It struck us as odd that we had not, yet, received an inquiry about ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential), but that thought will never cross our minds again since ‘Ella’ asked us…
I need to find out about the testerORP/Redox for using at the pool
And finally, what did they have to say?
Could you explain what could be tested at the pool’s water by tested ORP/Redox (ORPTester 10 model)? How often do I have to conduct the tests?
Thank you,
Ella
Thank you, Ella, for bringing up the topic of ORP Meters and what they test. Many people have heard of ORP Meters, but not many understand a whole lot about them.
Rather than get into a discussion about gaining and losing electrons that would bore everyone to tears, we will instead sum up ORP Meters’ usefulness by saying that they measure the effectiveness of oxidizers (i.e. chlorine, bromine, non-chlorine shock, and hydrogen peroxide, etc.) in the water.
For you more technical types out there, in a chemical reaction an oxidizing agent will take electrons away from other compounds/elements in the mixture and a reducing agent will donate electrons to the other compounds/elements.
Many automatic chemical dispensing systems rely upon ORP testing units to determine how much and when to add chemical sanitizers to pools.
Frequency of testing?
Whether it has to do with chlorine testing or testing for pretty much ANY pool water parameter, if your pool falls in the category of ‘public’ you will want to consult with your local health department… as regulations vary by locale.
What testing is required for public pools?
This also varies by location so once again you will want to consult with your local health department.
Oh, and before we forget, some health departments may not recognize ORP testing as a definitive way of measuring sanitizer levels. Also, simply measuring the sanitizer level in a swimming pool will not tell you everything you need to know in order to make sure the water stays safe.
Pool water parameters typically tested?
Sanitizer (i.e. free & total chlorine) levels, pH, total alkalinity, calcium or total hardness, stabilizer (cyanuric acid) levels, TDS, and water metals (i.e. iron & copper).
As we said before, you will want to check with your local health department to see what parameters they want you to test and how often they want you to test them.
