poolnerd

No one wants to spend time fussing with pool maintenance. Chlorine levels, pH, algaecides. You could be swimming or soaking up some rays instead of messing with that stuff. More free time, less maintenance is what we want, right?

So, let’s look at some things that may help you out in these areas: automatic pool cleaners, sanitizing systems, control systems, plus that old favorite that none of the pool salesmen talk about– water turnover.

It’ll Suck Up the Dirt for You!

Automatic pool cleaners will clean your pool for you whenever the filtration system is running. They’ll suck up whatever falls to the bottom of the pool: dirt, dust, leaves, toys, grass clippings. All of it ends up in either the filter or the pump strainer basket. Most will clean the walls of the pool, too. Few, however, will clean the benches or steps; none will get the spa. But, a quick brush-down of the steps as part of your weekly maintenance will push that debris into the pool where the cleaner will eventually get it.

Nowadays, almost all pool cleaners sold are of the suction-side type. This means that they vacuum the pool. Twenty or thirty years ago, most pool cleaners (Arneson and Polaris were about the only ones back then) ran off pressure. Often they had a separate small pump to boost their power and cleaning ability. The first suction-side pool cleaner, the Kreepy Krauly, came out in the late 70’s or early 80’s. Now there are probably more than a dozen that work on this principle on the market: Kreepy Krauly, Barracuda, Navigator, Poolshark. Most builders and maintenance people seem to think these cleaners are the best.

It would be a very good idea to include a suction-side pool cleaner on any pool you’re going to build. Have the contractor (or the plumber, if you’re building the pool yourself) put in a separate suction line to the pump for the cleaner. If there isn’t a separate line, the cleaner plugs in to the skimmer. This isn’t desirable, though, because it reduces or eliminates the surface skimming, which contributes so much to a clean pool.

Sanitizing Systems

For those who don’t want to mess with testing, measuring and adding chemicals to the pool, there are a multitude of sanitizing systems: salt water chlorinators, tablet feeders, ion systems, ozone generating units, and more. If your standard is hands-off operation, though, none of these systems are ready for prime time.

There are systems that measure pH and oxidizer levels (actually, they measure ORP — oxidation reduction potential — but for most folks in the pool business, it’s close enough to think of it as measuring chlorine) and add the necessary chemicals to keep the water chemistry in balance. These systems are generally used on large commercial pools, though, because they cost a WHOLE bunch of money.

Beware of what salespeople and manufacturers tell you about their sanitizing systems. They’re trying to sell something. And sometimes what they’re selling may not be what’s best for your pool. Salt chlorination systems and ion systems have drawbacks that they never tell you about. Ozone has issues of it’s own, too.

Some of these systems have been on the market for a fairly short period of time. They may mature more in the coming years, and hopefully prices will come down a bit, too. But for now, they just aren’t ready for prime-time.

Basically, there is no easy fix for those of you looking for that true hands-off, no-maintenance pool. The best bet is probably still the old fashioned test kit to check chlorine and pH, along with the time-honored dumping of chemicals into the pool.

Control Systems

Remote controls are a popular option today. Most modern pool/spa combinations are built with one of these systems at its heart. These systems take care of pool filtration, switching from pool to spa operation, setting heater temperatures (gas and/or solar), turning pool/spa lights on and off, operating color-changing lights, controlling water feature features, displaying water and air temperatures, and so on.

Auxiliaries can be added, like a spa-side control. Interfaces for computers, radio-frequency hand-held controls, and more can be tied in, also.

The two big names in this game are Jandy and Compool. Both are solid, time-tested systems. Some professionals prefer one, some the other. To be truthful, either would do well for most people’s needs. Both have base models that are pretty simple, and top-of-the line systems with all kinds of expansion possibilities: tie in to your computer, turn the system on from your cell phone, stuff like that. I happen to use the Compool Intellitouch i5 and i7+3 models on most of the projects at my company.

Water Turnover

If you want to keep your pool clean and hassle-free, the key is to make sure you have lots of efficient water turnover. Match the pipe sizes, the filter and the pump so that they all work together. This is perhaps the single most important facet of pool construction. And, contrary to what many salespeople tell you, horse power is not important when talking about moving lots of water efficiently.

Around here, most pool/spa combos come with a 2 hp pump. That’s way more power than you need to filter the water. You do need the power to drive the spa’s jets, though. A 2 hp pump has the potential to put out about 120-130 gallons per minute (gpm). On most pools, though, it’s moving maybe 90-95 gpm.

Why the big difference?

Simply put: the pipes and filter are too small. Instead of running a 2-inch skimmer line and a 1½-inch pool cleaner line, with a 48 sq. ft. DE filter, up-size everything. Use a skimmer that will accommodate a 2½-inch pipe, run a 2-inch cleaner line, and use a 60 sq. ft. DE filter (or even better, a 72 sq. ft. one). The same thing applies to the spa: use 2½-inch pipes instead of 2-inch (even better, 3-inch, which is what I use on the pools I build).

As a bonus, since your pump is working more efficiently, it will run more quietly. Your neighbors will appreciate that. Plus you’ll use less electricity and have fewer long-term repair bills. And since your spa has more flow now, too, you can probably add another jet or two (I include seven jets in my spas).

Make Life Easier

Life is busy enough. Your pool shouldn’t add to your stress level, it should reduce it. But if it’s not equipped right, it will add frustration and needless busy-work.I would recommend that you get, at a minimum, a suction-side pool cleaner with a separate supply pipe run to the pump (i.e., don’t plug your cleaner into the skimmer– your skimmer won’t skim any more, plus your pump will have to work harder).

If you have a pool with a spa, get some sort of remote control that allows you to turn on the spa. A little bit nicer would be a system that allows remote control of the heater thermostat, as well as the ability to control pool and spa lighting. Expansion possibilities– a spa-side control is nice– would be even better.

Although I don’t think that sanitizing systems are ready for prime-time yet, you may want to do a little research on your own. If you have questions about pros and cons of different setups, email me (nerd at poolnerd.com).

And most important of all, spend a few extra bucks to get an efficient water-moving system: big pipes and a big filter, matched to the pump size. Your pool will stay cleaner and cost less to operate.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 28th, 2006 at 7:56 pm and is filed under Uncategorized, Constuction, Design, For Homeowners, Maintenance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.