Thread: Buying Sodium Hypochlorite

Does anyone know of a way to buy concentrated bleach (above 12.5%) or just how to buy chlorine by the drum. I've searched through every possible google term for 3 hours and have either come up with pool supply websites or global manufacturers with a 20 ton minimum (I don't think I'll be that busy). Also, has anyone ever attempted to use it in powder form. If so, is it easy to dilute and what are the ratios of powder to water to achieve 12.5. This is driving me nuts. I'm trying to find the cheapest solution here but I'm running into a wall.I'm sure a lot of us are having the same problem so maybe this would be a good thread to discuss.

Ok, I'll give my best answer, but I'm definitely no expert so hopefully someone that is more knowledgeable than I will clarify or correct anything I say that is wrong.

(SH) Sodium Hypochlorite (liquid bleach) - normally 12.5%
(CH) Calcium Hypochlorite (powdered bleach) - normally 75% (I believe)

If you want to mix the CH to achieve as 12.5% mixture, you would use 1 pound in 6 gallons of water. Problem is, powdered form is not as stable and if it gets wet it can go boom. To mix you would have the water ready (warm so that the CH more easily dissolves) and pour in the CH. Definitely don't add large amounts of water to the bucket containing CH as that is highly dangerous. A man from a pool store told me a horror story of a lady that left a CH bucket in her backyard. She had left the top off and when it rained water mixed with the CH. Boom. Backyard was BBQ. Maybe he was pulling my leg, but I play it safer than sorry.

Check out a company named Harcros and see if it's in your neck of the woods. Also, call a pool supply store and if they don't sell SH, ask them if they now of a supplier in the area that sells the liquid chlorine.

Thanx Adam. That doesn't sound right that CH can explode when wet if you have to mix it with water to use it. There's gotta be some other variables in that story. But, I read a post from 2006 on here where someone said it's a pain to get that stuff dissolved in the water and also that it doesn't work as well as the liquid chlorine. I would think it would work just the same if the ratio was right. Then again, I don't feel like playing the chemist and mixing up batches of chlorine everyday so I'm guessing the liquid form is best. Unless someone else has used the powder with success. Just curious, can anyone buy it at 12.5% in 55 gallon drums and if so what kind of co. are you buying from and what are some prices. I'm gonna assume that not everyone is buying cases full of 1 gallon containers and dumping 30-40 into a 100 gallon tank.

I know this is going to sound like a really stupid question (but I am still learning..lol) what is the difference between using regular bleach vs. liquid clorine? which is better to use? and if it is the clorine what are the best brands to buy? and where to buy them. Thanx!!

Donna
Piedmont Pressure Washing

Chlorine is 12.5%, Bleach 5.5% sodium hypochlorite. Basically chlorine has double the strength of bleach. So, you can use less volume of chlorine in your mix and get better results. They are made up of the exact same chemical, one is just stronger than the other

Thank you Pete, but do you know where I can buy it? I was looking in pool supplies but didnt know exactly what I was looking for - considering what they have out right now is tablets and not liquid - so I am thinking I am looking at the wrong thing...lol.

If you go to a pool store they'll have the liquid chlorine (pool shock) (12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite). I just called a chemical supply company and they have bleach (5.5% Sodium Hypochlorite) in 55 gallon drums but, I'm not sure if I am qualified to pick it up, they said something about a CDL Liscense and they didn't give me a price because my insurance doesn't go through till next week so I am not an official co. yet. The pool supply store web-sites don't seem to advertise too much of the liquid chlorine (probably cause of the shipping) but if you go in person, ask them if they'll give you a discount if you buy x amount of cases. They'll most likely be able to work out some kind of a deal. They'd be stupid not to especially since it'll be a weekly thing. But remember, all you want to be looking at is your % of sodium hypochlorite. So, 2 gallons of 5.5% bleach is just about equal to 1 gallon of liquid chlorine 10-12.5%. So if you can get 2 gallons of household bleach (the cheap stuff) cheaper than 1 gallon of pool shock then your better off doing that.

Thank you very much Pete!! You gave me the info I needed!!

Donna

I don't know enough about CH to say whether it will explode, but that's what the guy told me. That's all he had (CH) . . . he didn't offer SH, so I don't think he was lying, though he could have been mislead himself. The fact that you mix it in water is one thing. Say you add 16oz at the time to a gallon of water. No big deal. Turn it around, though, and add 1 gallon of water to 100 pounds of CH and voila, fire. At least according to the pool man.

As for mixing it, I don't think that should be too difficult. Just use warm water when mixing. Have you ever tried getting sugar to dissolve in cold water?

Originally Posted by newbie pete

Thanx Adam. That doesn't sound right that CH can explode when wet if you have to mix it with water to use it. There's gotta be some other variables in that story. But, I read a post from 2006 on here where someone said it's a pain to get that stuff dissolved in the water and also that it doesn't work as well as the liquid chlorine. I would think it would work just the same if the ratio was right. Then again, I don't feel like playing the chemist and mixing up batches of chlorine everyday so I'm guessing the liquid form is best. Unless someone else has used the powder with success. Just curious, can anyone buy it at 12.5% in 55 gallon drums and if so what kind of co. are you buying from and what are some prices. I'm gonna assume that not everyone is buying cases full of 1 gallon containers and dumping 30-40 into a 100 gallon tank.

Bleach is a great cleaning tool. Keep it away from any thing which is green or it might turn brown. As for shock vs bleach use both keep the shock for those super ugly stains on sidewalks and bleach for the rest. For when cleaning start with the weaker cleaning solutions and move up the ladder from there. After a while you will be able to look at stains examin them and determine the quickest and most efficient way of cleaning the surface. Research and learning are imparative if you want to suceed.

DAFF