Rainbow 320 installation approval record
Download the installation/approval checklist (CSV) . Record the exact Rainbow 320 / R171096, manual revision, return-plumbing arrangement, required protection and service clearance. Have the installer confirm compatibility before cutting or adapting plumbing. The exact feeder record , 320 installation guide and CDC chemical safety answer different questions; a general listing is not installation approval.
Match the feeder’s approved chemistry and tablet dimensions with the actual sanitizer label. Never use an unapproved chemical or mix products to consume leftovers. For an alternative route, read the skimmer’s two-approval rule and the authorized disposal decision . The Amazon link on this page is a search for the exact feeder, not a guarantee that every result fits. Checked October 1, 2026; no installation, dosing-rate or leak test was performed here.
Pool-chemical safety: Follow the product label. The CDC pool-chemical guidance says to keep each chemical in its original labeled container, store chemicals separately in a dry, well-ventilated area, and never mix chlorine with acids or different chlorine products.
The Pentair Rainbow 320 is a good inline feeder when the return plumbing has the space, orientation, and service access required by the manual. It keeps tablets contained at the equipment pad and gives you an adjustable flow path. Skip it if cutting the return line is impractical, an off-line retrofit is easier, or routine trichlor use no longer fits the pool’s stabilizer level.
Replacing a Rainbow feeder: record the complete installation
A listing for R171096 identifies the feeder, but it does not establish that a replacement can simply be dropped into the old plumbing. Before ordering, have the installer identify the existing model, connection arrangement, required protection, service clearance and any modifications made since installation.
Keep two decisions separate: replacing a worn component under the parts instructions, and replacing the complete feeder. A leaking seal does not by itself prove the body needs replacement; a damaged body is not made acceptable by a new seal. Use Pentair’s exact parts and service guidance rather than a marketplace “fits Rainbow” description.
Also review why the old arrangement is being replaced. If the problem is that continued trichlor use no longer fits the water’s stabilizer level, a new Rainbow 320 repeats the same chemistry choice. If the problem is inaccessible servicing, replacing it in the same position repeats the access problem.
This replacement record is a purchase filter, not permission to reuse old fittings or service pressurized equipment. Have uncertain installation and component-condition questions resolved before buying.
Quick verdict
Buy it for: a permanent residential pool with compatible plumbing, a planned inline installation, and an owner who already intends to use label-approved trichlor tablets.
Skip it for: temporary or seasonal soft-sided pools, equipment pads with poor access, pools that need an off-line bypass feeder, or water that already has excessive cyanuric acid.
The Rainbow 320 controls water movement through a tablet chamber. It does not sense chlorine demand, measure water chemistry, or decide how many tablets the pool needs.
What to verify before buying
Plumbing position
An inline feeder becomes part of the return line. Confirm pipe size, straight-run space, flow direction, clearances, and the position relative to the heater and other equipment from the current Pentair installation manual. Use a qualified installer when plumbing or local code is outside your experience.
Tablet chemistry
Do not treat “chlorine tablet” as a universal format. Use only chemistry and sizes explicitly permitted by the feeder manual and sanitizer label. Never add a different chlorine type over residue from another product. If the feeder history is unknown, stop and get manufacturer or professional guidance before loading it.
Service access
The lid and control must remain reachable after installation. Leave room to depressurize, open, inspect, and service the feeder without leaning over electrical equipment or hot plumbing. A feeder that technically fits but cannot be serviced safely is the wrong installation.
How it compares
| Feeder | Best use | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Pentair Rainbow 320 inline | Permanent return line with planned installation | Requires cutting and correctly arranging plumbing |
| Hayward CL220 off-line | Retrofit where a bypass tube is easier | Adds tubing and connection points to inspect |
| Floating dispenser | Small pool or no-plumbing setup | Moves in the pool and can rest against surfaces |
The Rainbow 320 is the cleanest-looking solution of the three when the equipment pad is already being built or replumbed. The CL220 is often easier when the main return line should remain intact. A floater is cheaper, but it gives up equipment-pad containment and precise placement.
For a source-stamped comparison of the Rainbow 320’s bottom/top-feed range, Hayward’s CL200/CL220 split, and CMP’s exact inline/off-line variants, use the pool feeder model and plumbing-fit map .
Trichlor trade-offs
Trichlor is slow-dissolving and stabilized. It can supply chlorine steadily, but routine use also contributes cyanuric acid and tends to affect pH. Test free chlorine, pH, and stabilizer as the product label and pool conditions require. Turning the feeder higher is not a substitute for diagnosing low chlorine, poor circulation, or an overloaded filter.
If cyanuric acid is already high, liquid chlorine or a salt chlorine generator may make more sense because those routes do not keep adding stabilizer through trichlor tablets.
Ownership and maintenance
Follow the manual’s shutdown and depressurization procedure before opening the lid. Inspect seals, fittings, the control, and the body on the stated schedule. Replace damaged parts with specified components; do not improvise around a chemical feeder.
Keep unused tablets in their original container, separate from acids and every other pool chemical. Never use the feeder as storage, and never leave mixed or unidentified residue inside.
Which option fits your pool
Choose the Pentair Rainbow 320 when an inline installation genuinely matches the plumbing and trichlor still matches the water. Choose the Hayward CL220 when an off-line retrofit is more practical. Choose a floater only for a smaller, label-compatible pool where installed equipment is not justified.
Sources checked
Specifications and manuals were checked on August 6, 2026. Follow the current manual and sanitizer label for the exact model and chemical in use.