Poolside Tech The Attendant - anyone have experience with this?

[Jtmathew]

Hi folks, long-time listener, first time caller here. I'm looking for opinions / thoughts on Poolside Tech's pool automation system called The Attendant. From what I've read, it has an edge on other automation systems like Hayward, Pentair, and Jandy - a main point being that they can work with any of those (and other) systems. Our pool installer actually installed it on his pool and said it's incredible with the level of control you get - and it works with basically any brand of equipment you have (they call it vendor agnostic). So you can use your Hayward Pump with Pentair Salt system with Jandy valves - and The Attendant can control them all.

We use voice control and home automation a lot. The Attendant currently has Alexa control, but I'm hoping they get Google Assistant built in soon - with more commands (for example: "What temperature is the water right now?" would be great).

We're considering getting it but not sure if it would be better to go with the Hayward OmniPL (we currently have a Hayward VS pump). Does anyone have experience with The Attendant? Pros / Cons? Any reason one of the "big three" automation systems would be better to go with?

 

[wayner]

Not sure but the prices of automation for a pool seems like such a ripoff when you could duplicate it with hardware worth $50. I know that these are low volume luxury items but it still seems like a ripoff to pay thousands of dollars for what is often limited functionality.

And I am not sure how it can work with all of these different types of equipment when some equipment doesn't even seem to have digital interfaces that you could even connect with.

 

[1poolman1]

Not sure but the prices of automation for a pool seems like such a ripoff when you could duplicate it with hardware worth $50. I know that these are low volume luxury items but it still seems like a ripoff to pay thousands of dollars for what is often limited functionality.

And I am not sure how it can work with all of these different types of equipment when some equipment doesn't even seem to have digital interfaces that you could even connect with.

Digital interface on most devices, like pumps, are actually bypassed or made inactive, when automation is controlling them.

 

[Jtmathew]

Thanks @wayner. I've heard of folks creating inexpensive systems that handle the automation, but I don't have the expertise to do something like that. I'm looking for a system that would control our salt cell, solar heating, gas heating, 3 valves, and shift our valves midday so the spa and pool heat as we want them to. I also want to be able to view and control from an app and Google home (ideally!).

It would only be able to control electronic system - for example, it can't control a manual valve - but it can control Jandy, Hayward, Pentair, and other valves perfectly, including stopping them halfway if needed - not a need to have but a nice to have given our spa overflow feature.

But very curious if anyone has had any experience with The Attendant. Or Hayward OmniPL and loves it!

 

[wayner]

Digital interface on most devices, like pumps, are actually bypassed or made inactive, when automation is controlling them.

But you still may need a way of pulling data from a device. I could be wrong, but I didn't think that there was a way to digitally interface with my Jandy Aquapure 1400 to pull data like salt reading, temperature, flow sensor and percentage level.

And the same with my Raypak heater. I don't think that you can pull the temperature from the device via a digital interface, you can just control the fireman's switch.

 

[1poolman1]

But you still may need a way of pulling data from a device. I could be wrong, but I didn't think that there was a way to digitally interface with my Jandy Aquapure 1400 to pull data like salt reading, temperature, flow sensor and percentage level.

And the same with my Raypak heater. I don't think that you can pull the temperature from the device via a digital interface, you can just control the fireman's switch.

A Jandy system will interface with the AquaPure and the system will tell you whether or not there is flow.
Most heaters are just "dumb" appliances. Newer Pentair and RayPak Avia, the exceptions. Perhaps the Jandy as well, I don't deal with Jandy heaters much. All the control needed is through the fireman's switch on a "dumb" heater. For water temps, the controller's temp sensor will report that.
One of the reasons that the Attendant is more expensive is that it will communicate, to one level or another, with virtually everything out right now. Since none of the big manufacturers are forthcoming with their programming or communication protocols, the amount of reverse engineering must have been a large task.
Interestingly, the Waterway Oasis would control anything out, after all, automation is just a very expensive on/off switch, but will communicate directly with all VSP out, for much less money. I've installed 12 and had zero issues other than some weather-related issues.

 

[Jtmathew]

Thanks @1poolman1! I know you might not have any personal experience with the Attendant, but it sure sounds like you have a lot of general experience with pool automation. From your perspective, are there downsides to the Attendant? Any reason you would recommend going with Hayward OmniPL instead (we have a Hayward pump, so if we went with one of the big 3, it would need to be Hayward).

Is there any risk of Hayward, Pentair, or Jandy locking the Attendant out?

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks @1poolman1! I know you might not have any personal experience with the Attendant, but it sure sounds like you have a lot of general experience with pool automation. From your perspective, are there downsides to the Attendant? Any reason you would recommend going with Hayward OmniPL instead (we have a Hayward pump, so if we went with one of the big 3, it would need to be Hayward).

Is there any risk of Hayward, Pentair, or Jandy locking the Attendant out?

If you have and like Hayward (and are willing to stay with that brand), go with the Omni.

I don't believe there is a way to "lock out" another control that speaks the same "language," that's way above my experience. The only negative I can see with the Attendant is that it is so new there are few familiar with it and I'm not sure about factory support.

Also, to "lock out" a brand would then lock out a source of sales to someone who had one brand of control (like the Attendant) to keep them from buying another brand of pump, "smart" heater, etc. Pentair's VSPs are everywhere. Now Jandy controls, and, I believe the Omni, will directly communicate with one. It is, after all, just good business. They wouldn't want you to not choose Jandy, or Omni, or Attendant because you have a Pentair pump.

That's why all Jandy-type valves are of the same dimensions and all brands of actuator will fit any brand of valve and work with any control (not necessarily Pentair's Intellivalve). Compool (now Pentair) and Jandy valves were different in size so one brand's actuator would not work with the other. Jandy became so prevalent that Compool had to match in order to sell an actuator to work with Jandy equipment. Everyone else followed.

 

[Jtmathew]

Thanks for the quick reply, @1poolman1! Our Hayward pump has been giving some intermittent issues lately, so I could see us needing to replace it before long. Because of that, the Attendant is somewhat attractive as we could go with a less expensive or better reviewed pump down the road rather than being locked to Hayward.

I hear what you're saying about the possible lack of support due to it being so new. I've spoken with their support team a few times with questions, and they've been very responsive and helpful. That being said, with something so new, one does worry about the longevity of the product, which is also a concern of mine.

One thing we wanted to do was control Hayward using our Google home. All over the Hayward site, it says you can. But there is no option to add Hayward to the google home automations. Their name does not show up on the list. I reached out to Hayward but received no response, which is frustrating and concerning (just when considering other support needs I might have).

 

[1poolman1]

Thanks for the quick reply, @1poolman1! Our Hayward pump has been giving some intermittent issues lately, so I could see us needing to replace it before long. Because of that, the Attendant is somewhat attractive as we could go with a less expensive or better reviewed pump down the road rather than being locked to Hayward.

I hear what you're saying about the possible lack of support due to it being so new. I've spoken with their support team a few times with questions, and they've been very responsive and helpful. That being said, with something so new, one does worry about the longevity of the product, which is also a concern of mine.

One thing we wanted to do was control Hayward using our Google home. All over the Hayward site, it says you can. But there is no option to add Hayward to the google home automations. Their name does not show up on the list. I reached out to Hayward but received no response, which is frustrating and concerning (just when considering other support needs I might have).

Most service reps at the factory don't/won't tell you that their product will work with another brand's "anything" if it isn't in the manual. Otherwise the complaints, and lawsuits, start with "So-an-so told me . . ." because everyone always does it exactly as instructed.
Those can become costly nuisances so they just don't respond, or will say they don't know. Again, just business.
I don't know as I don't use Google Home or a Hayward Omni. Have only installed one, and that was years ago when they first came out.