Suggestions on replacing pool equipment
I have a 5 year old Aquapure 1400 SWCG system along with a Jandy RS PDA-PS4 (Wireless controller) that was installed when my pool was built. Over the last three years we've had to regularly replace components of the Aquapure SWCG; board, flow sensors, cell, and of course, time spent dealing with issues and the growing realization that despite having spent good money, investing time in educationg myself to ensure I managed the system optimally per Jandy quidelines, that what it boils down to is the product is substandard in build quility and support.
I'm an engineer by profession, work in I.T. (infrastructure) and have inistalled, configured, and supported thousands of low/midrange/and highend networking equipment that is exponentially more sophisticated, both in HW design, functionality, and the SW that runs the gear. A significant amount of that equipment is less expensive to purchase and support than a new Aqua1400 system and the RS PDA controller that was installed to manage it.
A simple, technologically matured pool subsystem component such as the Aquapure, has, from an engineering perspective, a TB failure delta that is unacceptable. And quite honestly, in my opinion, is nonthing more than robbery. It would be ucceptable in other electronic compenent manufacturing niches, industrial, or otherwise. Particularly when the technology has been used successfuly in various iterations, i.e. manufacturing processes, food preperation industry, civil engineering, desalination, chemical engineering processes, etc......... for 80+ years.
Second, the Jandy PDA system, does not perform per Jandy technical literature, the primary defeciency being an extremely limited rf range of operation a significant lag in response times, even with a clean RF environment (low noise floor, no co-channel rf interference or signal degradation from adjacent transmitters, attenuating physical obstructions, etc.
Given the current state of pool technology, there has to be a better solution for acheiving my goals;
a. A SWCG that is reliable, cost effective, easily integrated into a wireless pool controller.
b. A wireless pool controller system that offers better performance and features than a Jandy PDA System.
fyi...... Firmware version for my PDA-PS4 Combo is....
PPD PDA 1.2,
J-box - 1.29
Handheld Controller - rev. 3.0
Thanks in advance, I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge and experience found by the members here.
Re: Suggestions on replacing pool equipment
Hi Jim;
Our focus here is on helping people who have pools (constructed with available technology) enjoy using their pools (by employing available chemistry and gear). A number of us are well aware of technological deficiencies in various aspects of the pool industry, but also of the many obstacles which make it difficult for existing companies to improve their gear, and nearly impossible for a start-up company to do so.
Your comment
Quote:
Originally Posted by
aerangis
Given the current state of pool technology, there has to be a better solution for acheiving my goals;
is true, but may not be particularly relevant in the current US market environment. And, any discussion of how to organize and capitalize a company pursue such goals is pretty much out of the mainstream discussions here.
So, I've moved this discussion to the China Shop, where anyone who wishes can pursue this discussion with you.
Re: Suggestions on replacing pool equipment
Ben, I get the impression that he's looking for suggestions from others with systems that they have had good luck with. I agree with him on the Jandy front. After morphing an original Chlormatic unit into a Jandy system i have had nothing but trouble with Jandy components. Replacing every component at least once and in the case of the cell and flow meter, three times in the last 6 years. Am am presently at the same cross roads. My two year old cell is nearly dead and I'm having a hard time justifying replacing it for the price and am considering putting that $ towards another manufacturers product I if could find something more reliable. Perhaps this would still be appropriate in the SWG heading so others could give their opinions on what's working or not for them.
Re: Suggestions on replacing pool equipment
Keastman,
He's welcome to any info he can find here, or get from a member. But the quotes below illustrate why the post got moved to the China Shop:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
aerangis
the primary defeciency being an extremely limited rf range of operation a significant lag in response times, even with a clean RF environment (low noise floor, no co-channel rf interference or signal degradation from adjacent transmitters, attenuating physical obstructions, etc.
Less than 10% of PF members can understand this sentence. My guess is, much less than 10%. That alone would put it here, along with some of the chemical discussions only a few can follow. Al (Poconos) probably knows more about the engineering concepts involved than anyone else here (or, for that matter, pretty much anywhere else) but he's retired and not -- as far as I know -- a big fan of electronic pool control.
Quote:
Given the current state of pool technology, there has to be a better solution for acheiving my goals
(Emphasis mine) More people here could understand and discuss, from a business and financial point of view, why this is probably not so -- that there MUST be a solution, like he imagines, that would represent a genuine and attractive business opportunity for companies with the knowledge and resources to make it. But I've never seen a lot of interest in exploring such topics. (HINT: it has to do with the fact that consumers generally do NOT adopt better products rapidly; they only adopt better-marketed products rapidly. Nature2 is a successful product, from a financial point of view, but as far as we can tell, does almost nothing!)
