GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) vs. Circuit Breaker

October 23rd, 2011 by Steve No Comments

When we are in Chapter 14 (Facility Safety) of the  Pool & Spa Operator Handbook, discussing  electrical safety during our  CPO® class, we talk about the difference between a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) and a Circuit Breaker.  We also define the difference between grounding and bonding, which you can read about here. The Circuit Breaker will interrupt (turn the circuit off) when there is a current overload.  This [...]

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GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) vs. Circuit Breaker

TriChlor and DiChlor — What do they have in common?

September 27th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

Chlorine is an element of nature – it is number 17 in group 17 (Halogens) on the Periodic Chart of the Elements.   It is a gas in its elemental form.  Using various processes,  different chlorine compounds are manufactured which we use in the swimming pool industry: Sodium Hypochlorite (Liquid Chlorine) Calcium Hypochlorite (Cal Hypo) Lithium Hypochlorite TriChlor (trichloro-s-triazinetrione) DiChlor (sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione) To protect chlorine [...]

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TriChlor and DiChlor -- What do they have in common?

Total Alkalinity – What is it exactly?

August 31st, 2011 by Steve 6 Comments

There are several phrases and terms used to describe Total Alkalinity (TA): The buffering capacity of water Water’s ability to neutralize acid The pH stabilizer The ability of water to resist a change in pH A measure of the total of hydroxide ions (OH-), carbonate ions (CO3-) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-) in water The pH anchor These are all correct.  As you know, TA is [...]

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Total Alkalinity - What is it exactly?

What changes the pH of pool water?

July 24th, 2011 by Steve No Comments

Just about everything that is added to the pool water will change the pH.  And anything that exits or is carried out of the water changes the pH.  Even the type of pool wall surface will affect the pH. Our Pool & Spa Operator Handbook lists a few things that affect the pH: the bathers the disinfectants we use the source water air-borne debris the water balance [...]

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What changes the pH of pool water?

Legionnaires’ Disease at the Playboy Mansion

May 22nd, 2011 by Steve No Comments

Let’s discuss the “infamous” Chapter Four of the Pool & Spa Operator Handbook by the National Swimming Pool Foundation. When we study this chapter in our CPO class, we go over all the known pathogens found in swimming pools and their associated illnesses and diseases.  We categorize these pathogens as “enteric” (intestinal) or “nonenteric,” and we discuss how humans contract them.   One of the nonenteric diseases found [...]

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Legionnaires' Disease at the Playboy Mansion

General Chemical Dosage Formulas

April 17th, 2011 by Steve 2 Comments

As we were going through the chemical dosage exercises in our CPO class this past Thursday and Friday at Superior Pool Products in Anaheim, the question was asked, “Is there a general formula that we can use to add chemicals to the pool?”   In class we use a worksheet (developed by the Foundation) that simplifies the elementary algebra — and reduces it to simple [...]

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General Chemical Dosage Formulas
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