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Automation for the Masses

New iQPump01 makes any variable-speed Jandy pump controllable from the palm of your hand

Chances are, most of the pools you build or service don’t have waterfalls and multiple LED lights. They’re likely relatively simple pools built for people who actually want to use them: They don’t
care about bells and whistles; they just want a nice place for their
kids to play.

But even people with simple pool setups live in the 21st century and are becoming accustomed with being able to control everything from their smartphones. Until now, there weren’t any automation options you could offer these people — most couldn’t or wouldn’t shell out a bunch of money for a full automation system. Jandy has changed that.

With the company’s new iQPump01 system, any of its variable-speed pumps, past and present, can be controlled from a smartphone using Jandy’s iAquaLink app.

“We’re moving the [pumps’] user interface from the wall to the palm of your hand,” says David Goldman, director of product development at Zodiac. “In doing so, we’re making the experience for the installer, the servicer and end user easier, faster and smarter.”

To help simplify the installation process, the iQPump01 can be set up without a Wi-Fi connection. By direct connecting the pump to a smartphone, both devices are tricked to think they are online, though they’re only connected to each other. This way, the iQPump01 can be set up in the iAquaLink app, and once the pump connects to the home’s Wi-Fi network, everything is ready to go. So it’s no problem if the family hasn’t moved in yet and doesn’t have all their services.

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The app can control all aspects of the pump, which means the pool professional can sometimes tend to their clients’ pools without having to leave the office. Now, the same level of service can be given to the customers with straightforward pools as is given to those with intricate automation systems.

“[The pool professional] finds they can deliver better services to their customers,” Goldman says. “It’s becoming critical to them. A lot of times when somebody calls, their pool is doing what it’s supposed to be doing, but the homeowner doesn’t know why. Giving the pool pro the ability to open the app and in real time see what’s happening, whether it’s with the entire pool or with the pump, is invaluable.”

And if a pool pro inherits an account that already has an iQPump01, gaining access can be done remotely. The customer — or whoever is the assigned master user — can simply click on the option to create an invite code. The app generates a six-digit code that can be passed on to the pool professional, who then adds that to his iAquaLink account. Now he can view the new customer’s pool. And while you can still use the interface on the pump itself, the app provides features that are not readily accessible. For instance, the language on the user interface can be set to almost anything, but anyone who walks up to the pump will see that language. In the app, however, the language automatically switches to the language setting on your own smartphone. If the homeowners speak English but the pool technician speaks Spanish, nothing gets lost in translation.

The iQPump01 is part of Jandy’s Pro Series, so it’s only available to the trade and can’t be purchased online. Goldman says the net price to an installer is about the same as a variable-speed pump. “The pool pro now has a better product to offer his customer at the same price,” Goldman says. “He can also offer better service.”

“The biggest market opportunity for us is the replacement of single speed pumps with a variable-speed pump and this is the technology that we are going to lead with in a major way,” Goldman says. “If you look at [industry] marketing, everyone is saying the same thing: ‘We’ll save you 90 percent on energy costs.’ And everyone is telling the truth; that’s the entry into the game now. The question is, Who can give you 90 percent improvement on energy costs and really give you a better experience on the whole?”

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