Is an HVAC certification necessary for someone to work on Heat Pumps? 

Lets take a look at the specific verbiage from the Section 608 EPA Certification for Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. 

It says... "Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires that all persons who maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances that contain regulated refrigerants be certified in proper refrigerant techniques"

If a Heat Pump control board goes out and needs to be replaced, can anyone order and replace the control board?  You're not working with refrigerant.  But do you still need a HVAC certification?

Replacing the control board on a Heat Pump falls under the "repair" part of the verbiage above.  The answer is "yes."  A technician needs to have a valid HVAC certification to "maintain, service, repair or dispose of appliances that contain regulated refrigerants."  A Heat Pump contains regulated refrigerants.  If you hire someone to work on your swimming pool heat pump, please make sure they are HVAC certified. 

Here at Hawaii Pool and Spa, we hold the Universal EPA Certification from the ESCO Institute which qualifies us to work on any Type I, Type II, or Type III appliance.

The Western Pool & Spa Show is a convention in Long beach held every year.  This year, I was lucky enough to attend.  So, I packed up my suitcase my wife and my kid and flew off the rock.  I took classes and saw booths and met people. Let me re-phrase that.  I took a lot of classes, saw a lot of booths, and met a lot of people.  I took it all in.  All 3 days of it.  I could write an entire book about the conference this year but I wont.  Instead, I will show you what I thought were the highlights of the trip.

First and foremost I went to the show to learn.  I have a very strong "yearning for learning".  This life is full of classes, lessons and knowledge and to be competitive you need to keep up with it.  Plus, it stimulates the brain.  Coming from a job that was mostly brain work, I kind of miss that.  I took classes in every time slot that classes were available.  Mostly, i took classes that pertained to my current role or things that I want to do in the future. All of the classes were very good from Advanced Chemistry to troubleshooting heaters. But, there was one class in particular that stood out and truly blew my mind. 

That was a class put on by Pentair that taught Hydraulics for swimming pool implementations. I was captivated.  I'll save the details for another blog but the gist of it was calculating TDH and properly specking pump size.  I took an Advanced Chemistry class put on from On Balance.  That was really good too but most of it was a review from an Intermediate Chemistry class put on by Taylor at the Vegas show a number of years ago.  The Hayward OnmiLogic class was also very good.  That is a very smart and intuitive automation product that I cant wait to get my hands on.  So, if your reading this and want that installed on your pool system I'll give massive discounts for the first person that wants it. Pretty much cost. Anyway, that leads me to my next highlight of the 2016 Western Pool and Spa Show.  Hayward Pool Products

If you live here on Oahu chances are you hear a lot about Pentair. It seems like this island is very much a Pentair Market. That may be changing.  Hayward has gotten more aggressive in their marketing here in Hawaii.  This includes promotions and hiring a sales person that actually lives on the islands. Its good to see that because if I need anything, I can give her a call, and she is in my time zone.  Not to mention a free beer or two on her more active visits to Oahu. The way to my heart is definitely through my stomach. 

Anyway, the local Hawaii rep hooked me up with a couple of Hayward techs out at the pool show who were very helpful and knowledgeable in their products.  They were proven to be good contacts to have and you bet I got them on speed dial.  I have to say that that company, from their reps, to their techs, to their products have impressed me. A couple of their products I would like to highlight is their new pressure cleaner and the OmniLogic automation system.

Hayward has a new pressure cleaner called the TriVac.  It's definitely much different then the Polaris and Pentair cleaners that have lead the industry for years.  This cleaner not only has a triple venturi system and large suction throat to pick up debris laying on the bottom of the pool floor but it has a large wide mouth on the top of the cleaner that collect floating or neutrally botany debris that got kicked up somehow. It also has a line of smaller wheels on the front cone of the unit that will re-direct the cleaner if it hits a wall, stairs or gets caught in a corner somewhere.  I have a current client keeps having the Polaris cleaners grind down the front portions of the plastic because they keep getting stuck on her stairs.  This is possibly the solution for her.  Hayward also has a promo with these things right now where if you buy one you can get a free booster pump to run it.  I will definitely be taking advantage of this.  It ends May 31st 2016.  Contact us to take advantage of this offer.

Hayward also has their automation system that they are promoting heavily. Its very smart.  This is the only automation system in the industry today that reminds me of a computer. I have a professional background in computers and technology so i feel that the automation side of the swimming pool industry is something I take to pretty quickly.  This on reminds me the most of a computer system.  It comes with an Ethernet port and USB port from the factory.  This allows you to easily connect this system to your home network and backup / restore settings and data. Something every automation system should have, especially if you want to integrate with your smart devices.  That doesn't seem so tough to me. USB and Ethernet have been around for years....

Not only the hardware looks good. The user interface for the system is hands down the best and intuitive interface in the industry. They allow you to customize your home screen with whatever you want with quick reading charts that give you an overview of your pool system at a glance.  One of those features is adding a background color to the interface that will tell you if your system is running good, if you have a warning, or if something is going wrong.  Seems simple but handy for both the home owner and the service pro.

Hayward has also assigned addresses to most of their products creating a plug and play environment.  If you plug in a salt system or some other Hayward smart product it will be automatically recognized he system for easy programing. Not to mention the programing on this interface seems much more intuitive then the other guys.

I've pretty much been a fan of Speck Pumps since I got my hands on the EcoMV.  They now have a new pump called the EasyFit.  This pump can use a wide array of dry end motors including the one they use for their EcoMV.  The feature of this pump is that it has a wide array of fitment options including a vertical stand that can be raised or lowered for small or large height differences.  Along with the pump you would purchase a fitment option. So, if your replacing a Challenger you would get the pump and the challenger fitment option.  They screw on to the front and top of the pump as you can see in the picture. This can possibly make a new pump install almost plug and play.

A quick shout out to Carlos from Speck who I met at their booth one night.  Good people, good products.

Pentair had a pretty big display at the Western. Among all the pumps, filters, and technology there was a small vertical wall that contained what looked to be 3 lights.  Upon closer inspection it was an underwater projector that would fit into their light niche.  Yup... You heard that right.  An underwater projector.  I feel light color changing LED pool lights just came out and I'm still geeking out on those.  Noe, Pentair throws this out there? Mind = blown.  I guess the technology has been around for a while but they are the first to throw it in a pool light housing and drop some animated sharks at the bottom of your backyard paradise.

I don't know when this is coming out yet or how much it will be but be rest assured I will buy one, throw it in a white plaster pool, and throw up some pictures and videos for the world to see.

I'm not sure how this will work in dark or colored tile pools but like any old projector, a white background with crystals to enhance the reflection is ideal.  I cant wait to see more of this.

As much as my primary objective was to learn and be more prevalent in the swimming pool industry, I had to have a bit of fun too.  I brought my wife and son and we met up with friends and family as much as we could.  Because of my busy schedule we didn't see everyone we wanted so we will have to catch some of you guys next time! 

One of my primary "fun" objectives was to make it out to West Hollywood or "Weho" as I learned it was called and get a tattoo from Mark Mahoney's Shamrock Social Club.  More importantly, get a tattoo from Isaiah Negrete.  Not only did I get that, I got to get another awesome tattoo from Louie Perez and meet and get a family pic with the legend Mark Mahoney.  Everyone over there was super cool and I had a blast.  Thanks to all the peeps at the Shamrock Social Club for making a great experience for me and my family.

#whiskythebulldog

Oh yes... there she is. The prettiest Princess of Poo Poo there is.  Look at pictures of my dog.

Whisky McWhiskertonshiresville Sauce the Explorer (AKA the Princess of Poo Poo) is our English Bulldog we got as a 3 year old from Southern California. The breeder had finished breeding her and was looking to rehome her to a good home for pennies on the dollar. That's where we come in.  Immediately upon seeing her, she walked over to her water dish and sat in it, looked at us and started snorting. From that moment on I knew she was my homegirl.

Now she's 7 years old and has made the journey with us from San Diego to Hawaii.  After moving to Hawaii I started my pool business and she quickly became the mascot.  Yeah...  Now I'm "that guy." The "Pool Guy with the Bulldog."  Say what you must, she's the sweetest little "Big Girl" I know.  I even made a logo with her pooping out a rainbow.  You know, like the Nyan Cat? If you want a sticker of that unofficial logo just let me know.

If you're a customer, look forward to the yearly Holiday cards featuring the Pretty Princess of Poo Poo doing various life activities like taking long walks on the beach or eating cat poop.

We are proud to announce that Hawaii Pool and Spa is now a partner of the Federal Governments Pool Safety Campaign.

Please visit the Pool Safety website or contact us for more details on how we can create  fun and safe environment for you and the people you care about.

http://www.poolsafely.gov/

Heat Siphons are a common Heat Pump used for heating water in pool and spa applications.  When a Heat Siphon goes out or is not functioning properly there are some steps to take when troubleshooting.  The following steps can be found on the back of the access panel but without the explanation.

1.  “CHECK FOR COLD AIR”
   
   
   1. When the Heat Siphon is on and running but it’s not certain that its heating the water, put your hand above the unit to feel the temperature of the air being blown out.  The air being blown out of the top of the Heat Siphon should be 5 – 10 degrees colder than the air surrounding the unit.  This will tell you that the heat pump is removing the heat from the surrounding air and transferring it to the water in the pool or spa.
      
      
2. “CONFIRM WATER FLOW”
   
   
   1. If the Heat Siphon is on and pushing out cold air, make sure there is adequate water flowing through the unit.  If there isn’t, you have found your problem.  The Heat Siphon has a water pressure switch that turns the unit on and off if adequate water flow is present or not.  Making sure your filter is clean, baskets are empty, and pool equipment is working properly can eliminate water flow as a causing factor.
      
      
3. “CHECK CIRCUIT BREAKER”
   
   
   1. This is a pretty obvious step but still needs to be said.  If the Heat Siphon is not turning on at all, check the circuit breaker.  Turn it all the way to the “off” position and then turn it back “on” again.
      
      
4. “CHECK POWER SUPPLY”
   
   
   1. If the Heat Siphon is not turning on and the circuit breaker is in the “on” position, check to make sure you are getting adequate voltage on the power supply.  In most cases you should be getting 240v coming into the unit.  Break out your meter and make sure you have that.
      
      
5. “CHECK TRANSFORMER”
   
   
   1. The transformer is located inside the access panel with all the control switches.  Check to make sure you have the proper voltage coming in to the transformer.  If proper voltage is coming in to the transformer check to make sure it is spitting out the proper voltage.  This should be 24 volts.  To check that the transformer is spitting out the correct voltage you first need to find the output. The output of the transformer is on the left side of the Contactor and will usually have a yellow wire attached to it.  Place your meter there and check to see you are getting 24v.
      
      
6. “CHECK CONTROL SWITCHES”
   
   
   1. If you are getting the proper voltage thus far then usually your problem is located in one of the control switches weather it is one of the switches itself or the switch turning off because one of the requirements needed for that switch to work is not present. 
      Most of the parts in these units are wired in a series or daisy chain.  Therefore, most parts will have power coming into the part, and if the part is working as expected, there will be power exiting that part going to the next.  This tells us that we can test the power into and out of the parts in the chain to see where it breaks.  To troubleshoot this we need to take it one step at a time.
      
      
      1. CONTACTOR / TRANSFORMER
         
         
         1. On the contactor there are 2 main lines coming in.  On the left side there is a small wire coming out which is usually yellow.  This is the start of the chain.  Put your meter here to make sure 24v is coming out.
            
            
      2. CONTROL KNOB
         
         
         1. You can follow the yellow wire to the control knob.  This is where a user can set the temperature by spinning a knob.  When the knob is turned all the way down you can turn it up.  When it hits a certain point it will hear a click.  If the knob is turned above the existing water temperature it should put out 24v. Turn the knob all the way up and you should be able to read outgoing voltage.  If you can’t, replace the knob unit.
            
            
      3. WATER PRESSURE SWITCH
         
         
         1. The water pressure switch is next in line.  You should be reading correct voltage going in.  With the pool or spa pump turned on and water flowing, a little button should be pressed up hitting the switch.  If the switch is being hit, voltage should then be passed along the chain.  If the switch is being hit but voltage is not going out, replace the water pressure switch.
            
            
      4. LOW PRESSURE SWITCH
         
         
         1. The low pressure switch is the refrigerant suction.  This should not be activated and should pass voltage to the high pressure switch.
            
            
      5. HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH
         
         
         1. The high pressure switch is on the pressure side of the refrigerant.  This should not be activated and should pass voltage to the time delay.  If the high or low pressure switch is not passing a long voltage then check the pressure of the refrigerant.  If pressure is correct, then replace the switch.
            
            
      6. TIME DELAY
         
         
         1. The time delay will accept voltage in, hold it for 5 minutes and then pass it along.  If it is not passing the voltage on, replace the time delay  You can bypass the time delay to test if the unit will turn on and heat water without it.
            
            
      7. CONTACTOR
         
         
         1. After the time delay the wire should go back to the contactor.  This time, you should have a correct voltage reading on the right side of the contactor and the Heat Siphon should be working.
            
            

                I recently took on a new client that had their tenants take care of their pool for the duration of their tenancy.  This is always a bad idea and a big red flag for pool service professionals.  A home owner or landlord should always take care of the pool maintenance to protect their investment.  This particular pool is about a 15,000 gallon tilled pool with blue tiles and black grout.  The tenants were moving out and the home owner saw that the pool was not in good condition and wanted to hire a professional to service it. That’s where I come in.  The second red flag was when the home owner told me that the pool was “all black.”  This told me that either there was a bunch of algae or dirt in it, or there was something else wrong. 

I met the customer at his rental property and took a look at the pool.  At first glance, it didn’t look that bad.  The water was clear, not crystal clear but clear enough.  There was some debris laying on the bottom and few leaves and dust floating around the surface.  The water level looked good and the circulation seemed to be just fine.  I took a look at his equipment and it seemed pretty standard.  A Whisperflo with ¾ hp motor and a DE filter.  I told the customer how much I would charge for the pool, he agreed and I started his first service.

One of the first things I like to do is to brush the pool. As soon as I started brushing the sides of the pool large clouds of “black stuff” got pushed out of every swipe of the brush.  I made it around the entire pool and his pool was definitely “all black.”  I checked his DE filter and the pressure read over 30 psi.  Not good. 

I proceeded to vacuum the pool with my hammerhead equipped with a superfine debris bag.  It quickly filled up blocking proper water flow negating any vacuuming effect that it has.  I pulled it out of the water and removed the bag.  There was a lot of black sand in it.  I emptied it out and continued to vacuum the rest of the pool emptying the debris bag multiple times.

After all the beautification it was time for the chemistry.  I took a full chemical reading and found the following results.

Free Chlorine

Above 10

Total Chlorine

Above 10

pH

Well Below 6.2

Alkalinity

0

CYA

0

Hardness

0


Now we have problems.  First off, the Chlorine levels are way too high.  Chlorine is a very corrosive chemical.  When the levels are very high like this it can cause swimmer discomfort as well as shorten the life of the pool equipment.  The pH was very acidic.  This is also very bad for swimmer comfort and equipment maintenance.  Just on these two factors alone anyone who would jump in that pool would be in a world of hurt.  The Alkalinity and CYA was virtually non-existent.  I was actually surprised that there was chlorine content with the CYA levels so low. I took the CYA reading a few different times with different test kits and came up with the same result.  Finally, the Calcium Hardness was way too soft.  With these readings the water balance is completely off the Saturation Index Calculator for the Taylor Complete Test kit on the side of “Corrosive.”

                On a quick side not, the calcium levels in a pool are very important.  Water is an amazing thing.  It will do its best to balance itself out.  If the calcium is too low, water will take that element out of anything it can, including plaster, grout, thinset, etc.

                The water chemistry in this pool was without a doubt very off.  Because of this, the pool water was trying to balance itself off and was eating away at the grout in between the tiles.  With the grout failing, every brush of the pool would release all the grout into the pool causing it to turn black.  The grout would then go through the filtration system causing the DE filter to fill up with this sand like material and drastically raising the pressure in the filter. 

Going on a side tangent, I have seen this before.  I picked up a handful of pools from a pool guy that was getting out of the business.  Every tile pool he had had this problem.  He obviously didn’t know his chemistry. One of the pools was so bad it would up costing the pool owner about 10K in repairs to re-grout and fix all his equipment.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this new client would have to do the same.

Now I know what is going on.  With the pressure so high in that filter I now need to clean the filter.  A backwash wasn’t helping do I took apart the DE filter and found a lot of built up grout everywhere in the filter.  See the before and after pictures.

Trying to recover from something as bad as this is very tough.  All I can do is try not to brush the grout so hard or often and move the water to a bit more on the scaling side in terms of water balancing and hope the grout will hold up a little while longer or at least slow down this process. On my first service I added about 4lbs of Bicarb and 6lbs of Ash.  I went back today to take another reading and the pH and alkalinity were still extremely low.  It’s going to take a lot of Bicarb and ash to fix this pool.

Hawaii Pool and Spa is proud to be a member of SPAH, the Swimming Pool Association of Hawaii.  SPAH is an association of pool professionals in Hawaii. Just one of the benefits of being a member if this group is the insurance.

SPAH provides its members access to some of the best insurance money can buy in the Pool and Spa Industry with Arrow Insurance Service.  The Pool and Spa industry is unique in the sense that a lot of very specific things can happen with regards to water damage, chemical spills, health hazards and a lot more.  You can rest assured that Hawaii Pool and Spa is covered for things very specific to the Pool and Spa industry that you might not find anywhere else.

Does your "Pool Guy" care enough about his business and his clients to protect them with high end, industry specific insurance?  Hawaii Pool and Spa does.  Providing the best possible service includes the best possible support.  Arrow Insurance Service has our back.