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Pulsar Converstion

Posted by Frank May on June 17, 2011 at 5:08am in Pool Service Topics
In my Chattanooga location, a large commercial account has only one of their pools on Arch's Pulsar system  He wants an alternative while using the same system.  He asked if he could use Trichlor cylinders in the feeder if it was thoroughly cleaned so that he could purchase all his product for all his pools from us.  Does anyone have any experience in keeping the Pulsar feeder but filling it with different tabs than the proprietary Pulsar brand from Arch?

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Replies

  • Al Neumann June 17, 2011 at 11:24am

    Changing prorietary tablets from proprietary feeders is not a good idea.

     

    The liability issue for you is a real concern, especially if that operator leaves and someone else puts Cal Hypo back in with anything other than Cal Hypo. Mix Cal Hypo with trichlor, you have a fire. Mix with bromine, you have an explosion. Because you made the change, (or was aware of the change), as a professional you would be in the liability loop. Not a good scenario.

     

    Also consider that the proprietary Pulsar Briquettes are manufactured to be fairly soft, and readily dissolve with the minimal spray volumes inside their feeders, with is really not that much water. Other Cal Hypo Tablets are harder, and require much more flow water to dissolve. It would be very hard to control the feed rate in a commercial setting by switching tabs. That's why each manufacturers tablets and feeders are proprietary, as it ensures them of an income stream.

     

    Also consider that most state codes for feeders stipulate that they, the feeders, must be NSF approved. Changing tablets used in Pulsar feeders, or PPG feeders for example, voids NSF approval for each of those feeders, and the facility would then be out of code. So if you are going to change brands or types of sanitizer, then for your own peace of mind, be a professional and recommend the approprate feeder.

    .

    I agree with Rob M, and say ditch the Pulsar and Cal Hypo altogether. I also agree with him that on commerical pools to stay away from Trichlor for the same issue he raised with over-stabiization. I myself, would stay away from bromine as well. It's just not that good of a sanitizer, has issues with different more harmful dbp's, and is usually more costly than even the proprietary Cal Hypo. I really didn't think that bromine was used commerically that much anymore. Like Rob M, I'm a fan of liquid chlorine, except I like the HCF Venturi Liquid Chlorine Feeders from SureWater over metering pumps, but that's my oppinion.

  • Rob M June 17, 2011 at 7:42am
    no problem, in that case it might be worth his time to just ditch the pulsars all together (I find those things to be a nuisance... in my opinion, accu tab and stenner/liquid work much better for chlorine pools)
  • Frank May June 17, 2011 at 7:36am
    Good point and thank you. He actually buys loads of Bromine from us for all of his other pools (they are heated at sports clubs).  Most of our commercial accounts do use Cal Hypo except for the City which uses 1" tabs in all of their many public fountains.
  • Rob M June 17, 2011 at 6:40am

    Bad idea. While it would work (if you cleaned it out really really really well) it could be disastrous if someone who worked at the facility decided to put cal hypo tablets in it (which is all pulsar tablets are). You could be liable since you went against the warning labels and loaded it with trichlor.

     

    I would tell advise him to switch all his pools to cal hypo, even if it isn't the proprietary 'pulsar briquettes'. Trichlor in commercial pools is something i would stay away from as a primary method of chlorination because it can cause overstabilization.

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