jfh
Tom,
You must be testing the pH of the activator itself. It is a 5:1 ratio after all. The first 3 minutes are for the guaranteed generation of a large enough quantity of CLO2 to get started. After 3 minutes, a buffering agent is used to stop/slow the process of activation. This would decrease the PPM and keep the acid separate for a while. The reason for this is so that the solution will continue to activate for 12 hours. CLO2 has been determined to have a life of 2 hours. It is an unstable chemical. Unstable means that is will decompose in that time, not explode or any such thing. If the mixture is fully activated prior to drinking, it would be worthless after 2 hours.
It was the concept of Stabilized Oxygen to have the activation completely inside the body, using acids there. This has worked for 1000s for several years. That was based upon a 5% concentration of sodium chlorite. Jim Humble saw the need to bombard the body with higher concentration; and ensure that large quantities of the stuff begin the process.
To test this, you would need a more precise measuring tool. You would need to:
1) test the activator pH
2) test the activator pH plus the sodium chlorite
3) test the solution after 3 minutes
4) add the diluent
5) test the final mixture
6) test the solution after it has been sitting for more than 2 hours
So, you are on the right path.