Description

This is the LaMotte low range copper test kit, part number 3619/EC-70. It reads copper in pool water from 0.05 to 1.0 ppm using a printed color chart with eight standards.

Why copper gets tested

Copper reaches pool water from several directions: copper based algaecides, mineral and ionizer sanitizers, well water in some regions, and heat exchangers that are corroding because the water is aggressive. It is invisible in the water and shows up instead as staining on plaster, a greenish cast on light hair, and colored deposits at the waterline. By then the copper has already come out of solution, which is why a low range reading is the useful one.

How it works

The test is a straightforward color comparison. Treat the sample, then match the color against the chart. There is no meter to calibrate, nothing to charge, and the whole test runs at the pool rather than back at the shop. That makes it practical to check copper as part of a routine rather than only after a stain appears.