When Simple Things Get Messed Up

The Chlorinator of my Nightmares
Elkridge, MD
September 2, 2021

Doing the weekly chemical check on the pool which includes filling the chlorinator and adding the appropriate cocktail of chemicals for the weekly shock to keep the algae at bay is not a particularly difficult task. I have been doing it for decades and have it down to about a 20 minute process which keeps my pool crystal clear and ready for use.

Until yesterday! Ugh.

The chlorinator would not open. I had to disassemble it and pry the top off to get chlorine into the chamber. And then it would not close. By the time it was done, I had managed to develop leaks around both the incoming and outgoing hoses. 

My 20 minute maintenance turned into an hour of pure frustration. Chris had to intervene to prevent me from assassinating the chlorinator. And of course it did not help that I had a longer than normal day at work.

I even changed the O ring--but all of mine are previously used and did not seem to work. I need to get this thing working smoothly again because fighting with a balky chlorinator every week is not my idea of fun! Of course, I can ignore the problem and close the pool and push the problem into next May--but that only kicks the can down the road and will provide additional frustration when opening the pool. 

Thank goodness a three-day holiday weekend is on the horizon. 

I fixed the leaky lines and did, in the end, get chlorine tablets loaded. I ended with it fully functional, at least for another week.

I get frustrated when simple things become problems.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD