a variety of controllers.
If you would find a further discussion of feeder automation helpful, please contact us. We would be happy to meet with you and access the specific control needs of your pool and spa. Allegheny Pool Services Co. offers both controller sale and installations. More information is available at our homepage. I hope you found this post on feeder automation helpful. More information on probe care and feeder calibration can be found on my post "Probe Care and Feeder Calibration".
Thanks for reading,
Tim Johnson