1. Inspect the solar panel for any visual damage or imperfections which may have occurred during shipping.
   If any discrepancies are noticed, contact your dealer or Floatron customer service.
2. Lay the unit face down on a smooth surface.
3. With one hand, hold the spring electrode down in a compressed condition to avoid interference.
4. Thread either end of the mineral electrode clockwise onto the silver metal screw stud at the center of the unit, which is also at the center of the spring electrode.
5. Tighten snugly by hand, about a quarter turn after contact with the black rubber seal at the base.
6. Lay endcap / spacer onto end of mineral electrode and inside of spring.
7. Place screen cage over electrodes and line up centered holes with the threaded bore in the mineral electrode end.
8. Thread the black thumbscrew clockwise into the electrode and tighten finger tight, or snugly. Do not over tighten as the plastic thumbscrew will strip or break if over-torqued.
   

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1. Begin with normally chlorinated water, and normal pH for your pool. Use your regular chlorine test kit to maintain approximately 1.0 ppm (Parts Per Million) chlorine residual. More chlorine may be necessary if conditions warrant.
2. Clear the water prior to floating your floatron. If your water is less than clear, it may require a 'shock' dose of oxidizer / chlorine.
3. Check for presence of copper ions in the water with the ion test kit. See 'ION TESTING'. The typical reading at this point is zero to trace amount (.0 - .1 ppm). If higher concentrations are detected, this is usually caused by the previous addition of a copper based algaecide, if so, manage as outlined under 'ION TESTING' chapter.
4. Free float while ensuring direct sunlight on the unit. If necessary, tether in a sunny part of the pool any suitable restraint may be tied to the tethering chain for this purpose.
5. Operate pump and filter system during daylight hours when your floatron is generating ions. This will allow proper mixing and circulation of the minerals. Pump operation is unnecessary and optional at night, and the unit can be left in the pool overnight.

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1. Read ion test kit instructions on the test kit.
2. Weekly checks should show an increasing concentration over time.
3. The target is .3 ppm, which upon reaching, chlorine reduction may begin.
4. If the ion reading climbs to .5 ppm or more, remove the unit from the water for a week and monitor ion level (weekly).
5. Once the level drops to .3 ppm or less, resume floating the unit and continue weekly ion checks.
6. If the ion level maintains at .3 ppm, then continue floating full time.

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1. Upon reaching the recommended ion level of .3 PPM, initiate chlorine reduction by allowing the chlorine concentration to drop to about half of its normal level, or approximately .5 ppm.
2. The pH range may now be expanded from 7.2 - 7.8. The Floatron works well at higher pH values, so do not arbitrarily attempt to adjust the pH if it is within this recommended range. Keep in mind that the general idea is to use your Floatron just enough to maintain an adequate ion level, and to determine how little chlorine is necessary to keep the water clear. Allow the water to settle down and seek its own balanced condition.
3. Clean electrodes weekly.

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1. Lay unit face down, preferably on grass.
2. Remove thumbscrew, screen, and endcap.
3. Blast with a jet of water from garden hose nozzle, from different directions, to knock off loose material and scale.

4. Reduce the water flow, and with water running over the electrodes, attack buildup with cleaning brush to remove most of the remainder of residues,
   
                                               AND / OR
   
   With water running over the electrodes, slide the spring up and down, while making contact with the center electrode from various directions. The residues will wash away with the water.

The center electrode need not be cleaned down to bare metal, although the spring is relatively easy to clean completely. If the majority of the scale is removed, the floatron will perform satisfactorily. It is not possible to clean the electrodes too much or too often. The cleaner the electrodes, the more efficient the operation.
Occasionally, the screen will require cleaning to ensure a free flow of water and ion exchange. Because the mesh is very fine, deposits can slowly choke the openings in the screen and restrict water flow. To clean the white mesh screen:

1. Hose out loose debris.

2. Immerse screen in a jar of vinegar until visually free of blue / white scale buildup,
   
                                                       OR
   
   Mix about 1/3 muratic / hydrochloric acid to 2/3 water and place screen into a jar containing this mixture. The cleaning process will take a minute or less. Do not expose screen to the acid mix for more than a minute or so as it could soften the plastic.

3. Rinse screen and reinstall.

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1. Remove screen and endcap, and clean parts.
2. While compressing spring electrode with one hand, rotate center electrode counterclockwise. If necessary, use pliers for leverage.
3. Continue to unthread until free.

NOTE: Always keep the same end of the electrode to the floater. Do not swap ends when removing and replacing your electrode.

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1. Ensure ion reading .3 to .5 ppm. The mineralized water will protect against algae; the ions act as an algaecide, therefore no need to add additional algaecide.
2. Turn off all equipment, including pumps, chlorinators, etc.
3. If the water is clear, no need to oxidize. If less than clear, add chlorine / oxidizer.
4. Remove floatron
5. Drain water, winterize pumps, cover, etc. as desired.
6. Clean and remove electrode from the unit and store in an airtight plastic bag or jar.
7. Store your floatron indoors. Avoid freezing.

1. Top off water level, backwash, and vacuum as necessary.
2. Add chlorine to clear any cloudiness, if present.
3. Test ion level. Float unit to reestablish .3 ppm.
4. If  ion level is below .3 ppm, Temporarily increase chlorine for protection.
5. Maintain enough oxidizer to ensure water clarity.
6. Verify pH is within 7.2 - 7.8 Range. Correct if necessary.

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1. Fill a clear, glass or plastic, quart sized jar or equivalent with pool or tap water.
2. Clean electrodes and leave screen off.
3. Place the floatron on the top of the jar, resting on the lip, with the electrodes immersed in the water.
4. With a full sun shining on the solar panel, very fine bubbles will be observed after a few seconds originating from the spring coils. This demonstrates that electrical current is being generated. Absence of bubbles indicates a problem.

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1. Spent cleaning acid may be poured back into pool.
   
2. Allow new plaster type finishes to cure for a month prior to using the floatron.
   
3. Baking soda works well to raise pH, and is readily available and reasonably priced.
   
4. Household bleach works excellently for small and medium sized pools. For large pools, too many gallons may be required, making more concentrated forms of chlorine more convenient.
   
5. Keep a tablet of chlorine in the skimmer, or floating dispenser, to provide a constant input of oxidizer into the pool. When necessary, ad an additional boost of liquid or granulated chlorine to maintain clear water.
   
6. A toothbrush helps in electrode and screen cleaning.
   
7. A cutoff golf tee can be used to secure the screen if the thumbscrew is lost.
   
8. Store chlorine in a cool and dark place.
   
9. Keep ion test kit in refrigerator.
   
10. Check water hardness, measured as total dissolved solids (TDS) at your local pool store. Readings of approximately 2000 PPM or greater indicate the need to drain and refill with refresh water. If that is not possible, partial draining and refilling is beneficial. With a high TDS, the water cannot absorb and retain minerals very easily.
    
11. The addition of cyanuric acid (stabilizer) is not necessary if you already use a stabilized form of chlorine, such as tablets.
    
12. The floatron works well with a pool cover. The choices are to open the cover enough to float the unit, or cut a 3 inch "X" into the cover which allows the electrodes to remain in the water while the top is exposed to the sun.
    
13. Clear, high quality water without algae, and an abnormally low ion reading, does not necessarily indicate that your floatron is not functioning properly, in this situation, call the factory.
    
14. When replacing the mineral electrode, ensure that the threads are dry and free of water.
    
15. In hard water conditions, over time, the solar panel may form calcium deposits which are left by water evaporation. To quickly and easily remove the scale, apply diluted acid / water (as described under 'ELECTRODE CLEANING') with a toothbrush. Allow to dissolve deposits and rinse. Vinegar may be used although more time will be required to do the job.

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1. Do not automatically take advice for granted from those who are not experienced with the floatron. This type of expert opinion is often influenced by the desire to sell or use chlorine and related pool chemicals, additionally, recommendations more often than not reflect a chlorine based pool chemistry, and are not applicable to ionized water.
   
2. Do not add any clarifiers or metal removers which will eliminate the beneficial mineral ions generated by your floatron.
   
3. Do not use with Baquacil or Soft Swim brand products, or others with similar chemistry. These chemicals must be removed from the water first.
   
4. Addition of algaecide is unnecessary as the floatron is an algaecide generator.
   
5. 'Shocking' ionized mineral water is poor technique. It's like an atomic bomb to the water. The water should be finessed. Oxidizer should be added at reduced dosages to clarify cloudy water.