Lamotte 3581 Mobile Waterlink Spin Touch Lab

This is an excellent instrument to precisely / immediately quantify the dozen mysterious and important pool chemical chemistry parameters. Like every other pool owner, I've tried / used test strips w/ extreme frustration. My process was me first attempting to bring the water into test strip compliance at home, then bring a water sample to the pool store (also using a LaMotte Spin Touch Lab) for them to measure and report all the problems I would never discover until they tested the water. My pool was finally getting close to having all the parameters getting within range, then we had an extended daily deluge of torrential Florida downpours, forcing me to dump thousands of gallons of water, over and over again. Of course this diluted the chemistry, throwing everything waaay out of whack. So I took the plunge and purchased this expensive instrument. I immediately discovered my out-of-spec water status and started bringing it into range on the dozen parameters. FINALLY attained my FIRST perfect score (attached image)! The personal computer software is a little clunky, the telephone support is excellent, they helped me figure out how to properly use their software, now I can get everything I need each and every time. They sell this software to pool companies, but allow a homeowner to use a single user seat for free, VERY nice of LaMotte! The usage of the syringe for properly filling the reagent disk initially looked easy to me, then I discovered a skill / technique is required, now using the syringe to fill the disk is an acceptable step for me to carefully perform each time. One thing I discovered is that the disconnected hand held test results cannot migrate to the PC to allow historical representation on-screen w/ all the other data, so I now run all my tests w/ the instrument connected to my computer. I REALLY like being able to look at current and historical measurements all at once on my computer screen. The instrument uses six sets of optical interference filters to create six precise light wavelengths (colors) to permit measurement of the colors that appear on the reagent disk after the instrument spins the water sample in the disk. An image is provided showing those six visible light colors. I've always found that the dip test strips required guessing on the results, partly because of the slight color differences on the printed result table and partly because of the color non-uniformity on the dip strip. IMO it is sooo great to have a precise / repeatable digital result for each test. It is great that the instrument includes a sealed calibration disk. My speculation is that the disk has precise and quantified colors to permit calibration verification. I haven't opened the sealed pouch yet. The test creates a results report showing what's in range and out of range. The report shows suggested treatment for out of range results. The instrument permits tweaking the ranges, if required. I slightly adjusted my ranges to match that of my local pool store, that I've been using for decades. The software permits selection of different pool chemistry profiles, to be appropriate for different applications. There are four different single usage disks and three different multiple usage disks (3 uses per each multiple usage disk) available. I'm using the 4329-H (203 Series) single usage disk on my salt in-ground pool. Each disk is inside a sealed foil pouch, packaged alongside a desiccant packet , to help ensure long-term stability. My carton of 50 foil-sealed disks are all imprinted w/ an expiration date two years from now. I'm guessing these will be consumed prior to expiration. The report shows what results are User Provided, such as temperature, which are calculated, such as Adjusted Alkalinity and which are measured by the instrument, all using intuitive icons. I've found that manually providing the water temperature permits the report to provide the calculated Saturation Index, so I always provide the temperature. Other than the high cost (which I think is appropriate) I suggest this instrument for pool owners that want / need to properly maintain their pool.

as a pool owner its a life saver, very happy with it, a bit pricey but well worth the investment.

as a certified pool service technician - this is not only the future of water chemistry management, it is a HUGE timesaver! I have used all manner of DPD & other photometer water testers and though they are all quite good - the WATERLINK SPINTOUCH is by far the best! the variety pf test discs available (some are even MULTI-use) makes it perfect for any and all water applications - but the BIGGEST advantage is...TIME!! this device tests so many different factors at once in just 60 seconds! it also saves that data, and can even send it via Bluetooth to your phone. the other testers can take up to 15 min start to finish - add that to just 10 stops a day, they add over TWO hours to your schedule....and I dont know about you, but i hate wasting time & the SPINTOUCH is worth its weight in GOLD!!

I've had the spin touch since 2019 and in theory it has a lot of potential, in practice it is a seriously flawed product. The good: 1) Relatively easy to use, the included package is housed in a nice case, with the fill syringes and everything you need other than the consumable disks. 2) Ok customer service.. The not so good: 1) Very flaky software and calibration process. The first unit I got could not be calibrated and finally LaMotte shipped me a replacement unit. Lots of cryptic error messages that you would need to be a software engineer to interpreted. All in all not a ready for consumer product. 2) Calibration will usually fail, and you have to repeat 3 or 4 times usually to get it to "pass".. Doesn't inspire confidence that your readings are accurate. 3) Disks are expensive. Usually buy in boxes of 50 and now days are anywhere from $150 to $200. You go through them fast when dealing with pool issues and I'd say 10% are wasted due to obviously incorrect readings (eg disks are probably contaminated somehow). Additionally the disks can be hard to fine and were completely unavailable for a long period during the pandemic. All in all I wouldn't waste my money. This is an expensive product, the constant calibration problems tend to make you unsure of the accuracy and it is much less "turnkey" that it appears. I have recently stopped using it as it became too much of a hassle to deal with.

I used to send my pool service business almost every day I'm pretty happy with it the tests are a little expensive but they do save you lots of time if you're doing drop tests as opposed to using test strips which are basically useless.

My comparison is with the Taylor test kit and Leslie's accublue test kit. My most precise measurement of my pool water chemistry has been with the Taylor test kit but the process is tedious hence my search for an easier way. I found the accublue test kit and immediately loved the ease of running tests and cell phone integration through their app. Problem was that the tests were not precise nor accurate. Also, specific tests such as calcium hardness and total alkalinity were constantly off from my comparison with the Taylor test kit as well as tests run off same collection sample at multiple local businesses that ran water testing for free. I finally ran into this test kit but ignored it for months due to its price but then I realized that it'll be paid for in 2yrs compared to my current subscription, so I decided to try it out. There are detailed instructions on how to run your tests, how much water to put in the discs and what not to touch. Failure to observe these directions lead to faulty results. Example, if one touches the top or bottom of the discs, or the sensors inside the machine, the results get faulty. Even cleaning the sensors with the wrong cleaner leads to faulty results. Putting in too little or too much water sample into the discs also throws off readings. By carefully following instructions for running tests, I've gotten more precise and accurate results that has been comparable to my results from the Taylor test kit and from my favorite local free pool water test center. There is cell phone and PC integration with this device via the WaterLink app, but it is poorly done. I have not been able to initiate the tests from either my phone or PC. It appears I'm only able to send results to the app on my phone. For the cost of this device, the cellphone integration should be much better than it is. It is however the best device out there in terms of the number of parameters that can be tested (which depends on the type of test disc purchased) as well as the accuracy and precision of the results.

Best device around!

Has saved so much time and money for our hobbies family!!!