AquaChek salt strips vs. Taylor K-1766 drop test showdown

[Pisces]

Just for grins, I ordered the Taylor K-1766 salt test that uses silver nitrate (wear plastic or nitrile gloves - Thanks to Waterbear for letting us know the silver nitrate causes BLACK STAINS FOREVER on skin and nails!!). Wanted to get down to the nitty gritty and see how the AquaChek strips held up against this test. Just a little backup test, since I'm trying to really be accurate on my salt levels because of my Intellichlor. Plus, I just like to do water testing! I'm a dork.

Tested today. Results are:

Taylor drop salt test: 3400
AquaChek salt strips: 3590

WooHoo!! The strips are within 5% of the Taylor drop test. So, everybody who's taking their water to the pool store for testing, please get the strips and trust your results (just don't get them wet or damp)!! They work very well. Leslie's tested my water at 3000, much less accurate. One Pentair rep used a digital tester that read 4500. So much better to rely on yourself and TFP!!

 

[JasonLion]

I have four different tubes for AquaChek salt strips, a new one and one for each of the last three years. I tested my water with a strip from each tube and all four results were within 250 of each other However, a couple of people have reported comparing two different tubes of AquaChek salt strips and getting dramatically different readings, and others have had situations where they got readings that didn't seem to make sense, though they have not been able to confirm that they are wrong.

Right at the moment it seems like the AquaChek strips are usually very good, but every once in a while you get a bad batch that read way off of reality.

 

[Pisces]

Jason, that's what I have read a couple times recently on here. I think I'll just check the new bottles I get against the Taylor test, and against each other in the future, just to see if I get a batch that's "off". Thanks!

 

[Guest]

I have been checking the strips against both the Taylor test (since they are both based on the same silver nitrate reaction and the strips are actually a capillary titrator) and also against a calibrated meter for a few years now which is why I originally recommended the strips over the drop test. They are accurate. Period! Most of the time when people have had a discrepancy either the strips have gotten wet or the water is cold and the reading is not the same as the conductivity reading from the SWG or a meter.

 

[Pisces]

Thanks Waterbear! Yes, I'm finding the strips I have to be accurate. I ordered the Taylor kit because we had several different readings from different sources when we were trying to calibrate our Intellichlor. Wanted just one more test method so I could say "yes..my test results were valid with the strips". The second Pentair rep read 4500 on his digital meter (which he stuck directly into the pool and didn't know he needed to calibrate it to some standard, and didn't know how ). He calibrated the Intellichlor up to that high reading(another Pentair rep had calibrated it correctly a couple days before - long story). Wanted to be sure as possible about my salt level when we re-calibrated it back downward ourselves . Thank you so much for all your advice I've been reading for a year, Waterbear!! :-D

 

[FLPoolDIY]

I know this is an old thread... is there any recent feedback on the two tests?
I have another brand of strips where you have to try matching brown specs and I find it to be not accurate or difficult to determine the match.

 

[jblizzle]

I prefer the Taylor drop test personally.

 

[pooldv]

I've been using the Aquachek strips for 5 years now. I only test once or twice a year. Salt tests are only needed to get you in the ballpark to make sure you aren't way over or way under. Salt tests and SWG readings are +/- 400 ppm. If the lights are green and making chlorine life is good. My SWG is happy with salt between 2800 and 4500 ppm.

 

[AUSpool]

I use a salt meter, which is really just a glorified conductance meter, close enough for me and the same magic behind any salt light in a SWG. But I'm so glad I have the K1766. Any meter is only as good as its last calibration. I just helped out with my mates parents pool who have been using the pool store testing, I got a salt reading of 7500ppm, . With the K1766 I got 7400ppm. I'm confident with the reading and they won't be needing salt any time soon...

 

[eostrike]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think AUSpool mates parents pool is in trouble if you don't get that salt level down. I think a partial drain and refill is needed. Damage to equipment may already be done.


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[pooldv]

Salt won't damage equipment. If it has an SWG then the SWG might not make chlorine. The IC40 reports a high salt error at 4500 ppm but keeps making chlorine. I don't know how high the salt has to be before it stops but I do know it makes chlorine well above 5000 ppm.

 

[AUSpool]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think AUSpool mates parents pool is in trouble if you don't get that salt level down. I think a partial drain and refill is needed. Damage to equipment may already be done.


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Thanks for the thought. Our chlorinators are a bit different, the normal operating level for most over here is 6000ppm. 7400ppm is very high but I think it is OK. The manufacturer is local so I will drop in and ask if they think I need to bring it down. And of cause it got that way through poor pool shop testing and advise from that testing.

Whilst getting a bag of CYA for them it was suggested I should get my water tested on the fancy LaMotte SpinLab, he didn't know what to say when I said I use Taylor and wouldn't let my water any where near his equipment.

 

[AUSpool]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think AUSpool mates parents pool is in trouble if you don't get that salt level down. I think a partial drain and refill is needed. Damage to equipment may already be done.


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Its official, you were right. It's nice being able to go direct to the manufacturer, the tech support guy said its to high and can cause damage. Immediate action is to drop the chlorinator to 50% output to protect it from over working. The acceptable range for this unit is 5500 - 6500ppm so we've taken out about 4" and topped up with fresh. I'll drop back tommorrow and check the level. Will turn it back up to 70% when its back to 6500ppm.