Polaris Line-Up of Automatic Cleaners

At the 1973's National Swimming Pool Convention in Anaheim, Calif., a local company called Swimrite introduced a new Automatic pool Cleaner called the Polaris Vac-sweep. Polaris has come a long way since then and with the new parent company Fluidra, they will just get better and better.

Let me highlight some of the cleaners that I like.

Polaris 280: This pressure-side pool cleaner is designed for in-ground pools and offers powerful cleaning performance. It features a large intake throat to capture debris such as leaves, twigs, and pebbles, and a unique filter bag that removes debris before it reaches your pool's pump and filter system. It’s also a real workhorse and will run for decades really with proper part changes and maintenance. 

Polaris 360 (TR36P): Also a pressure-side cleaner for in-ground pools. It operates without a separate booster pump and uses a unique drive mechanism that allows it to clean walls, steps, and other pool surfaces effectively. All you need to have is a full-size filter, a 1 hp pump, and 1 ½” threaded return lines.

Polaris 3900 Sport: This pressure-side pool cleaner is known for its exceptional performance and durability. It features a large capacity filter bag, a powerful 3-jet propulsion system, and an advanced sweep hose that helps to clean hard-to-reach areas of your pool without spraying water everywhere. Best of all it has a drop-in rebuild kit to keep this cleaner for decades.

Polaris Quattro: A combination of robotic pool cleaner, suction cleaner, and pressure cleaner brings a new level of cleaning to your pool. The top-of-the-line pressure cleaner by Polaris.

Polaris Alpha iQ+: This robotic pool cleaner offers advanced features such as Wi-Fi connectivity and intelligent navigation. It uses a powerful vortex vacuum technology to collect debris, and its four-wheel drive system allows it to navigate through different pool surfaces and climb walls for a thorough cleaning. With many programable cleaning modes including “spot cleaning.”

FREEDOM Cordless: This is the first cordless cleaner by Polaris and it has a lot of great standard features. It can run for 2.5 hours and has a quick 4-hour recharge time. It is wifi app controlled (note no wifi connection once it is underwater) and it can clean the pool floors, walls, and waterline. It also has a modified lift system making it super easy to retrieve from the pool. 

Polaris Atlas and MAXX: Polaris is not known for its suction cleaners but taking a nod from the Zodiac MX line-up Polaris has completely reengineered suction cleaning. The new Halo turbine allows it to pick up large stringlike debris as well as dirt. It also features active scrubbing brushes that loosen up the dirt and algae as it is cleaning the pool surface. The best suction cleaners on the market today.

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Polaris FREEDOM Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

 The Polaris FREEDOM cordless robotic cleaner provides premium cleaning capabilities with four different cleaning modes to clean everything from the floor to the waterline in 2.5 hours or less. The name is a play on the fact that this cleaner is completely cordless. 

The cord has forever been a big issue with any type of pool cleaner and to have a cleaner that can leave a pool spotless every week without having hoses or a cord has been the goal of everyone from the homeowner to the manufacturers. 

But cordless technology is not simple and easy. Many of them tried before the FREEDOM and some have been somewhat successful. Here are the reasons why the FREEDOM has got it right and it was worth the wait.

2.5-hour run time. The runtime is important. Most small to medium pools can be cleaned in 1.5 hours but the larger pools with more dirt and debris take longer. Having 2.5 hours to work with is fantastic.

4.5-hour charge time. Being able to run the cleaner two times in one day if needed is a real plus. Such short charge times make the FREEDOM very versatile. If the pool needs a touch-up before a party there is plenty of time to accomplish a full cleaning with a rapid charge time like this.

Charging pad without any plug port on the cleaner. The plug port is a fail point for other robotic pool cleaners. Either the terminals get calcified or water gets into the motor. The FREEDOM eliminates this failing point with metal plates on the bottom that charge the lithium-ion battery. No need to ever plug it in.

Intelligent APP control. The features and functions in the iAqaulink app for FREEDOM are really simple. I think Polaris kept things as simple as can be. You set the cleaning options, Floor only – floors, walls, and waterline – waterline only. Or you can choose the SMART mode where the cleaner maps your pool the first time and sets the exact runtime for your pool. The next time you run it in the cleaner will run just long enough to clean the pool without wasted battery life.

Waits at the waterline for easy and lightweight retrieval. During the last 10 minutes before the battery is depleted the FREEDOM will spend that time climbing the wall to the waterline and then waiting 30 seconds for you to pull it out of the pool. If you miss it or the area is not suitable to retrieve it the FREEDOM will go back down and try another wall until you pull it out. It is programmed to then expel all the water out while you are pulling it onto your deck making it light and easy to remove. Don’t worry, if you miss it on the wall waiting for you there is an included hook that you attach to your pool pole to retrieve it. 

Double Helix brushes. To ensure thorough cleaning, FREEDOM is equipped with a one-of-a-kind Double Helix brush design that enhances debris collection by channeling dirt towards the vacuum inlet as it scrubs the surface of your pool, and a large, transparent filter canister to collect debris that’s easy to empty without getting your hands dirty — you simply remove, shake, and spray the debris away.

To buy the FREEDOM: https://lesliespool.com/polaris-freedom-cordless-robotic-pool-cleaner/63426.html

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

Chris Brink the CEO of HASA on their Acquisition of Orenda Technologies

 I sat down with Chris Brin the CEO of HASA and we went over a few pressing issues in the pool service industry today. Of course, the elephant under the rug is the recent acquisition of Orenda Technologies by HASA.

I end the podcast with that question but I will start here with what it means for Orenda Technologies now that they are under HASA’s wing. According to Chris Brink, “Nothing will change with Orenda Technologies.” HASA will keep its online courses intact as well as its entire product line. They will just be the parent company in the background much like how KIK Consumer Products runs Comet, Natural Chemistry, BioGuard, SeaKlear, Prestone, and other companies. 

Chris says that acquiring Orenda will change how HASA operates more than HASA changing how Orenda Technologies is run. The reps will stay intact, the distribution and product line will also stay the same. It’s not exactly a non-factor with HASA in the background because of the money HASA can pump into Orenda to expand the Orenda brand. Probably not an accurate analogy but it is like Harvard purchasing your local community college and pumping their resources into that school. 

The issue of non-EPA-approved chlorine being sold on the internet is an issue first brought up by Lelsie’s Pool Supply. These unregistered chemicals hurt everyone and especially the pool pro. Try selling a customer a legitimate bucket of trichlor tablets when the customer confronts you with a cheaper bucket of tablets (non-EPA registered) that he has found for sale on Amazon. It’s bad enough with all of the knockoff pool equipment being sold online and then now having to deal with cheap unregistered chlorine that hurts all of our bottom lines. Besides being completely unsafe the fight against these companies should be a united effort. 

California is not known as the Nanny State for nothing and the new bill called SB 676, “Responsible Pool Disinfection and Water Conservation Act: local tax authorization” illustrates this perfectly. It is a proposed .30 cent tax on Trichlor, a tax per tablet or pound is being discussed. The money from this tax will be used to educate pool owners on the effects of cyanuric acid on their pool water and more to promote water conservation. Thus far it is only a tax on the retail sale price. The education mandate from the tax is fluid but it will be aimed at the proper use of chlorine types like Trichlor and Dichlor which we in the industry know contribute to high CYA in the pool water which leads to more draining of the pool water. With the drought declared over in California this legislation may not have a very solid footing going forward. 

I appreciate Chris Brink’s transparency and I think HASA has the pool pro in mind with many of their actions, including the acquisition of Orenda Technologies. 

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

PoolLab 2.0 (WATER TESTER USA Market)

Water ID WATER TESTER(USA) PoolLAB 2.0 (Europe) is a revolutionary photometer that can do 3-test factors at one time. This will speed up the testing and with 24 possible test parameters, this tester does a wide range of tests.

Pre-order your unit today for $229.00 (shipping in mid-May): https://clearpoolproducts.com/water-tester?v=f24485ae434a

The Water ID Water Tester is the perfect solution for water analysis of private and professional pools and spas. The fixed but exchangeable triple measurement cuvette allows quick sampling by dipping the IP68 waterproof Water ID Water Tester into the water. 

9 keys give direct access to the ZERO operation (only required 1x per measurement batch) and to the 24 different pool water parameters. The Water ID Water Tester has both Bluetooth and WiFi built in to either actively connect to the free LabCom software and app or to automatically synchronize data with the LabCom Cloud via WiFi in the background.

Test results are always assigned to the sampling points, individually created by the user, and selectable on the display. In the LabCom software and app, one can among other things, print reports, calculate the active chlorine content, and even receive dosage recommendations based on individually entered water treatment products. Active Chlorine calculation as well as LSI index calculation is also offered via the software and app.

A free cloud service – with which the Water ID Water Tester can automatically synchronize data via WiFi ensures that the software app always works with the same database.

Basic Kit

1 x WATER TESTER® 2.0 Photometer with Bluetooth® and WiFi IP68 waterproof

1 x Triple measurement cuvette (exchangeable)

1 x Light protection cap

3 x Plastic stirring rod

1 x 10ml syringe

3 x AA batteries

1 x Printed user manual

1 x Collecting bag

Free LabCOM® Software

Free LabCOM® App

Free LabCOM® Cloud Service

* Reagents not included in the basic kit

** Requires Glycine tablets if chlorine is present in the sample water, Glycine tablets are not included in the basic kit.

# Parameter @ Tablet-method Liquid-method

1 Active Oxygen (MPS) O2 0.00 – 20.0 mg/l (ppm)* --

2 Alkalinity ALK 0 – 200 mg/l (ppm) --

3 Aluminum Al 0.00 - 0.30 mg/l (ppm)* single

4 Ammonia NH3 0.00 – 1.20 mg/l (ppm)* single

5 Bromine Br2 0.00 – 13.0 mg/l (ppm)** 0.00 – 9.00 mg/l (ppm)* **

6 Calcium Hardness CH single 0 – 500 mg/l (ppm)*

7 Chloramines NH2Cl 0.00 – 6.00 mg/l (ppm) --

8 Chlorine (fCl | cCl | tCl) Cl 0.00 – 6.00 mg/l (ppm) 0.00 – 4.00 mg/l (ppm)*

9 Chlorine (HR) Cl 5 – 200 mg/l (ppm)* --

10 Chlorine dioxide ClO2 0.00 – 11.0 mg/l (ppm)** 0.00 – 7.50 mg/l (ppm)* **

11 Copper Cu 0.00 – 5.00 mg/l (ppm)* --

12 Cyanuric Acid CYA 0 – 100 mg/l (ppm) --

13 Hyd. Peroxide (LR) H2O2 0.00 – 2.40 mg/l (ppm)* --

14 Hyd. Peroxide (HR) H2O2 0 – 180 mg/l (ppm)* --

15 Iron LR Fe 0.00 – 1.00 mg/l (ppm)* single

16 Nitrate NO3 0 – 50 mg/l (ppm)* single

17 Nitrite (LR) NO2 0.00 – 1.50 mg/l (ppm)** single

18 Ozone O3 0.00 – 4.00 mg/l (ppm)** 0.00 – 2.70 mg/l (ppm)* **

19 pH pH 6.50 – 8.40 pH 6.50 – 8.40 pH*

20 PHMB PHMB 5 – 60 mg/l (ppm)* --

21 Phosphate (LR) PO4 0.00 – 4.00 mg/l (ppm)* single

22 Phosphate (HR) PO4 0 – 80 mg/l (ppm)* single

23 Potassium K 0.70 – 12.0 mg/l (ppm)** --

24 Sulphate SO4 5 – 100 mg/l (ppm)* --

25 Total Hardness CaCO3 -- 0 – 500 mg/l (ppm)*

26 Urea CH4N2O 0.10 – 2.50 mg/l (ppm)* single

27 Zinc Zn 0.00 – 1.00 mg/l (ppm)* --

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

PORT-A-VAC 2.0 Portable Filtration System

The PORT-A-VAC 2.0 by Advantage Manufacturing is their most advanced portable filtration system to date. It can be used for a great many swimming pool applications including green pool clean-ups, one-time clean-ups, dirt evacuation, portable pads for non-functioning equipment, and more. The best way to describe it to you is that the PORT-A-VAC 2.0  is like having your pool equipment on a dolly that you can move around. This means that you do not need to rely on the pool equipment at your house, resort, or on your pool route. Simply connect your manual vacuum hose and vacuum out a pool directly from the PORT-A-VAC 2.0.

Here are some specs on the PORT-A-VAC 2.0 directly from the manufacturer:

1.5 HP self-priming pump with oversized trap

150 sq. Ft. cartridge filter

35' of 12 gauge insulated cord

Raised Plastic Tires

Rugged 0.090 wall steel

Powder-coated safety blue finish

On/Off switch with GFI

The PORT-A-VAC 2.0 uses a 150 sq ft cartridge filter so it traps dirt and debris down to about 10 or 15 microns. This means that the PORT-A-VAC 2.0  will pick up very fine dust, sand, and algae dust whereas the other types of vacuums fail at this. You would use your standard pool vacuum head and a 1.5” pool hose attached to the PORTAVAC to pick up the dirt and debris. 

This latest version for 2023 now includes a handy 3-way valve so that you can easily vacuum to “Waste Mode.” For green pool clean-ups, this is a great added feature. This makes vacuuming any pool where you don’t want the water to go back in a breeze. Simply connect a backwash hose or pool house to the discharge on the 3-way valve and place it near a drain or wherever you want the water to drain off. 

The new large plastic non-marking tires make transporting the PORT-A-VAC 2.0 simple and easy! 

I have been using the standard PORTAVAC to vacuum out the pools on my route for years now and it is working perfectly. It is so well balanced that even pulling it up a grass hill with one hand there is no fear of it tipping to one side. I wrap my pool hose around the PORTAVAC and carry my pole and vacuum head in my other hand. Or you can purchase their T-Bar mount and another hitch and add the Service Cart 2.0 to transport everything back to the pool. Then you can wheel the PORT-A-VAC 2.0 back to the stop for easy cleaning. It will only take an extra minute to wheel both carts back and forth to the service stop and truck. A great combination.

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

New Pool Plaster Issues

So what is a normal discoloration and what is a defect in a plaster job? That is a tough one and what may look like a defect could be perfectly normal. Almost every builder makes a customer sign a form stating that color variations are normal and we call that Mottling in the industry. 

I have seen several problems caused by the improper filling of a plaster pool. Unlike Pebble Tec, Fiberglass, and Vinyl pools, plaster pools pose some significant issues even when you are just filling a newly plastered pool. It is basically like wet cement in the first few days. One thing you should never do is turn off the water before it is above the tile line. If you do, there is a big chance that you will have a ring around the entire pool, right where the water was turned off at. This ring of discolored plaster will be permanent. You also do not want to use the autofill to fill the pool. That line will leave a streak down the side of the plaster at the autofill outlet into the pool. Last, you want to make sure the hose you fill the pool with is wrapped in a towel and left in the deep end of the pool. Any failure of these points will leave some type of discoloration in the plaster. 

Brushing the pool is also a critical step in a correct plaster start-up. But you only want to use a soft bristle brush, nylon, or poly bristles. These are the brush type of choice. Do not use any pool brush with Stainless Steel or wire bristles or this will leave permanent marks on the pool surface. You also do not want to put any type of vacuum in the pool for the first 3-4 weeks. If you vacuum the pool with your manual vacuum with wheels, chances are you will leave wheel marks in the plaster that may not come off until the pool is drained, and acid washed. Even using a leaf rake on the bottom can cause some marks if you are not careful. The only thing I suggest for the first week is brushing the pool with a nylon brush and doing nothing else. 

I have seen some new plaster pools with dog footprints, kid’s hands and feet marks, and object marks on the surface and walls. While the plaster is curing you should not enter the pool and you should try your best to keep pets and kids out of the water. I wouldn’t get in the pool for the first 2-3 weeks and if you use the pool the first week prepare to leave some marks on the pool plaster. The best thing you can do is to keep the pool off-limits for the first 2-3 weeks. No pool toys in the pool and no swimming. 

With a proper start-up and plenty of brushing, the plaster can feel very smooth but still be rough in many areas. I suggest if you have young children, maybe purchase some swim shoes for the first 6 months. The kids will likely be using the pool for hours on end and over time their feet and hands will get small abrasions to form the new plaster, causing bleeding. This is perfectly normal and almost all new plaster will do this to your feet and hands. After the plaster fully cures this won’t be an issue, but that could take up to 6 months.

Just keep in mind that it takes a while for a new plaster pool to fully cure. Anything you do to it in the first two weeks can cause permanent marks and damage to the surface.

In recent years I have also seen known defects in PebbleTec pools. A rust stain will appear, sometimes dozens of them the size of a pencil eraser or a penny. These are caused by bad pebbles that have metal in them. The builder will warranty this and he will chip out the bad pebbles. The rust stains should go away at this point. Another issue that is common with PebbleTec is calcium build up causing a white hazy appearance to the pebbles. This can be cured with a drain and bead blasting (glass beading) and is not a defect. But the process to remove the calcium is expensive. It is just a natural occurrence since PebbleTec is rock and calcium buildup is inevitable. 

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Excel Replacement Cartridge Filters

Several years ago I filmed the Excel filter cartridges and they keep getting better and better. Their latest version features improved materials, and you won’t find a better after-market cartridge than one of these. Made here in the USA and quality guaranteed. 

CLEANGUARD ULTRA-EFFICIENT MEDIA

Cleaner Water = Healthier Life Choosing the best filtration media makes all the difference in your water quality. Optimal Flow Dynamics to reduce energy consumption

OPEN-FLOW ENGINEERED CORE

Optimal Flow Dynamics to reduce energy consumption and improve debris removal

Extreme Strength to prevent collapse during repeated use

SECURE FIT BANDING

Snug & secure to keep pleats open for the most effective filtration

Extreme strength to prevent collapse over time

There is a difference when you are shopping to replace your current cartridge filter media. I’ve tried them all and I must say that the Excel cartridges are a solid choice. The material is far superior to the Remay material used in other cartridges and the overall construction is great. The top and bottom end caps are virtually indestructible and any cracking just won’t happen. 

They make a set of cartridges for the most popular brands of Pentair. Hayward and Jandy filters as well as many single-cartridge filter replacements. 

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

Rain and Your Pool Service Business

With record rainfall in California this year I think moving forward we will probably have more of these atmospheric rivers.  This means weeks of continuous rain which can lead to a number of issues with your pool and of course pool service interruptions.

The number one call I get during periods of intense rain is that the pool looks like it will overflow into the yard and house. In most cases the worry is unfounded as the drains around the pool should be able to handle the runoff. However, there are times when draining is needed and it is a good idea to have it set up with the customer beforehand.

Teach the customer how to drain their own pool down to save them a service trip. If there is a hose spigot on the equipment pad, usually above the pump, show them how to attach a garden hose to it and drain the pool. It is pretty easy. Just attach a garden hose, turn on the pool pump, and open up the hose spigot and the pool will drain while the pump is running.

Plan B would be to have the customer purchase a small sump pump (submersible pump) and use that to drain the pool down when needed. They can simply place it on the first step in the pool attach a garden hose to it and plug it in. Easy and no need for you to go out and drain pools all day if you set things up beforehand with your customers.

Another common problem you will run into is mud getting into the pool. It only takes a couple of pounds of dirt to really make a pool a murky mess. And in most cases when a planter is right next to a pool and there is a slope behind it, mud in the pool is unavoidable. It can take a few weeks to clear up a mud pool so the best thing is to prevent it from happening in the 1st place. Have the customer get their landscaper to fix any planter or dirt areas. A good incentive is to remind your customers that dirt has a lot of iron and other metals in it and this can lead to staining if a large amount of mud were to get into your pool. 

When to go out in the rain to service your pools is another question I often get. How much rain is too much rain? That is for you to decide and I think a good rule is that if you can’t even see the pool bottom there is too much rain and it is useless to even go out. Typically 1-2” of constant rain is when I pull the plug. Rain of less than 1” is pretty easy to work in so make the call based on common sense. 

If you are expecting rain multiple times on your service day in a two-week period you may want to shuffle the service day so that you are not going to have a 3-week service gap. For example, if it is raining on a Thursday and you can’t go out, but the next week's heavy rain is also predicted on that Thursday, it is perfectly fine to skip your Wednesday pools and move the Thursday pools to Wednesday that week. And if it doesn’t rain you can always do your Wednesday pools on that Thursday. 

Rain is a common issue and there are ways to set up your pool route to deal with the effects of weeks and months of rain.

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Pool Pro Basic Training Series Episode 1

I am slowly building a series for the pool pro which will be short 3-5 minute videos detailing an aspect of pool care. I can’t promise a consistent video schedule but I do plan on putting these into a course-type format at some time. With everything, I do there just is not a ton of time for me to dedicate myself to one project. With that said here is the first video in the series. 

A book I read years ago helped me and it might help you also is called The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to Be One by Peter B. Kyne. It was first published in 1921. This book will give you a good lesson on what it takes to be successful in any business.

You can learn the trade by watching my YouTube videos and by taking courses in your local area if they are offered. A fantastic way to make sure you are qualified and ready is to get CPO-certified or Residential Certified through Bob Lowry’s course.

People skills are essential because you are running a service business and are providing specific “work” in return for payment. You are not selling a product; the product is you and the service you provide. So, you will make mistakes and customers will get mad and you will need to develop good people skills.

Good solid business skills are essential. You are in business to make money and you are not just out there “spinning your wheels.” So, you need to learn how to draw up a business plan which includes charging enough per pool so that you turn a profit. Service prices vary from region to region so it is up to you to set the best price for your area. 

Be an honest person. Being a person of Integrity takes a lot of effort. I was never taught as a youngster the value of being honest, so I had to learn it as an adult. If you lie to your customers and they find out, your reputation will be damaged. And in the service business, your reputation is everything.

So how do you get started in the business? You can get a truck, open an account at Leslie’s Pool Supplies and receive wholesale pricing. Or open an account at PoolCorp, the parent company of SCP and Superior Pool Products, and get your equipment and chemicals at wholesale pricing. 

Then you can solicit accounts to service. This is a hard way to get started but is doable if you start part-time and build up a route while working at another job. Over time you can build up a good business.

You can also work for a pool company for a year or two and learn the trade. This is also a good method and you can learn a lot that will help you later when you are on your own. 

You can also purchase a full or partial pool route from a Pool Service Broker. You purchase pools in your area. If you have the money to invest this is a fantastic way to do it. Look at it like purchasing a business. If you started building a pool route from scratch and already know the trade, this is a wonderful way to make your route bigger and bring in more income. In many cases buying pools makes sense.

No matter how you enter the pool service business you will find that these are the true benefits:

You are your boss

It is scaleable meaning you can increase your income without working 80 hours a week

You will have more time for your family and hobbies

You have a built-in 4-week vacation time

You will have the weekends off

It’s a fun and exciting career

It is a rewarding career

The start-up costs are very low

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

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