I can not remember what style of filter you have. If it is backwashable, make sure your backwash valve is not leaking to waste.
I need to replace my pool light. Any recommendations on brand/style? Is it something I should do myself or just hire a professional?
Depending on what you have there currently and the style of niche, you could be limited on certain brands/styles. So it all starts with the model that is there currently and then recommendations can be made. *also the voltage requirements. Is it 110V or a low voltage light working off a transformer?
Was with a distributor on Thursday and he was saying how hard it was to get niche’s right now. Sounds like they are being allocated as well.
I found some paperwork that indicates its a Pentair, but I don’t know the model #. Is there a way to figure that out without pulling the whole thing out? pretty sure it’s 110. It’s on a 20 amp breaker right next to the pump.
There is a tag on the light cord about 2’ from the fixture when you pull it out of the wall. That and the tag on the back side of the fixture are what indicates the model #. If you are 100% sure there is no transformer then you could most likely get something done on your own. Also backing up, are you talking about replacing the entire fixture or just lamping with a new bulb and gasket? And, have you made sure it is just not a GFCI/GFCI breaker tripped?
I assume (hope?) it’s just the bulb and not the fixture, but I can see that a bit of water is in the housing. So it’ll need a new bulb and gasket at the least. I reset the GFCI on the outlet right next to the switch and the light still doesn’t come on, so I don’t think it’s that.
Some people will but I never screw with bulb replacement once water has entered the fixture. Too much liability/risk. For now the GFCI is doing its job but they do go bad. And when they go bad, they can arc into a permanent open situation instead of closed. It is not super common but it happens. I would recommend a new fixture if there is water in it but other people might say otherwise.
Thanks. I’ll probably get a professional to take a look at it then. and I’m glad I opened this thread and read about the upcoming tab shortage. I’ll grab a bunch this week to get me through the summer.
I was on the fence about putting an in-ground pool. This thread alone has made my decision. Fuck. That.
You’re not likely to see deals on anything this year. There is too much demand on the industry as a whole.
A lot of builders are scheduled out into 22 already and demand doesn’t seem to be slowing down. If you are serious about a pool I would suggest you get rolling to lock in a price because the costs of everything is going up almost daily.
Do you know anything about the Maytronic Dolphins? Specifically can the robot unit be bought by itself? My power supply and cord are fine but its just time to replace the robot itself. Looking online the power supply boxes are $299 and i bought a new cord last season that was around $200 i think. So I was just wondering if i could shave a little off the cost if I could just get the robot alone.
My college house had a salt water pool and it was incredible. To the point where I swore I'd never own a chlorine based pool. We're building a custom home and I have dreams of my salt water pool. Alas, were hearing that they burn through pumps every year. I'd think there would be pumps that are corrosion resistant though right?
You can do things that prolong the damage but at the end of the day, you are still going to be adding additional maintenance costs in regards to your equipment over the course of its lifespan, including a shorter lifespan.
Salt water pools have chlorine in them, just FYI. And they certainly don’t burn through pumps every year!
Not taking care of properly, they absolutely can. You have to remember, 1 year of a pool in some parts of the country = 2-3 of your years in regards to hours on the equipment and with water in it.
Well yeah, if you don’t take care of your pool chemistry it’s going to fuck your equipment and pool surface salt water or not. But yea, 2-3x more load is fair point
It is not just about chemistry. It is also about the electricity released into the water. It can effect everything your pool is in contact with.
Sacrificial anode in the skimmer would be your recommendation? edit: after further research, this would be pointless if not connected to the bonding wire directly
Best to have one plumbed into the equipment and bonding. I deal with pools that have so many trees around that they need more skimmer space, not less. Even with a sacrificial anode, it is not full proof. People forget they need to have it checked & replaced. The reality is, every single pool and owner is different. You can not treat each pool the same because they are all different. That includes the entire environment around them. You can have 2 identical pools from a structural and equipment standpoint but they are going to be entirely different due to their environment (trees, sun, dirt, debris, bathing load, etc.). And finally, the owner. The is the biggest piece of the puzzle. You have a great handle on your pool and have the time and knowledge to devote to it. A lot of people do not. I have seen numerous people install salt cells and quickly turn their pool into a money pit. The 2 times a pool should be introduced to a salt cell are either on a new construction or during a significant structural remodel. Then and only then can the owner be assured that every single bonding point per the electrical code is actually bonded. Unless of course the home/pool owner wants to go through the additional expense of hiring an electrician to come out and re-bond the entire equipment & structure to safe guard against the chance that the pool was either never bonded correctly or that in the life of the pool, no other person has accidentally severed the bond on the pool that was correct at some time. Without a proper bond, every single thing touching the pool can start to be damaged. That even extends to concrete decking and house structure. To me, the juice is not worth the squeeze. Because even if all that is done correctly, a landscaping crew can severe a bond and the chances are no one will ever know, stuff will just start deteriorating. Trust me, I love when people decide to go ahead and install them because I see job security. I am not alone in this as all the reputable builders I know will only install them after a damage waiver is signed by the owner.
Can a pool bond be checked without tearing it up down to the metal underneath the concrete? I assumed that wouldn’t even be possible?
You have pictures of damage caused by conversion to salt and not something else? I’d love to see that actually. Fascinated
a.tramp i just went down a rabbit hole of reading about bonding and now I’m worried about electrocution, not my equipment! So thanks for the nightmares!
I ask them to contact an electrician because I do not have the answer and am not equipped to provide that answer. An electrician, particularly one that specializes in pools, might be able to, but it is outside my general scope of work, or even caring for that matter. I specialize in equipment installation, maintenance, and repair. Structural stuff and electrical grid layout (including bonding) is for other trades, my licensing and bonding (insurance) does not cover it. I have never had a reason to test the salt level on a pool that is not a salt-generated chlorine pool. I deal with fewer & fewer salt pools all the time so come across fewer instances of major damage. Also, I typically delete pool photos off of my phone after each job is finished. I message the photos to the customer so they can save them if they want but unless it is something I have not seen before, I do not keep the photos long.
I’m guessing the average electrician knows Dick about pool NECs. PITA! I’d guess some have a lot of salt. After enough time given what’s being added just a matter of time next time... me want to see!
pperc these are not my pictures as I just snagged them off the internet but see this all the time. These are different salt cell components that short out during operation. They generally do not trip the breaker but rather end up burning up the salt control PCB and/or transformer. Water literally runs through this part of the tri-sensor on a Jandy system. This is I believe a nature system. What you can not see from this pic is the 3 prong DC power cord thar runs to this posts generally continue to provide power after the arcing/short and the power cord generally melts off. If not completely, the area around the damaged post just ceases to exist around it.