I had my 2005 HS Vanguard serviced today for a warranty issue for the first time since buying the tub. The service tech came out & tested my water with a new device from Aqua Chek (at least he said it was new, not sure if it has been out on the market).
It is called TruTest Digital Test Strip Reader produced by Aqua Chek. It is a handheld digital device that measures the Chlorine, ALK, & PH within seconds. It is real nice because it gives you a definitive answer as to your chemical levels (ie, 120 ALK, 7.4 pH, etc) rather than just looking at the typical dreaded colored test strip.
So far, the tech said that they have had positive feedback & the measurements are nearly exact. They have done testing with the Taylor kit along with this digital device & thus far, everything seems accurate. The device is being sold for $69 in the dealers store, but I saw them on Ebay for around $50 plus shipping. You can check out the device from the company website at
http://www.aquachek.comYou do need test strips for this device. Just swirl the test strip in your spa & then lay it on the digital reader. Within 15 seconds, the device tells you what your chemical levels are.
Just curious to know if anyone else has used one or recommends it. I was very impressed but just wanted to know what others (both dealers & consumers) thought about this product.
