palintest Pooltest 4 User manual

1
Pooltest Pooltest 3
Pooltest 4
Pooltest 6
User Manual
ZIINST49

2
Swimmer safety
Safeguard pool users through effective
disinfection and water balance control
Pool integrity
Regular pool testing helps maintain your
pool and protects the pool infrastructure
Water balance
Maintain optimum water balance to
avoid corrosion or scaling
Cost efficiency
Optimise your pool treatment plan
Backed by over 100 years of research, our equipment has
been designed to make testing simple and easy.
Our technology delivers reliable results, to drive confident
water quality management, ensuring that we can all bathe
and play safely.
At Palintest we deliver:

3
Contents
Getting Started 4
Instrument Layout and Buttons 4
How to Select and Perform a Test 6
Error Messages 9
Cleaning the Optics 10
Check Standards 10
Accessing the Memory 11
Procedures for Testing 12
How to Get Accurate Results 12
Blanking 14
Sample Dilution 14
Table of Tests 15
Test Instructions 16
Chlorine 16
pH 20
Cyanuric Acid 22
Total Alkalinity 24
Calcium Hardness 26
Bromine 28
Water Balance 30
Procedure 30
Calculation 30
Interpreting the Result 31
Technical Specifications 32

4
Pooltest
Getting Started
Thank you for choosing a Palintest Pooltest Photometer. Please
take time to read this manual and only use this instrument for
its intended purposes. This instrument is waterproof to IP67.
However, for optimum performance please ensure it is clean
and dry before use.
Cell holder for test tubes
Replace Batteries if
this icon appears
Backlit Screen
(To switch backlight on
or off, hold down the
On/Off button when
turning instrument on)
“Read” button
“On/Off” button
“Blank” button
“Menu” button
This also allows access
to the memory, see
Accessing the Memory.
4

5
www.palintest.com
Made in UK
01234567890Serial Number
Battery Cover:
Please take care not
to damage gasket
when replacing the
2 x AA batteries

6How to Select and Perform a Test
This is the basic procedure for all tests. For specific test details
see Test Instructions.
C
l
2
5
Pooltest
Select a test by pressing
the Menu key. Scroll
through the list until the
desired test is highlighted.
1
10
Place a test tube
containing pool or spa
water (without test
tablets) in the cell holder.
2

7
C
l
2
5
Pooltest
Pooltest
Press the blank key.
The screen will show
that the instrument is
measuring the blank.
Blanking enables the instrument to set the correct zero value.
This ensures the final result will be accurate, even when testing
water that is cloudy or coloured.
The blank value is held in memory. However, blanking
should be performed again each time a new sample is
taken from the pool or spa.
3
4

8
10
Prepare a 10mL
sample by adding
reagents according to
the Test Instructions.
Place this sample tube
in the cell holder.
5
Pooltest
mg
/L
C
l
2
Pooltest
Press the
“read sample” key
The screen will show that
“reading” is in progress.
6
When complete a result
will appear on screen.
7

9
Error Messages
An error message means the instrument has detected
something wrong when making an optical measurement.
A common cause is contamination in the optics. Cleaning the
optics (see Cleaning the Optics) is therefore recommended
when any error message occurs.
If error messages E1 to E6 appear during testing, try cleaning
the optics (see Cleaning the Optics on the following page) or
contact your local Palintest Branch or Distributor.
E7
External light is entering the test cell, or there is
contamination affecting the internal light path.
Clean the optics (see below), clean the test tube,
ensure light cap is fitted correctly and use
instrument away from bright light.
E8 Indicates a fault in an optical component. Instrument
requires a service and recalibration.
E9
Insufficient light received during blanking. Check that
the ‘blank’ is the correct tube. Remove any debris
obstructing light in the cell holder and clean the optics
(following page).

10 Cleaning the Optics
Contamination in the optical cell may effect the accuracy of
readings and can trigger error messages to be displayed.
Clean optical windows gently with a soft, non-abrasive cloth
dampened with water. Do not use solvents.
Instrument failure due to contamination is not covered by warranty.
Check Standards
Sets of Check Standards for Pooltest Instruments are
available from Palintest. These verify that the instrument
is correctly calibrated and performing correctly.

11
mg
/L
C
l
2
1
1
Pooltest
Press and hold the
“Menu” button. The
most recent test result
will be displayed.
Further presses of the
Menu button will show
previous test results.
The instrument always
stores the last ten results,
numbered in reverse order
with ‘1’ being most recent.
Accessing the Memory

12
How to Get Accurate Results
Procedures for Testing
Rinse all equipment
thoroughly with the water
that is being tested.
1
Use Palintest Photometer
tablets. Rapid dissolving
and Comparator tablets
are not suitable.
3
When filling tubes to the
10 mL line ensure the level
is as shown
2


10
13
Ensure that the
Pooltest Instrument
is clean and dry.
Place tubes in the pooltest
instrument with white
diamond aligned to the
mark on the instrument.
6
During sample testing
or blanking, remove any
attached bubbles by
capping the tube and
rotating as shown.
4
Ensure tubes are dry on
the outside before placing
them in the instrument.
5

mg
/L
C
a
CO
3
Pooltest
14 Blanking
The blank is a sample of the water to be tested that sets the
zero value on the instrument. This ensures that any colour or
cloudiness in the sample does not affect the final result.
Blanking is required whenever a different pool or spa is being
tested or if significant time has elapsed since the pool or spa
was last tested.
In the test instructions, blanking is not described specifically.
However, it is important that the photometer is blanked using
the water that is being tested.
If a result is above the range
of the test a ‘>’ symbol will
appear in front of the result.
In this case it will be necessary
to dilute the sample with
deionised water and repeat
the test.
Important: pH and Alkalinity
tests are not suitable for dilution.
A dilution tube is available
from Palintest to simplify this.
Example for a x2 dilution:
Fill with sample to x2 line
and top up to 100 mL with
deionised water. Mix and use
this as the new blank and
sample for the test. Multiply
result by x2.
Sample Dilution

15
Table of Tests
Depending upon model, any of the following tests may be
present in the menu.
Test
Parameter
Menu
Abbreviation Range
Pooltest 3
Pooltest 4
Pooltest 6
Pooltest 3 HR
Pooltest 4 HR
Pooltest 6 HR
Chlorine
(Free and
Total)
Cl25 0 -5 mg/L ● ● ●
Chlorine
(Free and
Total)
Cl210 0 -10 mg/L ● ● ●
pH (Phenol
Red) pH 6.5 – 8.4 pH ● ● ● ● ● ●
Cyanuric
Acid CYA 0 -200 mg/L ● ● ● ●
Total
Alkalinity Alk T 0 -500 mg/L ● ● ● ●
Calcium
Hardness Calc 0 - 500 mg/L ● ●
Calcium
Hardness
for Salt
Pools
Calc NaCl 0 -500 mg/L ● ●
Bromine Br20 -10 mg/L ● ● ● ●

16 Test Instructions
1
3
Rinse tube with sample
leaving a few drops.
Crush tablet to form a paste.
Add one DPD 1 or one DPD
XF Tablet.
2
Free and Total Chlorine - Cl25 and Cl210
Colour Change: Colourless to Pink
Two Ranges: 0 – 5 mg/L use DPD 1 and DPD 3 Tablet
0 – 10 mg/L use DPD XF and DPD XT Tablet

17
4
6
mg
/L
C
l
2
Pooltest
Fill with further sample
to the 10 mL line.
Cap the tube.
Stir.
Take the Photometer Reading.
Result = Free Chlorine
5
7

18
8
10
Keep tube and contents to
measure Total Chlorine.
If no shock treatment has
been used, continue to step 12.
Crush and Stir.
Add one Oxystop Tablet.
Replace cap
and wait.
9
11
X
1 minute

19
13
Crush and stir.
Add one DPD 3 or DPD XT Tablet.
12
14
Replace cap
and wait.
2 minutes
Take the Photometer Reading.
Result = Total Chlorine
NB: Combined Chlorine =
Total Chlorine – Free Chlorine
15
mg
/L
C
l
2
Pooltest

20
1
3
Fill tube with sample
precisely to 10 mL.
Crush and stir.
Add one Phenol Red tablet.
2
pH (Phenol Red)
Colour Change: Yellow to Red
Range: 6.5 – 8.4