2023 Case Study - Swimming Pool Dosing

Case Study

Commercial and domestic swimming pool dosing

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Commercial and domestic swimming pool dosing

In every pool type – from residential installations to water parks – protecting bather experience with the accurate control of chemical levels is of paramount importance to the operator. Failure to do so can result in anything from a brief service interruption to an outbreak of illness or long-term closure, all of which have financial and operational implications.

So how can operators guarantee that swimming pool water is properly treated and safe for use, avoiding the common signs such as stinging eyes, coughing and an overpowering smell of chlorine that betray inadequately-controlled chemical levels?

The purpose and process of

swimming pool chemical dosing

Before we examine the dosing of chemicals into water, first we must understand the different kinds of chlorine found in swimming pools.

Free chlorine (also known as residual chlorine) refers to the chlorine which has not yet come into contact with contaminants - the point at which it would be used up. The presence of free chlorine allows the operator to confirm that all contaminants have been dealt with, because with no residual chlorine there cannot be any certainty that all contaminants have been removed. This is complicated by the fact that bather turnover means there will always be new contaminants being introduced to the pool or spa.

When free chlorine reacts with bacteria, it becomes combined chlorine, meaning the amount of chlorine available for disinfection is reduced.

Total chlorine is the sum of the free and combined chlorine in the water.

Therefore, the accurate, consistent and regular dosing of disinfectant into swimming pools is required not only to kill any immediate bacteria, but also to maintain residual free chlorine and ensure any new contamination can be removed.

This is especially important in public facilities, where a regular turnover of users means new contaminants from bathers – including sweat, cosmetics, lotions, saliva, urine and faecal matter – are constantly introduced to the water.

Prior to the introduction of automatic chemical monitoring and dosing systems, chlorine was typically dosed at night when the pool was not in use. The idea was to kill any existing bacteria and ensure there was a ready supply of free chlorine available when the pool was in use next morning.

However, in practice this meant chlorine levels in the pool were very high in the morning but by the end of the day there was little to no free chlorine left in the pool; making the overnight dosing approach neither safe or effective.

What about pH?

Stinging eyes, skin irritation and other symptoms may be attributed to overdosing of chlorine, but can also be the result of a pH imbalance.

Maintaining the correct pH level not only ensures chlorine performs effectively but also helps to protect the operator’s investment by reducing corrosion of metal fittings and limiting the effects of scale build-up on tiles – both of which are extremely costly and time consuming to resolve.

Although pH adjustment and chlorine dosing are the most common watertreatment processes in pool applications, the introduction of a flocculant can also be effective, especially for commercial applications with a high bather turnover.

A flocculant such as PAC is added prefilter, which causes small particles to clump together and to then be caught in the filter medium. This can help to prevent outbreaks of infections such as cryptosporidiosis which can be extremely unpleasant for bathers and cause reputational and financial damage to the operator as the pool will need to be closed for draining and cleaning.

Apart from the obvious health benefits of flocculation, removing tiny particles from the water also helps to improve its appearance, making it seem crystal clear to the extent that this process is often referred to as ‘water polishing’.

While the basic parameters to be monitored and controlled in any pool are chlorine or bromine and pH, in some applications temperature can also be a factor due to its bearing on readings.

World-leading solutions from SEKO

Whatever the level of sophistication required, SEKO – as a global leader in chemical monitoring and dosing equipment – has a comprehensive, cost-effective range for every swimming pool application. These range from basic single-value pump/ controllers to multi-parameter commercial systems that are IoTenabled for remote monitoring.

SEKO’s comprehensive range of pool controllers not only provide all necessary functionality but present it in an intuitive and user-friendly format including multi-language options, making the systems ideal for a sector that typically experiences a high turnover of staff and where newly-recruited operatives may be required to learn on the job.

Remote monitoring

Within the leisure industry, where intense competition and tight margins make the latest innovations even more valuable, remote connectivity solutions for engineers and end users are increasingly coming to the fore.

The commercial and domestic swimming pool sector is no exception and has seen such innovations enter the market in recent years, including SEKO’s dedicated SekoLink and SekoWeb platforms.

SEKO’s comprehensive range of pool controllers not only provide all necessary functionality but present it in an intuitive

and user-friendly format including multi-language options, making the systems ideal for a sector that typically experiences a high turnover of staff and where newly-recruited operatives may be required to learn on the job.

SekoLink enables users to start or pause their pool’s chemical dosing system at any time as well as view live pool temperature and health updates, allowing issues to be identified and actioned quickly.

SekoLink also sends a notification when chemical level is running low, giving the user time to order more product and ensure water quality is maintained.

The smart solution for remote dosing pump monitoring

Designed for the end user, SekoLink is an intuitive smartphone app that grants users quick and easy access to key water-quality parameters for their pool or spa.

SekoLink allows users to start or pause their dosing system and to check the health of their installation from any location via an iPhone or Android smart device, allowing defects to be identified immediately so that issues can be quickly rectified.

Main features

• Remote access via smartphone

• Connect to multiple installations

• Start or pause dosing system

• Complete parameter monitoring

• Pool health updates

• For professional and domestic pools and spas

• Accessible by all

• SekoWeb compatible

Connectivity and users

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By limiting but not removing the owner’s influence on their pool, SekoLink prevents vital parameters and programmes being tampered with by unqualified users while still allowing a degree of control – the perfect balance for those who want to spend more time swimming and less time maintaining their pool.

Complementing the SekoLink app is SekoWeb, SEKO’s unique online portal for professional pool and spa management designed exclusively for technicians, who access the platform simply by scanning a product’s QR code or via their online login.

For technicians used to entering uncomfortable chambers and hot plant rooms on site in order to adjust

parameters, SekoWeb allows them to maintain safe, healthy water conditions for multiple installations 24/7 from any location.

As well as revolutionizing operational efficiency, the password-protected SekoWeb prevents unqualified users from altering programmes and jeopardising water quality.

In an increasingly-connected world, smart pool and spa solutions save time, reduce costs and make life easier – for end users and engineers alike.

Visit www.seko.com to explore SEKO’s dedicated range of swimming pool chemical dosing systems and accessories.

Professional dosing pump management system

SekoWeb has been created with engineers in mind, meaning that it’s more powerful than SekoLink but requires expert technical knowledge to navigate. Password protection ensures only authorized users can access the portal.

With live and historical data at their fingertips, engineers can make vital dosing adjustments 24/7 in order to maintain safe, healthy water conditions, making the portal ideal for complete management of professional installations.

Main features

• Full access to all settings and parameters from any location

• Connect to multiple installations

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• Track chemical consumption

• Adjust programmes

• Access alarm reporting

• Unrestricted data analysis

• Map geolocation

Connectivity and users

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