I finally did it.  I “bit the bullet” and got myself a Hammerhead Vacuum.  I spent over 2k and it sucks!  It sucks really, really hard.  So hard in fact, that you can see it sucking leaves and debris from outside the vac head unit.  So hard in fact, that when you turn it on, it sticks to the bottom of the pool.  So hard in fact, that my arms are getting ripped from using it (OK, maybe not).  You get the gist of it.  I feel that it is safe to say that this vacuum has changed my company and the way I service pools.  Now I’m spoiled.  Here we go again…

                I picked up this Hammerhead Vac from SCP on Oahu by the airport.  In total, I think I spent about $2400.00 for the unit, marine battery, battery charger, hitch lock, and hitch receiver for my truck.  It was a pretty big investment for me, especially for something I could do without.  In fact, I have been NOT using it for years.  I spent the extra coin and got the unit with the kart.  My thoughts were that I didn’t want to carry around my bucket, pole, net, Hammerhead unit, cable, and heavy battery in and out of all my pools.  That could be 60 lbs plus.  Although that’s doable, it’s not my first choice. That decision will haunt me later as that Kart is big and can be a pain in the butt to get in and out of some pools… and sometimes impossible.

                I have a pool where the access is just to the left of house where there is about 1.5 feet between a rock wall and the house and severely downhill.  The Hammerhead kart will not make it.  There is also no way of taking off the kart without screwing something up.  This pool sure could use it but I can’t get it there.  That’s one problem of the kart. 

I have another pool where its 3 stories down from the garage where I park to the pool.  On this particular pool, I “man up.”  I drag this thing up and down 3 stories just so I don’t have to use my conventional 21” vac head hooked up the skimmer.  This particular pool gets a lot of debris.  Large leaves and palm frowns littler the rough stained plaster floor.  This pool is what the Hammerhead Vac was made for, a lot of large debris.  Using this vacuum has cut my cleaning time down about 30%.  I no longer have to net up the large debris before I vacuum.  I just brush, so all the debris comes together, and then I vacuum.  Although it’s tough, I “man up” and use the Hammerhead.  The two examples above make NOT getting the kart a good idea.  But, not all my pools are like this.

Because this vacuum is so efficient and picks up large debris, I find myself using it on almost all the pools I need to vacuum.  The majority of them are easy to wheel the kart to so that’s not an issue.  I use it because of the debris that gets in all my pools.  There are 2 particular kinds of debris that’s tough to vacuum up.  If you are a pool guy in Hawaii then you’re familiar with palm flowers and buganvillia.  When the palms drop their flowers and the tradewinds blow the buganvillia flowers into the pool, they can be very tough the pickup with the conventional vacuum head.  So tough, in fact, that I found it’s faster to scoop them up with a net then to vacuum them. The Hammerhead Vac sucks it up no problem.  I no longer have to spend the extra 10 – 15 minutes scooping up debris; the Hammerhead does it for me.

The Hammerhead Vac really helps me to clean my pools faster.  This means I can get in more pools in a day.  It’s kind of like working smarter not harder.  Although it can be tough to get the kart in and out of some pools and it’s not cheap, it’s worth the effort and every penny.   Check out some of the before and after.  That happens on a weekly basis.  Nuff said.

If your a Pool Service Professional and you DON'T have one... The clock is ticking.

When servicing pools it’s import to have a process down.  A process can help automate the movements on servicing a pool so the technician doesn’t forget or miss certain steps.  With that being said, every pool is different and every pool may require a different process and that process may change from week to week.  With all my pools I grow into a normal process or procedure of the weekly services performed on that pool.   

Without going into detail about each different process, I will just highlight my process for pool that has a lot of debris or leaves.

1.  When I first walk into a client’s backyard, I immediately look at the overall condition of the pool.  The “condition” of the pool depends on various attributes.  I ask myself questions pertaining to the attributes.
   
   
   1. Is the pool water level too low or too high?
      
      
      1. If the water level is too low, I will turn on the fill line or put a garden hose in the pool so I can fill it up the entire time I’m servicing.  If I start filling the pool with water, I drop my truck keys near the water source.  This is so that I don’t forget the turn the water off when I leave and the pool overflows causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to the property that I am liable for.
         
         
      2. If the water level is too high, maybe this is a great opportunity for me to backwash the filter, or “vac to waste.”
         
         
   2. How does the water look?
      
      
      1. Is the water clear, cloudy, green?  Does it sparkle like it’s supposed to?  Is it better or worse than last week?
         
         
         1. Although no technician can tell you what’s going on chemically just by looking at the water (without testing), it gives me an overall feel for how the pool is doing and can help determine what chemicals I would add later.
            
            
   3. How much debris is in the pool?  What kind of debris is it?
      
      
      1. The amount and type of debris in the pool can change the servicing process.
         
         
         1. More large leaves may require more scooping with the net while dirt and smaller debris could be handled by vacuuming.
            
            
         2. Or, we may not even need to vacuum at all.
            
            
   4. Is the pump on? If the equipment is not on, should it be?
      
      
      1. If the equipment is not on, should it be?
         
         
2. If the equipment is not on and the timer hasn’t clicked on yet, I’ll turn it on or put it on “Quick Clean”.
   
   
3.  Now that we have water circulating I will immediately brush the walls. 
   
   
   1. This will loosen all the dirt and debris that can get stuck to the sides of the pool.  It will also push out all the floating debris that is stuck to the tile line of the pool.  I do this first for several reasons.  I want to stir everything up first.  I find that if I net, or skim, the surface of the pool with a net and then brush, I will always have to go back to the net.  There will always be something stuck to the walls that I missed.  Also, while this stirs up all the leaves, sticks, and debris, it is also bunching them together while getting them out of the corners of the pool.  This makes it easier and faster to vacuum up later.
      
      
4. After brushing I usually squeeze a bit of tile soap down the middle of the pool.
   
   
   1. This does a few things.  First, it will push a lot of the debris towards the sides of the pool making it easier and faster to skim up.
      
      
   2. Second, it will smooth out the surface of the water.  This helps for seeing what’s at the bottom of the pool.  Usually, in the middle of the day, the water is sparking so much that it can cause a glare that hinders the view to the bottom of the pool
      
      
   3. Lastly, sometimes it smells good.  I like that.
      
      
5. Now, I will usually net or skim the surface of the water with an oversized net.  The larger net makes it faster to cover a larger area of the pool surface.
   
   
6. When I have gotten all the floating debris in the pool skimmed out, I will take chemical levels.  This gives the debris a little more time to settle.
   
   
   1. I check pH and chlorine levels on all visits.
      
      
   2. Things like Alkalinity or CYA don’t need to be checked every time.  These don’t fluctuate as much in a short amount of time.  Once every quarter or so I have found to be a good balance between checking and over checking.
      
      
7. After I have tested the chemical levels, it’s time to vacuum. Sometimes another squeeze of diluted tile soap is necessary. 
   
   
   1. Most of the time I vacuum I use the Hammerhead vac.  One of the best investments I have made for my business.  It’s large and powerful.  It can pick up leaves and debris larger than any other vac head out there and it doesn’t put all that debris in underground plumbing lines.  But, it won’t pick up fine dirt.  It will just mix it around the water.
      
      
   2. If you don’t have a Hammerhead vac, now would be a good time to scoop up all the larger debris that will be tough to vacuum with a conventional style vac head that attaches to a skimmer and then vacuum with the vac head.
      
      
8. By now the pool is most likely looking a lot better.  The walls have been brushed and everything on the floor has been vacuumed up.  I take this time to pin point any debris that has been missed. I’ll scoop or skim them up with the net.
   
   
9. After all that, I empty the baskets. These include the skimmer baskets, pump basket and any auto cleaner catch net or basket.
   
   
10. Next, I will fill the chlorinator or floater with tabs.
    
    
11. Then, I’ll put in a cap full of yellowtrine.  This helps prevent mustard algae and really makes the water sparkle and shine.
    
    
12. When that’s all said and done, I’ll clean up my mess and put it all back in my truck.  This is when I will also grab scoops of whatever chemicals I need to adjust the pH, shock, remove phosphates or clear up the water.
    
    
13. Finally, I will jump back in my truck and pick up my cell phone.  Here I enter and document all the services and chemical levels from the weekly service in the Pool Service Log.  This helps me keep track of everything and also gives the client a database to check to see what services were performed on what day and at what time.  At this time, I am the only one in Hawaii that uses this tool.  I actually get a lot of good responses from customers about this and have even won bids for service because of it.  It takes less than a minute and has many benefits.
    
    

There's more then one way to skin a cat, and that was my generic process for servicing leafy and debris filled pools.  In other pools the process can vary.  Sometimes I vacuum first and others not at all.  It all depends on the pool and the condition that it’s in.  A regular process for a pool can really help cut down the time on servicing while hitting all the services that need to be performed.   

Pool Maintenance                 Hawaii Pool and Spa prides itself on providing professional, reliable and knowledgeable service for your pool and pool equipment.  If at any time you feel that we fall short of this standard, please let us know and we will be happy to make any necessary changes to your service so we can continue to provide excellent service.

Billing                 Hawaii Pool and Spa bills at the end of each service month on or around the 25th day of the month.  The billing is for the months pool service performed weekly and any other charges that were acquired during that period. 

The bill is due upon receipt and is considered “late” if payment has not been received prior to the next month’s billing.  If an amount is considered “late” there will be a 10% late charge on the total balance that is “late.”

Holidays                 Sometimes holidays will fall on your scheduled service day.  If this happens, Hawaii Pool and Spa will either perform your service on another day of the week or skip the week entirely.  If a full skipped week happens, we will take precautions to ensure your pool will be fine for the skipped week.  This includes, but is not limited to, adding extra chlorine or chemicals and installing an auto-cleaner for the week.

Vacation                 While we love our job, vacations can be fun too.  If we are ever out on vacation for a week or more, we will notify you of the dates and give you a number of another pool service professional who you can call for emergencies while we are unavailable.

                If we are out of town for a week, we will most likely skip your pool for that week.  We will take the necessary precautions to ensure your pool will be fine for the skipped week.  If we are gone for any time longer, we will hire coverage for your pool.  We will notify you of the name and contact information of the pool service professional hired to cover your pool service.

Weather                 The weather in Hawaii can sometimes be unpredictable.  During severe weather conditions we may skip your pool.  This includes, but I not limited to, thunderstorms, hurricanes, flooding, severe wind and rain.

                If it is raining, we will always try to at least show up to your pool, clear the baskets, check the chemicals, and net out any debris.  If it is raining hard, we have the right to skip your pool entirely for the week.

Skipped Weeks                 While we rarely skip weeks, if we do, we will always try to take precautions to make sure your pool and equipment will be fine for the skipped week.  If a week is skipped for any reason mentioned above we do not modify your bill to reflect a discounted price.  This is because we bill you a flat rate for the entire month.  Depending on the day of the week your pool is scheduled for service, there are several months out of the year that you get five (5) weekly visits. During these months we do not bill you extra.  In turn, if we skip a few weeks out of the year it evens out.  It’s unlikely we skip a few weeks a year.  Service is normally moved around to a different day to accommodate holidays and vacations.

A land where every villa has its own PRIVATE INFINITY POOL!!!  Yes, that is the land I live in, or, lived in. 

On a recent trip to the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia, a good friend of my wife and I (shout out to Estephanie!) found a gem tucked away in the lush hills of the artsy town of Ubud, The Payogan Villa Resort & Spa.  One of the main attractions of this resort are the guests own private infinity edge pool.  Don’t believe it?  Neither did I.  Being a pool professional this obviously sparked my interest and wound up being one of the highlights of trip.

Upon arrival with our transport, we were greeted with extremely friendly and welcoming staff that provided us with a cold beverage on a hot, muggy, muggy, muggy day.  Did I mention it was muggy?  The tropical fruity Balinese concoction which consisted of lime, guava and other fruits almost hit the spot.  A bit of rum would have tied it all together.  While chugging this non-alcoholic drink trying to finish it before the ice melted, we were given a, sort of, orientation to the resort.  Where everything was located and what services they had to offer quickly slid to the bottom of my excitement. 

I thought, “Just get me to the pools already would ya?”  I guess I’ve never been a very patient guy.  Handsome I’ll give you that, but not very patient.

The woman welcoming us to the resort finished her mandated speech and invited us to look off the balcony by the front desk.  Our eyes lit up and our jaws dropped.  There it was.  The money shot of the resort.  From here you could see the grounds, roofs of the villas, spa, restaurant, and valley.  This is what we were waiting for.  It was beyond beautiful.

I immediately focused on the resort pool.  This was the common pool where guests could all hang out with each other, but they didn’t. It was empty.  Empty as the day was hot.  It was a beautifully tiled, green, clover shaped infinity pool. Three tiers of edges created wide and stunning infinity falls that trickled a constant stream of water.  The top tier (the pool on the right) was a shallow pool that lead to the main event.  The main portion of the pool was the largest body of water.  A peanut shaped pool about 4 feet deep in the shallows and 6 feet deep towards the edge.  Brown tiles for the stairs walked gests into the shallow end.  This is where the bar was.  It was a swim up bar consisting of about 6 stools where guests could sit and drink Bin Tangs, all day.  Sign me up!  Swimming further past the bar along the square shaped, green stone tiles the pool gradually got deeper.  In the center of the deep end was a stone carved water feature that rested right above the water line. A bench seat in the pool allowed guests to sit at the base of the statues for a Kodak moment.   Further following the water, the main pool trickled into a holding pool.  This last pool was shallow and just held the water that fell off the largest infinity edge to the catchment trench below.  But this was no ordinary infinity edge.   It was a waterfall.  The water fell about 8 feet into the catchment system that looked more like a pond instead of a water catcher.  Water from the pool trickled off the edge and slid down the tiled wall where wild vines flourished.  This completed the rain forest look and seemed to seamlessly blend into the surroundings.  One of the nicest I’ve seen yet.

Just under the last infinity edge waterfall housed the equipment room.  Three (3) pumps and four (4) sand filters powered the pool and water feature.  Something was leaking.  I don’t know what it was but the ground was soaking wet.  All the electrical was ran and mounted about 4 feet off the ground.  The plumbing was pretty clean, I must admit.  I am pretty peculiar about my plumbing so that was the first thing I noticed.  All pumps and filters were plumbed in line.  Ball valves directed and controlled water flow.  Nothing I saw in there was brand name that you would see here in the states.  They seem to have all their own equipment manufactures somewhere closer.

Moving on, we were able to check into our villa.  It was a 2 story 2 separate room villa. That’s perfect.  We needed two rooms.  The first thing we noticed was the bathroom.  It was AMAZING.  You would walk into the bathroom and there were 2 rooms, an inside room and an outside room.  The inside room housed the mirrors, toilet, and counter space.  The outside room was an outdoor room with a roof and 4 walls.  The walls just didn’t go all the way up to the roof.  This housed a stand up shower with no drain.  The water would fall off the showering platform onto a bed of rocks.  The water would drain through the rocks into the hidden drain.  It was a very nice touch.  2 walls on the outdoor room had large white stone carvings.  These carvings consisted of bathing women in some kind of a river or lake.  The main attraction was the roman style bath tub.  Big enough for a party but carved for two people laying down the length of the tub.  We got our use of this tub for sure.  Although the hot water only filled the tub about half way, it was more than enough.

Moving out to through the room to the balcony, there it was our own private infinity pool.  One of the first things I notice was the privacy.  It seems like from all the rooms, you couldn’t see anyone else’s pool.  Obviously a great place to skinny dip.  Too bad we had roomies. 

Our pool was simply beautiful.  It was about a 10k gallon pool with green brick tiles and brown accents tucked into a tile deck with ample sun bathing space.  White Hayward main drain and white ringed light seemed a little out of place.  Black would have gone better with the darker colored template.

I almost immediately stripped off my clothes and jumped in.  The water felt so refreshing.  The 90 degree 90% humidity weather was taking its toll on us.  Crisp cool water was what the doctor ordered.  I immediately noticed no chlorine.  I didn’t bring my test kit but didn’t notice any chlorine either.  Taking a closer look around showed algae growing on the walls and white main drain and return fittings.  Oh well, I’ll jump in anyway.  Everything else was pretty clean but there was debris on the bottom of the pool that got kicked up and the water got cloudy after we swam for a little bit.  The next day they dropped in 3 tabs to the bottom of the pool.  No floater or erosion feeder just dropped it to the bottom.

The pool fell off the infinity edge to the catchment system below.  The catcher wasn’t too wide.  A lot of the water splashed outside of the wall and on to the grass below, especially when we were swimming.  The catchment system drained into the equipment room under the pool.  One pump and one sand filter.  Something drained into a large square shaped pool under the pool.  This may have been the infinity catchment system draining into a holding or buffer tank before going into the pump.  My best guess is that this allowed for some breathing room for changing water levels from evaporation or splash out.  Again, the floor was soaking wet. Something was leaking in there.  The floor had a drain and not sure if that water was being reused or draining out.  Overall it was a pretty simple and efficient equipment solution for an infinity pool.

The Payogan Resort is a little slice of heaven in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.  Privacy, luxury, and your own infinity pool is the name of the game.  The grounds are amazingly beautiful on the hills of a rainforest and very well kept.  Room service, bars, restaurants, massages, and everything you would expect from a world class resort is available at an affordable price.  But, me, being the pool guy made the pools the main attraction here.  Somewhat well-kept and beautifully constructed they have opened my eyes to a new world of luxury pool construction.  No more glass or ceramic tiles, brick and stone get me going.

Chlorine, atomic number 17, symbol Cl, is the most common type of sanitizer in the pool industry.  To be classified as a sanitizer by the EPA, a product must kill 99.99% (4 log) of bacteria within 30 seconds.  From indoor pools to outdoor spas, Chlorine has helped to keep water clear and bathers safe.

There are currently six (6) types of sanitizing Chlorine available on the market.  They are as follows.

1. Chlorine Gas
2. Sodium Hypochlorite
3. Calcium Hypochlorite
4. Lithium Hypochlorite
5. Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate*
6. Trichloroisocyanuric Acid*

* = Stabilized Chlorine

Chlorine Gas

Chlorine Gas, also known as Mustard Gas, has an Available Chlorine Content (ACC) of 100% and a pH of 0.  Very strong stuff and to be able to handle this stuff, people would need certifications and a lot of safety gear. 

Sodium Hypochlorite

Sodium Hypochlorite, also known as Chlorine Bleach or Liquid Chlorine, has an ACC of 10-12% and a pH of 11-13.  A very basic pH. This is completely soluble in liquid because it is already a liquid.  It will not raise Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) levels within a pool.  Since the pH is high, it will raise the pH in a pool or spa drastically creating the need to add acid.

Although similar, Chlorine Bleach for laundry and pool grade Sodium Hypochlorite are different.  Do not use laundry bleach for pool sanitization.  Just one example would be that laundry bleach will raise TDS levels in a pool.  If the TDS levels are too high the pool will have to be drained or partially drained to get back to be brought back to the correct levels.  Please only use products that were made for swimming pools in your pools.

Calcium Hypochlorite

Calcium Hypochlorite, also known as CalHypo, has an ACC of 45-78% and a pH of 8.5-11.8.  CalHypo is a strong Chlorine that will raise the pH in a pool if used in larger amounts.  It is on the cheaper side and is used mainly for raising Chlorine levels fast or as a shock.  CalHypo will also raise the Calcium levels in the body of water.  Too high of a Calcium level in the pool can throw off the water balance to a more scaling side.

CalHypo is also a Class 3 Oxidizer.  This means that it will hyper-react, or explode / combust, if it is not treated correctly.  Be very careful when storing, accessing and handling this product.  A drop of water or sweat can cause a very dangerous reaction resulting in fire and/or explosion.

Lithium Hypochlorite

Lithium Hypochloride has an ACC of 35% and a pH of 10.8.  This is one of the safest Chlorine chemicals to handle.  It dissolves in water very well.  So fast, in fact, that it is considered safe to use in vinyl liners.  Its expensive, has a high pH and high TDS.

Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate

Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate, also known as Dichlor, has an ACC of 55-63% and a pH of 6.7.  Dichlor is a stabilized chlorine that contains cyanuric acid.  This means that cyanuric acid is added to the Chlorine product to keep it from breaking up in sunlight.  Chlorine, in swimming pools, is reduced by 1 part per million (ppm) every 15 minutes if it is not stabilized by cyanuric acid.  Because the pH of Dichlor is almost neutral, it will not effect the pH of the water in the pool as much as other products.  Being stabilized means it will raise the cyanuric acid levels and if not properly treated could lead to overstabilization which could reduce the effectiveness of the Chlorine in a pool.

Trichloroisocyanuric Acid

Trichloroisocyanuric Acid, also known as Trichlor, has an ACC of 90% and a pH of 2.8-3.5.  Trichlor is a very strong Chlorine that is most commonly found in tablets.  

In granular form, Trichlor should not be used on vinyl lined pools as it will bleach out the color in the vinyl leaving white splotches where it didn't dissolve.  It can however be used in white plaster pools to bleach out stains as well as killing algae.  Trichlor, when treating algae, is commonly used by sprinkling it around the edges of the pool and over the algae while turning the pump off for 24 hours.  This allows the Trichlor to focus some areas and attack the algae.  I have personally used this method to kill black algae with Silvertrine.  Trichlor is very acidic and will drop the pH in a pool quickly.  Testing and re-testing of the pH is vital when using Trichlor.

Below is a comparison table with the product and the ACC and pH properties.

Credit goes to Wayne Ivusich from Taylor.  Thanks!

Speck Badu EcoMV
The Speck Badu EcoMV is Specks answer to the green revolution in variable speed pool pumps.  It's quiet, efficient, and powerful.  The EcoMV is a simpler, rugged, sexy pump with German engineering that translates into a high quality variable speed pump that any pool technician or pool owner will be proud of.  

Speck Pumps have been manufacturing and designing pumps for over 100 years and boast their pumps being launched into space with American astronauts. Those two points lead to the kind of quality and technology that Speck has built into the EcoMV and what they bring to the table for the entire pool industry.  While being more prominent in the commercial industry, Speck is now creeping into the residential side of pool pumps with commercial grade technology and quality.  To put it simply, a home owner can now have the same technology used in resort pools moving the water in their pool and spa.

At first glance the Speck Badu EcoMV stands apart from all other pumps with it's design and color.  The pump basket is tall and narrow giving the wide pump and motor an aggressive look. The black motor and control unit with gray pump and yellow pump basket give contrasting colors throughout the unit adding a bit of flash that looks as well as it performs.  
 
The pump is made out of 100% recycled plastic can withstand high temperatures and all weather conditions and chemical applications.  So not is
the pump good looking but it’s very sturdy as well.

The price of the EcoMV is set a little below the Hayward EcoStar and the Pentair Intelliflo, which is its main competition among residential applications.  This gives an advantage to the Speck pump.  Hayward and Pentair are both very big names in the pool industry while Speck is lesser known in residential markets.  By undercutting both those pumps in price it makes this company a bit more attractive to people who would invest in a variable speed pump.

The price of the EcoMV is properly set.  While the Hayward EcoStar and Pentair Intelliflo offer a wide range of customizations and features, the Speck EcoMV has simpler software.  This "less is more" attitude is one of the leading features of the pump. The more complicated a system is, the more things that can go wrong. 

The Eco MV has two different motor options.  One that runs at 2.4 THP and one that runs at 3.4 THP. 
The one I am basing my review upon is the 2.4 THP motor.

With respect to RPM range, Speck handles its range in terms of percentage of highest RPM.  The highest RPM for this motor is 3450.  That would be considered 100%.  The lowest RPM is 30% of that, or 1035 RPM.  Other pumps have an option to
run at a lower RPM (600 RPM) but it is rare to see a pump running at such a low speed in any real world application, especially if an auto cleaner is installed.

The EcoMV can be set to run at a number of different RPM settings at different times.  It can be set at a slower RPM for better filtering throughout the day and ramped up for a few hours for an auto cleaner.

As mentioned earlier the EcoMV is “simpler.”  This means that it’s a no frills pump that isn’t that complicated to use.  While the Pentair Intelliflo has many options and customizations, the EcoMV has few.  Therefore, less things to go wrong. The EcoMV focuses on what it does best, move water. 

The controls for programing the pump are easy to use and intuitive. There are five (5) schedules that can be programed; two (2) for schedules Monday through Friday, two (2) for Saturday and Sunday, and one (1) custom schedule.  In most normal
circumstances a pool pump is ran the same time every day so these scheduling options are more than enough.

 Below is a picture of the EcoMV control board.  As stated earlier, easy to use and very intuitive.

                
When looking at variable speed pool pumps, one of the biggest factors is efficiency.  Purchasing a variable speed pool pump is a costly investment for the home/pool owner but it is done with the expectation of saving money down the road. Therefore, how much money it costs to operate is a main factor in the decision.  
                 
The California Energy Commission put the EcoMV to the test and the results are below (http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/).

 3450 RPM = 93 GPM, 2417 Watts
 1035 RPM = 32 GPM, 111 Watts

 When looking at the energy consumed by a pool pump, the energy is measured by Watts (W) or Kilowatts
(kW).  These measurements can help determine the operating cost of the pump by the equation below.

  (Power Consumption  of Pump) X (Cost of Electricity) = (Cost of Pump Operation per Hour)

 When looking at the cost of operating this pump, the following equations can help estimate that.

1.       The EcoMV operating at its lowest speed (1035 RPM) at 111 Watts.  Cost of Electricity - $0.36 per kWh.
2.       Convert Watts to Kilowatts:  111 W / 1000 = 0.111 kW
3.       0.111 kW  X $0.36 = 0.03996 or $0.04 per hour
4.       $0.04 per hour at 6 hours a day = $0.24 per day and $7.20 per month.

 Under $10.00 per month is VERY respectable for operating a pool pump.  Even at its lowest RPM it pushes 32 GPM and can turn a 15,000 gallon pool in under 8 hours.

While looking at the competition, this is how the Speck Badu EcoMV stacks up the Pentair IntelliFlo and Hayward EcoStar.  All examples are taken from the California Energy Commission website.  These tests were performed by a non-biased third party and the results are below.

From the results above, we can determine that Speck pump is in the efficiency range of the Hayward EcoStar and that the Pentair IntelliFlo is the least efficient of all three pumps.

In Hawaii, The cost of energy is very high at an average of $0.36 per kWh. 

I was approached by a residential first time pool owner to install a variable speed pump.  At the time, his pool had a 1 HP Century pool pump.  While looking at the pump label I was able to determine that the pump was running at 230 Volts at 7.8 Amps.  In real life the pump was running closer to 240v and 8 A but for the sake of the case study we will do the calculations on what the label stated.  Let's perform the calculations.

1.       1 HP pool pump operating at 1794 W (volts x amps).  Cost of electricity = $0.36 per kWh
2.       Convert Watts to Kilowatts:  1794 W / 1000 = 1.794 kW
3.       1.794 kW X $0.36 = $0.65 per hour
4.       $0.65 per hour at 8 hours a day = $5.17 per day and $155.00 per 30 day month


After the Speck Badu EcoMV was installed, it was set to run at 7 hours a day at 30%, or 1035 RPM. 

1.       The EcoMV operating at its lowest speed (1035 RPM) at 111 Watts.  Cost of Electricity - $0.36 per kWh.
2.       Convert Watts to Kilowatts:  111 W / 1000 = 0.111 kW
3.       0.111 kW  X $0.36 = 0.03996 or $0.04 per hour
4.       $0.04 per hour at 7 hours a day = $0.24 per day and $8.40 per month.

In this particular situation, this pump was able to save the new pool owner around $146.60 a month on their electricity bill.  A happy customer indeed.

The Speck Badu EcoMV is a very sturdy, rugged, no frills pool pump that operates on the “less is more” mentality.  It is very well constructed and engineered and that can make this pump last for years.  It is easy to install and operate and comes in at a lower in price from other comparable pumps on the market.  It runs very efficient and according to the California Energy Commission it is more efficient then the Pentair Intelliflo.  This is an overall very good pool pump that can save owners a lot of money on their monthly electricity bill.

With what seems to be the “Green Revolution” people and companies everywhere are trying to find better and more efficient ways of living while coexisting with Mother Earth and her resources.  While being a large contributor to power consumption it’s no surprise that the pool industry is making waves with efficient variable speed pool, spa, and water feature pumps and motors.  Any pool owner will tell you that the majority of their electricity bill is generated from the pumps that are running anywhere from 4 to 12 hours a day and reducing that cost will become a priority.  There are two main variable speed pumps that reduce cost and increase efficiency that are on the market today.  The first is the Pentair IntelliFlo and the second is the Hayward EcoStar.  Both are very good pumps and can reduce power consumption to save money on operating costs every month.  This article will compare the two pumps in various aspects including price, horsepower and RPM range, usability, and efficiency and cost.

Price Currently the price of both of these pumps at a supplier right now retail for $1,758.00.  The Hayward EcoStar has a $50.00 rebate and come with the unions needed for installation.  The unions normally cost about $40.00 so the Hayward EcoStar comes in at $90.00 cheaper than the Pentair IntelliFlo.

Both pumps run at around 3 HP.  The Pentair IntelliFlo has a pump that is capable of over twice that but is capped by the controller at 3 HP.  The Pentair IntelliFlo has a RPM range of 450 to 3450 and the Hayward EcoStar has a range of 600 to 3450 (1000 to 3450 on SP3400VSPVR).  Both pumps run at about the same horsepower but the Pentair IntelliFlo gives the option to run the pump at a much slower speed. 

Being that both pumps are very similar in many aspects, usability can have a large impact on which one is chosen.  The Pentair IntelliFlo menu structure is nicely organized, similar to the Hayward EcoStar.  The biggest difference is in the buttons and how to navigate the menu and settings.  Below are side by side pictures of the menu buttons.

The Pentair intelliFlo on the left and the Hayward Navigator on the right.  The first thing noticed is that the Pentair IntelliFlo has more buttons which hints at its complexity.  One of the biggest complaints about the Pentair Intelliflo is that it has what appears to be 2 enter keys which often confuse users.  These keys are the “Select” key and the “Enter” key.  In this day and age of computing and menu navigation, an “Enter” key acts the same as a “Select” key and users expect that.  This is not the case for the Pentair intelliFlo.  Use the wrong key the user will get a “KEY ERROR” message that displays for a certain amount of time causing an interuption in navigating the menu.  The Hayward EcoStar on the other hand understands ease of use and intuitiveness that go with the human brain and menu navigation.  It often uses the “>” key to progress through the menu system, and it often tells the users what button to press to progress, instead of leaving the user to fumble his or her own way through the menu on trial and error.

Notice that both pumps have a “Quick Clean” button.  The “Quick Clean” button runs the pump at a higher speed for a certain amount of time.  The Intelliflo runs the pump at 3450 RPM for 10 Mins.  This is hardly enough to vacuum a pool under this setting.  Although the quick clean settings can be changed to different speeds and longer periods of time (up to 10 hours), this is not something that comes usable out of the box.  The Hayward EcoStar “Quick Clean” button runs the pump at 3450 RPM for 60 minutes by default.  This gives ample time to vacuum and circulate chemicals through the pool system when servicing a pool out of the box.

The Pentair IntelliFlo has more controls, options, and settings that can be used to customize many aspects of the pump.  This comes at a price, non-intuitive menu navigation, complex menu structure, passwords, and plain difficulty of use.  Although these settings and customizations can be seen as a nice feature, they will only be used under special circumstances which is rarely seen under an average residentail or even commercial pool.  The simple out of the box usability has Hayward EcoStar a leg up in this category.  

                When comparing variable speed pool pumps efficiency is the name of the game.  Consumers do not want to buy an energy efficient variable speed pump for the features. The majority of consumers want to buy them for the investment on how it can save them money on operating costs. The California Energy Commission tested both the Pentair IntelliFlo and Hayward EcoStar at 3450 and 1000 RPM.  The results are below (http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/).

3450 RPM
Intelliflo: 97 GPM, 2720 Watts, 2.14 Gallons/Watt-hr
EcoStar: 98 GPM, 2324 Watts, 2.53 Gallons/Watt-hr

1000 RPM
Intelliflo: 30 GPM, 140 Watts, 12.86 Gallons/Watt-hr
EcoStar: 28 GPM, 90 Watts, 17.5 Gallons/Watt-hr

Looking at the top speed (3450 RPM) both pumps have about the same throughput which means the safe assumption that they are using the same size impellor.  This allows the direct comparison at any RPM.   At the top speed the Hayward EcoStar pushes slightly more water while using less electricity.  The efficiency, at Gallons/Watt-hr, shows the EcoStar at 18% more efficient at 3450 RPM.  At lower speeds (1000 RPM), the difference is much more.  The EcoStar shows 36% more efficiency per Watt-hr leaving the Hayward EcoStar considerable more efficient that the Pentair IntelliFlo throughout the entire comparable RPM range.

When looking at the energy consumed by a pool pump, the energy is measured by Watts (W) or Kilowatts (kW).  These measurements can help determine the operating cost of the pump by the equation below.

(Power Consumption of Pump) X (Cost of Electricity) = (Cost of Pump Operation per Hour)

As an example, the above equation can compare a Centurion 1 HP pump to a Hayward EcoStar to see how much estimated savings a pool owner can get by switching over to a variable speed pump.  This is under the assumption that a 1 HP pump runs at 1794 W and the cost of electricity on Oahu is an average of $0.36 per kWh.  We can find the Watts of a pump by the label on the side.  Multiply Volts (230) by Amps (7.8) and you get 1794 Watts.

1.        1 HP pool pump operating at 1794 W.  Cost of electricity = $0.36 per kWh
2.       Convert Watts to Kilowatts:  1794 W / 1000 = 1.794 kW
3.       1.794 kW X $0.36 = $0.65 per hour
4.       $0.65 per hour at 8 hours a day = $5.17 per day and $155.00 per 30 day month

1.        Hayward EcoStar operating at 90 W (1000 RPM).  Cost of electricity = $0.36 per kWh
2.       Convert Watts to Kilowatts:  90 W / 1000 = .09 kW
3.       .09 kW X $0.36 = $.03 per hour
4.       $.03 per hour at 8 hours a day = $0.26 per day and $7.78 per 30 day month

The above example will save the owner an estimated $147.22 per month on electricity.  Just as an example, there are pool companies that will install these variable speed pumps in your pool for about $2000.00 (Hawaii Pool and Spa will beat that price – Contact us now).   The return on investment (ROI) will be 14 months or over 1 year.  Hawaii Pool and Spa will install a variable speed pump for less than $2000.00 to give you a faster ROI.

There are variables in the above example.  A 1 HP pool pump may operate at above 1794 W in a true to life scenario.  The variable speed pump will most likely not be running at 1000 RPM but slightly higher.  Also, if a suction side automatic cleaner is installed in the pool the pump speed will need to be raised for an hour a day to allow the cleaner to keep leaves and debris off the pool bottom.  Finally, if you have Pool Service Technician service your pool once a week he or she will most likely put the pump on “Quick Clean” setting or raise the RPM to get better suction and circulation while servicing the pool.  All of these variables may increase or decrease your actual savings for pool pump operation.

In conclusion, both variable speed pumps are very good pumps. The Pentair IntelliFlow seems to have a big following among technicians being that it has been out on the market longer but the Hayward EcoStar will provide the best efficiency while significantly lowering operating costs over the Pentair IntelliFlo in a simpler out of the box experience.