Heat Pump Install – Hindsight is 20/20

[RandyR]

My 2007 pool included a Jandy heat pump. The pool company did not mention an important design feature – a bypass to the heat pump. Had I realized that a failure and leak in the heat pump would prevent me from running the filter pump, I would have gladly opted for a by-pass.

My heat pump is blowing water out of the heat exchanger canister. Initial conversations with a Jandy equipment service dealer indicates a heat exchanger failure and replacement is estimated at about half the cost of a new heat pump. If a by-pass valve was designed in during installation, I would be able to simply by-pass the heat pump and continue filtering the pool as normal. With the pump running, the leak in the heat pump will flood the backyard rather quickly. I’m having a by-pass installed on Monday so I can run the pump and filter the pool while I take time to consider my options for repairing or replacing the Jandy heat pump. I will most likely NOT purchase a Jandy.

Does anyone have a by-pass built into the installation design of their pool heat pump? If you do not, and you are contemplating a pool build with a heat pump install, I would HIGHLY recommend you consider this inexpensive addition.

 

[kimkats]

Good lesson for all! Thanks for sharing! Bypasses and unions are often overlooked BUT oh so important!

Kim

 

[thepoolman]

Have you called Zodiac directly? Many times, items like the heat exchanger and compressor have longer warranties than the rest of the unit. Not knowing the exact model, etc., we couldn't speak to that, but Zodiac has great support and would be happy to help.

 

[RandyR]

Thank you thepoolman... good question. No, I haven't called Zodiac directly, but that's worth a try.

I meant to include that information in my post. My pool builder in 2007 offered a Life Time Warranty. For me that was a huge buying incentive feature. However, the pool builder went out of business within 12 months - no more builder warranties! Zodiac-Jandy's published warranty on this 2007 AE2500T-R heat pump, no longer manufactured, was 2 years on all but the compressor and heat exchanger, and 5 years on compressor and heat exchanger. So... I'm 3 years and 6 months beyond the warranty.

Perhaps I'll get lucky and the Jandy service guy, coming out tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 23, will find the leak NOT the heat exchanger, and the part will be available to repair it? My local Jandy dealer said that Jandy changed design quite often and replacement parts on legacy units are rarely available. They said AquaCal has a better track record for availability of replacement parts.