I've been working on the design for roughly a month now and have been getting some feedback from possible contractors, but I thought I'd throw out the spec and a few questions here before getting into contracts.
16" x 34" Rectangular Gunite Pool with 4' FT Shallow End and 7' FT Deep End (we wanted pool just deep enough at end to allow some modest amount of jumping in by kids)
Blue Granite Pebble Sheen - 1 Skimmer, 2 Inlets, 2 Drains + hydrostatic, 1 suction - mx8 cleaner
PentAir VF Pump + IntelliChlor / IntelliChem + Quad DE 100 Filter (cartridge like)
~512FT of Solar Panel Heating (still working on which contractor and panel specs)
Pentair UltraTemp 120,000 BTU Refrigerant Heat and Cool Titanium Pool Heat Pump
Single IntelliBrite 5g Light
Automatic Safety Pool Cover with Encapsulated Recessed Under Track and Navy Blue Color
(cover will always be closed when not swimming or performing maintenance)
We plan to swim at least 3 times/week and sometimes more frequently from Mid February to Mid November. Our hope is that San Diego weather + the cover + solar + heat pump should allow this with minimal ongoing heating costs.
Also, during the height of summer, it would be helpful if we could have the solar panels cool the pool at night and/or if the pool is overheating during the day, have the heat pump work in reverse to cool.
We're not finicky about temperature.... Ideally the pool would be 82-88 degrees, but we'll swim in the high 70's or all the way up to 91 degrees or so.
I not 100% certain we need an automation system, but I can see the benefit of having something to show the status and any alarms for the pool w/o our having to go
out to the pool shed which will be on the side of the house. If we get a control system, it won't be the pentair easytouch as the interface just looks awful.
I'd also like to be able to see and configure everything via such a system so we'd probably be looking at the intellitouch i5+3s + load center + indoor control panel if that
is sufficient to the task (do we need the i9?). However, the vf pump and the solar / heat pump have some intelligence so I'm not sure we need the automation.
Since we don't have a spa and the san diego weather during our planned season is usually quite reliable, I believe the heat pump would make more sense than gas. Long
term, we'll also be putting in solar for the house itself so that might pay for the ongoing costs for the pump.
The above design is based on using pentair equipment which most of the contractors here seem to like, however a few like hayward which apparently has a longer warranty.
Assuming all goes as plan (knock on wood), we'll be using the pool until we die, so 30+ years..... are we going to wish we had gone with a supplier other than pentair?
Thanks in advance for any comments...
16" x 34" Rectangular Gunite Pool with 4' FT Shallow End and 7' FT Deep End (we wanted pool just deep enough at end to allow some modest amount of jumping in by kids)
Blue Granite Pebble Sheen - 1 Skimmer, 2 Inlets, 2 Drains + hydrostatic, 1 suction - mx8 cleaner
PentAir VF Pump + IntelliChlor / IntelliChem + Quad DE 100 Filter (cartridge like)
~512FT of Solar Panel Heating (still working on which contractor and panel specs)
Pentair UltraTemp 120,000 BTU Refrigerant Heat and Cool Titanium Pool Heat Pump
Single IntelliBrite 5g Light
Automatic Safety Pool Cover with Encapsulated Recessed Under Track and Navy Blue Color
(cover will always be closed when not swimming or performing maintenance)
We plan to swim at least 3 times/week and sometimes more frequently from Mid February to Mid November. Our hope is that San Diego weather + the cover + solar + heat pump should allow this with minimal ongoing heating costs.
Also, during the height of summer, it would be helpful if we could have the solar panels cool the pool at night and/or if the pool is overheating during the day, have the heat pump work in reverse to cool.
We're not finicky about temperature.... Ideally the pool would be 82-88 degrees, but we'll swim in the high 70's or all the way up to 91 degrees or so.
I not 100% certain we need an automation system, but I can see the benefit of having something to show the status and any alarms for the pool w/o our having to go
out to the pool shed which will be on the side of the house. If we get a control system, it won't be the pentair easytouch as the interface just looks awful.
I'd also like to be able to see and configure everything via such a system so we'd probably be looking at the intellitouch i5+3s + load center + indoor control panel if that
is sufficient to the task (do we need the i9?). However, the vf pump and the solar / heat pump have some intelligence so I'm not sure we need the automation.
Since we don't have a spa and the san diego weather during our planned season is usually quite reliable, I believe the heat pump would make more sense than gas. Long
term, we'll also be putting in solar for the house itself so that might pay for the ongoing costs for the pump.
The above design is based on using pentair equipment which most of the contractors here seem to like, however a few like hayward which apparently has a longer warranty.
Assuming all goes as plan (knock on wood), we'll be using the pool until we die, so 30+ years..... are we going to wish we had gone with a supplier other than pentair?
Thanks in advance for any comments...