Buying Sodium Hypochlorite

newbie pete

New Member
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.
 

Sparklean

New Member
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.
 

newbie pete

New Member
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.
 

piedmontpw276

New Member
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
 

newbie pete

New Member
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
 

piedmontpw276

New Member
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.
 

newbie pete

New Member
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.
 

Sparklean

New Member
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?

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.
 

DAFF

New Member
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
 

piedmontpw276

New Member
Hi Daff, I was reading what you posted. Now do you also add TSP to that solution and if you do how much do you use? I have learned alot from what everyone is writing...Thank you so much!

Donna
Piedmont Pressure Washing
 

newbie pete

New Member
A lot of people mix in TSP with bleach especially for mold and algae removal. It assists the bleach. To let you know, I stopped by my local pool store. They offered me a pallet at a time (160 gallons in 5 gallon containers) for roughly 2 bucks a gallon. Not bad, about what I expected. Only prob. is that they require a $6 deposit per barrel (32 barrels) $192 extra dollars. but you get it back when you return the empty barrel so they only borrow it for a while. Talk to the pool store and let em know what your doing. They were already very familiar with it at the store I visited, I guess it's a regular thing for pressure washing companies to do that.
 

newbie pete

New Member
He said it starts losing it's sodium hypo % after 3 months of storage. So, if you have to buy a lot, make sure you can use it within a couple of months. And never store above 90 degrees or in direct sunlight. Good luck.
 

DAFF

New Member
Look for an old plastic 50gal drum to use as a container. They are light resistant and cheep to find. Who wants a whole bunch of containers sitting around the shop, expecially empty ones!! We buy all our chem in 50gal contaners the saving over time adds up!!!

DAFF
 

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