Photo Credit: Courtesy of HACH/ETS-AQUACHEK
Electronic-testing devices for water analysis seem to be everywhere these days. You can’t pick up a trade publication without running into an advertisement or two. Some pool professionals are using them and love them. Others have purchased sophisticated pool and spa meters, and just allow them to collect dust in a box. So how do you know if an electronic-testing tool is right for you? After all, aren’t all the electronic testers faster, easier to use and more precise? The answer is yes … and no. Unfortunately, there is no one electronic tester that measures 25 parameters, costs less than $50, and has no limitations. Maybe someday such an instrument will be available, but for now let’s take a look at what is available, and what to consider if you are planning to make the switch.
Before discussing all of the instruments available to measure the quality of pool and spa water, let’s talk about some of the important factors to consider when purchasing an electronic-testing tool.
Cost
There is no doubt every organization is watching its dollars closely in the current economy. When evaluating a new electronic-testing solution for water-analysis needs, know that the upfront cost will be considerably more than a couple of bottles of reagent, or a new reagent test kit, for that matter. The price of single-parameter meters start at around $75; multi-parameter instruments will set you back around $150 or more, with some instruments costing close to $1,000. And those are just the portable instruments. If you are considering continuous online monitoring, the cost increases. For the purpose of this article, I will deal with the portable testing variety.