Liquid Chemical Pool Feeders

Positive Displacement Pump

A positive displacement pump is preferable to erosion disinfectant feeders. Positive displacement pumps can be set to administer varied and specific chemical dosage rates to ensure that a pool does not become contaminated with harmful microorganisms. A positive displacement pump does need routine cleaning, descaling, and servicing. Running a weak muratic acid or vinegar solution through the pump weekly can minimize most major servicing of the pump. Most service on the pump involves one of four areas:

1. the check valves are scaled, their springs are weak, or valves are no longer flexible;
2. the diaphragm is cracked, leaking, or not flexible;
3. the drive cam needs replacement or requires adjustment; or
4. the motor requires replacement.

Erosion and Flow-through Disinfectant Feeders

These feeders work by the action of water moving around a solid cake of chlorine and eroding the cake. The feeders work quite well for smaller pools, but require considerable care and maintenance. The variables that affect the effectiveness of erosion feeders are:

1. solubility of the chlorine cake or tablet
2. surface area of the cake or tablet
3. amount of water flowing around the cake or tablet
4. concentration of chlorine in the cake or tablet
5. number of cakes or tablets in the feeder

   Note: For safety reasons, the disinfectant cake must not be accessible.