New Product | Hayward EcoStar Variable Speed Pool Pump

ENERGY EFFICIENT | Hayward EcoStar Variable Speed Pool Pump

Hayward Pool Products proudly introduces the latest in swimming energy savings with its new Hayward EcoStar Variable Speed Pool Pump. This pool pump was first introduced in January 2011 and is strictly design to save pool owners money on wasted energy cost. Engineered and tested, this pool pump is proven to save you up to 90% on energy cost compared to the single speed pool pump. Reliable Pool Solutions believes this will replace the previously marketed Hayward TriStar Energy  Solution Variable Speed Pool Pump because of its revolutionary design and drastic improvements. The Hayward EcoStar Variable Speed Pool Pump is in direct competition with the Pentair IntelliFlo Variable Speed Pool Pump that entered the market in early 2007. Like the Pentair IntelliFlo, the Hayward EcoStar matches the pool pump flow needs, versus running at full power 100% of the time like the Single Speed Pool Pumps will.

Now with the Hayward EcoStar, you can save significant time and money by installing the EcoStar, without having to buy additional equipment or accessories. The EcoStar comes complete with a variable speed motor that is the power house for this pump. It is designed with a super efficient permanent magnetic motor that has a built in totally enclosed fan cooled, not air cooled. The EcoStar is also fully programmable with a self-contained 24 hour time clock, has up to 8 fully programmable customized speeds and timer functions that allow this pump to manage water flow throughout the day. EcoStar also has the SVRS (suction vacuum release system) feature available that helps prevent suction entrapment without additional devices, plumbing or wiring. The Hayward EcoStar can be controlled by the ProLogic, OnCommand or third party controllers. For a new construction or after market upgrade this pool pump is a top rated choice for true energy savings!

New Product | Pentair IntelliBrite 5g Color LED Pool Light

Pentair IntelliBrite 5g Color LED Pool Light

Pentair Pool Products recently released the most energy efficient pool light available with its brand new LED (Light Emitting Diode) Pool Light. This light is called the  Pentair IntelliBrite 5g Pool Light which is even more energy efficient than their previously marketed IntelliBrite Pool Light. Simply put, the IntelliBright 5g LED consumers 50% less energy than its competitors LED lights. The IntelliBright 5g internal circuit board drawls less amperage saving you even more on the cost of electricity.

Features:

• Comes in both Color or White
• Color has 5 predetermined fixed colors to match your mood for that evening…and changes as desired.
• 7 pre-programmable “light shows” including slow scroll through various color ranges or a rapid-fast color change to elevate the energy for your evening.
• Customized relective lense designed to eliminate glare and “hot spots”.

Specs:

• 82% less energy consumption than traditional incandescent and halogen pool lights.
• Uses only 23 watts for the same out put compared to 47 watts for traditional lights.
• Cool running LED lights are durable, solid-state technology with no internal filament to wear out.

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What is the best type of swimming pool lights

Installation of swimming pool lights or even replacement pool lights always appeared to be a mystery to me because of the obvious, electricity and water do not mix. After all we learned those basics clear back in elementary school science class. As a kid I always wondered when swimming pool lights are charged with electricity can be safe when it is submerged under water. Common sense will tell you that in most cases this could be a dangerous situation. What would happen if water got into any one of these pool lights? Would everybody in the swimming pool turn into a crispy critter? Well to answer this question simply, the electrical standards that are currently in place are extremely high. When swimming pool lights are properly installed and wired by a qualified professional, safety measures are in place that even if or when water were to enter into the pool lights, the system power would be immediately be shut off and any minor residual electrical current that would be left within the system is directly grounded by the frame work that is built into the swimming pool structure. If you have swimming pool lights that are burned out or no longer working, it is always best to consult with a swimming pool professional for advice or guidance. More times than not, the bulb is burned out and it is time to look into  the various replacement pool lights for your backyard swimming pool or spa.

There are many options to choose from in today’s market. Sure you can always find replacement pool lights such as the typical incandescent pool light which puts off a nice white incandescent glow or you can replace it with one of many LED pool lights found on the market today. The led pool lights have found a vital place in the swimming pool market. Many are getting away from the traditional incandescent replacement pool lights. Many reasons for this is because of their energy efficiency, longevity, and brilliant color changing capabilities.  LED which stands for Light emitting diode are design to sustain a very long life, usually about 50,000 hours of use and consumes less than 50 watts of power. Sure you can put the traditional incandescent replacement pool lights on a dimmer switch and reduce your energy consumption, but you will sacrifice brightness and beautiful from the newer style led pool lights. The replacement pool lights color is specifically programmed into the led pool lights programming circuit board which is built into the replacement pool lights color system. This system is compact and found within the replacement pool lights housing which is a totally sealed unit.

There are only 2 drawl backs that I have come up with for the led pool lights. This first is the led pool lights can not be wired into a dimmer switch function and the other is they tend to be more pricey when making a new purchase and you are searching for replacement pool lights. However most find the long term benefits far exceed these drawl backs. Good luck making your choice, both are great for beautifully accenting your backyard paradise.

RPS Blogger

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Cheaper Ways to Save Energy on your Pool Equipment

Some of the newest products on the market today are among the most energy efficient pool equipment the swimming pool industry has ever seen.  Swimming pool equipment manufacturers are developing very low energy consumption variable speed pool pumps, LED pool lights, and Low NOx emission pool heaters. Many swimming pool owners are finding some of the energy savings to be as much as 90% on their utility bills. However, there is only one down side to all of this, you have to replace your existing pool equipment with this newer up-to-date energy efficient pool equipment.

Because many people are currently searching out new ways to save money on the routine day to day items such as your utility bills, we have developed some solutions that may reduce your energy consumption of your pool equipment by 50% or more. You can do this by adding rheostats (Dimmer Switch) to your pool lights or simply resizing your pool pump motor to suite this purpose.

Energy consumption is measured in Kilowatts of Energy use per hour. Many electric companies charge you approximately $.25/Kilowatt used. Basically, you are paying for the number of watts (energy) used. For example; a 1,000 watt light bulb would cost you $.25/hour, so a Single speed pool pump that consumes 2.5Kilowatts/hour would cost you about $0.62/hour.

Pool Filtration Pump:

More times than not, many swimming pool pumps are over sized, using a 2 horse power pool pump when a 1.5 horse power pool pump is actually what is needed. There is only one way to determine this, and that is based on pipe size (volume) and friction loss (pressure). Instead of trying to reduce the amount of hours your pool pump runs per day, you are always better off to reduce the flow and increase the time. If you added a rheostat to a single speed pool filtration pump – in theory – you can reduce the amount of energy consumed by the pool pump. Of course you would need to have an electrician or pool professional wire in the rheostat into your pool pump system to accomplish this, but it could save you on the amount of energy consumed by your pool pump.

Pool Lights:

A typical incandescent light bulb is what is found in many swimming pools and spas today. The wattage varies, but let’s assumes you have a 500 watt pool light illuminating your swimming pool at night. If you could install a dimmer switch (rheostat), you could reduce the amount of energy that is being consumed by that pool light bulb. In theory, you can now adjust (dim) your swimming light from a 500 watt light down to consume only 200 watts of energy, saving you 60% of energy consumption.

Although none of these ideas are better that what is currently found on the market today, you can still find ways around the high cost of energy bills and still enjoy the benefits of having a beautiful swimming pool. Not all swimming pool or spas will be capable of making these types of modifications, so make sure you always consult a swimming pool or electric professional before jumping into these changes.

Have a great day!
RPS Blogger

Pool Lights

Pool lights in swimming pools are something that we get asked about frequently. There are many different kinds of pool lights that may be used in your pool, and we are here to help you determine what is best for your pool.

First off, there is the standard swimming pool lights that most people have in their pools or spas.  These are known as incandescent lights, which are white bulbs ranging from 100 watts to 500 watts. Pending on the size of your pool or spa will depend on what size bulb to go with. Normally, when you have a spa or a smaller body of water, you may want to use a smaller range of bulbs, like a 100-200 watt bulb. On bigger pools, you may want to go with a brighter bulb, maybe a 500 watt bulb.

In the last few years there have been companies that have come up with different types of lights with different colors and different shows.

The SAM Light is a popular light that has 4 colors and is on a rotating wheel. It is a light that turns your pool into a fun atmosphere for family and friends. There are also LED lights that, pending on which one you buy, will give you different shows and many different colors. When buying a SAM light, it comes with a whole fixture as well as the light. You will need a pool professional to help you install this and run the wire. Some of the LED lights will fit right into the fixture you already have, and so if you go this route, it’s just a matter of replacing a light bulb. Please keep in mind, if the installation is not done correctly, it could make the fixture go bad. Make sure to never get water in the fixture when replacing a bulb. It is always best to get a pool professional to do jobs like these. When replacing a bulb, most of the time you can take out the screw holding the light fixture in place and the fixture will float to the top of water. Then you can work on the deck of the pool.

When checking to see what is wrong with a light, there are always a couple things you can do. First, determine if the light has tripped the breaker or GFI. When checking, here are a few tips: Turn the light switches all in the off position. Once they are all in the off position, reset the breakers and GFI switches. Once the GFI and breakers are all reset, turn on the pool light. If it does not come on, go and check if the GFI switch has been tripped or the breaker has been tripped. If it has not been tripped and the light still won’t come on, then it is usually just the bulb that is bad. If it in fact did trip the GFI or breaker then you have a short in the fixture.  The fixture may have water in it. It is then time to replace the whole light and fixture. If the light comes on and stays on, then turn it off and turn on the spa light switch. Do the same process you did with the pool light. If the light does not come on, check the breakers or GFI. If they are still reset and the spa light is not on, then the bulb is usually the bad one. If it tripped the breaker or GFI then it is time to replace the whole fixture.

Most times when both lights won’t come on then it is usually a GFI or breaker that has tripped. Check those while the switches are off. Then go through your process.

Hopefully this will help you in determining where the problem might be. In any case it is always good to hire a pool profession to help you with pool problems.

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Money Saving Pool Tips!

In this economy, people are always looking for ways to save a buck. In this article, we will give you a couple of ways to save some money without skimping on service.

Electric company’s “peak” hours for electricity are usually between 7am-7pm, Monday through Friday.  Try running your pool in “off peak” hours.  Run your pool cycle at night time from 7pm-7am and on weekends longer if need be. Over the long haul it will save you money. Also, another thing you can do is cut back your pool running time by 1 hour a day. You will have to brush the pool walls in between the pool service professional’s scheduled day per week, so that algae doesn’t adhere to the walls, but in the long run it will save you 30 hours of run time a month, which equates to about $200 per year. Just think: that’s 2 months of free pool service! Remember, service pros are only in your backyard 1 time a week, not daily. So if you want to save some money, ask them for some ideas to help you out. Also remember that if you cut back your run time, you will need to brush pool between service days. Something has to give. It’s not fair for a pool pro to have to spend extra time on your pool and extra chemicals to keep it blue because you want to save money. It is possible however! You will just have to brush it once in a while. If you have a party on the weekend, then you may want to run it a little longer while guests are there. It will be off peak hours and usually on weekends so it will save you money.

If you really want to save money, then you may want to invest in a variable speed pool pump. Please look at the video on this website to give you an idea of how much you can save in a years time. The savings is incredible! Buying the variable speed motor will cost you up front, but you will get your money back in the first year and a half, and then it’s purely money in your pocket month after month!!! With a variable speed pump, your pool will save you money, be quiet, look cleaner, and everyone will be happy.

Remember before doing anything to your pool yourself, always consult a pool professional.

Electrical

Plaster or Pebble?

2.  Fiberglass coating.

• Life expectancy: 5 years before noticing any type of resin break down.
• Colors: Many colors to choose from.
• Made from: Fiberglass resin epoxy coating.
• Pros: Smooth surface.
• Cons: Shorter life span, more costly than white plaster, can delaminate over time, water chemistry is crucial.

3.  Premium River Rock (i.e. Pebble Tec) is comprised of small smooth river rocks and                         plaster.

• Life expectancy: Longest life expectancy 15 to 20 years.
• Colors: Many color to choose from.
• Made from: Small smooth river rocks.
• Pros: Long durability, varieties of colors, slip resistant finish.
• Cons: High cost.

4.  Quartz Crystals (i.e. 3M Products) 2 times stronger than marble.

• Life expectancy: Longest life expectancy 15 to 20 years.
• Colors: Many colors to choose from.
• Made from: Quartz mineral crystals and exterior ceramic.
• Pros: Long durability, variety of colors, smooth or slip resistant finishes.
• Cons: Higher cost.

Choosing a Sub-Contractor

This week (July 5th – 9th) we will be providing our readers with excerpts from our Swimming Pool Builder’s Guide, providing you with useful information for building your own swimming pool!

Today’s topic: Choosing a Sub-Contractor

When you are looking for a subcontractor in your area, keep notes. Plan a scheduled appointment with each sub-contractor usually 20-30 minutes.

Here is a list of things to check for when you are looking for sub-contractor in your area.

1.)   Make sure they are licensed! (License number must be included on all bids, contracts, and all forms of advertising) Check the status of their license with your State Contractor’s Licensing Board or the Consumer Affairs Office.

2.)   Bonded. All actively licensed contractors must be properly bonded through a surety bond company. This protects the homeowner to ensure that all contractors abide by the governing rules and regulations.

3.)   Insured. This protects the contractor and homeowner from potential liability resulting on their property.

4.)   Referrals. Ask the subcontractor for 3 referrals to ensure quality work.

5.)   Clean Record. You can refer to the Contractor State Licensing Board and the BBB (Better Business Bureau)

6.)   Number of Years in the Trade?

7.)   Pictures of completed work?

8.)   Cash Deposit? (10% or $1,000 up-front, whichever is less) Unless you are protected by a Bond that will cover you if the work is not done.

9.)   Contract. Anything over $500 should include a written contract. Must include their name, address, license number / type, description of work, full line itemized list of parts / materials and equipment to be used, approximate start & completion date, payment schedule, a contract price, any warranty information and signatures by all parties involved.

Want more information on building a swimming pool? Click Here!

Looking for a contractor in your area? Click Here!

How many gallons of water are in my pool?

Have you ever wondered how many gallons are in your swimming pool? I know many of us always guess by simply doing the one eye test. The one eye test is when you go out into your backyard on a hot summer day with a cold glass of iced tea, scratch your belly, stare at your swimming pool, close one eye while squinting the other one and say “yah, it looks to be about 20,000 gallons.”

I know; I am just as guilty in doing the one eye test too and I am not ashamed of it – haha! However there is a much more actuate way to determine how many gallons are in your swimming pool than doing the one eye test. By conducting a few basic math problems you can figure out how many gallons are in your swimming pool. Why is this important to know? Because the total number of gallons in your swimming pool will determine a number of important factors such as how long it will take to heat your swimming pool, swimming pool filtration turnover rate, etc.

One Gallon:

Here are some basic methods to determine the total number of gallon in your swimming pool.

Whenever you are measuring your swimming pool, make sure you measure in feet, not inches. For a basic square or rectangle swimming pool the formula is simple. Multiply the length times the width, times the average depth, times 7.48 (number of gallons in one cubic foot of water).

Basic Square Pool Formula:
L  x W x Depth x 7.48 = Total gallons of water in square or rectangle  swimming pool.

To figure out the average depth in a swimming pool; measure the deepest point of your swimming pool, add this number to the shallowest point of your swimming pool, and then divide this number by two.

Average Depth Formula:  D1 + D2 / 2 = Average Depth.

For round pools or spas you will need to find the radius. The radius is ½ of the diameter (measure one side to the other to find the diameter). Now multiply the 3.14 (pi) time the radius times the average depth, times 7.48 (gallons in one cubic foot).

Basic Round Pool or Spa Formula:
3.14 x Radius x Average Depth x 7.48 = Total gallons of water in a round pool or spa.

Free formed Pools seem trickier but really they are not. If you understand the basics explained to you above then free formed pools are a snap. To find the length of your swimming pool you will need to find the average. Measure the length across in multiple areas evenly space apart. For example, try measuring the length of your swimming pool every 2 feet apart. Write all of these measurements down on paper. Let’s say you take a total of 10 measurements for the length side of your swimming pool. Add all of these numbers together then divide them by 10 (the total number of measurements you chose to take for the length). You can take as many or as few length measurements as you wish, however the more you take, the more accurate your calculations will be. Now do the same for the width of your pool. Based on these numbers, you now have the average length and width measurement for your swimming pool. Now the rest is simple. Multiple the Average Width x Average Length x Average Depth x 7.48 (total gallons in a cubic foot).

No more one eye test for you, now you have some solid facts that will help you with calculating total gallons within your swimming pool. Look for more tech tip information on our website for all of your swimming pool needs at www.ReliablePoolSolutions.com.

Best Regards,

RPS Blogger