Whether you need to monitor chlorine in drinking water, swimming pools, cooling towers, or food processing environments, a reliable chlorine meter delivers fast, accurate readings that test strips simply cannot match.
Pacific Sensor Technologies supplies professional-grade chlorine meters, chlorine analysers, and chlorine photometers across Australia. Our range includes handheld free chlorine meters, total chlorine testers, and combination free-and-total chlorine photometers — each built around a precision chlorine sensor calibrated to the DPD colorimetric method. Ideal for environmental monitoring, water treatment facilities, aquaculture, brewing, and pool management.
Whether you need to monitor chlorine in drinking water, swimming pools, cooling towers,...
Free chlorine handy photometer
Range: 0.00 …
Free Chlorine Range: 0.00 to 2.50 ppm
Total chlorine handy photometer
Range: 0.00…
Total Chlorine Range: 0.00 to 3.50 ppm
Free & Total Chlorine Professional Photometer…
Free Chlorine Professional Photometer
0.00 …
Free & Total Chlorine and pH Professional Pho…
Free & Total Chlorine (High Range) Profession…
Total Chlorine Range: 0 to 500 mg/L (as Cl2<...
Range: 0.00 to 5.00 mg/L (as Cl2)
Free & Total Chlorine Meter
Accuracy: Digital chlorine meters typically offer accuracy to ±0.06 mg/L, versus the ±0.5 mg/L typical of test strips.
Speed: Results in as little as 3 seconds for handheld models.
Data Logging: PRO photometer models record readings for compliance and reporting.
Range: Measure from 0.00 to 10.00 mg/L Cl2 — covering low drinking water standards to high industrial sanitisation levels.
Our Milwaukee Instruments chlorine meters are trusted by water treatment engineers, pool operators, food manufacturers, and environmental consultants throughout Australia. The Milwaukee range uses the widely accepted DPD (N,N-Diethyl-p-phenylenediamine) colorimetric method, recognised by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and consistent with EPA Method 330.
These terms are often used interchangeably, but it helps to know what each one refers to. The chlorine sensor is the measuring element inside the instrument — in our Milwaukee range, an optical sensor reads the colour change produced by the DPD reagent reaction. A chlorine analyser describes the complete instrument performing that analysis — in portable form, this is the same handheld meter or photometer listed below. Whether you search for a chlorine meter, chlorine analyser, or chlorine sensor, our Milwaukee photometers and testers cover all three: portable, DPD-based, and accurate to ±0.06 mg/L.
1. Free Chlorine vs Total Chlorine vs Both
Free chlorine is the active disinfectant in water. Total chlorine is the sum of free chlorine and combined chlorine (chloramines). For most pool and drinking water monitoring applications, measuring both is recommended. Models like the Milwaukee Mi404 and Mi411 measure both simultaneously.
2. Measurement Range
Standard range (0.00–5.00 mg/L): Suitable for drinking water, pools, spas, and aquaculture. Our Milwaukee MW10 and MW11 testers cover this range.
High range (0.00–10.00 mg/L): Required for industrial sanitisation, cooling towers, or post-shock pool testing. See the Milwaukee Mi413 for high range applications.
3. Handheld Tester vs Professional Photometer
Handheld testers (e.g., MW10, MW11 from $199.50): Simple, compact, and ideal for routine spot checks. The DPD reagent tablet method means no complicated calibration.
Professional Photometers (e.g., Mi404, Mi406, Mi411, Mi413 at $899.00): Offer higher accuracy, data logging, GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) functions, and are better suited for regulatory compliance and reporting.
4. Application
Drinking Water: Free and total chlorine monitoring against ADWG limits (typically 0.2 to 4.0 mg/L).
Swimming Pools & Spas: Free chlorine should be maintained at 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L for public pools.
Water Treatment & Environmental: Industrial users should consider the Mi413 (high range) or bench photometer options.
Brewing & Winemaking: The Mi404 is specifically suited to low-level chlorine monitoring in food-grade water.
5. Reagents & Ongoing Costs
All Milwaukee chlorine meters use standard DPD reagent tablets, available separately from PST (Mi506-100 – Free Chlorine Reagent, Mi511-100 – pH + Free & Total Chlorine Reagent, Mi513-045 – Free & Total Chlorine reagent). Reagent cost is approximately $0.20–$0.50 per test.
All of these instruments are colorimetric photometers — see the full photometer range if you need to compare across parameters.
Need help selecting the right instrument?Contact our water quality specialists on 1300 662 720 or email sales@pacificsensortech.com.au.
The DPD (N,N-Diethyl-p-phenylenediamine) colorimetric method is the most widely accepted technique for measuring free and total chlorine. It is referenced by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and EPA Method 330. All Milwaukee chlorine photometers from PST use the DPD method.
Free chlorine is the form of chlorine actively available to disinfect water. Total chlorine is the combined measurement of both free chlorine and combined chlorine (chloramines formed when free chlorine reacts with organic matter or nitrogen compounds). For safe water quality management, monitoring both is best practice.
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) recommend a maximum of 5 mg/L total chlorine, with typical treatment levels of 0.2 to 0.6 mg/L free chlorine at point of consumption. A chlorine meter with a range starting at 0.00 mg/L is ideal for drinking water testing.
Yes. Public swimming pools in Australia are typically required to maintain free chlorine between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L. Models such as the Milwaukee MW10 (0.00–2.50 ppm) or Mi404 (0.00–5.00 mg/L) are well-suited to pool water testing.
Yes. Colorimetric chlorine meters (including all Milwaukee models) require DPD reagent tablets or powder sachets for each measurement. PST supplies Milwaukee reagents separately. Each test costs approximately $0.20 to $0.50.
DPD tablets and liquid reagent kits rely on reading a colour change by eye, which introduces accuracy limits of around ±0.5 mg/L and is prone to human error — particularly for users with colour vision deficiency. A digital chlorine meter uses the same DPD chemistry but reads the colour change optically, delivering accuracy to ±0.06 mg/L with a numeric result in seconds. If you need results for compliance reporting or repeatable accuracy, a digital meter is the more reliable choice; manual DPD kits remain a low-cost option for infrequent spot checks.
Yes. Pacific Sensor Technologies operates a NATA-accredited calibration laboratory at our Pakenham, Victoria facility. We provide traceable calibration certificates for chlorine meters and all water quality instruments.
