Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I take a measurement of the water?

1. Using the sample cup, collect the water sample.
2. Remove the sleeve, and store it on the holding post.
3. Place the probes all the way into the sample cup.
4. Press the power button to turn ON the device and press START.
5. When the device is finished collecting all data, the hourglass will go away and the check mark will appear.

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2. How do I take care of the probes?

ALWAYS remember to keep the sleeve on the probes when device is not in use and make sure the sponge in the sleeve is moist. This is critical to ensure adequate probe life.

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3. How do I get the most accurate readings?

1. Place the probes into the sample cup and wait for 5 minutes. This will allow the probes to stabilize.
2. Calibrate the device every month. See calibration section of the operator manual on this site.

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4. How do I make sure the device is working properly?

1. It is always recommended to take your water sample to a local pool store at least once a month or when purchasing chemicals and compare readings with the Safedip.
2. Buy a pH DPD test kit (uses drops) so you can compare the pH reading with the Safedip.

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5. How do I change the batteries on the device?

1. Using a coin, turn the battery compartment cap counter-clockwise.
2. Remove the cap and observe the polarity of the batteries.
3. Replace the batteries and battery cap.

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6. How do I view the last set of measurements?

Press the Power button and the latest data will appear. The device will always save the latest readings and will only discard them if the START button is pressed.

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7. How do I know what needs to be added to my pool or spa?

1. The home page of this website has an area on the right side to enter your latest readings from the Safedip device.
2. After you enter the data as seen on your display, press GO and this will take you to a calculation page.
3. Fill in all the missing parameters and you will be instructed what to do to bring your water to proper balance.

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8. How do I check my Alkalinity and CYA levels?

1. Alkalinity and CYA should be checked monthly either by bringing a water sample to the pool store or buying DPD test kits for these parameters.
2. Another option is to use test strips but they are difficult to read and are not accurate.

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1. How do I define "pH"?

1. It is a measurement of the acidity or basicity of the water.
2. Correct the pH if it falls below 7.2 or rises above 7.6.
3. Correct pH will ensure the chlorine is working effectively.

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2. How do I define "Free Chlorine"?

1. It is the active ingredient of the sanitizers responsible for killing harmful germs and algae.
2. It can be generated in pool water from dichlor (powder), trichlor (tablet or granule), liquid bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) or bleach powder (calcium hypochlorite).
3. Make sure free chlorine never falls below 1.0 ppm.  The ideal range is 2.0-4.0 ppm.

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3. How do I define "Total Alkalinity"?

1. It is a measurement of the ability of water to resist the pH swing.  The ideal range: 80-120 ppm.
2. Low alkalinity can make it difficult to maintain the pH. High alkalinity can lead to cloudy water or scale on the surfaces.

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4. How do I define "Cyanuric Acid"?

1. It is a chemical that stabilizes chlorine.  (Dichlor and trichlor are actually the combination of Cyanuric acid with chlorine.)
2. You need enough stabilizer to prevent waste of chlorine to sunlight, but not so much that it impairs the effectiveness of the chlorine.
3. The ideal range: 50-80 ppm.

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5. How do I define "Calcium Hardness"?

1. The ideal range: 150-400 ppm.
2. Correct calcium hardness will help protect pool surfaces.

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6. How do I define "Total Bromine"?

1. Mostly used to sanitize spas.
2. Make sure total bromine never falls below 2.0 ppm. Ideal range: 4.0-6.0 ppm

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7. How do I define "ORP"?

1. ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential.
2. ORP measures whether the sanitizer in the water is effective or not.
3. The ORP probe reads in millivolts.
4. An ORP reading of 650 mV or above (US standard) [or 750mV or above (EU standard)] means that the sanitation level is safe for swimming.

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8. How do I define "TDS"?

1. TDS Stands for Total Dissolved Solids in ppm.
2. A normal fresh water pool has under 1000 TDS but a salt pool is usually over 3000 TDS because the salt makes up a large portion of the Total Dissolved Solids.

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