Searching for good pool plumber in Phoenix AZ area

[iom]

I need to repipe my pool. Too much friction.
I talked to pool remodel people - they are mostly contractors who hire pool plumbers - this means the price doubles.
Do you know good pool plumber who knows how to do things for flow efficiency without charging an arm and a leg.

Is ABS ok for pool plumbing?
In AZ there is no availability of CPVC. The ABS is mechanically superior to PVC for the above ground application. ABC and COVC are UV and heat resitant. PVC is NOT UV resitant and it is not recomended for above 120F exposure (a pipe above ground gets to that temperature all the time between May and October), and at 150F its strength drops to ZERO null nothing (mostly in June to August it is normal surface temp).

 

[jblizzle]

I thought ABS pressure ratings were significantly lower than PVC. And ABS gets much softer in the sun.

Although you raise a good point about the pressure rating of PVC in heat ... I did not realize it went to 0 at 150 degrees.

There has to be a source of CPVC in Phoenix ... not likely at a hardware store, but some specialized plumbing store ... or maybe it would have to be ordered.

This makes me wonder about using PVC for plumbing my solar panels on the roof as they will certainly get warm (although the pressure is pretty low up there).

 

[iom]

For outdoor/above ground use PVC is only good as electrical conduit and nothing else.
For the rooftop solar - only CPVC or ABS or metal. For solar you may also try PEX or PEX-AL.

ABS is good to about 260F while PVC is not recommended for above 120F. PVC strength drops to 0 at 150F and it is published by every PVC manufacturer.
There is no CPVC in Arizona - have to special order from California.
Nobody uses CPVC in Arizona because there is no code enforcement.
Anything above ground should be either CPVC or ABS (Sch.80 if needed).
In old days there was recommendation to paint PVC with any paint so to make it UV resistant, but experiments showed that UV gets through all paints anyway. But in Arizona the issue is that under the sun the surface temperature gets easily to 120F and even 150F even with water inside. Maybe if there is a water flow it gets a little better, but not much - the pool water in summer gets to be about 100F anyway.

I thought ABS pressure ratings were significantly lower than PVC. And ABS gets much softer in the sun.

Although you raise a good point about the pressure rating of PVC in heat ... I did not realize it went to 0 at 150 degrees.

There has to be a source of CPVC in Phoenix ... not likely at a hardware store, but some specialized plumbing store ... or maybe it would have to be ordered.

This makes me wonder about using PVC for plumbing my solar panels on the roof as they will certainly get warm (although the pressure is pretty low up there).

 

[jblizzle]

OK. But by this logic the 10,000s of pools in AZ should be blowing apart PVC pipes all the time. I have never heard of that happening.

And my pool's water has never approached 100 degrees ... is your above ground as I think they get hotter.

I have certainly read to not use ABS pipe for pools, specifically for solar installs as it gets too soft and there are plenty of solar installs that use PVC all over the state.

I understand the data, but do not understand why we do not see more problems based on the data. I think it has to do with the fact that only the surface of the pipe gets hot and the water is no where near 150 degrees therefore most of the pipe is much cooler than the surface and maintains an acceptable level of strength.

 

[iom]

OK. But by this logic the 10,000s of pools in AZ should be blowing apart PVC pipes all the time. I have never heard of that happening.

And my pool's water has never approached 100 degrees ... is your above ground as I think they get hotter.

I have certainly read to not use ABS pipe for pools, specifically for solar installs as it gets too soft and there are plenty of solar installs that use PVC all over the state.

I understand the data, but do not understand why we do not see more problems based on the data. I think it has to do with the fact that only the surface of the pipe gets hot and the water is no where near 150 degrees therefore most of the pipe is much cooler than the surface and maintains an acceptable level of strength.

Well - physics is physics and facts are facts.
I have learned that in Arizona laws of physics do not work too well.
The human experiences and observations varies.
Yes, there are about 250,000 pools in Arizona and nobody keeps statistics of PVC failures.
My personal experience with PVC exposed to Arizona sun is that after three years it becomes brittle and a 'normal' water-hammer effect can shatter the PVC pipe.
As to ABS there are 7 or 8 different compositions and construction. If you go to big box store you will only see honeycomb schedule 80 ABS which is only for no pressure waste line. For the pool it would be the backwash line. But if you want it for other applications I would use schedule 80.
As far as ABS getting soft I have no clue what it is. It is certainly good for any chemicals in the swimming pool. But its UV and heat resistance is superior.
Check what most of modern filter valves are made off - CPVC or ABS. There still are PVC valves available because there are many indoor pools.