Reading the Readings on a Taylor Test Kit

[Richs100]

At the suggestion of several people, I bought the Taylor K2005 test kit for my tub.  The only test that I have difficulting reading is for the Chlorine. (FC and CC).  Is it me or does anyone else have problems with the color gradations on the test vial?  I have a lot of difficulty seeing the differences between them.  I have tried to read it in daylight, and in front of a white background with incandesant and floresent (sp) light.

Any ideas?

[anne]

Agreed, the different colors are very close, but I think that is more true on the higher levels of chlorine. One option in that case is to dilute the sample by 1/2, mixing it with tap water (if the tap water has a FC of zero) and then measuring and multiplying by 2. I find the lighter hues more discernable than the darker ones.

[Vinny]

To test for CC wait until FC=0 anything it shows is CC.

[anne]

Oops- misread the question. Vinny's advice is great, as usual! I thought he meant just telling the difference between the pinkness of 3 vs 5, or 1 vs 1.5 ppm FC.

[The_Pa._Lady]

Yes, I too have a hard time reading the color, they are so close, it's hard to tell the difference in the color.  So, when I get aggrevated, I go back to my test strips for the chlorine reading.

[Richs100]

Thanks all.  I have gone back to relying on the test strips too when I can't tell the difference.  Sometimes, thought, I get completely different readings from the strips.  Its a little aggravating  

[tony]

The one thing strips do well is chlorine.  With the Taylor kit, I don't have any issues as long as the free chlorine reading is under 3ppm, which it is almost always.  Greater than three, its hard to read.  I use the same method as Vinny to read combined chlorine.  Shock time is when CC reaches .2 ppm.  Try measuring that with the 2005 kit.  With free chlorine at zero, any hint of pink while measuring total chlorine means its time to shock.