What I see in talking to builders, at the SCP counter in Chattanooga, and over the years in various places, is that most builders HATE pool chemistry, and know very little about it. I have no doubt that the builder believed that the Pool Pilot would do just what he told the owner. I'd bet, if you did up the PP literature, you'd find that that's just what it claims, until you get to the really fine print
As you know, one of my pet peeves is 'automation' systems that use pH or ORP electrodes to 'sense' the pool water. The problem is simply that calibration MUST be maintained or they WILL drift off. I don't know about the Pool Pilot, but I know that with the mainline commercial controllers (Strantrol, Chemtrol, K & E, etc), this little fact is NOT part of the sales pitch. Some, like K & E will tell you after the fact. Others, like Strantrol will tell you that you really, really need their bi-annual calibration service (at $150 & up per service call) but not explain why.
I've seen multiple serious episodes resulting from 'trusting' uncalibrated controllers, including gradual swimsuit destruction on an entire swim team; rapid swimsuit destruction on a water aerobics instructor turning it into a virtual 'thong' in one 3 hour session of back-to-back classes; up to the literal destruction of a facility's stainless steel ductwork and gutter system as well as their heaters and the heat exchanger on the air handler. In the last case, damage exceeded $100,000 over a single weekend.
I'm not really a fan of pool automation. Although I haven't seen some of the things that have been released in the last 3 or 4 years, the stuff I have seen almost inevitably becomes a problem. And chemical automation, by its dependence on 50+ year old electrode technology, inevitably leads to problems.
In-floor vacuum system, automatic covers, colored pool lights (the new LED ones may be OK), remote control systems, computer control systems, chemical control systems -- you name it, and I've seen them go from 'new' to 'broken' in months, weeks or even days!
The only reliable 'automation' I've seen is electromechanical time clocks!
Ben
"PoolDoc"
PS: Yes, I know that some of those things will work well if "maintained properly". I've used, and preferred, digital time clocks to the electromechanical ones. But, I was never successful at training any on-site staff to set those clocks. Even the automation that 'works', often won't work long with the staff available on site, whether it's a lifeguard or a pool manager or "Mom". I've argued for years that pools should be designed to be operated successfully by the staff that's available, rather than the staff that 'should' be available!
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