Advice on Pentair refresh for our pool

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T

TallMartin

0
Oct 31, 2016
4
Soquel, CA
Hey all,

We just bought a house in May which came with a pool. I was ambivalent about this at first (never having had a pool before), but we had a great time with it until the weather turned too cold to use it any more.

ML81533901_3_9.jpg

The pool is due for some maintenance, and below is the quote we got from our pool guy:

Total - 5,565.00 *


1- Pentair Screen Logic Bundle - $600.00
1- Little Giant Cover Pump - $ 260.00
1- Pentair VS SVRS Intelliflo Pump - $ 1,800.00
1- Pentair EasyTouch upgrade kit - $ 975.00
1- Pentair ICP indoor controller - $ 475.00
1- Pentair GFI OEM breaker for pump - $ 225.00
1- Various plumbing, electrical & hardware - $300.00
1- Installation for the above - $ 930.00

The reviews of Pentair Screen Logic on Amazon are mixed at best, and I was wondering what the community's opinion is of Pentair in general, and of this option in particular. I'm also wondering which alternatives I should be considering.

Finally, I'm wondering about the etiquette of price checking the equipment being proposed by our pool guy. I'm finding everything at a lower cost on Amazon...

Thanks in advance!
 
Martin,

I will never own an EasyTouch without ScreenLogic 2... It makes using the EasyTouch a joy, instead of a PIA. Basically, you can see the Pool (and in your case Spa) temperatures. You can turn on the pool light with a click of an icon. I have a salt pool, so I can adjust the chlorine % up or day with a single button. Want to change the pump speed, another icon. And, if you want to change a schedule or add/delete a program, you can do it from your computer instead of a 3" LCD at the equipment pad.. I could go on, but you get the point.

The Intelliflo (in my opinion) is the "Gold Standard" of pumps. If mine died today, I'd buy a new one before the sun went down. Unless you only have one main drain input at the bottom of your pool, you do not need the more expensive SVRS. It is designed to shut off if someone sits on the main drain. If you have two main drain covers, it makes this option pointless.

Do you already have an EasyTouch? If so, what is the "upgrade" for?

If you are going to have ScreenLogic, I don't understand why you would also need the indoor controller??? That is exactly what SceenLogic does.

The correct GFCI Circuit Breaker is worth the extra price. The Intelliflo has a minor history of popping normal GFCI CB's..

Just how long do you think your PB would stay in business if he sold everything at internet pricing? One of the things you get with having the PB do the install is Pentair's 3 year warranty.

Jim R.

- - - Updated - - -

Pooldv,

Is that a new Avatar? It is hard for me to tell, because after seeing it, I have gone blind in one eye and I'm having trouble seeing out of the other... :poke:

Jim R.
 
Thanks for the perspective! Regarding the upgrade to the remote unit, the pool guy is saying that the one we currently have is too old to support the new equipment (which makes sense, as the whole setup dates from 2002). I agree in principle that we should not need a new panel if we have the EasyTouch option, but I work in tech and have had too many bad experiences with the super duper thing failing without having a lower tech backup.

The thing I'm struggling with is that the price drops from $5,565.00 to $4,109.91 (a difference of $1,455.09) if I buy the parts myself. Are you saying that Pentair won't warranty them if they are not purchased through an authorized distributor?
 
Martin,

I think their policy is that they have to be installed by a "professional". Generally if the homeowner self installs the warranty is 90 days or so. I suspect it depends on the product and how much you buy, but it is just something to be aware of before buying. You can call Pentair for the exact details.

It would not surprise me if your 2002 EasyTouch is not compatible with the newer ScreenLogic and Intelliflo.

Jim R.
 
First - great looking pool and yard.

Multiple bids are always a good thing. This is my first pool, so I always make the disclaimer that I can't compare to anyone else, but I'm 100% Pentair. Easytouch 8 with Screen Logic. I did have one part of the screen logic device brick on me, it was replaced by the local Pentair warranty guy with no issues. Otherwise I've been very happy. If cost is a bit of concern, I would too eliminate the Indoor controller. With the screen logic you'll have access from any PC/iOS or Android device (at home or away from home). I will admit that when my device did brick I had to go to the panel for 3 days to do anything, but it was not a problem and once I got used to having Screen Logic I was having it fixed/replaced ASAP anyway. I don't see myself ever going to a certain location or wall where it is installed to operate the pool. You can always buy a couple of cheap Android pads or an iPad Mini for that amount of money and use those for extra control devices if you need another device around the house. Like was mentioned if you are buying 3 Pentair products that should make the warranty for 3 years - I don't know if that is all the time or if that is a special they run, ask the PB.

I'm also still learning - my PB installed the VS SRVS pump - I've got dual drains in both pool and spa, so perhaps he upgraded something I didn't need, but the pump is unbelievably quiet and energy efficient.
 
The pool at my house also has the SRVS option. It was what the PB installed, and at the time, I did not have a clue what it was. Turns out the SRVS Intelliflos cannot run at as low of an RPM as the non-SRVS pumps. I think my minimum is 1,000 RPM and the non-SRVS can go down to at least 900 RPM. I'm not sure what their minimum is, but less than the SRVS pumps.

Jim R.
 

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My neighbor is all Hayward, and he is jealous of my Pentair stuff. :).

Same here NON SVRS, and I can run mine down to 750, not that that makes any sense. And at 1200 it is difficult to tell if it is running unless I go over there and listen. And I see the SWG lights lit before I hear it anyway.

Another option you you may consider is to have him put in the basic stuff, and then add on yourself. If you can run an Ethernet cable to the box, you may want to do the screenlogic yourself. It is not that hard.

The guy has to make money, so looking at Amazon prices is not realistic. Multiple bids makes sense for 2 reasons. I find it is as much about trust and pride as it is about cost. The suppliers here go all the way from straight rip off agents, to good quality suppliers that back their work, and know their business. The fact that he wants to sell you a VSRS, may be because he doesn't know any better (a bad sign), wants to up sell (not a great sign), or is exceptionally conservative and is ok with a customer backing off (a good sign).
 
No need to run Ethernet to the box for screen logic - there is a wireless option that is very straight forward, google Screen Logic Wireless Connection kit. You keep the Screen logic equipment in the house next to your router, or wherever you'd like it. An antenna connects to the com port on the Easytouch board.
 
GDN said:
No need to run Ethernet to the box for screen logic - there is a wireless option that is very straight forward, google Screen Logic Wireless Connection kit. You keep the Screen logic equipment in the house next to your router, or wherever you'd like it. An antenna connects to the com port on the Easytouch board.
Click to expand...

For sure, and more money. If an Ethernet cable can be run, cheaper.
 
I started calling around last night (using Yelp as a starting point), and ended up talking to someone from another part of the state by accident. This turned out to be great, as this person could give me an objective opinion without having to worry about possibly getting the work. They thought that the markup on the parts was really high, but the labor was low. Our pool guy came by today, and although he was a bit prickly / defensive about us price checking his parts, agreed to lower the bid by 10% (which brings the cost down by $550). Our preference is to stay with them as they know our pool and have been servicing it twice a month for years (through the two previous owners), so I think we will likely go with this.

I understand their need to sustain a viable business, and am willing to give them consideration, but a 50% mark up on parts (amounting to over $1,500) over internet pricing is a LOT of consideration...
 
You are in California, I am in Missouri. Through pool industry magazines I have read a lot about the insurance requirements that reputable businesses have to maintain to do business in California. If our requirements were that stringent here I would be the same way in pricing parts. I have to cover costs somewhere. He is just trying to maintain a viable business
 
Not being a fan of automation, I wonder if that should be your first upgrade? What kind of condition is your filter, multi-port, etc. Do you have a heater?

Having the mechanicals in tip-top shape would be a far better (and cheaper) first step to having an easy maintenance pool.
 
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