Common industry terms and product technical terminology can seem confusing at times. Use this glossary whenever you come across a term you don't understand.
A - E
ACEAN – Arch Chemicals Emergency Action Network.
Agitator Nozzle – Nozzle in bottom of a Pulsar® System unit.
Available Chlorine – A term used in rating chlorine containing products as to their total oxidizing power. Also chlorine, both free and combined that is active to some degree against bacteria and algae in pool/spa water.
Bather Load – The number of people using a pool, spa or hot tub at any given time.
Booster Pump – A recirculation pump dedicated to flow and evacuation of the Pulsar® chlorinator.
Calcium Hardness – The calcium portion of total hardness expressed as calcium carbonate. Typically 65-75% of total hardness. Low calcium hardness can cause damage to pool surface and components.
Calcium Hypochlorite – A compound of chlorine and calcium used in white granular or briquette form as a bactericide, algaecide and oxidizer in water treatment.
Combined Chlorine – Chlorine that is combined with a nitrogen compound, usually ammonia forming compounds known as chloramines. Combined chlorine is far less effective than free chlorine in the killing of bacteria and control of algae.
Cyanuric Acid – An organic chemical that is added to the water for stabilization of chlorine against breakdown from sunlight.
Discharge Tank – The lower cavity of the Pulsar® chlorinator where chlorinated solution is stored and later evacuated into the pool system.
Discharge Valve – A mechanical float valve that controls solution level in discharge tank and isolates chlorinator from pool circulation system.
Electronic Overflow Switch – A float switch that terminates inlet flow when water reaches a specific level in the discharge tank and isolates chlorinator from pool circulation system.
ESV - Emergency Shut Off Valve – A mechanical float valve that terminates inlet flow when water reaches a specific level in the discharge tank.
Feed Light (Timer) – Indicator on Pulsar® timer to illustrate that the Pulsar is in operation.
Feed Rate – The rate at which chlorine is produced and feed into the pool system by the Pulsar chlorinator.
Float (Discharge and ESV) – A buoyancy device on both emergency and discharge valves to actuate opening and closing of the valve. For the discharge valve, when the float is up the valve to discharge chlorinated solution is open. For the ESV, float is up the inlet valve for the chlorinator is closed.
Flow Indicator – A device that shows inlet flow of water to the chlorinator.
Hopper – The solid chemical (cal hypo) reservoir of the chlorinator.
Langilier Index – A numerical figure which indicates whether the water has a tendency to deposit scale or a tendency to be corrosive.
MSDS – Material Safety Data Sheets.
ORP – Oxidation Reduction Potential measured in millivolts that indicates the potential of the active sanitizer in the water to Oxidize organic matter.
Overstabilization – The build up of cyanuric acid in swimming pool water resulting from the use of stabilizer, stabilized sanitizers and stabilized shock products.
PH – A value expressing the relative acidity or basicity of the water or aqueous solution. An actual measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration.
Pool Recirculation System – A system composed of piping, filter and pumps permitting water to be taken from the pool/spa, filtered and returned to the pool/spa.
Ppm – Parts per million.
Psi – Pounds per Square Inch (Pressure).
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Shock Treatment – The practice of adding significant amount (10 ppm) of an oxidizing chemical all at once to pool/spa water to destroy ammonia, nitrogenous and organic contaminants in the water.
Solenoid Valve – An electrical valve the uses a Magnetic force to open and close the valve.
Solids Removal – The physical removal of calcium carbonate insoluble particles from the chlorinator.
Spray Manifold – A component of the chlorinator onto which the spray nozzles are mounted and oriented to spray at the grid holding the chemical in the hopper.
Stabilization – The addition of Cyanuric acid to pool/spa water to help prevent the destruction of the Hypochlorous Acid (Free Chlorine measured by test kit) by UV light from the sun.
Total Alkalinity – The ability or capacity of the water to resist change in pH; also known as the buffering capacity of the water. The sum of the bicarbonates, carbonates and hydroxides in the water expressed as ppm of calcium carbonate.
Total Chlorine – The sum of both free chlorine (hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion) and combined chlorine (chloramines).
Venturi – A tube mounted in the water line so as to cause a restriction of flow. The constriction causes a change in velocity of water flow through the tube, resulting in a pressure drop at the suction port that is proportional to the flow rate. This negative pressure or vacuum can be used to pull water out of solutions tanks.
