Thursday, October 28, 2021

Should You Replace Your Pool Pump or Just the Motor?

 So when do you replace just the motor or replace the pump and motor? Usually, the pump is still good and changing the motor is all you will need to do to get things up and running. But it kind of got complicated with the new Department of Energy (DOE) regulations banning the sale of certain HP pool pumps. And your customer may in fact be ready for a VS pump upgrade so what was once a black and white decision is a little more grey. 

If you have a single speed 1.5 hp or 2 hp motor that needs to be replaced, chances are that the replacement motor can no longer be sold to you. The best option would be to replace the motor with a Century V-Green stands alone VS motor or Nidec Neptune VS Motor. They are compatible with most pumps and come with a round or square flange. It is the most affordable option and if the existing pump is less than 5 years old I would suggest going that route. But if you need to replace the entire pump, here are some brands to look at. 




Chapter Marks
00:00 What to Expect in this video
01:05 DOE Regulations Overview
05:05 Hayward XE Series Pumps
06:33 Troubleshooting Tips
11:05 When to Replace the Entire Pump
14:50 Dual Voltage VS Pumps
16:39 Matching the HP of Your Old Pump
18:01 Upgrading to Just a VS Motor
21:48 Automated System Tips
23:05 Look At Local Manufacturers

Pentair was the first with their IntelliFlo VS pump and it is still the benchmark pump because there are just so many of them installed in backyards. When they first came out much thought they would never catch on and the first generation of the IntelliFlo did have a few issues. In the beginning, I didn’t like them much myself and thought it was a fad that would fade away. Now many states like California and Arizona require you to install one once your standard single-speed pump needs to be replaced.

So, Pentair being the first makes it the best, right? Not exactly, but you can’t go wrong with a 3 HP IntelliFlo VS pump. It features a great price point and is super reliable. The menu can be challenging to understand but it has a long track record and is tough to beat. The flow rate of the IntelliFlo VS is also excellent and if you choose to go with Pentair you are making a very solid choice.

I will say that one factor to consider when you have an automated system already installed is to go with the VS pump that matches the brand of your automated system. The only exception is the Jandy Aqualink which is compatible with the Pentair IntelliFlo VS. But in most cases, if you have Hayward Automation, go with a Hayward VS pump. If you have a Jandy Aqualink go with a Jandy VS pump. And if you have a Pentair Automated system go with the IntelliFlo VS pump.

Let me touch on the Jandy VS Pumps. These are very good pumps and feature Century motors which have a great track record in the industry. The only thing you need to note is that the Jandy VS pumps need a separate controller to work. If the pump is a stand-alone without an automated system you would need a JEP-R Controller or the iQPump01 to actually program and control the pump. These can be mounted separately from the pump on the wall for instance and the iQPump01 works over the internet so you can control the pump from anywhere. The flow rate is comparable to the Pentair VS pump and they also feature a 3 HP version. The Jandy VS pump is about as good as the Pentair IntelliFlo, it is like comparing BMW with Mercedes

With a Hayward VS pump like the TriStar 950 and Smart Pool control, you can control everything on your equipment pad that a stand-alone automated system can. You can turn on the heater, turn it to spa mode, turn on the lights, and much more from your Smart Phone using the Hayward OMNI Logic app. They also off a 3-year warranty on their new VS pumps with the TriStar 950 sporting a 4-year warranty.  So Hayward is back in the game with their VS pump lineup. Not that the Jacuzzi pumps sold at Leslie’s are made by Hayward and are an excellent choice as well.

All of these pumps require a 230 Volt set up which can be a drawback if you are running your current pump off of 115 Volts. The solution for this is to install the Pentair SuperFlo VS pump which has been designed to work with 230 Volts as well as 115 Volts. It is a 1.5 HP VS pump so it has plenty of power for your older pool set up and it is also very reliable. Hayward has also made the TriStar 950 with Smart Pool Control a dual voltage VS pump. So you can also connect the TriStar 950 to a 115 Volt set up. The pump will throttle down from the 3 HP rating to a 1.5 HP rating and work fine with your 115 Volt equipment.

The lines are a little blurred when it comes to picking the best VS pump for your pool. You would want to match the VS pump to your current automation and if you don’t have an automated system and want one, the Hayward VS pump with the Smart Pool control is a great option.  I wouldn’t say these three VS pump brands are equal but there is not much separating each VS pump from one another.  Pentair, Jandy, and Hayward all make a quality VS pump so you will have to do your research and decide which one is the best for your pool.


Monday, October 25, 2021

Tips on Selling Pressure Side Cleaner to Your Service Customers

Pressure side cleaners can be a great choice for some regions of the country. If your area gets lots of leaf debris in the pools this is a great option. Some builders by default will install Pressure side cleaners in all of their new builds, which is a good thing. Note that most pressure side cleaners will need a dedicated  ¾ hp booster pump and a dedicated return line and timer to operate.




Some of the great selling points for a pressure side cleaner are that it will pick up large leaf debris in a pool and leave it spotless each week. Since you run it only for 2 hours a day it should last a decade or longer – so a great investment for the price-conscious consumer. They are also very easy to remove from the pool with the quick disconnect for those times you have a pool party.

There are some “Return Side Cleaners” out there that do not require a separate booster pump like the Polaris 360 and these work off of your existing return line. The return side cleaners work off of one of your existing return jets. For a return side cleaner to work effectively, you will need a full-size filter, at least a ¾ hp pump, and 1 1/2” threaded return lines. If your pool meets these requirements a cleaner like the Polaris 360 would be right for you.

I suggest installing these cleaners in pools that get a large amount of debris on the pool floor from surrounding trees. They are designed with very large openings on the bottom and have a large debris bag on top to trap large pool debris. Both the pressure side and return side cleaners are capable of picking up very large debris. They work better than Suction Side Cleaners that tend to get clogged up when they run over a pile of leaves on the pool bottom.

These cleaners work off of the return pressure that is funneled thru small tubes on the cleaner bottoms and create a jet action that propels the cleaner and shoots debris up into the bag on top thru Venturi on the bottom opening of the cleaner. These are basically strong jets of water in the throat of the cleaner. It is a very effective design and will leave a pool that gets a lot of debris spotless every week. 

My top choice for a pressure-side cleaner would be the Polaris 280. It is a design that dates back over 35 years and is a simple driveshaft gear that propels the cleaner. It is my go-to pressure side cleaner and my default cleaner for almost every pool on my route. You can also look at the Pentair Legend, it is very similar to the Polaris 280 and equally effective. It is easy to repair and will keep working in a pol for decades if maintained properly. 

For a return side cleaner, I would go with the Polaris 360 or their new dark color scheme TR36. These are the same cleaners just in different color schemes. The Polaris 360 has a blue body and white hoses, while the TR36 has a dark blue body and black hoses. Both will work without a booster pump and connect directly to your pool's existing return lines. 

If you want to compare pressure side cleaners, one that is very comparable to Polaris 280 is the Polaris 380. It is similar in every way except that it is more compact in size and uses a belt drive instead of a drive shaft. If you are looking for a BMW or Mercedes of these types of cleaners you can also look at the Polaris 3900 Sport. This one uses a chain drive and of all the cleaners move the quickest on the pool bottom. It is an excellent cleaner but with a large price tag. 

The premiere pressure side cleaner is the Polaris Quattro Sport or P40 for Leslie’s branded version. This is a pressure cleaner with the features of a robotic pool cleaner. It will climb the walls and has a scrubbing brush much like a robotic pool cleaner and has an internal debris chamber. In all intents, it is a hybrid cleaner and a great mix between a robotic and pressure-side cleaner. 


Thursday, October 21, 2021

The 2021 Pool Season in Review with Scott Webb of Aqua Magazine

 I sat down with Scott Webb who is the editor of Aqua Magazine for the last 20 plus years and we talked about the 2021 pool season, a year in review so to speak. Of course, there are new things that Aqua is doing to enter 2022 sprinting including their updated website and their own trade show launching in October 2022 - https://www.aquamag.live/. We talk about these two things to start the show and then we jump into the high inflation facing the industry as well as the equipment shortage and the state of the industry. 






Aqua is working on a revamped website and a pool show which is two new things on their plate for 2022. It is always good to see someone as big as Aqua evolving and staying up with the times. The pool show is probably the bigger of the two ventures as they have been out of the trade show business for about a decade now. 

One very big thing that we addressed in our discussion is the runaway inflation in this industry, particularly in 2021. I don’t think we have faced such crazy price increases at any other time in this industry and the increase in the cost of chemicals and equipment may not be at an end when we enter the 2022 season. 

Some of the obvious causes are just the general spiraling wage increases in every outlying field that affects this industry. For example, if HASA needs to pay their drivers 10% more to retain them, that 10% is passed on in the cost of the chlorine. Another factor is that chlorine and equipment were in short supply in 2021. This is basic supply and demand. More people wanted 3” tablets and since the supply was low, the prices skyrocketed. 

The equipment shortage came about from a number of factors hitting at the same time. You had a back-up in production due to Covid-19 shutdowns, then came the container shortage, those metal containers that you need to put stuff in to ship things here from China. Then the backup at the ports. A freeze across most of Texas that took out 1/3 of all equipment pads in that state gobbled up any existing equipment leftover from 2020. Then with pool building at an all-time high and each of those new pools needing equipment, it created a perfect storm for the industry. It wasn’t just one factor but many that hit all at once in 2021.

Another thing we touched on was a chart that was published in the October (2021) issue of Aqua Magazine that showed the cities with the most pools. You can pull that chart up here: https://www.aquamagazine.com/digital-edition/775a9228#118

It is interesting that in an area like Phoenix Arizona, there are just as many pools now as in Miami Florida. I think that is a good indication that pool builders are in a “Golden Age” where there are just so many homeowners that want a pool that in some cases they are almost a year out on projects. With record home equity and no real end in sight, the swimming pool industry is expanding at the quickest pace on record. 

Overall 2021 was a strange and chaotic year and as we go into 2022 I don’t see much of anything changing. Maybe we will be more prepared for it and hopefully, they will have more chlorine and equipment next season but I am not holding out too much hope.


Monday, October 18, 2021

Vacuum System Bottle Caddy

Tired of removing your industry chemical bottles and sprayer whenever you need to transport your Riptide between stops. Or do you have to shuffle the bottles around to get your other large chemicals to fit? The Riptide Bottle Caddy solves this issue for you. Safely store and transport your bottles with this unique and specially designed caddy!




These are handmade in Mexico and are crafted with chemical-resistant fabric that will stand the test of time. Each one is designed to match your particular vacuum system with a distinct color scheme. The riptide bottle caddy is orange and blue, the Hammer-Head is blue and white and the Power Vac is grey and white. 


When I say industry-standard bottles it will hold a YellowTrine bottle, No Mor Problem type bottle, Bio-Dex bottles, and a regular size spray bottle. I have tested it with over 15 lbs. of bottles in it and there was no problem with it holding them. It comes with 4 zip ties to strap it down onto the vacuum cart and the clip in front is heavy duty and will act as a safety line if a zip tie breaks off. An extremely well-made product and one that you will find extremely useful. 

You will find this an easy and convenient way to store your bottles without using the storage bin on the vacuum system and moving the bottles around when you need to make room for your chlorine and acid jugs. These bottles also tend to fall out of the tray when you hit a bump or the vacuum system in tow goes over a speed bump. Rest assured once in the bottle caddy they will not fall out of your vacuum system while it is in transport between stops.

The Vacuum System Bottle Caddy is easy to install. Simply loop the clamp over the cart handle and clip it on. I suggest using the included zip ties to secure it better to the vehicle and these zip ties are also color coded for each vacuum system. 

Clear Pool Products also makes these other great products for your vacuum systems:

Riptide Cover
This is a sturdy cover for your Riptide Pool vacuum system.  The cover is made of weather-resistant fabric and comes with two straps to tighten the cover to your cart and a second to secure it to your hitch during travel.  Comes in Riptide blue.  Made in Mexico.

Clear Pool Bags (Universal fit for all vacuum systems)
Our bags are custom made in Mexico we have 90, 200, and 400-micron bags as well as a green pool bag for heavy cleaning of leaves and other junk.


Thursday, October 14, 2021

NPP National Pool Partners Explained

NPP is an interesting concept and something never tried before in the pool service industry. In a nutshell, they are purchasing large pool service routes in the Sun Belt and essentially running them from behind the scenes. Here is more about them from their site.


“National Pool Partners (NPP) is the nation’s largest multi-regional pool service company, operating as a family of brands across the Sun Belt. We partner with local businesses to provide the scale and resources of a national enterprise to better serve our customers, teammates, and partners.

National Scale. Local Brands. National Pool Partners (NPP) is the nation’s largest multi-regional pool service company, operating as a family of regional brands across the Sun Belt. We partner with local businesses to provide the scale and resources of a national enterprise to better serve our customers, teammates, and partners.”

For example, they purchased Patriot Pool & Spa in Austin from Hal Denbar who I interviewed for this podcast, and then made him Regional President, Texas. Now they are purchasing other large service routes in the area and bringing them under the Patriot Pool and Spa brand name. So essentially they are or will be the largest pool service company in Austin Texas and in any region where they purchase a large pool route.

They plan on bringing the pool service industry to another level, making it more legitimate with their philosophy and employee benefits. They will offer medical, dental, retirement plans, and life insurance and can do things on a larger scale than most pool service companies can’t do.  Here is more on their culture and employee benefits.

“Safety: Employees receive best-in-class digital and on-job training. Customers trust us to be in their backyards with their families, dogs, and guests – we will never compromise on ensuring the safety of our team and customers.

Benefits & Career progression: Teammates receive industry-leading 401-k matching, health & dental benefits, life insurance, and career advancement opportunities.

Community: We strive to empower the communities we serve and encourage our teammates to do the same.”

They off the seller the opportunity to also invest in the NPP brand by joining the company at some capacity, so if the owner of the company sold is not ready to fully retire he can take an open position within NPP. This is a new way of selling a pool route ad by selling to NPP who can basically take over the route and absorb it into its brand, there is no seller training required and the transaction is quick and easy.

“NPP is brand new, and all of our Partners will be important leaders in our organization, helping to shape and influence our culture and success. You can join us on this journey by rolling some of your sale proceeds tax-free and benefit from the future upside.

We have owned and operated pool service companies, as well as some of the world’s largest route-based businesses. We have completed over 250 transactions and know how to create value for partners while growing a business to national scale.”

NPP offers something new and revolutionary to the pool service industry. They are not trying to come in and undercut single-polers nor are they a bargain-based pool service. Their overall intention is to raise the bar in the pool service industry and set a new industry standard of pool service.

To learn more: https://go-npp.com/

Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

YouTube Video Index: http://poolmandave.blogspot.com/2014/03/swimming-pool-tips-reviews-how-to-video.html – A list of all of my videos.

Monday, October 11, 2021

Tips on Selling Suction Side Cleaners Out on Your Pool Route

 There are several benefits of having an automatic cleaner in your service account. The first is that it will save you a lot of time out there on your route. Look at it like having your manual vacuum going in the pol for 8 hours a day. This essentially allows you to just spot vacuum each of your service stops.

 


It also will leave your clients pool swim-ready each week which is great if you find them using the pool throughout the season. Again, get the image of you vacuuming their pool all day and you can see why the pool will be good to go at any given time. No more manually vacuum each pool every week on your route. This will allow you to focus on more important things like the pool chemistry.

 Having a cleaner running can also prevent staining on the pool surface. Sometimes dirt will have metal ions in it and leaves will certainly stain the pool bottom if left there for a long period of time. A staple or other small metal piece can also fall into the pool and I have seen pools saved from a rust stain by an automatic cleaner picking up the small metal item. The fact that the cleaner will be keeping the pool floor and walls clean each week ensures an overall better look to the pool as well.

 Suction side cleaners are the most familiar type of cleaner for most consumers and the most popular type. A suction cleaner works off your pool's existing pump and is attached to the skimmer or a side/ vacuum port in your pool. Depending on the pool and type of debris this can be the most effective and cost-effective cleaner type for you. Most suction side cleaners retail for $400 or less.

 The Suction side cleaner is the one most popular on my pool route as they are affordable, effective and there are a lot of different models to choose from. In most cases, I will suggest a good suction side cleaner since they are also easy to set up and easy to repair when something breaks.

 A suction cleaner is also great because you can use the hoses that are already in the pool to spot vacuum the pool. Simply remove the cleaner head and attach your manual vacuum head and you can easily vacuum a pool.

 You can easily equip your entire route with suction side cleaners by either selling your customers low-priced models like the Zodiac Ranger or the Pentair Lil’ Rebel. A lot of service companies include an automatic cleaner in their business model, simply add $15 to the monthly service and in a year it will pay for itself. Just the time savings will of course reap dividends and you can service more pools each day because of the automatic suction side cleaner.

 I like to drop a demo cleaner in a pool and let the customer try it for 2-weeks. Rarely if ever will I get a customer who says they didn’t like the cleaner or how nice the pool looks each week with the cleaner running in the pool. It is usually an easy sell and I highly recommend having some type of automatic cleaner in every service account you have.

 Visit my Website: http://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/

eBook: https://www.swimmingpoollearning.com/swimming-pool-care-ebook

YouTube Video Index: http://poolmandave.blogspot.com/2014/03/swimming-pool-tips-reviews-how-to-video.html – A list of all of my videos.


Thursday, October 7, 2021

What Would Bob Lowry Do?

 I go over a series of questions here with chemistry expert Bob Lowry in this series of “What Would Bob Do?” Imagine Bob Lowry Riding along with you in your pool service truck. That would be pretty cool. Since he probably can’t do this at this stage of his career the next best thing is to ask him what he would do in certain situations.



Chapter Marks in above video:
00:00 What to Expect in This Episode
02:06 Bob Lowry Health Update
03:50 High pH every Week
13:21 No Chlorine Available
16:03 Odd Test Kit Readings
20:08 There is 4” of Rain is Predicted
29:36 Airbnb Bid

Constant High pH:
This is an issue that we have talked about in the past. There are a few reasons the pH in a pool is constantly rising. The alkalinity may be too high. There may be water features causing aeration. You may have a chlorine generator also known as a salt system. Just by its very nature, the saltwater system creates aeration in the cell. The plaster may be new and the curing process causes a higher acid demand. 

Bob’s solution of course involves adding borates to 50 ppm, lowering the alkalinity, and turning down the water features. You also should be keeping the alkalinity at 80 ppm. 

No Chlorine at Your supplier:
Bob’s solution is pretty easy. Go to Walmart or  Target and purchase some household bleach. It is basically the same thing as liquid chlorine but at a lower percentage. 

Odd Test Kit Readings: 
You should have a backup test kit and a kit that tests for metals which is one of the leading causes of strange reagent readings.  And carry some test strips to verify the readings is not a bad idea.

4” of rain predicted in your area:
This is a tough one because that much rain can cause a lot of problems for a pool. Bob has some interesting ideas and suggestions and I think he is spot on here.

Airbnb bidding: 
If you want to service Airbnb homes note that these are basically commercial pools in a residential backyard. Bob goes over some things to do to make this type of service practical. 


Bob Lowry is the author of over 23 books but this has to be one of his most relevant and shortest books coming in at just 19 pages thick. But it is packed with so many essentials on residential pool chemistry that you will want a copy to carry in your service truck. Bob Lowry has been in the industry for over 47 years and is the Lead Consultant at Lowry Consulting Group, leads the Pool Chemistry Training Institute, and has created the Certified Residential Pool & Spa Certification Program. Learn more at  https://pcti.online/